5 Towns Around The World That Give Unforgettable Christmas Experience

Christmas is a magical time of year and if you’re dreaming of spending it in a picture-postcard perfect town that seems to have stepped out of the pages of a children’s storybook, these destinations offer the chance for one of the most unforgettable holidays of a lifetime.

* Vienna, Austria

Vienna offers the chance for a delightful old-fashioned Christmas with the smell of gluhwein in the air, twinkling holiday decorations covering imperial architecture and three outdoor Christkindlmarkts. Visitors can have their pick of a wide variety of artisan wares and ornaments as well as tasty finger foods and that wonderful spiced mulled wine. Of course, the Vienna Boys’ Choir concerts are a must during the holidays too.

* Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Rovaniemi in Lapland, Finland may be the best place on earth to celebrate Christmas. Located just north of the Arctic Circle, Finns argue that it makes a much likelier home for Santa than even the North Pole. What better place to meet the jolly ol’ fellow than in a frozen winter wonderland of deep snow and pine forests. Here, children can make cookies with Mrs. Claus and even enroll in Elf School. Other highlights during this time of year include husky-dog rides, tobogganing in the deep, pristine snow, viewing the Northern Lights, or even taking a sled-led reindeer safari at the Sirmakko reindeer farm. If you want an especially frosty experience, stay at the Arctic Snow Hotel, constructed entirely of snow and ice, though it does come with hot tubs and saunas to offset the frozen temperatures.

* Nuremberg, Germany

Germany’s Nuremberg Christmas market draws over two million visitors each year with its 200 select vendors putting up incredible displays while competing for the Most Beautiful Staff Design award. And, you won’t find any fake, mass-produced plastic decorations and other items – here, the market council is said to be very serious about making sure that only traditional handmade toys and holiday goods are sold. As you wander through, you’ll enjoy the tempting aromas of mulled wine along with gingerbread, sausage and sweet roasted almonds, all in an unforgettable holiday atmosphere in the Old Town, decorated in all its Christmas glory. Kids, and the kid-at-heart, will love the Toy Museum as well as the magnificent two-tiered carousel based on old originals – complete with reindeer and Father Christmas sleighs.

* Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg offers a series of themed Christmas villages that transform the city into a fantastic wonderland of holiday sights and gastronomic delights. At the Village of Alsace Farmhouse, visitors can taste prune, apricot and other holiday-inspired variations of farm-fresh foie gras. While in the nearby Village of Bredle, you’ll find its namesake traditional Christmas biscuits and a practically endless flow of mulled Alsatian wine. The city’s Christmas program is filled with concerts and all types of cultural events.

* Bruges, Belgium

Medieval Bruges is stunning all year round, but it truly comes alive in winter, with its center transformed into a Christmas parade, partially sliding on its large ice rink. Visitors who arrive just before Thanksgiving through New Year’s, can also enjoy the spectacular Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival. This year’s festival will be based on the “land of the hobbits,” with 40 artists making amazing creations out of 300 tons of ice and some 400 tons of snowflakes. Enjoy it with a mug of hot cocoa in this chocolate lover’s paradise.