Best places to travel in December

There are two ways to spend December. You can chase the sun to Goa, Sri Lanka, Dubai or the Thai islands, all in their peak season. Or you can lean into winter, with Christmas markets in Strasbourg, Vienna and Kraków, Santa and the northern lights in Rovaniemi, and Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

These are the best places to travel in December, picked from our city guides using their own weather, crowds and daily costs. December is the busiest month in many of them, so book early.

☀️ Warm places to travel in December

📍 Goa, India

☀️ 33° average high👥 very busy💶 about €19 a day

December is peak season in Goa, at about 33°. India’s beach state has palm-lined sands, Portuguese churches and Latin-quarter lanes, and a party scene that runs from November to March. At about €19 a day on a shoestring, it’s the cheapest warm escape of the month.

📍 Galle, Sri Lanka

☀️ 29° average high👥 very busy💶 about €20 a day

Sri Lanka’s south coast is back in peak season in December, at about 29°. Walk the Dutch fort’s ramparts at sunset and spend the days on the beaches along the coast. Budget about €20 a day on a shoestring.

📍 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

☀️ 26° average high👥 very busy💶 about €39 a day

Dubai’s peak season comes with highs of about 26°, perfect for the beach strip, the souks and an abra across the creek. It’s busy and not cheap, at about €39 a day on a shoestring.

📍 Koh Lanta, Thailand

☀️ 32° average high👥 very busy💶 about €28 a day

December is peak season on Koh Lanta, at about 32°. The long, laid-back island has miles of quiet beaches, an old town on stilts, a national park at its southern tip and the best sunsets in the south. A shoestring day is about €28.

📍 Funchal, Portugal

☀️ 20° average high👥 busy💶 about €42 a day

Madeira is about 20° in December, and its New Year fireworks fill the island. Our guide’s advice is to book months ahead. Budget about €42 a day on a shoestring.

🎄 Christmas markets and snow

📍 Strasbourg, France

☀️ 5° average high👥 very busy💶 about €45 a day

Strasbourg has the oldest Christmas market in France, and our guide calls it packed, cold, expensive and unmissable. At about 5°, the canals, timber houses and sandstone cathedral are made for mulled wine. Plan on about €45 a day on a shoestring.

📍 Vienna, Austria

☀️ 4° average high👥 very busy💶 about €52 a day

Markets, lights and Glühwein: Vienna in December is busy and expensive, at about 4°, and very beautiful. Standing opera tickets cost about the price of a beer, and the coffee houses will never ask you to leave. Budget about €52 a day.

📍 Kraków, Poland

☀️ 2° average high👥 fairly busy💶 about €28 a day

Kraków’s Christmas market and its szopki, the city’s glittering nativity scenes, fill the market square in December, at about 2°. At about €28 a day on a shoestring, it’s the cheapest Christmas city on this list.

📍 Rovaniemi, Finland

☀️ -9° average high👥 very busy💶 about €64 a day

Christmas on the Arctic Circle is Rovaniemi’s peak, at about -9°, with snow, huskies, reindeer and the official Santa Claus Village. It’s also the most expensive time of year here, at about €64 a day on a shoestring.

📍 Edinburgh, Scotland

☀️ 7° average high👥 busy💶 about €65 a day

Hogmanay makes Edinburgh a classic for New Year, at about 7°. The castle, the old town and the new town are lit up for the holidays. Budget about €65 a day on a shoestring.

🏖️ Best places for a beach trip in December

Our guides with a beach and a beach-weather high in December, the most hostels first.

1. 1PhuketThailand31°, very busy
2. 2Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam31°, very busy
3. 3Hoi AnVietnam24°, quiet
4. 4DubaiUnited Arab Emirates26°, very busy
5. 5GoaIndia33°, very busy
6. 6Koh TaoThailand28°, quiet

💸 Cheapest places to travel in December

Good weather in December and the lowest shoestring budget.

1. 1VaranasiIndia€13 a day
2. 2PushkarIndia€13 a day
3. 3AmritsarIndia€13 a day
4. 4KolkataIndia€14 a day
5. 5HanoiVietnam€15 a day
6. 6VientianeLaos€15 a day

🤫 Quietest places to visit in December

Good weather and quiet or very quiet in December.

1. 1LagosPortugal17°, very quiet
2. 2AntalyaTurkey17°, very quiet
3. 3ShkodërAlbania12°, very quiet
4. 4FaroPortugal17°, very quiet
5. 5SantoriniGreece16°, very quiet
6. 6AmmanJordan14°, very quiet