Christmas is about eight weeks away, and the best flights and rooms for the holiday week are already starting to go. The good news is that “a winter holiday” can mean very different things: a snowy village, a Christmas market with mulled wine, a beach in the dry season, or a cool highland town without leaving Vietnam. Here are ten trips for Christmas 2026, with the official dates we could find, what the weather is usually like, and how to choose.
Which trip suits you?
| If you want… | Try |
|---|---|
| Snow and a Santa-themed holiday for kids | Rovaniemi, Finland |
| Christmas markets and old-town streets | Prague, Vienna or Strasbourg |
| Snow, lights and winter food in Asia | Sapporo, Japan |
| Warm sea and dry weather | Phu Quoc, Phuket or Sydney |
| Cool air and a cosy, short trip within Vietnam | Da Lat or Sapa |
Snow and Christmas magic
1. Rovaniemi, Finland: Santa Claus Village
Rovaniemi, on the Arctic Circle, is where many families go to meet Santa. According to the village's own website, Santa Claus Village is open every day of the year, but each business sets its own hours, so check the ones you care about.
- Santa Claus Office: open daily 08:00–20:00 from 30 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Santa Claus Reindeer: open daily 10:00–17:00 from 30 November 2026 to 10 January 2027.
- Snowman World: open daily 10:00–20:00 from 6 December 2026 to 6 January 2027, weather permitting.
- Christmas Eve is shorter. For example, Mrs. Santa Claus' Christmas Cottage is listed as open 10:00–15:00 on 24 December, and Santa's Pets 11:00–15:00.
- Some places close on 25 December. The Iittala store is listed as closed on 24–25 December and one restaurant as closed on the 25th, so plan meals ahead.
It is very cold in December, so pack proper layers, and book early, because Christmas week is the busiest time to visit.
2. Prague, Vienna and Strasbourg: Europe's Christmas markets
You can't beat the Christmas markets for atmosphere: wooden stalls, mulled wine, baked treats and decorated old squares. The dates below come from official sources and are listed for 2026.
| City | Market | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Prague | Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square | 28 November 2026 – 6 January 2027 |
| Prague | Republic Square / Tyl's Square / Peace Square | Between 20 and 26 November, to 24 December |
| Vienna | Wiener Christkindlmarkt, Rathausplatz | 13 November – 26 December 2026 (10:00–22:00; closes at 18:30 on 24 December) |
| Strasbourg | Christmas Market | 27 November – 24 December 2026 |
Two things worth knowing. Strasbourg's market closes on Christmas Eve, so it isn't an option for Christmas Day itself. Prague's main squares run on into early January, which suits a trip that starts after Christmas. Many shops and restaurants in Europe close on 25 December, so check ahead.
3. Sapporo, Japan: snow, lights and a German market
For snow without crossing the world, Sapporo in Hokkaido is the Asian choice. The Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo is listed by the city's tourism site at Odori Park from 20 November to 25 December 2026, and the Sapporo White Illumination lights up the same area in winter. December is one of the snowiest months of the year there, and temperatures are around or below freezing, so bring a warm coat, gloves and shoes with good grip. Christmas Day isn't a public holiday in Japan, and the celebrations centre on the illuminations and a special dinner.
Sun and warm water
4. Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Phu Quoc's dry season runs roughly from November to April, and December is a good month: mostly sunny and comfortable, with daytime temperatures usually somewhere in the mid-to-high 20s °C and low 30s. It is an easy hop from Ho Chi Minh City and a popular choice with families. Read our Phu Quoc guide for the best months, what to do and where to stay.
5. Phuket, Thailand
Phuket's dry season also runs roughly from November to April, and December is the start of the high season. That means good weather and higher prices. Travel guides put the busiest stretch from around 20 December to early January, and some suggest that the first half of December has nearly the same weather for less money. If your dates are flexible, that's a useful tip. See the Phuket guide.
6. Sydney, Australia
Christmas falls in summer in Australia, so it's beaches, barbecues and long evenings rather than snow. Daytime highs in the mid-20s °C are typical around Christmas in Sydney. On Boxing Day (26 December), the Sydney to Hobart yacht race starts on the harbour at 1pm, which the NSW Government lists as a major harbour event and which has been held every year since 1945 except 2020. Prices and crowds rise sharply over this period, so book early. Here is our Sydney guide.
Cool and cosy without a long flight
7. Da Lat, Vietnam
December is the start of Da Lat's dry season. Days are cool and pleasant (usually around 22–23°C) and nights are cold, so bring a jacket; sources put night-time lows at roughly 10–13°C. Rain is light. The Da Lat Flower Festival is usually held around this time of year, so check whether this year's dates suit you. It's a great short trip from Ho Chi Minh City, with pine forests, cafes and plenty of homestays. See the Da Lat guide.
8. Sapa, Vietnam
Sapa is the closest Vietnam gets to a cold Christmas. December is cold and mostly dry, with fog in the valleys and frost, which is most likely from late December to early January, especially higher up around Fansipan. Snow is rare: it usually amounts to only a few days in a winter and is more likely in January and February, so don't plan your trip around it. Pack real warm layers, as nights can be much colder than the daytime figures suggest. Our Sapa guide has more.
How to choose and plan
- Start with your budget. Our budget finder shows which destinations fit what you can spend, with a rough cost for flights and the stay. Prices around Christmas are higher than the rough figures it shows, so leave a margin.
- Not sure where to go? Take the traveller quiz, or see where to go in December ranked by real weather records.
- Book flights and stays now. Christmas week is one of the most expensive of the year. Our guide to when to book cheap holiday flights has a simple timeline.
- Consider shifting your dates. Leaving a few days earlier or coming back a few days later is often cheaper, and the nearby-dates strip in the trip planner shows the price for the days either side.
- Check holiday closures. 24–26 December changes opening hours almost everywhere, from Lapland to Sydney. Look up the places you want to visit before you go.
- Stay somewhere with a kitchen or a hosts' tips. A homestay gives you a base and local advice, and a kitchen helps on days when restaurants are shut. Browse homestays.
- Sort the paperwork early. Check your passport's validity and the visa or entry rules for your passport, and take out travel insurance.
The short version
- For snow: Rovaniemi (Santa Claus Village) or Sapporo. For Christmas markets: Prague, Vienna or Strasbourg.
- For sun in the dry season: Phu Quoc, Phuket or Sydney. For cool weather close to home: Da Lat or Sapa.
- Official 2026 market dates: Vienna 13 Nov–26 Dec, Strasbourg 27 Nov–24 Dec, Prague's main squares 28 Nov–6 Jan, Sapporo 20 Nov–25 Dec.
- Book early, and check opening hours on 24–26 December.
Sources
Dates are from the organisers' own pages as they stood on 30 October 2026: Santa Claus Village, Wiener Christkindlmarkt, Strasbourg Christmas Market, Visit Czechia, Sapporo tourism and the NSW Government. Weather descriptions are typical conditions from several travel and climate guides, not a forecast for this year. Dates, hours and prices can change, so confirm them before you book.
Cover photo from Unsplash.
