Do you like celebrating Christmas within the comforts of your home? Do you follow the “no place like home” policy for Christmas? If yes, then reading our post will surely change your mind!
Christmas is the time of the year that most of the people, including me, dream of spending in a picture perfect location. There are a plethora of places worthy of visiting during Christmas. But to make your task a tad easier, we’ve compiled a list of ten places that you can consider visiting in 2015. Check out the list below!
- Ireland:
Ireland celebrates Christmas just as the people in the USA and the UK, but it’s the unparalleled natural beauty that’s sets it apart from other conventional Christmas destination. The torrential rain and the huge lands of green pastures will uplift your mood like no other thing. And the people of Ireland are the friendliest in the world and go out of their way to make you feel at home. Seeing these people dress in homemade costumes and visit houses to houses carrying the holy bush tied to a long pole is a pleasure indeed. Yes, Ireland will be a bit chilly at this time of the time. But don’t you think that makes it more Christmassy?
- Tasmania, Australia:
Tasmania is another unconventional place to spend your Christmas. Besides, Tasmania has friendly locals, clean air, and untouched wilderness, which will make your Christmas holiday all the more memorable. The best way to celebrate your Christmas here would by climbing a mountain. No, we’re not kidding. And thankfully, most of the tourist companies offer rafting tours that will make your stay all the more enjoyable. Another great thing is that the weather would be very pleasant in December. Not just the places, even the Christmas celebrations are unconventional here.
- Morocco:
Morocco is one of the most intriguing countries to celebrate Christmas. The Moroccans love Christmas just as much as anyone else does. The scent of pine, the delicious Moroccan food, and the candlelight Christmas Eve church services, everything will remind you of your home. The best places to experience Moroccan Christmas are Marrakech, Fez, Agadir or Rabat. The hotels will also offer you typical Christmas menus. Besides, go hunting for the magic carpets in Marrakech. Who knows, even you may get lucky. Remember, if you are planning to visit Morocco during Christmas, then make sure you visit the big cities here as the towns and villages might even be unknown to this festival.
- Barcelona:
Barcelona is one of the most favorite holiday destinations of the Americans and Europeans. And why wouldn’t it be, after all it’s so beautiful. While visiting Barcelona during Christmas, you must check out attractions like Casa Mila and La Sagrada Familia. You can also visit nearby sites like Sitges and Montserrat Mountain. The rates will be slightly higher for Christmas, but it will be worth every penny. Note- if you want to visit the museum of Barcelona, and then make sure you check them out before the Christmas Eve, as most of the tourist sights and museums remain closed for public from 23rd to 25th December.
- Thailand:
Thailand is another wonder Christmas holiday destination, especially if you’ve a tight budget. Despite being a Buddhist country, Christmas is celebrated with much fervor here. Children dress up in vibrant clothes and participate in all kinds of games and quizzes. The tourist sites won’t be very crowded, as most of the schools, institutions, and offices remain open during Christmas. Besides, there’s a broad range of hotels, luxury spas and resorts that are cheaper than any 2-star hotel in America or Europe. As for the weather, December is dry and hot in Thailand with a few sudden showers. Phuket, we’d say, is the best place to visit in Thailand. It experiences 8 hours of sunshine with 30 degrees temperature.
- Caribbean:
The Caribbean is a classic Christmas holiday destination. It’s particularly great for people who are tired of witness white Christmas repeatedly. You will be greeted with warm sunshine with little humidity and rain here. Our personal favorite islands to celebrate the New Year’s Eve in Caribbean are Tobago, Barbados and Anguilla. You’ll find some of the finest beaches here.
- Iceland:
Christmas is the best time to discover the natural wonders. And there’s no better place than Iceland for this. One of the most exciting things to witness in Iceland is the magnificent Northern Light. It’s a sight to behold. Reykjavik will welcome you with the traditional Yule Town Christmas, with its unique holiday traditions. Did you know that in Reykjavik, Santa brings gifts only to children who have been good for the 13 nights leading to the Christmas Eve? Besides, you’ll see the Icelandic version of Santa Claus perched in the windows of every shop, malls, and salons. If you like indulging in winter sports, then you can try skating, skiing and sledding here. And if winter starts getting better of you, then gulp down a shot of Brennivín to warm yourself. Iceland will give you a perfect Christmas away from your closed ones.
- Istanbul:
Istanbul has been ranked a hundred times as one of the best travel destinations in the world. But not many know how beautiful Istanbul looks during Christmas. Istanbul is a place where you will witness a mix of Eastern and Western culture. Even though Istanbul is a Muslim dominated region, it celebrates Christmas with equal enthusiasm. In Istanbul, you can totally immerse yourself in the environment of the Grand Bazaar, a marketplace that includes scores of streets and hundreds of shops. As for the culinary delight, we would suggest you to ditch the traditional Christmas cuisine and savor the Turkish food. We strongly recommend you to try the freshly caught fish kebabs and baklava. It will be a refreshing change.
- Cambodia:
If you’re looking for an exotic site to explore this Christmas, then Cambodia is the place to be. The must visit place here is the Angkor Wat, a UNESCO world heritage site. It is the largest religious monument in the world, covering more than 500,000 acres. This archeological site dates back as far as the 9th century. The best part is that the hotel rates are not high during the Christmas.
- Egypt:
Christmas in Egypt is different from any other place in the world as it’s celebrated on 7th of January. The churches and houses are decorated with Christmas trees, lamps, candles, and lightings. Egypt has all the brag-worthy sites. We would recommend you to take a ride at the traditional sailboat Felucca for a few hours. Your hotel will easily book one for you. Egypt is slowly recovering from the political unrest, but tourism is still very low in this country, with 0% hotel occupancy in some cities. So you can take advantage of the rock bottom hotel prices, short queues at the legendary places and bargains at the souks, but with precautions of course.
No matter that place you choose from the list, you are sure to have an adventure-filled holiday. Do not forget to share the pictures and experiences with us. We’ll be waiting!
