Europe

Our thoughts naturally turn to Europe for Christmas as we seek cozy vibes, Christmas lights and the rich, deep colors and textures of Europe’s pubs and dining rooms. Want to be utterly absorbed by the festive season? Our list of the best places in Europe for Christmas is below. And if you’re feeling the call of Europe more generally, consider our Harmony of Central Europe journey, or browse our selection of European and British journeys here.

1. Nuremberg

The central square of Nuremberg’s old town comes alive with sizzling Bratwurst, twinkling lights, gold foil angels, hand-carved ornaments and ceramic mugs of glühwein from the end of November. Return home with ornate tins of Nuremberg lebkuchen, the iconic honey-sweetened, spiced soft cookie.

Experience it For Yourself On: Harmony of Central Europe

2. Prague

Average temperatures are around 30°F, making a little dusting of snow on Prague’s Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance rooftops highly possible. The main Christmas markets are in the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square – warm up with potato pancakes, noodle soup and svařák (mulled wine).

3. Paris

It’s the City of Light all year long, so if you want somewhere that truly sparkles at Christmas, Paris never disappoints. Shop in majestic grands magasins and wander iconic boulevards with a chocolat chaud in hand. Then cozy up with red wine and cheese of an evening.

Read Next: The Best Restaurants in Paris and Where to Find Them

4. Bruges

This little fairytale town is easily one of the best places in Europe for Christmas. Expect cobbled streets, sugary waffles, chocolate shops, canals, ice rinks, light trails and more, and a central square that looks as though it’s made up of actual gingerbread houses.

5. Strasbourg

In Alsace, the northeastern region of France that borders Germany and Switzerland, Strasbourg is known as the Christmas capital of France. For the festive season, over 300 wooden chalets are dotted across this magical city. There are sweet treats galore, but don’t miss the Alsatian tarte flambée, like a very thin pizza topped traditionally with lardons, creme fraiche and cheese.

Read Next: This is How Ashford Castle Celebrates Christmas

6. Amsterdam

There are multiple Christmas markets across Amsterdam, making it one of the best places in Europe for Christmas. Stalls come bearing mulled wine, stroopwafels, poffertjes (little, fluffy, sugar-dusted pancakes), wheels of Dutch gouda, and – of course – cones of golden frites with mayonnaise.

7. Dublin

There is always great craic to be had in Ireland’s capital. The Guinness Storehouse pulls out all the stops. And the opportunities for Irish coffee in cozy pubs are endless. Consider making time for a Christmassy dip (yes, really, in the ocean) at the icy Forty Foot at Sandycove Beach.

Experience it For Yourself On: Ultimate Ireland

8. Canary Islands

If you happen to be in Europe for Christmas but prefer to forego the chance of snow, head to Lanzarote, Gran Canaria or Tenerife. Lanzarote’s otherworldly volcanic landscapes make it a Christmas destination like no other, and the local wine is good, too.

9. Cologne

Roncalliplatz is an epic place to visit in Europe at this time of year – the gothic spires of Cologne’s imposing cathedral overlook hundreds of twinkling red-roofed huts, all arranged around a giant Christmas tree.

10. Vienna

Nowhere does cozy coffee and cake quite like Vienna. Come for a slice of dense, glossy, gorgeous Sachertorte, stay for sparkling lights, ice skating and carousel rides in front of City Hall. And a heaping tray of bauerngröstl (an Alpine dish of potatoes, bacon and onions).

11. Copenhagen

Step right this way for festive hygge aplenty. The main Christmas markets in Copenhagen are at Tivoli Gardens (the charming and pleasingly kitsch old amusement park or ‘pleasure gardens’) and Nyhavn (along the iconic canal).

12. Budapest

The Vörösmarty Square Christmas market is extravagantly lit and full of sweet wooden stalls, particularly good if you’re in the market for Hungarian folk craft – beautiful tablecloths and embroidered tree ornaments. The basilica market is also nearby, with an ice rink, light show and program of performances.

11. Malaga

The Costa del Sol  is one of the best places to visit in Europe in December if you prefer your Christmas magic served mild (light jacket, no woolly hat). The streets are lively, fun and gorgeously lit and there are live performances (choirs, ballets, orchestras and more)  throughout the city every night.

12. Madeira

Known for its sweet, caramelly namesake wine and warm temperatures, Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal off the northwest coast of Africa. The Christmas lights in Funchal are always a treat and the midnight masses are legendary.

13. London

Take a red bus beneath the twinkling lights of Regent Street, go bauble shopping in Liberty, buy biscuit tins you’ll keep forever at Fortnum & Mason and ice skate at Somerset House. Talk about one of the best places in Europe for Christmas – London thrives under advent pressure.

Read Next: What to Wear to Dinner in London

European Christmas FAQs:

1. Where is the best place to go for Christmas in Europe?

Anywhere with a Christmas market, laced with twinkling lights, mugs of hot chocolate and the scent of caramelized sugar in the air will do it. There are plenty of such places on our list.

2. What is the most Christmassy town in Europe?

Lapland. Although in reality, this is not a town, but a region in northern Europe spanning parts of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Russia.

3. Which country has the most beautiful Christmas in Europe?

Germany’s Christmas markets are adored and imitated the world over.

4. What is the warmest place in Europe in December?

While snow-sprinkled streets sparkle elsewhere, the Canary Islands – a Spanish archipelago which is geographically closer to Africa than Europe – tops the temperature chart, with average highs of 71.6°.

Nothing gets the food-motivated among us gossiping, plotting and planning quite like a galaxy of new Michelin star restaurants. Here, we introduce you to a few of our favorite newly starred spots of 2025, so you can get your reservations in ASAP, and adjust your travel plans accordingly.

1. Chishuru – London, UK

Of the 12 new Michelin star restaurants in London in 2025, Chishuru is a firm favorite. This west African restaurant in glitzy Fitzrovia started life as a pop-up neighbourhood spot in Brixton, south London, winning diners over with flavor and care. The name Chishuru refers to the hush that falls over the table when the food is so good nobody wants to speak. The modern Michelin star incarnation lives in a space that’s soft and sleek, with cosy carved wood, golden light, peachy terrazzo tables and a very inviting atmosphere. Chef Joké Bakare is a formidable chef, a force for deliciousness. If our British Royale or Castles & Kingdoms itineraries are on your horizon, make your reservations now.

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2. Vaisseau – Paris, France

In the 2025 Michelin Guide, the Île-de-France region (which encompasses Paris) had the highest number of new Michelin star restaurants. In Paris, other new stars went to Aldehyde, where young chef Youssef Marzouk fuses French traditions with Tunisian flavors and Hakuba, a Japanese restaurant with an all-star cast of chefs. Our pick here, Vaisseau, is French TV chef Adrien Cachot’s monochromatic, youthful space for flexing his interest in unconventional ingredients and unexpected pairings, like lentils with coffee or spider crab with anise. A signature dish is the cacio e pepe mochi. If you’ve booked the Ultimate France journey with us and want your Paris sojourn to include an adventurous tasting menu with tons of personality, Vaisseau is the one to book.

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3. Vineria Modi – Taormina, Italy

Across Italy, there were 36 new Michelin star restaurants in 2025. Vineria Modi is located in the impossibly gorgeous historic centre of Taormina, on the east coast of Sicily. Taormina is where the second season of White Lotus was filmed – true to those scenes, it’s a place that oozes beauty and glamor. Vineria Modi started as a wine bar and remains a wonderful choice for wine aficionados, thanks to a thrilling wine list and enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff. Now, chef Dalila Grillo will prepare six or seven intricate courses to enjoy alongside your wine, each plate with beauty to befit its surroundings. Every dish is laced with Sicilian flavor, and the chef’s own personality. Grillo’s brother oversees the front of house.

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4. MAE – Barcelona, Spain

In a modern, pale pink and green dining room, three friends are doing something special at one of the hot new Michelin star restaurants in Barcelona. The name MAE is taken from a Costa Rican colloquial term for ‘friend’, a perfect encapsulation of the concept, which draws on the cultures, tastes and experiences of the trio – Mariella Rodríguez (Costa Rica), Diego Mondragón (Colombia) and Germán Espinosa (Spain). The Grand Mae menu is an intensely wonderful journey through 16 plates featuring seamless, dreamy fusion dishes like cuttlefish tartare with jalapeno gazpacho, asparagus with smoked eel and green mole, and fermented strawberries with tepache (a fermented drink made from the peel and the rind of pineapples).

Credit @mae.restaurant on Instagram

5. Crizia – Buenos Aires, Argentina

In Argentina, the culinary scenes of Buenos Aires and Mendoza are thriving – there were three new Michelin star restaurants across the two cities this year. At Crizia, chef Gabriel Oggero is famed for sourcing from producers across the country and for his deft preparation of seafood. Consequently, the Crizia oyster bar is a thrill: beautiful oysters from Patagonia, served Rockefeller (gratinéed with parmesan, spinach and cream), or tempura (in brioche buns with radish cream and seaweed caviar), or raw with yuzu. You can then choose from appetisers from the ocean and appetisers that are farm-raised or orchard-grown, before you move on to mains from the wood oven. There is plenty more exceptional dining on our Classic South America journey, which visits Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

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6. Texture – Copenhagen, Denmark

There is incredible technical precision at play at this calming little French fine dining restaurant in central Copenhagen. As the name suggests, chefs focus on texture as well as flavor here; from the glassware and linens to the silky, velvety, crunchy textures of the food itself – everything has been considered. Plates are intricately balanced – there are lobster and crab doughnuts with imperial selection caviar, langoustine tartare with lavender cream and clams, cold tomato consomme with rose. Chef Karim Khouani hails from Marseille, with an Italian mother and a Moroccan father, so you may notice these influences, too. The petits fours plate includes an orange blossom tart that is reminiscent of Khoani’s childhood in Marseille – and is reason alone to book a table.

Credit @restaurant_texture_ on Instagram

7. LYLA – Edinburgh, Scotland

Our Castles & Kingdoms voyagers will also adore this elegant new Michelin star restaurant within a Georgian townhouse. LYLA’s tasting menu is a vibrant celebration of the wonderful line caught fish and sustainable shellfish available across the Scottish Isles. But before that, an unforgettable evening at LYLA begins upstairs, with views over the Firth of Forth, with Champagne and snacks (Peterhead lobster with pickled kohlrabi and sake, for instance). Only then are guests seated for 10 courses in the main dining room, beneath coffered ceilings and ornate cornicing, with all eyes on the open kitchen.

Credit @lylaedinburgh on Instagram

The Geneva food scene is a dream for a visitor, because no two meals are alike. You might eat a perfect fondue on the lake one night, and be dining on a Michelin star menu the next; you might snack your way happily through a Geneva happy hour, or start your day with a Geneva brunch; for lunch, you could do something traditional in the old town, or go for Lebanese food, or poke, or a burger. For all of these scenarios and many more, we have compiled a list of some of the best restaurants in Geneva right now. 

Our Majestic Switzerland itinerary begins and ends in Zurich and takes in Geneva along the way, as well as St Moritz, Zermatt and the Glacier Express. There are Michelin star dinners, vineyard visits and fondue experience along the way.

 

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Le Blanc Valet

This is a French-Swiss dream of a restaurant, convivial and traditional with a well-stocked cellar, various wines by the glass and lots of local beers. It’s the ultimate Geneva happy hour, whatever the hour. Food-wise, the offering is seasonal and fun, with oozing tartiflette served in the colder months and impeccable sashimi in the summer. The cocktails are super-refined and the mood is always right, so you may want to stay for an espresso martini. 

Related reading: 12 Best Restaurants In Spain

Buvette at Bains des Pasquis

This is one of the best restaurants in Geneva with a view thanks to its quite special location – on a long jetty over Lake Geneva. The jetty acts as a sort of cultural hub with a hammam, Turkish baths and glittering views over the lake in all weathers. At Buvette, the simple, excellent menu includes breakfast, sandwiches, beachy snacks like nachos and tuna salads, and a legendary, deeply rich and cheesy fondue made with Cremant de Dardagny. 

 

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Maki Poke

If you like exquisitely vibrant poke bowls with beautiful bottled Hawaiian beers, Maki Poke is the spot for lunch in Geneva. The Sunny Hawaii bowl is abundant with salmon, tuna, cucumber, wakame, edamame, mango, crispy onions, sesame seeds and wasabi vinaigrette – guaranteed to put a little pep in your step. The homemade green, mint, lemon and honey tea is the stuff of local legend, making this a very worthy spot for a pitstop. 

 

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La Chaumière

We always include the best restaurants in Geneva in our Majestic Switzerland journey and this one is an all-time favorite. Chef Serge Labrosse’s generous, thoughtful menu wows our guests, every time. They are whisked out of the city to the lush Geneva countryside for an unforgettable meal in La Chaumière (the cottage) – depending on the season, technicolor tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins, côte de bœuf and foie gras maison are brought to life by the rural setting.  

Related reading: 20 Best Restaurants in France

Parfums de Beyrouth

If you’re looking for lunch in Geneva, this Lebanese classic is a long-time love of locals, whether they’re popping in for chicken shawarma sandwiches, or filling celebratory tables with meze plates. It’s right in the heart of the city, which makes it a very handy address to keep in your back pocket for sightseeing days. There is very simple seating within, but the pavement tables are the best place for soaking up the best of Geneva. 

 

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Domaine de Chateauvieux

One of the best restaurants in Geneva with a view happens to be just outside of the city in Satigny, which is one of Switzerland’s leading wine-growing regions. It’s so nearby, it would be rude not to. The terrace at Domaine de Chateauvieux, with its idyllic vineyard views, is the perfect spot to celebrate the seasons, over a tasting menu, a surprise menu (composed according to “the mood of the chef”), or – if you time it right – a special morel or truffle menu.  Chef Philippe Chevrier has been honing his cuisine here for 40 years. 

 

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Breitling Kitchen

A restaurant concept from a luxury watch brand – well, you are in Geneva, after all. The interior here is all brown leather, cognac, bricks and metal – a space to sink into. And the menu is exactly what you might expect a luxury watch owner to eat for lunch in Geneva; there’s a healthy corner with various quinoa-based bowls, a Swiss grilled ham and cheese, and a luscious lobster roll (brioche, lobster, celeriac, spring onions, mayonnaise). Cafe gourmand for dessert. 

Spinella

Three brothers run this casual but chic Sicilian restaurant and bar, close to Cornavin station. The atmosphere is always excellent, as are the brimming plates of antipasti, the risottos, the cocktails, the Sicilian wines and the tiramisu. You could easily come here for lunch, for happy hour, or for a long, luxurious Sicilian dinner with your extended family, ending on an amaro high. 

Related reading: Embrace Winter in One of These Luxury Resorts in Switzerland

Inglewood

If you want fine dining in Geneva, this isn’t it. But this little slice of Americana – named for the city in the Los Angeles County, California – is a stalwart on the Geneva food scene. There are 12 burgers on the menu, including the “dzodzet” which is resplendent with egg, bacon, gruyere, Raclette and the house mustard sauce. Plus, salads, chicken wings, cheesecakes and ice cream sandwiches. And Swiss beer. One might go as far as calling the very American Inglewood a Swiss picnic.