Travel
12 December Destinations That Go All Out For The Holidays
Slide Nr 1Categorically speaking, December is a wonderful time of year to travel, as destinations around the world put on their finest in celebration of the holiday season. From the profusion of poinsettias and light displays in Mexico City to the wafting scent of roasting chestnuts in the streets of Salzburg, these are some of the world’s most magical December destinations.
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12 December Destinations That Go All Out For The Holidays.
Slide Nr 2Munich, Germany — While Munich might not be able to stake claim as the oldest or largest Christkindlmarkt in Germany, there’s something to be said for how readily this city’s Bavarian vibe segues into the holiday season. In addition to hosting a large Advent market around the central Marienplatz, dozens of other contemporary and traditional holiday markets and craft fairs (including a medieval Christmas market) pop up across town, and the city’s December calendar is packed with live performances and other events.
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12 December Destinations That Go All Out For The Holidays.
Slide Nr 3Moscow, Russia — While Christmas Day isn’t celebrated until 7 January in Russia – in accordance with the Russian Orthodox Church – that doesn’t make Moscow’s holiday celebrations any less magical. On the contrary, the city’s Journey Into Christmas festival, which runs from mid-December to mid-January, rolls Christmas and New Year’s celebrations into one month-long fête that includes impressive lighting installations, street shows, concerts, a traditional chalet marketplace and more.
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12 December Destinations That Go All Out For The Holidays.
Slide Nr 4New York, New York — Ask any New Yorker: There’s nothing quite like New York City during the holidays. Seemingly every building has some sort of holiday dressing on, and there’s a palpable joviality in the air. Wandering between Midtown’s Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park and the Fifth Avenue flagships to downtown’s Washington Square Park and Union Square, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a city block that doesn’t exude holiday cheer. (And if you run into dozens and dozens of Santas… well, that’s called SantaCon.) [Photo: Thomas Hawk/Flickr]
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12 December Destinations That Go All Out For The Holidays.
Slide Nr 8Salzburg, Austria — When a city can trace its holiday traditions to the 15th century, you know it’s the real deal. Such is the case with charming Salzburg, which never looks better than during the weeks leading up to Christmas with a fresh dusting of snow. By then, the Christkindlmarkt stalls have returned to the city’s historic centre, and Hellbrunn Palace has been transformed into a winter wonderland, Hellbrunn Advent Magic. This year Salzburg is celebrating the 200th anniversary of “Silent Night,” which was penned in a small town in the region. [Photo: www.christkindlmarkt.co.at, Salzburg]
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12 December Destinations That Go All Out For The Holidays.
Slide Nr 9London, England — From the angelic illuminations that soar over Oxford Street to the Christmas carols that fill the air in Trafalgar Square, the British capital most definitely pulls out all the stops to celebrate the holidays. And while Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park doesn’t exactly fit with a quaint, Dickensian vision of the holidays, the fairgrounds promise loads of fun for all ages. For a different sort of wonderland, book tickets for Christmas at Kew at the Royal Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site just to the south of London.
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12 December Destinations That Go All Out For The Holidays.
Slide Nr 11Mexico City, Mexico — From the ubiquitous presence of potted poinsettias, which signal the holiday season has arrived, to the light installations and towering árbol de Navidad (Christmas tree) that anchors Mexico City’s central Zócalo plaza, CDMX has no shortage of holiday cheer. And since Mexico celebrates the Christmas season through 6 January (the Christian holiday of Epiphany), there’s plenty of time to hop on a Turibus night tour of the city lights, browse for poinsettias in Xochimilco historic district and soak in the city’s holiday spirit.
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12 December Destinations That Go All Out For The Holidays.
Slide Nr 13San Diego, California — What this Southern California destination lacks in snow, it makes up for with spirited enthusiasm for the holidays. San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park and the iconic Hotel del Coronado (celebrating its 130th anniversary this year) are always fully decked out in lights and decor, and there’s no shortage of holiday events on offer. Other family-friendly destinations – including SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo and Legoland – also get into the holiday mood.
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