World’s Most Magical Christmas Towns

Christmas is a magical time of year, and if you want to spend it in a picture-postcard-perfect town straight out of a children’s storybook, these destinations offer the opportunity for one of the most unforgettable holidays of a lifetime. We’ve discovered the most magical Christmas towns in the world, from remote European destinations to mountain towns in the United States.

#1 Rovaniemi – Lapland, Finland

Rovaniemi in Finland’s Lapland region may be the best place on the planet to celebrate Christmas. Finns argue that because it is located just north of the Arctic Circle, it is a much more likely home for Santa than even the North Pole. What better place to meet Santa Claus than in a frozen winter wonderland of deep snow and pine forests? Children can make cookies with Mrs. Claus and even attend Elf School here. Other seasonal highlights include husky-dog rides, tobogganing in deep, pristine snow, and viewing the Northern Lights. Stay at the Arctic SnowHotel, which is entirely made of snow and ice, though it does have hot tubs and saunas to compensate for the freezing temperatures.

Best places to stay in Rovaniemi

#2 Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg, a top Christmas destination in Europe, offers a series of themed Christmas villages that transform the city into a fantastic wonderland of holiday sights and gastronomic delights. Visitors can sample prune, apricot, and other holiday-inspired variations of farm-fresh foie gras at the Village of Alsace Farmhouse. While in nearby Bredle, you can find its namesake traditional Christmas biscuits and a seemingly endless supply of mulled Alsatian wine. The city’s Christmas program is jam-packed with concerts and cultural events of all kinds.

Best places to stay in Strasbourg

#3 Colmar, France

Colmar is a well-preserved 13th-century village known as “Little Venice” due to its waterways winding through medieval streets. Christmas magic can be experienced in its purest form here. Illuminations will guide you through the labyrinth of narrow streets lined with century-old half-timbered houses that connect the city’s multiple Christmas markets. The markets within are like mini villages, nestled in town squares, each with its own distinct architectural features, where you’ll find a multitude of passionate and enthusiastic craftsmen chosen for the quality and uniqueness of their products. Guided tours, wine tastings, traditional toy exhibitions, and a variety of concerts and other performances are also available.

Best places to stay in Colmar

#4 Bruges, Belgium

Medieval Bruges is beautiful all year, but it comes alive in the winter with Winter Glow. From the end of November to the beginning of January, the city is transformed into a winter wonderland, with cozy Christmas villages occupying three of the city’s squares, a light trail, an ice rink, and decorations throughout the city. Furthermore, during Winter Glow, the city limits traffic on the main shopping streets and provides free public transportation for 16 days.

Best places to stay in Bruges

#5 Vienna, Austria

With the smell of gluhwein in the air, twinkling holiday decorations covering imperial architecture, and three outdoor Christkindlmarkets, Vienna offers a delightful old-fashioned Christmas. Visitors can choose from a wide range of artisan wares and ornaments, as well as delicious finger foods and that wonderful spiced mulled wine. Of course, the Vienna Boys’ Choir concerts are a must during the holidays, as is exploring the city’s other top attractions.

Best places to stay in Vienna

#6 Leavenworth, Washington

Leavenworth, located on the eastern edge of Washington State’s Cascade Mountains, is a Bavarian village that during the holidays is transformed into a virtual snow globe of Christmas magic. The Christmas Lighting Festival includes traditional caroling, Christmas characters, and an almost endless supply of dazzling lights. St. Nikolas himself greets children on Fridays with songs and fruit. Leavenworth was even named the “Ultimate Holiday Town USA” by the A&E Network.

Best places to stay in Leavenworth

#7 Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is well-known for its magnificent gothic architecture and unique folkloric traditions, and it truly is unlike any other city on the planet at Christmas. From its famous Christmas markets, which feature beautifully decorated wooden huts filled with festive treats ranging from craft gift items and ornaments to fantastic delicacies such as spit-roasted hams and trdelnik, a traditional hot sugar-coated pastry. In Old Town Square, there’s a stable with goats, donkeys, and sheep circling a traditional nativity scene, as well as plenty of holiday lights and music.

Best places to stay in Prague

#8 Mackinac Island, Michigan

A short ferry ride will bring you to this picturesque island town of 500 people, where everyone celebrates the holidays the same way they did 100 years ago. People here travel by walking, biking, or horse carriage because motorized vehicles have been prohibited for over a century. At Christmas, Santa actually visits each child to fulfill their Christmas wishes, and they also host an annual island Christmas bazaar filled with unique crafts and decorations in green, red, and lots of lilac – a favorite local color.

Best places to stay in Mackinac Island

#9 Reykjavik, Iceland

Isn’t the fact that it’s a little chilly adding to the festive atmosphere? The capital of Iceland offers a spectacular Yule Town Christmas and a slew of unusual holiday traditions, such as the 13 “Yuletide Lads,” or scruffy Santas, who bring gifts to children who have been good for the previous 13 nights. The Yule Town Christmas market is lined with rows of small, picturesque huts where locals and visitors can find unique gifts, holiday decorations, and treats. Every day is different because some of the crafters and artisans set up their stalls for only one day. The chance to see the brilliant Northern Lights flash across the night sky with the city covered in snow and dazzling Christmas lights is, of course, the highlight of a winter excursion to Reykjavik.

Best places to stay in Reykjavik

#10 Woodstock, Vermont

Vermont is one of the best places in the United States to celebrate Christmas, as well as one of the most picturesque New England towns, with at least a light dusting of snow and the scent of pine needles wafting through the air. Wassail Weekend, a pre-Christmas festival incorporating 19th-century Norse culture traditions, is held in the historic town of Woodstock. It includes a parade with over 50 horses and riders dressed in holiday and period costumes, wagon and sleigh rides, and a 19th-century Christmas celebration at the Billings Farm & Museum. Visitors can also partake in a wassail feast, and all of the local shops, which have beautiful holiday window displays, stay open late during the festival.

Best places to stay in Woodstock

#11 Breckenridge, Colorado

Breckenridge is a well-known tourist place that transforms into a lovely Victorian-style Christmas town during the holidays. It all starts with the Lighting of Breckenridge on the first weekend of December, and throughout the holidays, visitors can enjoy carriage rides, plenty of shopping, and the feeling of walking into an old-fashioned holiday painting.

Best places to stay in Breckenridge

#12 Grindelwald, Switzerland

The picturesque village of Grindelwald sits at the foot of two dramatic Swiss Alps peaks; it’s been used as the setting for a number of films, including “The Golden Compass.” This notable winter resort destination stands out from the crowd because of its especially charming holiday atmosphere – so much so that it just might make you believe in Santa Claus again. Beautiful decorations line the streets, and there are massive Christmas trees around every corner, as well as mulled wine and plenty of goods to buy at the Grindelwald market stands.

Best places to stay in Grindelwald

#13 Cologne, Germany

With its magnificent buildings, decorations, and town center holiday markets, Cologne has an especially irresistible Christmas vibe. In fact, there are eight different Christmas markets on both sides of the Rhine, the largest of which is located on the plaza in front of Cologne’s iconic cathedral, the Kolner Dam. Visitors can sip a cup of hot gluhwein, a spiced mulled wine that is sure to warm even the coldest heart, and stroll through the markets, which each offer something unique as well as a wide variety of gifts, holiday decorations, and foods.

Best places to stay in Cologne

#14 North Pole, Alaska

As you might expect, the North Pole is the most exciting Christmas destination in the United States. It’s always Christmas in this 2,200-person community, with holiday decorations up 365 days a year. You can drive down streets such as Kris Kringle Drive, Mistletoe Lane, and Santa Clause Lane, and even spend the night at Santaland RV Park. It’s all about Santa around here. The North Pole comes alive in December with its annual North Pole Christmas In Ice Contest, which attracts ice sculptors from all over the world. National newscasts are also frequently broadcast live from Santa Clause’s home. Of course, this is also where you can mail your postcards from Santa’s official zip code, ensuring that your friends and family receive mail postmarked from the North Pole, Alaska.

Best places to stay in North Pole

#15 Malmo, Sweden

Malmo is a charming old-meets-new Swedish town with a plethora of Christmas markets, holiday concerts, and twinkling trees. At Sodertull, you can shop for Modernist designs or handmade decorations while warming up with a mug of glogg – Swedish mulled wine. For poinsettias, festive food, and antiques, visit Katrinetorp Manor, or Good Jul for fair trade vintage and recycled gifts. To cap off a day of holiday cheer, put on your skates and take a spin around Folkets Park or Raoul Wallenberg’s open-air ice rinks.

Best places to stay in Malmo

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