12 magical cities to visit during the holidays

The holiday season is like a hug to the senses. See the twinkling lights. Smell the fresh scent of pine. Feel the crisp, cold air. Hear the jingling of bells. Taste freshly baked cookies and cakes. It’s the perfect time to take a holiday of your own to discover the traditions and magic of a new city or revisit a familiar one.

Where to go? From old-world Europe to North and South America, these 12 cities are especially enchanting during the festive season.

Ruby hearts sparkle in the Herzerlbaum (“Heart Tree”). Angelic music from a children’s choir sounds in front of the city hall. The intoxicating scent of spiced, mulled wine spreads around you. No wonder that Vienna, Austria, is home to one of the world’s top Christmas markets: Rathausplatz is a holiday dream, where you can pair fine, handmade crafts with an energizing dose of gingerbread sweets.

To get there, board a Danube River cruise with AmaWaterways. The weeklong Christmas Markets on the Danube journey traverses 4 European countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary.

Budapest, Hungary, greets river cruise ships with its imposing, illuminated Parliament building on the Danube’s shore. If you visit during the Advent season, stroll the enchanting rows of stalls at Vörösmarty Square Christmas market. The city’s oldest holiday market is a popular stop on itineraries like AmaWaterways’ Christmas Markets on the Danube.

Or venture to the newer winter village, with an ice-skating rink, in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica. While exploring the city, try popular holiday dishes like goulash and chimney cake. And don’t head home without buying a pouch of the nation’s favorite spice, paprika.

Paris in the spring; Paris in the rain. Is there a bad time to visit Paris? Even in winter, Parisians put that joie de vivre into practice, with holiday plates of fresh oysters, chestnuts, and glasses of Champagne. It’s for this reason that Viking kicks off a selection of its Christmas market cruises in Paris.

Winter villages dot the arrondissements, offering epicurean delights like cheesy raclette sandwiches and vin chaud (French mulled wine). Feast your eyes on the candy-colored shopping displays of Galeries Lafayette, or the light displays along the grand Champs-Élysées. Tour the opulent Palais Garnier opera house. Or snag a ticket, if you’re lucky, to a classical concert inside the breathtaking Sainte-Chapelle gothic church.

Christmas market cruises on Europe’s scenic rivers are increasingly popular. That’s why Viking Cruises’ itinerary on the Main and Moselle rivers is a fresh, less-crowded addition. These lesser-sailed waterways combine for a magical 11-night journey from Paris to Prague.

After a memorable start in the City of Light, you’ll set sail for an in-depth look at Germany’s snow-dusted villages. The trip culminates in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. Its yuletide market is held in a square that dates to the 10th century. Let the city’s Bohemian spirit enchant you, from its iconic Charles Bridge to its local cuisine. Try a steaming bowl of Czech garlic soup. It’s designed to warm you to the bones.

Belgium is known for its warm, fresh waffles and top-quality beer, so it’s no surprise that the country is a popular winter destination. Brussels’ town center glows with its sprawling Christmas market, held annually from late November through December. After browsing, buying, and noshing your way through the market, enjoy gliding around the ice-skating rink.

Don’t miss the free sound and light show. It’s held at regular intervals each evening in La Grand-Place central square, a UNESCO World Heritage site. To sample other markets in Belgium, sail round-trip from Brussels on Uniworld’s Belgian Holiday Markets 7-night river cruise. Stops include Antwerp and Ghent.

If you’re considering a yuletide cruise on the Rhine River, make sure your sailing includes Basel. Uniworld’s Rhine Holiday Markets’ itinerary embarks in this Swiss city, where you’ll find intricate ornaments and rich hot chocolate.

Take your pick between the fairy-tale decorations of the Münsterplatz Christmas market or the charming wooden chalets of the bustling Barfüsserplatz market. Sample a grilled sausage or a local gingerbread recipe called läckerli. At Münsterplatz, don’t miss the panoramic vista of Basel from the Pfalz viewing platform. Barfüsserplatz boasts a 43-foot-tall pyramid of flickering candles.

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is a trending Baltic destination. So it makes sense that its storybook charms come alive during the holidays. A towering, glittering Christmas tree is the Town Hall Square’s centerpiece. Around it, wooden market stalls sell woolen clothing and warm cups of spirits.

Plates are filled with local favorites, like sausages, potatoes, and sauerkraut. For a cozy, luxe experience, head to Lore Bistro, a Michelin Bib Gourmand–rated restaurant where guests are encouraged to experience the modern, seasonal menu family-style. Then venture beyond the Old Town to join Estonians enjoying the winter sport of snowshoeing.

Denmark is known for its sense of hygge. The Danish word conveys a sort of cozy contentment with simple pleasures. This concept shines the brightest during the country’s dark winters. It’s a soft blanket in front of a crackling fireplace, a satisfying meal, or a sense of well-being and togetherness.

You can indulge in these wintertime joys in Copenhagen—at a traditional market or at the Christmas market at Tivoli Gardens, one of the world’s oldest operating amusement parks. Time your visit for the illuminated canals of the St. Lucia parade on December 13.

Immortalized in seasonal classics like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, London knows how to turn on the holiday charm. Top among London’s seasonal traditions are viewing the stores’ elaborate window displays along high streets and shopping at famous department stores like Harrods.

When it’s time to warm up, savor an afternoon tea in Covent Garden or tuck into a cozy English pub for dinner.  If you book a weeklong Christmas in London tour with AAA Member Choice Vacations, you’ll have time to shop, dine, and enjoy the holidays London-style. 

Europe isn’t the only continent that leans into the seasonal spirit. The former capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco, in Peru, celebrates this spiritual time with charity and a bit of Peruvian spectacle. Each Christmas Eve, the Plaza de Armas comes alive with Santuranticuy, a Christmas market featuring artisans selling crafts, foods, and religious-inspired goods.

Near many of the city’s historic churches are life-size Nativity scenes. Peruvians mark the day as many do New Year’s Eve, with gift exchanges, a big meal, and a midnight celebration. Soak up the celebration with panetón, a traditional fruit cake. Pleasant Holidays offers hotel packages and tours in and around Cusco to help you streamline your holiday plans.

Frosty Canadian winters mellow under the warmth of Toronto’s Christmas markets. Stroll cobblestone streets among the 19th-century buildings of the pedestrian-only Distillery District. It’s the perfect setting for the Distillery Winter Village holiday market, held each December. Open-air stalls serve traditional and vegan eats, and several patio bars offer libations.

Casa Loma, Toronto’s treasured hilltop castle, hosts events throughout the holiday season. Pop in for a tour to marvel at a 40-foot tree in the Great Hall as well as 8 other trees decorated by Canadian designers.

Immortalized in films such as Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and Elf, New York City is your cinematic backdrop to an ideal holiday celebration. Where to begin? Walk Fifth Avenue and beyond to admire the facades and stellar displays of department store legends like Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s Herald Square.

The epicenter of all holiday happenings in Manhattan is Rockefeller Center, with its skyscraping tree, ice rink, and nearby Bryant Park holiday village. Don’t forget to take in the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes and see them kick-line through the dazzling performance. There’s so much to see and do, and tour companies like Pleasant Holidays can help you book the perfect package with hotel, flights, and rental car for your trip to the Big Apple.