The 10 Most Christmas-y Destinations On Earth

You’ve probably seen the big Rockefeller Center tree on TV, all 74 feet of it. Below it, you can ice skate, take in a Rockette show at nearby Radio City Music Hall and then walk along Fifth Avenue to peek at all the elaborate store window displays. Mail a letter to Santa at Macy’s, check out the décor on Park Avenue and sample the food at the Christmas markets at Bryant Park and Union Square. If you stick around long enough, you’ll get to see the ball drop at midnight on New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

The first stop on your British Christmas tour is Harrod’s, to see the department store’s incredible Christmas decorations. At Hyde Park, there’s Winter Wonderland with food, entertainment and rides. Catch “The Snowman” in the West End, based on the classic children’s holiday special. Oxford Street hosts a world-famous lights display. Head to the pub on Christmas day for a hearty meal and keep your eyes open for roving carolers.

Drink mulled wine at Rathausplatz Christmas Market, where there’s over 100 stalls to explore. Graben and Kohlmarkt are known as the streets to spot the best lights while the impressive Schönbrunn Palace is decked out both inside and around. A classical Christmas concert in the “City of Music” is a must and a slice of Sacher Torte, a chocolate cake with apricot jam filling, is another of the city’s gems.

You might know that a traditional Christmas dinner in Tokyo is a bucket of fried chicken from KFC. Order ahead because they sell out fast! Stroll around Roppongi Hills and Hibiya, know for their light displays. And, just like Europe, explore the Meiji Jingu Gaien Christmas markets with mulled with and bratwurst.

Strasbourg has earned a reputation as the capital of Christmas with its festive celebrations. Christkindelsmärik is one of the main markets with over 300 stalls and Place Kléber has a large tree with twinkling lights, reaching almost 100 feet. Notre Dame Cathedral has Christmas services and special events. Sample the region's treats of spiced cookies, a man-shaped brioche called mannele and mulled wine.

The German Christmas market at Place d'Youville has festive stalls selling food, drinks and handmade gifts. A stroll through Quartier Petit Champlain is beautifully illuminated with lights and decorations. Place Royale and Notre-Dame Basilica-Cathedral are both decked out and the Basilica hosts evening concerts. On the more athletic side, there’s tobogganing and skating. It’s a European city that feels right in North America.

While visitors to Zurich love the Christmas markets and stroll down the decorated Bahnhofstrasse, unique Swiss charms include fondue dinners, tram rides and the Lindt Home of Chocolate Museum. The Swiss National Museum hosts an impressive festival of lights called Illuminarium for six weeks.

Christkindlesmarkt at Hauptmarkt Square is one of the world’s oldest markets and has Nuremberg sausage in addition to the usual Christmas market faire. Nuremberg Castle offers panoramic views of the lights below. See the toys Santa has brought kids since the middle ages at the Spielzeugmuseum, a toy museum. Be sure to pick up a handcrafted ornament for your tree.

A specialty at Prague’s Christmas market in Old Town Square is trdelník or chimney cake. Both in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, there are large nativity scenes made from straw. From the Prague castle stairs, you can take in wintery views and at the church of St. Nicholas, over 70 choirs perform free concerts throughout the season. Svarak is the drink of choice, a mulled wine with plum brandy.

Does the real Santa live here at Santa Claus Village? Of course, you need to meet the big man before crossing the Arctic Circle and maybe seeing the Northern Lights. Take a reindeer ride and then brace yourself for some reindeer stew, a local tradition. There are also the usual European activities like Christmas markets and unusual ones like a husky safari. Cap it all off with a Christmas concert and a sleep in an igloo.