Carolers, hot chocolate, holiday decorations galore…celebrating Christmas is an art form, and these small towns have perfected it, spreading cheer every December. A Santa in the square? Child’s play. Here, villages turn storybook Christmases straight out of a Dickens novel into reality, taking celebrations to the next level in the form of parades, unique trees, miles of ornate lighting displays, pageants, and enough chestnuts and cocoa to send the elves into hibernation. If you want to feel like you’re stepping inside your favorite magical holiday flick, visit one of these best Christmas villages and towns in the U.S., Germany, and around the world.
Slovan, California
In the Santa Ynez Mountains outside Santa Barbara, this tiny Danish village celebrates Christmas with ample cheer during its annual Julefest. Events include the Skål Stroll Wine and Beer Walk, candlelight tours, a nativity pageant, a holiday concert, and the Julefest parade. Keep an eye peeled for the Jule Nisse: festive gnomes with clues leading toward holiday prizes.
Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
The Swiss town of Bad Ragaz kicks off its yearly Christmas season in late November with a ceremonial Festival of Lights, illuminating the 131-foot-tall sequoia tree on the lawn of Grand Resort Bad Ragaz—supposedly the tallest living Christmas tree in Europe. Other events hosted at the picturesque village’s Grand Resort include several Christmas markets, multiple concerts, dinners, parties, and processions, and a Russian Christmas gala.
Franklin Tennessee
Nearly 100,000 people travel to Franklin, Tennessee each year for its Dickens of a Christmas: a two-day festival featuring over 200 musicians, dancers, and characters from Charles Dickens stories. Other highlights include a Victorian Christmas Village, carriage rides, and a makers village.
Aarhus, Denmark
Denmark’s second-largest city, the quaint destination of Aarhus, is a Christmas dream. The town boasts thousands of lights on its “Strøget” high street, with delights including a Christmas market selling Danish specialties, the exterior of department store Salling wrapped up like a gift, Christmas tree-lined streets in the Latin Quarter, and a panorama of Danish Christmas throughout the ages at The Old Town Museum, Den Gamle By.
Williamsburg, Virginia
Calling itself the Best Christmas Town in America, Colonial Williamsburg particularly shines at Christmastime. Traditions abound, such as caroling by torchlight, a gun-salute display, and every home in the historic area lighting a candle in their windows—dating back to the days of the Founding Fathers. As far as lights, the area can’t be beat, with Busch Gardens donning 10 million lights for the largest display in North America. And the Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Market Square is a must.
Colmar, France
A quaint Alsatian village close to the German border, Colmar is reportedly one of the locales that inspired Belle’s town in Beauty and the Beast. Indeed, the fairy-tale aspect of Colmar comes to life during the holidays, with five Christmas markets, an endless array of twinkling lights, carolers, a roller coaster, carousel, and ice-skating rink.
Alexandria, Virginia
For a traditional American Christmas, head to Alexandria, Virginia, where the Old Town’s streets and 18th-century row houses bustle with good cheer each December. Festive-seekers can find carolers, hand bell choirs, ample lights and decorations, while close by there’s Mount Vernon, home to Aladdin, a Christmas camel, as well as a Colonial Christmas experience.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
A meticulously-preserved walled medieval town in Germany, Rothenburg ob der Tauber boasts a centuries old Christmas market well-worth the trip to its cobblestone streets. (Incredibly, this used to be Germany’s second largest city.) Revelers can find treats like mulled wine, grilled sausage, roast chestnuts, or an original Rothenburg Snowball fried dough pastry, while other highlights include a German Christmas Museum. The market kicks off every year with the appearance of the “Rothenburger Riders,” horsemen who—while formerly scary—are now believed to be messengers of good news
Santa Claus, Indiana
With a name like Santa Claus, how could this small Indiana town not be full of seasonal tidings? Celebrations include the annual Christmas parade, a Santa Claus Arts & Crafts Show, Santa’s Candy Castle for elven chats, a German-inspired Das Nikolaus Fest, and the Santa Claus Museum & Village, where children can write letters to St. Nick. (PS: letters postmarked by December 20th will receive a response, too!)
Mont Tremblant, Quebec
At Christmastime, Canada’s pedestrian village Mont Tremblant turns into a winter wonderland, complete with skiing, tubing, dog sledding, and horse-drawn sleighs. Toufou, the town mascot, greets visitors who come for events such as the holiday parade, Lumberjack Day, concerts and entertainment from the Grelot Family elves, and generational storytelling on Legends Day.
Branson, Missouri
It’s no wonder Branson is known as America’s Christmas Tree City: this is a town that does Christmas proud. Over 6.5 million lights sparkle in Branson every festive season, with other highlights including more than 1000 Christmas trees, Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade, a drive-through lights display, Living Nativity petting zoo, and the Christmas celebration at Silver Dollar City with its nightly lights display and Christmas festival.
Coburg, Germany
The hometown of Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert—who reportedly introduced the Christmas tree and other German festive customs to England—the Bavarian city of Coburg comes alive at Christmastime with its traditional Christmas Market, candlelight parade led by the Coburg Children’s Choir, and Christmas decorations aplenty. Revelers can also enjoy treats like spiced wine, mulled beer, and Lebkuchen, a baked German gingerbread treat, as well as enjoy horse and carriage rides around the charming town.
Frankenmuth, Michigan
During the holidays, Little Bavaria in Frankenmuth, Michigan features a panoply of events earning its spot as one of the preeminent Christmas destinations. Highlights include a European-style Christmas market, meals with Santa and Mrs. Claus, horse-drawn carriage rides, and the world’s largest Christmas store: Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the size of one-and-a-half football fields.
Winchester, England
This medieval city features one of England’s biggest and most charming German-inspired Christmas markets with more than one hundred wooden chalets. Seasonal bright spots include the outdoor skating rink, British Crafts Village complete with nativity scene; festive food like bratwurst, minced pies and mulled wine; family carols at Winchester Cathedral; an annual Lantern Parade; and a charitable Santa Fun Run.
Riverside, California
The six-week long Festival of Lights debuts each Thanksgiving at historic The Mission Inn in Riverside, California, with a grand countdown celebration featuring more than 5 million holiday lights and a fireworks display. Despite the sunny Southern California background, holiday-seekers can find horse-drawn carriages, an arts market, nightly live entertainment, and, of course, visits with Santa Claus.
Montreux, Switzerland
The small Swiss town of Montreux features a legendary Christmas Market overlooking Lac Léman, with more than 160 chalet stalls, crafts, mulled wine, local delicacies, live music, artisan gifts, and numerous restaurants. Children and adults alike can enjoy the Lumberjack Village, catch sight of Santa on his flying sleigh, ride the Big Ferris Wheel, visits elves in the Place du Marche (otherwise known as Elves Square), and even take a cogwheel train up the Rochers-de-Naye mountain to Santa’s House. Nearby, the medieval fortress of Chillon Castle provides even more festive delights.
Bath, England
The Georgian spa town of Bath transforms into a winter wonderland at Christmas, complete with annual Bath Christmas market featuring more than 150 chalets, an ice rink, Victorian carousel, parties, wreath-making workshops, festive train rides, visits from Santa, and more. Don’t forget to check out the Christmas Tree Carol Trail to enjoy each of ten trees decorated in the style of a classic Christmas song.
North Pole, Alaska
Only fifteen miles away from Fairbanks, you’ll find the picture-perfect village of North Pole, Alaska. As befitting a town literally celebrating Christmas year-round—Santa and Mrs. Claus make an appearance in the 4th of July parade—here guests can find the Santa Claus House: equal parts general-store, post office, and holiday shop. No trip is complete without seeing Santa’s sleigh and reindeer, the annual Winter Festival, the world’s largest Santa statue, and aptly named streets like Snowman Lane and Kris Kringle Drive.
Freiburg, Germany
As the unofficial capital of southwest Germany’s Black Forest, the town of Freiburg features Christmas charm aplenty. Its traditional and undeniably quaint Christmas market offers crafts, gifts, seasonal nibbles and drinks from more than 130 stalls, while other must-dos include a life-sized wooden nativity and daily advent services at St. Martin’s Church.
