15 Cities in the World Where Christmas is the Most Charming and Fun

Christmas is nice anyway: exchanging gifts, being with family and friends, eating the best and the best, making a toast with the special wine that was kept all year… However, there are some places in the world where that Christmas magic is done in an exacerbated way, even more special, magical, full of delights for the eyes and for all the other senses.

Architecture, traditions, good food, nature and even the legends we like to believe in make certain places the face of Christmas. Ah, there’s the snow, which doesn’t fall in our parts, and that helps create the perfect scenario for those who dream of a winter vacation in the Northern Hemisphere.

O awesome.club he researched special places to visit during the Christmas season, all of them with beautiful folkloric, religious, cultural events or simply excellent options for entertainment and good food for people of different styles. Let’s travel through the Christmases of the world…

In several European cities it is customary to set up beautiful Christmas markets where decoration items for the party, food and other typical products are sold. The capital of the Czech Republic is no exception to this tradition and there are some markets scattered around the city. The busiest is in the center of the old town, in front of the Gothic church of Nossa Senhora Vitoriosa.

Prague has one of the best-preserved medieval architectural ensembles in the world and is especially beautiful in the Christmas season, when the historic streets are filled with festive lights.

St. Stephen’s Day, December 26, is considered the second Christmas by the Czechs. The bravest citizens of Prague commemorate the date by participating in a swimming event in the Vltava River and facing freezing temperatures outside and in the water. The event has been taking place since 1963 and also attracts amateur swimmers from other European countries and the world.

Many countries vie for fame as the birthplace of Santa Claus. Finland, however, got the better of this fight and almost everyone “believes” that the good old man lives in the far reaches of Lapland, northern Scandinavia.

In the 1980s, the Finnish government decided to invest in the legend and created the Santa Claus Village in the city of Rovaniemi. Kids can check out the post office where he receives letters from all over the world, go on photo safaris in the snow and — the ultimate thrill — enjoy a sleigh ride pulled by real reindeer!

Anyone visiting Lapland cannot miss an excursion to see the Northern Lights, an optical phenomenon that fills the sky with brightness and colors. The best period to observe the spectacle is from August to April, therefore covering the Christmas period. Complete package of emotion for those who want to spend the holidays close to Santa’s house.

Tivoli Gardens, the third oldest amusement park in the world, is already a paradise for dreamers and thrill seekers. At Christmas, it becomes a dazzling scene, with its attractions and toys all covered in multicolored lights.

During the season, there are many events to attend and enjoy in the city, such as the Christmas table exhibition promoted by Royal Copenhagen, a porcelain factory with over 200 years of tradition. Decorators and designers are invited to set up Christmas tables and one wants to rock more than the other — imagine the luxury!

Danes are so excited about Christmas that in July, when it is summer there, the World Congress of Santas is organized. The party that attracts Santas and Santas from all over the world is promoted by Bakken, the oldest amusement park in the world. Well, you can already see that the people of Denmark understand the subject “fun” very well.

When talking about Christmas in Austria, opinions are divided between the capital, Vienna, and small Salzburg, in the west of the country. For classical music fans, though, the second option seems to be ideal. The city of Mozart organizes the Advent Festival, which brings together interpreters, vocal groups and great choirs of sacred and folk music.

The city’s Christmas market is also very popular, with a wide range of festive decorations and typically Austrian foods, with emphasis on the various types of sausage that people eat in the streets, with bread and mustard. The Christmas cookies prepared with care by the best pastry chefs in the region also need to be tasted.

The krampus is a terrifying legendary creature that, in the Christmas season, punishes children who have been naughty during the year. The 500-year-old Austrian tradition was all but forgotten, but has been revived by sculptors from the Salzburg Alpine region in recent years.

Tourists can buy the works of artisans and take them home or enjoy the revelry that young people do, wearing krampus masks to scare people on the streets.

Nuremberg has the oldest and one of the biggest Christmas markets in Europe, from where you can get an idea of ​​how charming the city is for those who enjoy the holidays. Tourists praise the care and perfection of the local artisans and also recommend that you don’t miss the chance to taste the gingerbread cookies sold at the fair and in the bakeries.

Christmas is so much anticipated by the citizens of Nuremberg that there is a huge market opening party at the end of November. The highlight of the celebration is the theatrical presentation in which a child represents the figure of the Child Jesus.

Who hasn’t seen those Christmas movies set in New York and didn’t feel like going there at that time? The most famous American city gets crowded and, in some places, it becomes almost impossible to walk on the sidewalks in December.

But rollerblading on the ice rink at Rockefeller Center, admiring the lights in every building and street, contemplating Central Park covered in snow and enjoying the cinematic atmosphere of the city are programs that are really worth the trip.

In New York and many other American cities there is a habit they call SantaCon, something like the Santa Convention. On certain days before Christmas, groups of friends go out dressed in character to drink and celebrate in bars. The amount of people in costume on the streets is impressive.

Some of the Santas and Santas, however, tend to cross the line, so some establishments bar the crowd with an amusing sign: “No Santas allowed”.

Those who like lights, music and technology should consider Hong Kong as their Christmas destination. From the end of November until Christmas, the Sinfonia das Luzes show takes place every night, a “choreographed” neon show that takes the silhouette of the skyscrapers situated on the waterfront. The best way to enjoy the event is on board a boat.

Hong Kong is also a paradise for shoppers. Of course, we are in China! Malls and shopping centers compete to see who creates the most attractive decor for tourists and customers. In this dispute, there is even a kaleidoscope of lights where you can enter to take a selfie.

Dresden is another enchanting destination for those looking for lights and magic. Its seasonal market has existed since the 15th century and today it spreads throughout the city, affirming the tradition. The beautiful baroque architecture collaborates to create the beautiful Christmas atmosphere.

One of the great celebrations before Christmas in Dresden is the Festival of the Stollen, sweet bread with fruits, nuts and spices. The best bakers in the region attend, so there is no shortage of delights for anyone.

The highlight of the party is the time to serve the giant stollen, almost 4 meters long, 1.70 meters wide and almost 3 tons. To make it, at least 35 professionals work together.

Rome is especially exciting for Catholics, who can follow a series of religious events during the days leading up to Christmas, culminating in the Mass of the Rooster celebrated by the Pope on the night of December 24. It is possible to obtain free tickets for the great Christmas mass by writing to the Prefecture of the Pontifical House of the Vatican

For those who are not fervent, the city, which already offers a permanent visual spectacle, gains much more beauty. Historic streets, ruins and centenary monuments, such as the Coliseum, gain special lighting for the festivities.

On the third Sunday of Advent (which begins four Sundays before Christmas), the faithful bring the family’s children and images of the Baby Jesus to receive the Pope’s blessing in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican. It is not an old tradition, it started in the 1990s, but it has gained strength and today is a day long awaited by Catholics, as the blessing of children is repeated in churches around the world.

Anyone who wants to spend a fairy tale Christmas, one of those that start with the phrase “once upon a time, in a far away land”, can consider the idea of ​​visiting Tallinn. The city is a beautifully preserved gem of medieval architecture and is even more mysterious under the snow. Strolling through its narrow streets at this time of year makes us sure that we are in a dream setting.

Blood sausages, known in Brazil as chorizo, are a delicacy that cannot be missed on Estonian Christmas tables. The artisans who prepare them have a hell of a lot of work to meet the end-of-year demand, but, of course, there’s also plenty for tourists.

If blood sausage isn’t your thing, you might want to try Tallinn marzipans. They are sweets prepared with a paste of sugar and almonds, delicately molded and painted by hand in the shape of fruits, flowers, animals, people… So beautiful that it’s even a pity to bite!

Quebec is one of the oldest cities in North America and its French colonial architecture has that charm that matches snow and Christmas. To top it off, the Canadian city also has a tradition of setting up a large market for the season, as is done in many places on the Old Continent. And the set of lights that decorate the streets, the trees, the facades of the buildings and the shops is astonishing even those who are not a big fan of Christmas.

The toboggan run from December to March has been one of Quebec’s great winter attractions since 1884. To enjoy this adventure, you need to head to Dufferin Terrace, buy your ticket and launch yourself on a descent that can reach up to 70 kilometers per hour. .

Strabourg is a French city, but with a very Germanic architecture, the result of its annexation to the German Empire in the second half of the 19th century. The Christmas market has more…