The Best Places to Visit in December
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When thinking about the best places to visit in December, you may be tempted to view the month through the lens of Christmas—which is understandable, given the wealth of cities that go all out for the holidays. And while we’re always down for a European Christmas market or dazzling lights display, there are plenty of reasons to travel this month outside of the holly and the jolly.
Take a weekend sojourn to Valparaíso, or head down south (and we mean way down) for an Antarctic cruise; or book a flight to the Caribbean for Mayan ruins, guided scuba diving trips, and impossibly luxurious resorts. Over in Malaysia, meanwhile, the Eastern & Oriental Express has several once-in-a-lifetime train journeys just waiting for you.
Whether you want to get a jumpstart on ski season or escape the winter doldrums in Belize, here are the 13 best places to travel in December.
This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
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Malaysia
Split by the South China Sea, Malaysia is like two countries in one—Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo—with islands thrown in as an added bonus. The nation’s geographical and environmental diversity is one of its main draws, but it also makes planning trips a bit tricky—the best time to visit really depends on which coast or island you want to spend time in.
Luckily, there’s a very fun, very luxurious solution to that problem: Belmond’s legendary Eastern & Oriental Express. The train now offers four different three-night Malaysia itineraries, including “Festive Malaysia” (December 23–26), a holiday ride that departs from Singapore and winds through Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, and Penang. As you can deduce from those dates, the journey features many holiday bonuses: the train itself will receive a mini Christmas makeover, and guests will enjoy an onboard Christmas Eve dinner and get to explore Penang on Christmas day, complete with cooking classes and puppet theater performances.
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Miami, Florida
Many people head to Miami in early December for Art Basel Miami Beach, a glittering, four-day confab (scheduled for December 6–8 in 2024) that lures both the fashion and art worlds. The lineup of artists includes participants hailing everywhere from Rio de Janeiro to Cairo, plus several guest lectures and dining experiences.
There are plenty of reasons to visit Miami beyond the final moments of Art Basel, of course—namely a booming high-end hotel scene. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is an art destination in and of itself, with geometric metal walls and massive sculptures hanging from the lobby ceiling. Other luxurious amenities, like private butlers and a gourmet burger bar, make this the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion. For a beachier (but just as luxurious) stay, head to The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, located about 15 miles from South Beach. Its ocean views and tequila-stocked restaurant are great any time of year, but this December welcomes a slew of holiday-themed perks, like eggnog in the lobby and peppermint pedicures in the spa.
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The Cotswolds, England
Fans of “The Holiday” know there’s nowhere more charming in December than the Cotswolds (the location of Kate Winslet’s fictional cottage). This hilly region of southwest England—complete with beautiful cottages, chic inns, and pubs galore—becomes a real-life painting when it gets a light dusting of snow. It’s also a 1.5- to 2-hour train ride from London, meaning the cozy winter vacation of your dreams is actually pretty accessible. There are plenty of charming towns in the region to choose as your home base, but we recommend heading to Southrop in Gloucestershire so you can book a stay at Thyme, a family-owned cooking school-slash-hotel and spa.
The property has tons of activities year-round—guests are always welcome to grab a pair of wellies and explore the property’s 150 acres of gardens and hiking trails—but there are some extra special offerings this December. The on-property cooking school will hold a series of holiday-themed classes where guests can learn how to prepare Christmas dishes (December 8, 12, 22, and 29), plus a wreath-making workshop with Thyme’s in-house florist on December 19. After days spent cooking and strolling, retreat back to one of the 31 rooms, all of which burst with English charm thanks to floral wallpaper, antique decor, and claw-foot tubs.
- Courtesy Parīlio
Paros, Greece
One of our personal favorite warm winter vacations, Paros is one of the lesser-known isles in Greece’s Cyclades. And while it’s not as popular as, say, Santorini or Mykonos, the island has no shortage of beaches and whitewashed hillside towns to enjoy in mild weather (temperatures hover in the 50s and low 60s in December). The one thing it does have a shortage of: other tourists. It’ll mostly be you and European vacationers who hightail for their second homes outside the villages of Naoussa, Parikia, Lefkes, and Marpissa.
Book a stay at Cosme, a Luxury Collection Resort (a Condé Nast Traveler Hot List winner in 2023)—with its stretch of private beach, half-moon infinity pool, and calming rooms, island living doesn’t get much better (or freer) than this. Or stay at contemporary favorite Parīlio, a serene property on the northeast coast of Paros, an easy walk from the sandy coves of Kolymbithres beach. Try to nab a room on the top floor, all of which come with private balconies with hot tubs.
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- David Merron/Getty
Antarctica
Now’s as good a time as any to finally book that once-in-a-lifetime trip you’ve always dreamed about—like an expedition to Antarctica, for example. The white continent is at its best from December to March, when wildlife is active and the sun shines for nearly 24 hours a day. And while trips like these typically require a lot of advance planning, there’s still time to book a spot on an expedition cruise ship before 2024 wraps up (although you may want to use this time to start researching for next year).
Ponant has seven sailings available through the end of December, with trips ranging from 10 to 15 nights and including stops in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Another great option is Quark Expedition’s “Antarctic Explorer: Discovering the 7th Continent” voyage, an 11-day trip with four departure dates within the month of December (plus many in 2025). Each sailing includes the typical stops, but Quark also started offering a majorly cool add-on a few years ago: alpine heli-trekking, in which guests board a helicopter (just imagine those views) and fly to typically inaccessible terrain to enjoy hiking or snowshoeing.
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The Azores, Portugal
This once-overlooked archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic is tailor-made for adventurers—think whale watching, hiking calderas, and rappelling down waterfalls. (The island of Terceira is home to the only volcano in the world where visitors can explore a chimney and secondary magma chamber, sitting side by side.) And while tourism has caught up to the Azores within the past decade, visiting during the winter gives you a glimpse of what Eden once looked like.
December isn’t chilly here, despite the archipelago’s Atlantic location—the Gulf Stream keeps the year-round temperatures surprisingly balmy, with the mercury rarely dropping below 60 degrees or so. The island of Santa Maria generally boasts the warmest climate, though swimming may be off the table in the winter. If you’re craving water time, pay a visit to a geothermally heated hot spring instead.
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Salzburg, Austria
Germany tends to get most of the attention when it comes to Christmas markets (for good reason), but neighboring Austria can be just as festive and charming—especially in the city of Salzburg. It’s not a surprise that the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old City, which served as the backdrop for The Sound of Music, also fills its famed Christkindlmarkt with song.
With roots dating back to the 15th century, the market’s sing-alongs and traditional wind music are as much a part of the festivities as the mulled wine and stands selling ornaments and fluffy socks. We’re not mad about the bauernkrapfen (fried pastries), either. The market earns extra points for being just steps away from Hotel Goldener Hirsch, one of the world’s oldest luxury hotels and a perfect spot to warm up between outdoor shopping sprees.
- Courtesy Turneffe Island Resort
Belize
Just down the Caribbean coast from the Yucatán with a fraction of the tourism, Belize has transformed from a backpacker haven into a luxury destination. (Bonus: It’s only a five-hour flight from New York.) Along with world-class reefs for diving and Mayan ruins for exploring, the country is known for its conservation efforts, particularly when it comes to protecting ocean life. Many hotels and resorts have jumped on the eco-friendly bandwagon, including Turneffe Island Resort, which goes to great lengths to support the population of Antillean Manatees in the nearby Turneffe Atoll. Guests may get a chance to spot the gentle giants while staying on the resort’s 14-acre private island, while gift shop purchases go straight to the Belize Manatee Conservation Program.
Aside from offering an indulgent, adults-only stay on a true white-sand beach, Matachica Resort & Spa provides interactive workshops to learn about the Belize Barrier Reef, including guided scuba diving trips and helicopter tours. Given that December 4 marks World Wildlife Conservation Day, we say there’s no better time to pay these forward-thinking hotels a visit.
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Switzerland
Switzerland is always one of the world’s most beautiful countries, but it becomes downright magical come winter: city squares dusted with snow and mountainsides transformed into the best ski slopes on the planet. It can be hard to pick just one Swiss destination to visit in December, which is why hopping on the Glacier Express is the perfect introduction to this wintery wonderland.
The Glacier Express is an eight-hour train ride that connects two of Switzerland’s biggest mountain resorts—Zermatt and St. Moritz—but it’s really more about the journey than the destination here. The train passes over 290 bridges, delivering panoramic views of landmarks like the Oberalp Pass and Matterhorn, and it even includes three-course meals to really help you enjoy every second of the ride.
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Charleston, South Carolina
If you want an immersive Christmas experience but aren’t a fan of cold weather, Charleston is the perfect destination for you. In fact, we’d argue that winter is one of the best times to visit, when temperatures hover around the 50s and 60s. Holiday attractions this year include the 35th Annual Holiday Festival of Lights (November 15–December 31, 2024), featuring an estimated 2 million twinkling lights, and Holiday Swing (December 7, 2024), a concert of reimagined Christmas carols courtesy of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra.
The city has no shortage of fabulous hotels, but some notable properties go all out for the holidays. The French Quarter Inn, voted one of the best hotels in Charleston by our readers, will be fully decked out with a Christmas tree and free gingerbread cookies in the rotunda, while the Sleigh Bell Suite comes with even more festive amenities: an in-room eggnog bar, freshly-baked cookies served by the fireplace, and holiday movie screenings. Over at The Spectator Hotel, personal butlers assigned to each guest can transform your room with personalized Christmas decorations, plus bring you any treats and drinks you request.
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Whistler, Canada
If you’re desperately seeking slopes, you can’t do much better than the largest ski area in North America. With 8,171 acres of skiable terrain and hills ranging in difficulty from green to double-black, the twin peaks of Whistler Blackcomb truly have something for every winter sports enthusiast. Both the Big Red Express lift and Creekside Gondola were reworked a couple of years ago to hold more people, meaning the mountains will feel far less congested and visitors can enjoy even more rounds of powder.
Once you pack up your poles for the day, soak up all the après glory at Whistler Village. Here you’ll find the resort area’s largest concentration of bars and restaurants, ranging from the buzzy high-end seafood restaurant Wild Blue to the upscale yet relaxed Braidwood Tavern. In terms of hotels, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler looks (and feels) like a true fairy tale castle, nestled at the base of Blackcomb.
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Santiago, Chile
Travelers often overlook Chile’s capital city in favor of splashier South American destinations like Rio or Buenos Aires—but we encourage you not to make that same mistake. Santiago is not only a superb base for outdoor adventure, thanks to its location between the Andes and the Pacific, but it’s an excellent standalone destination for anyone who loves great food, great wine, and plenty of shopping opportunities.
After exploring the city’s coolest neighborhoods, tack on a side trip to Valparaíso—the former seaport home of Pablo Neruda and current headquarters for the Chilean Navy. It’s just a two-hour drive here from Santiago, but you’ll want to plan to stay overnight (and not just because you’ll be drinking a lot of wine). With its colorful hillside houses and abundance of museum-worthy street art, Valparaíso is not an easy place to say goodbye to.
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- Julian Elliott Photography/Getty
Paris
Paris shines extra bright during the holiday season, from the lights along the Champs-Élysées to store window displays that rival museum art installations. This year is a particularly great time to plan a trip, with inexpensive nonstop flights with French Bee (France’s first low-cost carrier) and a crop of new hotel openings. Stay at Hôtel Le Grand Mazarin, a Hot List 2024 winner with a delightful aesthetic that’s part Wes Anderson, part Alice in Wonderland.
For an extra-special holiday experience, book a spot on the “Paris at the Holidays” group trip (November 28–December 5) from specialty planning company French Affaires. Curated by France travel expert Elizabeth New Seitz, the trip includes an evening tour of the city’s Christmas lights, a private tour of the Louvre, a Buche de Noel (yule log) cooking class, and French afternoon teas at some of the city’s top palace hotels.