From New Mexico to New Zealand, a world of Christmas celebrations awaits.
A solemn group of candle-carrying figures has just been turned down entry to one of San Miguel de Allende’s Spanish colonial buildings right off El Jardín, the town’s main square. A girl on a donkey leads the way, past shops festooned with piñatas and poinsettias, and you can still see the glow of the town’s Christmas tree in the distance.
Undaunted, they move on to a door a couple streets away, only this time you hear the procession break into ethereal song as the portal opens and you realize this is one of the town’s posadas, the nightly reenactment of Joseph and Mary’s search for shelter that takes place in the days leading up to Christmas. The posse will be let in to the last house they visit, where the night’s festivities include rounds of ponche, a hot spiced fruit drink, and piñatas. A solemn group of candle-carrying figures has just been turned down entry to one of San Miguel de Allende’s Spanish colonial buildings right off El Jardín, the town’s main square. A girl on a donkey leads the way, past shops festooned with piñatas and poinsettias, and you can still see the glow of the town’s Christmas tree in the distance.
Whether your winter holiday trip enhances your yuletide nostalgia with sparkly lights and nippy air or makes a radical break from it—by, say, taking you to warmer climes or a quiet, far-flung hideaway—breaking the habit of staying home will always reward you with a Christmas you’ll never forget. With that goal in mind, we’ve rounded up 10 diverse, exceptional places to get you in the spirit of taking off.
“Conditions appear to be stabilizing in the travel industry as signs of an economic recovery take hold,” says travel industry analyst Adam Weissenberg of Deloitte, referring to the results of the company’s holiday and winter travel survey. Of the 45 percent of respondents intending to travel this winter, nearly half are doing so in December. While the majority will stay put in the U.S. (70 percent) and visit family and friends (74 percent), two top winter-travel trends that emerged were trips to a historic site or national park (34 percent) and trips involving warm-weather activities (38 percent).
Sounds good to us. Quebec City, one of the oldest and most charming burgs in North America, is our top historic pick for the holidays. The narrow cobblestoned streets and stone architecture of the walled city, founded in 1608 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, make it as romantic and European as it gets on this side of the pond. Add to that a proclivity for snowfall and an abundance of top-notch bars and restaurants, and you may wish the New Year could be postponed.
But the appeal of warming up over the holidays is undeniable, too. For the die-hard contrarian, Kaikoura, New Zealand, ought to do the trick. It’s the height of summer there at Christmas, a holiday most often celebrated outdoors with backyard barbecues. But it’s also a great time to be hiking the rainforest of the Kaikoura mountain range or on the waters of Kaikoura Bay, one of the most biodiverse marine environments on the planet. It’s the summer home of sperm whales, fur seals, dusky dolphins, and pilot whales, and all it takes to commune with them is a boat and a bit of perseverance.
It turns out that South America has weathered the global recession better than all regions but Africa, according to the UN World Tourism Organization, and it’s not hard to see why. Brazil in particular is peppered with off-the-beaten-track gems that offer a true escape, like the coastal Portuguese colonial town of Paraty, about 140 miles south of Rio on the Atlantic. Its friendly locals, cerulean waters, exceptional beaches, and exotic-bird-filled jungles may make you forget what holiday it is altogether. Like we said: unforgettable.
Taos, NM
Why Go: This remote village on a high desert plain is especially magical at Christmas, thanks to its rich mix of cultural traditions. Not to miss: historic Ledoux Street all lit up with luminarias (paper lanterns); the ceremonial reenactments of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, called posadas; and the dramatic American Indian Christmas Eve celebration that takes over the main square in Taos Pueblo. Plus, you can ski all day long on Christmas Day at Taos Ski Resort, 18 miles away.
Where to Stay: Near the town square, El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa features objects from around the world in its spare, elegant rooms. Book a room with a fireplace to up the cozy factor. Doubles from $309.
Holiday Dinner: On twinkling Ledoux Street, the seven-table hideaway Byzantium will offer its new winter menu—with dishes like shrimp ceviche and grilled pork scaloppine with apple, cabbage, and mustard-seed compote—beginning at 5 p.m. on Christmas Day. Reservations are a must.
Stocking Stuffers: For locally produced, mostly silver jewelry, including traditional American Indian styles, head to Mesa’s Edge, just off the plaza. Or, stop by Kimosabe for cowboy and American Indian and Spanish colonial folk art collectibles.
Why Go: This remote village on a high desert plain is especially magical at Christmas, thanks to its rich mix of cultural traditions. Not to miss: historic Ledoux Street all lit up with luminarias (paper lanterns); the ceremonial reenactments of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, called posadas; and the dramatic American Indian Christmas Eve celebration that takes over the main square in Taos Pueblo. Plus, you can ski all day long on Christmas Day at Taos Ski Resort, 18 miles away.
Where to Stay: Near the town square, El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa features objects from around the world in its spare, elegant rooms. Book a room with a fireplace to up the cozy factor. Doubles from $309.
Holiday Dinner: On twinkling Ledoux Street, the seven-table hideaway Byzantium will offer its new winter menu—with dishes like shrimp ceviche and grilled pork scaloppine with apple, cabbage, and mustard-seed compote—beginning at 5 p.m. on Christmas Day. Reservations are a must.
Stocking Stuffers: For locally produced, mostly silver jewelry, including traditional American Indian styles, head to Mesa’s Edge, just off the plaza. Or, stop by Kimosabe for cowboy and American Indian and Spanish colonial folk art collectibles.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Why Go: The Spanish colonial gem and cultural hot spot in central Mexico is
electric at Christmas, with theatrical processions around town, numerous posadas reenactments, and fireworks, live music, and dancing in the main square, El Jardín.
Don’t miss a taste of ponche, a kind of Mexican hot toddy made of fruits and brandy,
or the sweet bread rosca de reyes, both Christmas specialties.
Where to Stay: Casa Sierra Nevada,
managed by Orient-Express, is spread among six recently renovated 16th- to 18th-century historic
Spanish colonial mansions—many with alfresco corridors, courtyards, and small gardens. Rooms
feature tile baths, wood-burning fireplaces, bóvedas (curved ceilings), and paintings
by local artists. Doubles from $278 ($230 with three-day minimum, $207 with five-day
minimum).
Holiday Dinner: There’s no dining setting more spectacular than La
Capilla, located in the centuries-old “chapel” behind the main cathedral. This year,
its Christmas menu includes delicate crêpes with huitlacoche mushrooms and fresh
house-made goat cheese; roasted lamb chops with sour orange and coriander sauce; and pork loin
stuffed with fig and chipotle chutney.
Stocking Stuffers: Pay a visit to art and design center Fabrica La Aurora, the
1902-built former textile factory that’s home to artists’ studios, galleries, and a
wealth of shops selling housewares, antiques, ceramics, jewelry, and other treasures. For edibles,
pick up hand-painted Mexican chocolates and pecan meringues at the atmospheric boutique at La
Capilla (above).
Trømso, Norway
Why Go: The snowy city island of Trømso offers unparalleled views of the
northern lights (look for them between 6 p.m. and midnight) and a chance to say you’ve been
to the North Pole—well, the Arctic Circle, anyway—for Christmas. Plus, there’s
dogsledding, great food, and a mountaintop cable car. Here, “day” is just a couple
hours of twilight blue.
Where to Stay: Most hotels shut down for the holiday, but not the Clarion Hotel Bryggen, right on the harbor. The great views
of Trømso Sound are best seen from the roof’s steamy Jacuzzi. Doubles from
$194.
Holiday Dinner: Stay put at the Clarion for a traditional Norwegian Christmas
dinner at its restaurant, Astro. The chef will serve
pinnekjøtt, cured lamb ribs, served with puréed rutabaga and boiled potatoes;
and ribbe, a crispy version of spareribs, accompanied by Christmas sausage, apples,
prunes, and red cabbage.
Stocking Stuffers: Norwegian chain Husfliden is the place to go for traditional clothing,
including bunads (the Norwegian national costume) and handwoven sweaters. Blåst, a glassblowing studio, sells the wares of its three
resident artists.
Why Go: Good cheer and warm temperatures are typically Key West’s winning attributes, and Christmas is no exception. The trimmed palm trees, done-up historic inns (tours Dec. 11, 12, 18, and 19), and four festooned blocks of boats along the historic waterfront (the “Bight Before Christmas”) only amplify the town’s merriment.
Key West, FL
Why Go: Good cheer and warm temperatures are typically Key West’s winning attributes, and Christmas is no exception. The trimmed palm trees, done-up historic inns (tours Dec. 11, 12, 18, and 19), and four festooned blocks of boats along the historic waterfront (the “Bight Before Christmas”) only amplify the town’s merriment.
Where to Stay: Just off bustling Duval Street, the boutique Marquesa Hotel is an oasis of chill: three
historic buildings and one new one sharing a leafy courtyard with two pools. On Christmas morning,
a buffet breakfast is served poolside. Doubles from $345.
Holiday Dinner: Housed in a 1906 Victorian manse, Nine One Five’s holiday menu mixes tapas (bacon-wrapped dates; duck liver pâté) with entrées such as Soul Mama seafood soup and mushroom risotto. Open Christmas Day 6–9 p.m.
Stocking Stuffers: Bésame Mucho is your best bet for sensual gifts like perfume or handwoven shopping bags made from palm fronds. Despite its moniker, local department store Fast Buck Freddie’s stocks tasteful—and sometimes whimsical—housewares and clothing.
Holiday Dinner: Housed in a 1906 Victorian manse, Nine One Five’s holiday menu mixes tapas (bacon-wrapped dates; duck liver pâté) with entrées such as Soul Mama seafood soup and mushroom risotto. Open Christmas Day 6–9 p.m.
Stocking Stuffers: Bésame Mucho is your best bet for sensual gifts like perfume or handwoven shopping bags made from palm fronds. Despite its moniker, local department store Fast Buck Freddie’s stocks tasteful—and sometimes whimsical—housewares and clothing.
Chicago
Why Go: The Windy City embraces yuletide cheer to the max, with a million holiday lights along bustling Magnificent Mile; Christkindlmarket, a huge outdoor German crafts market with beer and fare like sausages to stoke your fire; a towering handmade Christmas tree; and Navy Pier’s Winter WonderFest, a holiday-themed amusement park and indoor skating rink.
Where to Stay: Peppy, tropical-themed Hotel Monaco Chicago is a Kimpton boutique hotel with
verve and a sense of humor. Its wild combo of lime and plum is eye-popping, and there’s a
free social hour with wine and nibbles from 5 to 6 p.m. daily. And, it’s in The Loop.
Doubles from $129.
Holiday Dinner: Cozy wine-driven eatery the Cellar at Bin 36 is serving its creative, locally sourced menu ($110) from 5 p.m. on Christmas Day. Starter highlights like semolina-crusted soft-shell crab and Applewood smoked bacon sausage are followed by the likes of a star-anise duck-leg confit with crispy potato Rösti, grilled Angus New York strip steak with truffled celery purée, and wild-mushroom and Gruyère cannelloni. Expert wine pairings are, of course, de rigueur.
Stocking Stuffers: The Chicago Architecture Foundation Shop is a must for Chicago-centric fare like Frank Lloyd Wright notecards, Lego sets of iconic buildings, or a round Chicago-sewer doormat.
Where to Stay: Centrally located on Kaerntner Ring right across from the opera, the Ring Hotel is classic Vienna on the outside, but modern, artsy, and decidedly cool on the inside thanks to a top-to-bottom redesign. Doubles from $285.
Holiday Dinner: Eight, the Ring’s acclaimed restaurant, is offering four- and five-course Christmas menus (from $128) with a choice of two entrées: roe deer loin with macadamia-nut brioche dumplings and port wine red cabbage, or truffle-crusted turbot with pumpkin orzo.
Stocking Stuffers: Seek out the confectionary Demel for chocolates, Sacher torte (supposedly made according to the original court recipe), marzipan, and pastries, and be sure to check out the marzipan museum in the basement. Loden-Plankl is the only place in town to go for traditional Austrian garb, from lederhosen to wool capes.
Why Go: Lit-up cobblestone streets, 16th- and 17th-century stone houses, and lots and lots of snow make Quebec’s 400-year-old walled city an atmospheric and European-like place to be at Christmas. Quebec’s good cheer and great food could make you remember you love winter after all.
Where to Stay: Housed in former 19th-century stone warehouse in Vieux-Port, Auberge St. Antoine stands out for the perfection with which it juxtaposes old and new. Soaring ceilings and cast-iron beams are complemented with such amenities as heated stone floors, and artifacts unearthed during its renovation are on display throughout. Doubles from $209.
Holiday Dinner: Serving traditional Québécois cuisine based on 17th-century French recipes, Aux Anciens Canadiens is offering its main menu on Christmas Day from 5 p.m. Appetizer highlights include foie gras au torchon on a baguette and scallops and prawns in a white-wine sauce, while entrées run the gamut from a vegetable terrine to filet mignon of wild caribou. (Prix fixe $36-$79, depending on the main course, or à la carte.)
Stocking Stuffers: Step back in time with a visit to Maison Jean-Alfred Moisan grocery, a 140-year-old Vieille Quebec mainstay. For Québécois clothes, try La Maison Simons department store, and for hand-wrought ceramics, Boutique Pauline Pelletier is a good bet.
Why Go: It may not look a lot like Christmas, but Paraty, a half-day’s drive from Rio, is a hidden gem of a town with astonishingly well-preserved Portuguese colonial architecture, a vibrant cultural scene, and easy access to verdant rainforest and some of the world’s most perfect beaches. Sounds like a holiday to us.
Where to Stay: About a 20-minute walk from the town center, the pousada Bambu Bamboo is a lush retreat unto itself, with a pool, spa, lovely gardens, two saunas, and easy access to both rainforest and a cluster of some truly stunning beaches. Breakfast is served by the river.
Holiday Dinner: Considered by many the town’s top eatery, French restaurant Voilà Bistrot will be serving Christmas dinner at 7:30 p.m. On the menu: fava beans with foie gras, cod strudel with tomato chutney, shoulder of lamb with herbs, and chocolate macaroons.
Stocking Stuffers: For wood carvings, headdresses, musical instruments, and other objects made by tribes in the Amazon, hit Tronco Tupi. Hand-painted blue tiles can be found at Atelier Paris-Paraty. Try Studio Dananal for original—and affordable—works on paper.
Why Go: A tiny stone English village dotted with cheerfully lit Christmas trees would be enough of an allure, but caroling by candlelight inside caves seals this southern town’s place on a list of special yuletide travel destinations.
Where to Stay: Just up the road in Hope, the secluded Losehill House Hotel and Spa offers a Christmas package that includes three nights’ accommodation (beginning Christmas Eve), meals (including a Christmas feast), and a spa treatment; $820 per person.
Holiday Dinner: The eight-course Christmas Day dinner kicks off with champagne at 1 p.m. and continues with an appetizer of partridge-mushroom soup, langoustine cocktail, or roasted shallot tarte Tatin. Entrée choices include roasted turkey; fillet of John Dory with a Shiraz-hibiscus emulsion, terrine of winter vegetables; and venison loin with celeriac fondant and roasted figs.
Stocking Stuffers: The Blue John Original Craft Shop is a must for snagging a “Blue John” gem—a luminescent purple-orange stone—found only in two of Castleton’s famed caverns.
Holiday Dinner: Cozy wine-driven eatery the Cellar at Bin 36 is serving its creative, locally sourced menu ($110) from 5 p.m. on Christmas Day. Starter highlights like semolina-crusted soft-shell crab and Applewood smoked bacon sausage are followed by the likes of a star-anise duck-leg confit with crispy potato Rösti, grilled Angus New York strip steak with truffled celery purée, and wild-mushroom and Gruyère cannelloni. Expert wine pairings are, of course, de rigueur.
Stocking Stuffers: The Chicago Architecture Foundation Shop is a must for Chicago-centric fare like Frank Lloyd Wright notecards, Lego sets of iconic buildings, or a round Chicago-sewer doormat.
Vienna
Why Go: An old-fashioned warmth envelops Vienna at Christmas, softening the hard edges of imperial architecture with twinkling decorations and three outdoor Christkindlmarkts, which are best visited at night. Vendors sell crafts and ornaments, while visitors fuel their shopping with finger food and a glass of spiced mulled wine, or glühwein. And the Vienna Boys’ Choir gives free concerts Sundays at 9:15 a.m.
Where to Stay: Centrally located on Kaerntner Ring right across from the opera, the Ring Hotel is classic Vienna on the outside, but modern, artsy, and decidedly cool on the inside thanks to a top-to-bottom redesign. Doubles from $285.
Holiday Dinner: Eight, the Ring’s acclaimed restaurant, is offering four- and five-course Christmas menus (from $128) with a choice of two entrées: roe deer loin with macadamia-nut brioche dumplings and port wine red cabbage, or truffle-crusted turbot with pumpkin orzo.
Stocking Stuffers: Seek out the confectionary Demel for chocolates, Sacher torte (supposedly made according to the original court recipe), marzipan, and pastries, and be sure to check out the marzipan museum in the basement. Loden-Plankl is the only place in town to go for traditional Austrian garb, from lederhosen to wool capes.
Quebec City
Why Go: Lit-up cobblestone streets, 16th- and 17th-century stone houses, and lots and lots of snow make Quebec’s 400-year-old walled city an atmospheric and European-like place to be at Christmas. Quebec’s good cheer and great food could make you remember you love winter after all.
Where to Stay: Housed in former 19th-century stone warehouse in Vieux-Port, Auberge St. Antoine stands out for the perfection with which it juxtaposes old and new. Soaring ceilings and cast-iron beams are complemented with such amenities as heated stone floors, and artifacts unearthed during its renovation are on display throughout. Doubles from $209.
Holiday Dinner: Serving traditional Québécois cuisine based on 17th-century French recipes, Aux Anciens Canadiens is offering its main menu on Christmas Day from 5 p.m. Appetizer highlights include foie gras au torchon on a baguette and scallops and prawns in a white-wine sauce, while entrées run the gamut from a vegetable terrine to filet mignon of wild caribou. (Prix fixe $36-$79, depending on the main course, or à la carte.)
Stocking Stuffers: Step back in time with a visit to Maison Jean-Alfred Moisan grocery, a 140-year-old Vieille Quebec mainstay. For Québécois clothes, try La Maison Simons department store, and for hand-wrought ceramics, Boutique Pauline Pelletier is a good bet.
Paraty, Brazil
Why Go: It may not look a lot like Christmas, but Paraty, a half-day’s drive from Rio, is a hidden gem of a town with astonishingly well-preserved Portuguese colonial architecture, a vibrant cultural scene, and easy access to verdant rainforest and some of the world’s most perfect beaches. Sounds like a holiday to us.
Where to Stay: About a 20-minute walk from the town center, the pousada Bambu Bamboo is a lush retreat unto itself, with a pool, spa, lovely gardens, two saunas, and easy access to both rainforest and a cluster of some truly stunning beaches. Breakfast is served by the river.
Holiday Dinner: Considered by many the town’s top eatery, French restaurant Voilà Bistrot will be serving Christmas dinner at 7:30 p.m. On the menu: fava beans with foie gras, cod strudel with tomato chutney, shoulder of lamb with herbs, and chocolate macaroons.
Stocking Stuffers: For wood carvings, headdresses, musical instruments, and other objects made by tribes in the Amazon, hit Tronco Tupi. Hand-painted blue tiles can be found at Atelier Paris-Paraty. Try Studio Dananal for original—and affordable—works on paper.
Castleton, England
Why Go: A tiny stone English village dotted with cheerfully lit Christmas trees would be enough of an allure, but caroling by candlelight inside caves seals this southern town’s place on a list of special yuletide travel destinations.
Where to Stay: Just up the road in Hope, the secluded Losehill House Hotel and Spa offers a Christmas package that includes three nights’ accommodation (beginning Christmas Eve), meals (including a Christmas feast), and a spa treatment; $820 per person.
Holiday Dinner: The eight-course Christmas Day dinner kicks off with champagne at 1 p.m. and continues with an appetizer of partridge-mushroom soup, langoustine cocktail, or roasted shallot tarte Tatin. Entrée choices include roasted turkey; fillet of John Dory with a Shiraz-hibiscus emulsion, terrine of winter vegetables; and venison loin with celeriac fondant and roasted figs.
Stocking Stuffers: The Blue John Original Craft Shop is a must for snagging a “Blue John” gem—a luminescent purple-orange stone—found only in two of Castleton’s famed caverns.
