Christmas getaway ideas: seven trips in the US and Europe for December 2026

How to choose a Christmas getaway

Start with timing. Several of the big European markets open in the second half of November, and most close on or just before December 24. If you want to see them running, plan for the first three weeks of December. Wrigleyville's market stays open past Christmas, and London and Paris keep their lights on into early January.

Then pick a pace. New York, London and Paris are city trips built around lights, windows and a show or a museum. Alsace, Bavaria and Vienna with Prague are market trips, with train rides between towns. Chicago sits in the middle: free markets, a zoo light show and a long list of warm places to duck into.

Each trip below links to a full day-by-day plan. The last section covers which ones work best as a gift.

Three days in New York City

The New York plan runs from December 18 to 20 and splits the trip into a Broadway night, a day of windows and the tree, and a Grand Central and skyline day. It suits first-timers who want the famous sights without rushing.

The Rockefeller Center tree is lit on Wednesday, December 2, 2026, so it will be up for the whole trip. Bryant Park Winter Village runs through February 28, 2027, and skating there is free if you bring or rent skates.

• Rockefeller CenterThe plan visits after 10:30 p.m., when crowds thin.
• Bergdorf GoodmanRated the most artistic windows; a walk north from Fifth Avenue.
• TKTS Times SquareSame-day theater tickets, 20-50% off, opening at 3 p.m. Fridays.

A December weekend in Chicago

The Chicago plan covers December 11 to 13 and mixes two Christkindlmarkets with ZooLights, a Christmas Carol matinee and lunch in the Walnut Room. It suits anyone who wants a festive weekend without a flight across the Atlantic.

The Christkindlmarkts open November 20, and admission is free. Many vendors don't take credit cards, so bring cash. ZooLights runs through January 3, 2027, and everyone, including children, needs a ticket.

• Daley PlazaOpen daily November 20 to December 24; free to enter.
• Lincoln Park ZooLights from 4:30 p.m.; advance tickets run $7 to $12.
• The Walnut RoomHistoric Marshall Field's holiday lunch under the Great Tree.

Christmas markets in Alsace

The Alsace plan spends three days in Strasbourg and Colmar, starting on opening day, November 27. It suits couples and small groups who like walking, regional food and a short train ride rather than long transfers.

Strasbourg's market runs through December 24, daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Colmar's runs November 23 to December 29 and stays open on Christmas Day, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.. The regional train between them takes about 30 minutes.

• Place KléberHome of the 30-meter Great Christmas Tree.
• Ponts CouvertsCovered bridges over the River Ill at dusk.
• La Petite VeniseTimbered houses along the Lauch canal.

Christmas markets in Bavaria

The Bavaria plan is five days, November 29 to December 3, with two days in Munich, Nuremberg, a day trip to Rothenburg and a last morning in Nuremberg. It suits travelers who want beer halls, old walls and big, traditional markets.

Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt opens November 27 and runs to December 24. Munich's Marienplatz market starts November 20, and Rothenburg's Reiterlesmarkt runs through December 23. The fastest ICE from Munich to Nuremberg takes 1 hour 41 minutes.

• HauptmarktStriped cloth roofs; open daily 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Stadtmauer RothenburgCovered wall walk above Rothenburg's red roofs.
• FrauenkircheTwin domes and city views near Marienplatz.

Christmas markets in Vienna and Prague

The Vienna and Prague plan takes five days, December 7 to 11: two in Vienna's palaces, cafés and markets, a concert evening, then a train to Prague. It suits couples and anyone who likes a mix of culture and markets.

Vienna's Rathausplatz market runs November 13 to December 26, daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with an ice rink beside it. A direct Railjet to Prague runs about every two hours and takes roughly four and a half hours.

• RathausplatzMain Vienna market in front of the lit Rathaus.
• Spittelberg Christmas MarketArtisan stalls in Biedermeier alleys; weekdays open at 2 p.m.
• Old Town SquarePrague's market square with an hourly tree show.

Four days in London

The London plan runs December 10 to 13 and covers Covent Garden, Regent Street, Winter Wonderland, Kew after dark, a carol service and Sunday roast. It suits families and friends who like a lot of variety within walking and Tube distance.

Winter Wonderland runs November 19 to January 3, and everyone, including children, needs a timed ticket. Christmas at Kew has timed entry from 4:20 p.m. Note that the Tube, DLR, Elizabeth line and Overground don't run on Christmas Day.

• Hyde Park Winter WonderlandOpen until 10 p.m.; entry from £1.00 to £8.25.
• Royal Botanic Gardens, KewEvening light trail; adult tickets £29.50 off-peak.
• Regent StreetSpirit of Christmas angels overhead, lit from November 5.

Four days in Paris

The Paris plan covers December 17 to 20, pairing the Louvre and Sainte-Chapelle with the Champs-Élysées lights, department store windows and a dusk Seine cruise. It suits couples and first-time visitors who like a steady pace.

The Champs-Élysées lights launch on November 22 and stay on into early January. The Tuileries Christmas Market runs November 14 to January 3, 2027. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and on December 25.

• Tuileries GardenChristmas market with a Ferris wheel in the Tuileries.
• Sainte-ChapelleStained glass at the 9:00 opening.
• Galeries LafayetteSuspended tree under the dome, free to admire.

Which ones make a good gift

Chicago and New York work well as gifts because they're short trips with no flight across the Atlantic. A three-day plan with a show or a ticketed light display, like ZooLights, gives the recipient a date to look forward to. Alsace suits a couple, since the markets, train ride and tasting stops are easy to share.

For a bigger present, Bavaria or Vienna and Prague give five days with a clear start date. Timed tickets for Kew, Winter Wonderland and the Louvre sell by slot, so book those before wrapping anything. For more ideas, see our gifts page and the gift of travel guide.

Choosing between them

If you can only travel in late November, pick Chicago, Alsace or Bavaria; their markets open November 20 to 27. For mid-December, every trip here is running, and London and Paris keep their lights on through the first days of January.

Choose by what you want to do. Windows and a show point to New York, markets and trains to Alsace or Vienna and Prague, and a mix of lights and museums to London or Paris. Check each official site before booking, since hours can change.