Christmas doesn’t have to look the same every year. Sometimes the best Christmas feeling comes from a little getaway, a beautiful place, a cosy stay, a festive market or simply waking up somewhere that feels completely different from home.
This collection is about different ways to enjoy Christmas — seven ideas for a special Christmas weekend, each with its own atmosphere. Think snowy streets and Christmas lights, peaceful countryside, charming little towns, seaside escapes and places where you can simply slow down and enjoy the season.
So if you feel like doing Christmas a little differently this year, here are some lovely ideas to inspire you.
Don’t Spend Christmas Alone — Discover Something New, Enjoy Something Different & Maybe Celebrate in a New Way
If you live in Europe, this could be a classic idea: Turn Christmas into a little winter escape. Book two or three nights in a pretty “Christmassy town or village” and let the Christmas atmosphere become part of the holiday.
Arrive on Friday, settle into a cosy hotel or apartment, and head out as the lights come on. Spend Saturday wandering through decorated streets, browsing Christmas markets, warming up with something festive and enjoying the little shops and cafés. Sunday can be slower — a leisurely breakfast, another stroll through the town and perhaps one last cup of something warm before heading home.
Think sparkling lights, festive bows on buildings, Christmas market stalls and the smell of cinnamon, roasted chestnuts and seasonal treats in the cold air. Snow is the bonus that can make the weekend feel like a Christmas card.
It is a simple idea, but it gives you something special: a whole weekend where Christmas is the reason for the getaway.
Stay overnight and enjoy the village after the daytime crowds have gone, with the mountains and lake providing the backdrop.
For a different kind of Christmas weekend, choose a town or city where the setting is part of the experience. Stay for two or three nights, wander through old streets decorated for Christmas, discover local festive traditions and enjoy the atmosphere after the day-trippers have gone home.
Picture candlelit squares, beautiful old buildings glowing with Christmas lights, traditional markets, cosy cafés and centuries-old streets dressed up for the season. You don’t need to fill every hour with sightseeing — sometimes the pleasure is simply being there when a historic town slows down and Christmas takes over.
It is a lovely way to combine a short getaway, Christmas atmosphere and a little sense of stepping into another time. Finding purpose…
Some Christmas getaways are special because there is a story behind the place. Spend a weekend somewhere where Christmas traditions, famous celebrations or iconic moments have become part of the destination itself.
Sometimes the best Christmas getaway is somewhere you can slow down completely. Book a cosy log cabin for two or three nights, preferably somewhere surrounded by trees, mountains, snow or a beautiful winter landscape.
Imagine arriving on Friday afternoon, lighting the fire, making a hot drink and settling in for the evening. Saturday can be as simple as a slow breakfast, a walk through the surrounding countryside, a festive meal and an evening beside the fire. No busy itinerary required.
Add a few Christmas decorations, bring your favourite festive food and let the cabin become your own little Christmas hideaway.
It’s the kind of weekend where the accommodation isn’t just somewhere to sleep — it becomes part of the Christmas experience.
This can be the perfect solo-travel Christmas weekend and me-time event…
Christmas can also be a good excuse to get outside and do something different. Choose a destination where the scenery is part of the experience and spend your Christmas weekend exploring rather than sitting indoors. (Perfect idea for families.)
Think of a mountain getaway with snowy walks, a lakeside escape with beautiful views, a coastal weekend with long beach walks, or a countryside stay where you can spend the day outdoors and come back to a cosy Christmas dinner.
You could go skiing, take a scenic train ride, explore a national park, enjoy a winter walk or simply find a beautiful viewpoint and watch the landscape change as the sun goes down.
The idea is simple: spend Christmas weekend somewhere that gives you a reason to put on your shoes and go exploring.
For those who prefer an active holiday:
You don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy the magic of a European Christmas market. Yes, the popular markets can be expensive, but the real attraction is the experience — sparkling lights, festive music, warm drinks, little stalls, local street food and the fun of simply wandering around with nowhere else to be.
Choose a city known for offering good value and turn it into a two- or three-night Christmas weekend. Budapest is often considered one of the more affordable European city-break options, with plenty of accommodation choices and lots to see and eat without spending every minute shopping.
Stay close enough to walk to the festivities, arrive hungry and make the market itself part of your Christmas entertainment.
This is less about what you buy and more about the Christmas atmosphere you get to take home with you.
For some people, Christmas is best enjoyed one bite at a time. Make food the reason for your weekend getaway and choose a destination where Christmas comes with its own delicious traditions.
You could build the whole weekend around Christmas markets, traditional bakeries, local specialities and one memorable festive meal. It doesn’t have to be fancy — sometimes a freshly baked Christmas treat from a little bakery is the highlight.
The best souvenir might just be a new Christmas food tradition to recreate when you get home.
Visit places like:
You can travel somewhere famous for its Christmas food traditions, or you can stay home and make the kitchen part of your Christmas adventure.
Choose a few festive recipes and turn your own kitchen into a little Christmas bakery. Try something you’ve never made before, bake traditional Christmas treats from another country, or recreate a favourite holiday dish from a place you’ve visited.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes enjoying Christmas means travelling to another country; sometimes it means discovering something new without leaving home.
Christmas doesn’t have to mean snow, woolly scarves and frozen fingers. Escape to the coast for a few days and celebrate with sunshine, sea views and long walks on the beach.
Book a small seaside apartment or hotel, find a good local restaurant for Christmas lunch, explore the waterfront and watch the sunset. You could even make it a self-catering weekend and bring along everything you need for a relaxed Christmas meal.
For people living in the Southern Hemisphere, this can feel especially natural — Christmas outdoors, bare feet, fresh seafood and a beautiful ocean view.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make Christmas special. Sometimes the best Christmas memories come from doing something together.
Arrange to stay with friends or family for a few nights and, instead of arriving with another traditional gift, book something everyone can enjoy together. It could be a festive show, a special lunch, a Christmas market experience, a day trip, a concert or an activity nobody has tried before.
Get together online, choose something that appeals to the group and make a booking everyone can look forward to. Sharing the cost can also make a memorable experience surprisingly affordable.
Give yourself something to look forward to this Christmas: a new place, a new experience and time spent together.