16. Switzerland

With snow-blanketed Alps and world-class ski resorts, Switzerland is a country made for winter. Explore the glittering Lake Geneva, where Christmas markets are held in Geneva, Lausanne and Vevey, and a mountaintop Christmas village hosts a Santa’s grotto and reindeer park in Montreux. Alternatively, check out Europe’s longest street of Christmas illuminations in Basel or hit Zurich’s five Christmas markets, where you can pick up boxes of freshly made Nidelzältli toffees to munch on beneath the famous Singing Christmas Tree on Werdmühleplatz. If it’s spectacular views you’re after, the Mt. Pilatus Christmas Market is Switzerland’s highest at a breathtaking 2,133m.

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17. Copenhagen

Despite the diminishing daylight hours, Denmark is anything but gloomy at Christmastime and Copenhagen‘s famous Tivoli gardens are transformed into a winter wonderland, with a Christmas carnival, an ice palace and a vibrant light show over the Tivoli Lake. Admire the twinkling Christmas lights on Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street, Straget; take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the picturesque Kronborg Castle and wander the shimmering Nyhavn canal with a glass of glogg (mulled wine with cinnamon, raisins and almonds) and a bag of freshly baked ebleskiver (apple dumplings).

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18. Medellin, Colombia

Colombia might not be first on your list of festive destinations, but the unassuming town of Medellin is home to one of the world’s most spectacular lightshows – a month long carnival drawing revelers from all over the world. Over 16 million lights twinkle from the city skyline throughout December and early January, with pyrotechnic light displays over the Santa Elena River, rainbow colored water fountains, lively street parties and a giant 79-foot Christmas tree.

19. Lapland

Few destinations are as quintessentially Christmassy as Lapland, spread across the arctic regions of northern Norway, Finland and Sweden and the unofficial home of Santa Claus. Mr. Claus is in residence throughout the holiday season at Finland’s world famous Santa Claus village in Rovaniemi, where you can take a ride on a reindeer sleigh, get your postcards stamped at Santa’s very own post office, watch Santa’s Elves at work and even learn to bake gingerbread with Mrs. Claus. It’s not the only place to catch Father Christmas in action, though – he also runs a number of similar villages dotted throughout northern Norway and Sweden.

Read more about holiday markets in Sweden

20. San Francisco

San Francisco is up for a party at any time of the year, but come the holiday season, the celebrations are electric. Ice skate beneath the 83-foot Christmas tree in Union Square; add a symbolic origami paper plane to the World Tree of Hope at City Hall; check out the lights in the tree-lined Huntington Park and along the historic Picardy Drive; or take the kids to visit the infamous Tom and Jerry tree on 21st street.

Book a San Francisco Christmas tour and read more about Christmas in San Francisco