Where are the best places to spend Christmas abroad?

Quick picks by what you want

• Markets and snow-globe old towns: Munich, Prague, Budapest. Go late November to 22 December, when most markets are open at once.

• Christmas after Christmas: Prague, where the Old Town and Wenceslas Square markets run to 6 January 2027, and Budapest's Advent Bazilika, reported to run to 1 January 2027.

• An English Christmas: Bath for the market (ends 13 December), London for the lights and the build-up. Do not plan on London transport on the 25th.

• Warm and dry: Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.

• Beach Christmas: Sydney, where 25 December is early summer.

• Christmas as a non-event: Marrakech or Tokyo, where 25 December is an ordinary working day, which is exactly the appeal for some.

Not sure which side of the world to pick? Our winter route article lays out where we were each month from November to March.

Europe: markets, lights and the 24 December cliff

1. Munich, Germany. The city's Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz runs 20 November to 24 December 2026, closed on Totensonntag, Sunday 22 November, according to the City of Munich. It is the only big German market we cover still open on Christmas Eve, and only until early afternoon. The catch is Germany itself: shops close by about 14:00 on the 24th when it falls on a weekday (it is a Thursday in 2026), and 25 and 26 December are public holidays. Our German markets guide has the six-city dates, and our Munich guide covers the city. We spent 5 days in Munich in July 2023.

2. Prague, Czech Republic. Visit Czechia lists the Wenceslas Square market from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, and the Old Town Square market ends the same day. That late finish makes Prague the best European pick if you can only travel between Christmas and New Year. The catch: large shops (over 200 m² of sales floor) must close at noon on 24 December and stay shut on the 25th and 26th by law. See our Prague markets guide and Prague guide. We spent 5 days in Prague in September 2022.

3. Budapest, Hungary. Advent Bazilika in front of St Stephen's Basilica is reported to run 13 November 2026 to 1 January 2027; the organiser's site still showed last season when we checked, so confirm before booking. Vörösmarty Square runs a separate market on its own dates. Add a thermal bath for the cold evenings: our baths comparison. Supermarket chains close around noon on the 24th and most retail is shut on the 25th and 26th. Details in our Budapest markets guide. We spent 5 days in Budapest in October 2022.

4. Bath, England. Bath & North East Somerset Council has announced the market for 26 November to 13 December 2026, free to enter. It is a December-early trip, not a Christmas-week trip. Our Bath market guide and Bath guide cover it; we spent 3 days in Bath in November 2023.

5. London, England. Best for the lead-up: lights, shop windows, theatre. The catch is Christmas Day: in 2025 TfL ran no Tube, bus or Overground service on 25 December and no National Rail trains ran, and the big museums close over 24 to 26 December. Stay within walking distance of what you want to do, and see our where to stay in London. We spent 8 days in London across November and December 2023.

Asia: Christmas as a normal day (mostly)

6. Chiang Mai, Thailand. December is the cool, dry season in northern Thailand, with days around the high 20s °C (low 80s °F) and nights cool enough for a light jacket, and little rain. Christmas Day is not on the Thai government's public holiday list in the Singapore Embassy's 2026 summary, so markets, temples and restaurants run as normal; hotels lay on Christmas dinners. The catch: December is the dry, cool season most visitors aim for, so this is not a quiet time. We were in Chiang Mai from 22 to 28 December 2022, then went on to Chiang Rai for 7 days over New Year. See our Chiang Mai guide, where to stay in Chiang Mai and how many days in Chiang Mai.

7. Tokyo, Japan. 25 December is not a public holiday in Japan; the Emperor's Birthday moved to 23 February. Christmas here is illuminations, couples' dinners and the KFC Christmas bucket, which Cathay Pacific's travel pages describe as dating from a 1970s campaign, with Christmas Eve as KFC Japan's busiest day. Everything is open, which is the point. The catch comes a week later, when much of Japan closes for New Year (see our New Year article). Dates for the light-ups are in our winter illuminations guide and packing in Japan in winter. We spent 9 days in Tokyo across March and April 2023.

8. Bali, Indonesia. Warm, around 26 to 30 °C (79 to 86 °F), but December is wet season, with rain usually in the afternoon or evening and the highlands around Ubud cooler and wetter. Read our best time to visit Bali before committing. We spent time in Seminyak and Ubud in May 2023, in the dry season.

Warm options further afield

9. Sydney, Australia. Christmas falls in early summer; the Bureau of Meteorology's long-term December average maximum at Observatory Hill is about 25 °C (77 °F), and recent Decembers have run warmer. Sydney also sets up the best New Year's Eve on this list. See best time to visit Australia. We spent 2 days in Sydney in February 2023.

10. Marrakech, Morocco. Christmas is not a public holiday in Morocco, so the souks and riads run as normal. Days in December are mild, roughly 14 to 20 °C (57 to 68 °F), but nights drop to about 4 to 8 °C (39 to 46 °F), and December is among the wetter months. Good for a no-Christmas Christmas with a Sahara trip added: see our Morocco in winter guide and Marrakech guide. We spent 6 days in Marrakech in September 2022.

Prices, flights and booking

Flights around Christmas are the part of the budget that moves most. Our flight timing guide covers which dates to search and why flights cost so much this year explains the fare picture.

For European markets, aim for late November to mid-December: Munich opens 20 November, Prague 28 November and Bath closes on 13 December, so that is when all of them overlap with Budapest. If your dates fall after Christmas, Prague is the one European pick here whose main markets still run.

Before you go, read what's open on Christmas Day abroad: the 25th and 26th close more of Europe than first-time visitors expect, and booking a Christmas dinner at your hotel or a restaurant ahead is the safe move.

Frequently asked questions