Christmas Holidays Deals

A trip to Germany is the epitome of a festive Christmas getaway. Germany is famous for its Christmas markets, held in almost every city, town and village throughout the country and a seasonal must-see. Expect steaming Gluhwein, sweet treats and cosy lights; beautiful decorations, storeys-high Christmas trees and maybe a dusting of frost or snow. Berlin and Cologne are great for combining Christmas markets with conventional Christmas shopping. Bavarian towns are where you’ll find the most magical displays of all. Nuremberg claims to hold one of the oldest markets in the country, with picture-perfect stalls and glowing Christmas lights strung between colourful Medieval buildings.

• Weather/temperature: 4° to -2°, potential snow.
• Best Christmas activity: the original Christmas markets.

Thanks to its stable temperatures and little rainfall, Fuerteventura is often touted as one of the best Christmas holiday destinations in the sun. Christmas day here is likely to involve the beach, whether you’re walking, eating on the promenade, swimming or surfing. There are Christmas markets in Corralejo, festive decorations, life-size nativity scenes and often a parade around the 6th of January for the Three Kings. It’s also the perfect time to see the impressive stars and maybe a meteor shower. You’ll find plenty of places open for Christmas dinner, as the 24th is the main holiday day or book ahead and enjoy a seafood dinner on the 24th with the local families. 

• Weather/temperature: 19° to 14°, mostly sun.
• Best Christmas activity: A day on the beach.

Gran Canaria is loved year-round for its sunny climate and fabulous sea. In December you might need a jacket in the evening, but there’s very little precipitation and plenty of bright, beautiful days (making it a particularly tempting getaway from the rainy UK). You can even still swim, with the sea not much different in temperature to the rest of the year. There are plenty of Christmas traditions here, like in mainland Spain, including decorations around the towns, concerts and events, and the Three Kings parade (which takes place shortly after New Year). If you’re in the capital, Las Palmas, you’ll be treated to an impressive sand-carved nativity, too. 

• Weather/temperature: 19° to 14°, mostly sun.
• Best Christmas activity: A day on the beach.

Winter might actually be the perfect time of year to visit the sunny Red Sea coast. Sharm El Sheikh is cooler than in summer, with temperatures rising to pleasant 23 degrees during the day and only dropping to the low-teens at night. This makes it a more manageable time of year to take a day trip to the antiquities in Cairo, for example. You can also enjoy almost everything you might in summer, such as desert trips and star gazing, the white-sand beaches and balmy sea, or perhaps scuba-diving and water sports. Many resorts serve a full Christmas dinner, decorate to the nines and engage in fun festive traditions, so you won’t miss out on the best bits. 

• Weather/temperature: 24° to 16°.
• Best Christmas activity: Visiting the desert or scuba diving.

A dusting of snow, 5th Avenue sparkling and a picture-worthy festive display in Saks and Macy’s – a glorious Christmas in New York. It’s a busy time of year, with people flocking here to be part of the magic, but that only adds to the atmosphere. You’ll want to swing by the enormous Rockefeller Christmas tree, peruse the window displays on 5th Avenue (Saks has a light show too) and probably stop by a Christmas market. If you can take a tour of a tall building at night to enjoy the twinkling city skyline. You could also catch a show, ice-skate in Central Park, or just wander the park enjoying the scenery. 

• Weather/temperature: 6° to 0°, possible snow.
• Best Christmas activity: A festive stoll down 5th Avenue.

There’s nothing like the crisp air in Scotland to put you in a Christmas mood. You can partake in the bustling, pre-Christmas shopping in sparkling Edinburgh and maybe take an atmospheric Harry Potter tour. Or join the slightly less-crowded festivities in Glasgow, Perth or Inverness, all of which have markets, events and lights. Your best chance of snow is to head to the countryside: Loch Ness is stunning in sub-zero temperatures and you’re almost guaranteed a thick blanket of snow in the Cairngorms. Check out atmospheric destinations, like Eileen Donan castle or the magical Glenfinnan Viaduct, where you can watch the Jacobite steam train. One of the best things about Scotland at this time of year is spending the dark evenings ensconced in cosy pubs with roaring fires.

• Weather/temperature: 5° to 1°, possible snow.
• Best Christmas activity: A steam-train trip through the countryside.

Lanzarote is a popular place to spend Christmas in Europe with a healthy helping of sunshine. Temperatures reach the mid-twenties during the day, only dropping to the mid-teens at night. If you’re there for the big day itself, head to the beach like the locals do. Although the 25th is a holiday, you’ll find plenty of restaurants, bars and shops open nonetheless and resorts serving Christmas dinner. In the lead-up to Christmas, the island is decked in lights, with a few Christmas markets, plenty of Christmas shopping and almost every village creating its own almost-life-sized nativity. There’s usually a Christmas parade in Puerto del Carmen on around the 23 December (Covid-restrictions permitting). 

• Average temperature: 23–13 degrees.
• Best nativity locations: Yaiza, Tinajo, Haría.

Thailand’s coast is undoubtedly one of the best Christmas holiday destinations in the sun. A holiday to Phuket will be sunny, the sea is warm and temperatures here average 27°C. Expect a non-traditional Christmas – we’re talking days on the beach and by the pool, snorkelling, diving and water-sports. That said, there are some festive light displays over the period to make nights a bit more magical. It’s a particularly good time of year to explore the national marine park and soak up the local culture and temples and markets. Since it’s not a national holiday, you’ll have no trouble finding fantastic authentic Thai food for Christmas dinner either.

• Weather/temperature: 32° (high) to 24° (low) and sunny.
• Best Christmas activity: Beach day or trip to the marine park.