Christmas tourism is a bucket list item for many travelers and holiday fiends — and it’s easy to see why. There’s something magical about experiencing the way a foreign city celebrates the holidays, especially when the cities are known for Christmas being their thing.
With that in mind, a new study from PrivacyJournal has found the cities around the world that offer the most when it comes to Christmas tourism. The methodology included things like Christmas tour availability, language diversity, and December accommodation pricing.
From fairytale-like towns in France to snowy destinations closer to home, here are some of the most magical places to travel come December:
London, United Kingdom
It comes as no real surprise that London took top spot as the most popular Christmas destination with a composite score of 69.4. There’s something about London that just screams Christmas cheer, from the dazzling light displays on Oxford Street and Regent Street to the cozy pub culture, not to mention the dozens of cult Christmas movies set across the city over the years.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam takes close second with a composite score of 67.6. The city earned particularly high marks in the language department, with the highest number of Christmas-themed tours in different languages out of every city on the list.
Nuremberg, Germany
Nuremberg is famous for its Christmas markets — the city has some of the oldest Christmas markets in the world and as such tourism booms come holiday time. It also boasts one of the highest numbers of languages for Christmas tours out of all cities on the list, meaning that Christmastime travelers will have plenty to see and do while in town.
Zagreb, Croatia
The capital city of Croatia earned fourth spot on the list. Zagreb ranked high for its significantly lower cost of accommodations in December — the city actually boasts the most cost-effective booking prices out of all cities in the top ten.
Strasbourg, France
Strasbourg is another city known for its rich Christmas market heritage. The French town feels like stepping into a winter fairytale and is steeped in interesting Franco-German history due to its position along the German border.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague tied with Strasbourg in sixth place with an overall score of 54.6. The city earned particularly high for its number of Christmas-themed tours and relatively affordable pricepoint compared to other cities.
Budapest, Hungary
In seventh place is Budapest, Hungary, with a composite score of 52.6. The city boasts a decent number of Christmas-focused tours and the cost of accommodations and activities is also quite a bit lower than other Western European cities on the list.
Quebec City, Canada
Quebec City was the only North American destination to crack the top ten — but it makes sense given its reputation of being a piece of Europe within Canada. The charming city, especially its Old Town, really comes alive at Christmas time. The combination of French architecture, twinkling lights, and a healthy blanket of snow makes Quebec City a picturesque spot to explore during the holidays.
The rest of the list was rounded out by more European hot spots. Copenhagen, Denmark earned ninth spot on the list with a composite score of 51.9 while Rome, Italy earned tenth spot with a composite score of 51.7.