During childhood I still remember how excited I was during the time of Christmas, a festival celebrated with full zeal and excitement. Every year my school use to get decorated beautifully with huge Christmas trees, sparkling shimmers, garlands and an amazing carnival was organised. The markets were full of Santa Claus, Christmas trees, gold, red and green shimmers and I used to buy them every year to decorate our class board, and the class rooms.
School is over but the excitement this festival brings to my heart is still alive and there are stunning places in the world holds the childlike wonders adorned with beautiful decorations, lantern lit streets, shimmering markets and age old traditions celebrated complemented with snowy mountains and spectacular landscapes where you will feel you are the main character of Christmas movies.
Movie Home Alone is one of my favourite movies. I loved the part where, everyone was excited for Christmas travel, packing suitcases, gathering the whole family for a vacation, the whole house was a mess in all the packing and excitement, became my childhood dreams where the whole family gets united and goes to amazing places for Christmas. The movies showcased Christmas celebrations beautifully, cool weather with majestic snowfalls, markets full of shimmering decorations, elegant lighting making the streets golden, shimmering Christmas tree, Santa Claus, cozy cafes, delicate fragrance of warm pasteries, cakes and cookies and everyone enjoying the festival with their family, friends and loved ones.
My favourite list of Best Places Straight Out of a Storybook to Travel This Christmas will help you find winter dreamland where you can enjoy special moment with your loved ones, experiencing street shines like fairytale, twinkling Christmas trees, white layer of snow glowing with golden lights, warm bakeries, cozy cafes wrapped in the aroma freshy baked cakes and cookies, cozy cabins similar to cinematic kind will help you reminding the time before your life got hectic and busy.
Best Places Straight Out of a Storybook to Travel This Christmas
London
Amazing events, shows and cozy weather makes London one of the best places to visit during Christmas. Streets are beautifully decorated with elegant lights that glow up the place with shimmers and decoration. London becomes the paradise for food lovers during Christmas where markets offer authentic European food and drinks with a variety of delicious deserts, cheese blended perfectly with a vibrant vibe.
Things to do
- Christmas light bus tour is a magical experience to observe the glittering streets during the festival avoiding crowds.
- Visit the Kew garden light trails where glasshouses and trees are lit up with glittering lights and lasers that look like a shimmery fantasy world.
- Covent garden Christmas market hall looks gorgeous with sparkling lights and chandelier beautifully fused with giant Christmas trees.
- Experience ice skating at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, glowed with beautiful lights and impressive decorations during Christmas.
- For a calm walk, serene and sparkling view visit the Westminster Bridge or Central London .
- A light walk at Regent Street, Carnaby street decorated in bright neon with colourful LED lights is the perfect way to enjoy Christmas in London.
Zermatt Switzerland
Zermatt is a picturesque snowy village which looks gorgeous surrounded by fairy lights, cozy chalets and Matterhorn the iconic peak of Switzerland above the village surrounded by elegant soft golden light sparkling the majestic village.
The markets aren’t loud where you will feel the silence is sacred and the velvet glow of lanterns in every window looks magnificent as an elegant decoration of a majestic mountain under the star studded glittering sky.
Things to do
- Walk the cobbled streets and relax in cozy cafes enjoying the picturesque view of the village.
- Ride on one of the world’s highest cable car Matterhorn glacier paradise.
- Must try cheese fondue and raclette in a cozy wooden chalet enjoying snowfall.
- Enjoy the unparalleled railway journey at Gornergrat railway offering a gorgeous view of pristine landscape.
- For a peaceful Christmas eve visit St Mauritius church.
- Sledding in Rotenboden is one of the unique experiences under clear sky above the shimmering diamond like snowflakes.
Helsinki Finland
Helsinki invites you to quiet magic where sky is dipped in pastel blue, tranquil parks covered with white powered snow, frozen shorelines, neo classical buildings pause you, calm you in winter wonderland no less than a nordic fairytale.
Helsinki Christmas market is famous for offering unique finnish crafts, delectable delicacies, handmade gifts, traditional wooden stalls, giant Christmas tree and the famous magical northern light but its timing is not guaranteed.
Things to do
- The Esplanadi park, decorated with light and extravagant decoration becomes a dreamy paradise during the evening, worth visiting at the time of Christmas.
- Do visit Seurasaari island, a charming lit forest seurasaari Christmas path offering traditional finnish crafts, old fashioned Christmas celebration one of the most unique experiences in Finland.
- Sip coffee like a local in one of the cozy cafes in Helsinki watching the soft golden lit streets moving like a poem.
- For peaceful landscape exploration do visit UNESCO island Suomenlinna, an adventurous snowy fortress.
- Do explore the official village of Santa Claus in Lapland.
Vienna Austria
Vienna during Christmas is decorated elegantly with classic white light blended with red and green which looks magnificent during night around the towering gothic cathedral. If you enjoy horse drawn carriage riding themed as Fiaker rides you should visit UNESCO historic centre of Vienna.
Old Town, Graben and Karntner Strasse where streets are beautifully decorated with ornate chandeliers, red Christmas bows and beautiful garlands offering magical experience you cannot miss during Christmas in Vienna. During the time of Christmas you must visit one of the stunning baroque palaces Belvedere Palace which is also a museum with most valuable Austrian art collections complemented with dazzling light and decoration.
Things to do
- Do visit the belvedere Christmas market complemented with palace background and sparkling decoration looks stunning.
- Schonbrunn palace hosts the amazing Christmas market. You should pre book to explore magnificent baroque palaces and vibrant markets.
- Kunsthistorisches museum and Naturhistorisches museum should be explored while coming to Vienna as both are the perfect example of architectural marvel.
- Must visit the Austrian National library, beautifully decorated with wooden shelves, with a huge number of history books, one of the largest baroque libraries with one of the most beautiful library halls in the world.
- While coming to Vienna you cannot miss the amazing musical experience by attending a musical concert, opera or ballroom performance any of your choice.
- Relaxing and enjoying delectable delicacies like chocolate truffles, vanilla cookies and many more interesting savouries in the laid back cafes surrounded by old town and shimmering markets is worth experiencing.
Lake Placid New York
For an incredible winter wonderland experience during Christmas choose to visit Lake Placid as the place turns out to be magical, offering tree lighting ceremonies, holiday movie screening and visiting of santa throughout the village.
Mirror Lake looks like a sheet of silver glass sheet covered with powdered soft snow, pine trees covered with snow surrounded by Adirondack mountains looks straight out of live painting.
Things to do
- Take part in an amazing train ride by polar express, a round trip excursion to the north pole inspired by children’s books and movies.
- Shopping in the snowy mountains town markets is one of the delightful experiences during Christmas.
- You can enjoy ice skating surrounded by sparkling Christmas lights.
- You can witness interesting cultural event at Saranac Lake, where well known Adirondack artists come together offering historic talks, theatre performances.
- You can take a dog sledding tour on frozen Mirror Lake.
- You can also enjoy skiing and snowboarding during Christmas in Lake Placid for a thrilling experience.
Conclusion
Some places are pure magic, it will help you bring back the same old childish excitement you have forgotten in the rush of life.
Similar to our favourite christmas movies, these gorgeous landscapes, shimmering streets, soulful rhymes Christmas carols, age old tradition and celebration will help you to pause, to breathe again and feel the calmness away from daily grind.
While exploring Best Places Straight Out of a Storybook to Travel This Christmas, you will not only be stunned by the mesmerizing beauty the places offers but will also explore your inner joy and happiness in the journey.
For more stunning destinations this winter you can choose from Dazzling Destinations That Feel Straight Out of a Dream 2025.
