Where to Go on Holiday in December
From a sunny Christmas by the sea to candlelit markets and a genuinely Arctic adventure, choose a December holiday that delivers the experience you actually want.
December might be the most interesting month of the year to plan a holiday because the best destinations offer completely different things. You could eat Christmas lunch overlooking the Atlantic, spend an evening among Vienna's market stalls, watch fireworks above Madeira's harbour or take your children into snowy Finnish forests. The right choice is less about finding one universally “best” destination and more about deciding what you want the holiday to feel like.
There is another complication: early December and Christmas week are practically different travel seasons. A destination that seems quiet and good value in the first half of the month may be busy and expensive around Christmas and New Year. Here are six well-matched options, including realistic weather, worthwhile things to do, where to stay, the disadvantages and what to check before booking from the UK.
December holidays at a glance: which one suits you?
- Best straightforward winter-sun resort: Tenerife, for familiar beach towns, excursions and hotels with facilities open all winter.
- Best festive island atmosphere: Madeira, especially Funchal for Christmas lights, food, walks and New Year celebrations.
- Best comfortably warm city-and-beach mix: Dubai, provided your budget allows for its attractions and longer journey.
- Best for a beach-focused winter escape: Cape Verde, especially Sal or Boa Vista, if you enjoy a relaxed resort and accept wind and sea conditions.
- Best Christmas market city break: Vienna, particularly earlier in December when the markets are in full swing.
- Best snowy family adventure: Finnish Lapland, for Arctic landscapes and Santa-themed experiences, with proper preparation for cold and darkness.
A note on temperatures: climate averages describe typical conditions over many years, not a forecast for your particular trip. None of these places guarantees sunshine, snow, or a view of the Northern Lights.
Explore upcoming holidays from UK departure airports
These live package-holiday examples are selected from our available operators and displayed in departure-date order. They are not filtered to December. To find trips that actually match your Christmas break, choose your own departure airport and available dates on TripsByDate. Prices and availability may change.
Explore holidays departing on your dates
TripsByDate shows advertised package holidays across its wider inventory. The changing options below are not necessarily Christmas-week departures or packages to these five destinations. Use them as starting points, then compare your own dates and check the final price, availability and festive arrangements with the provider.
BRS • 7 nights
SC · On the Beach
LHR • 7 nightsSkiworld
MAN • 7 nightsHB · Neilson
STN • 7 nightsSkilineThe first decision: sunshine, festivities or snow?
Don't book on the strength of a temperature badge alone. Tenerife in December can mean a sunny terrace at lunchtime and a sweater after dark. Vienna might have temperatures close to freezing, but its appeal is its music, cafés and decorations rather than the weather. Lapland's darkness can be atmospheric, yet it changes the amount you can comfortably do outdoors with small children.
If swimming every day matters, prioritise a hotel with a genuinely heated pool, ask whether it is open during your stay and check the beach's shelter from wind. If Christmas is the reason for going, verify that your chosen markets, excursions and events operate on your exact dates, especially 24–26 December and New Year's Eve. Some close earlier than visitors expect.
1. Tenerife, Spain: easy winter sunshine without going long-haul
Best for: Couples, families, easy resort breaks and travellers who want to spend time outdoors rather than chase very high temperatures.
Tenerife is a practical December option because its established southern resorts operate year-round. You can combine beach promenades and relaxed hotel days with volcanic scenery, boat excursions, family attractions and lively restaurants. It is not the Caribbean, but it is a meaningful change from a British winter.
Where to stay: Costa Adeje is a useful starting point for higher-end hotels and families; Los Cristianos works well for a walkable resort with restaurants and ferry connections; Playa de las Américas is generally livelier. The exact location matters. Some apartments described as “near the beach” are uphill, and distances that look short on a map can feel longer in the heat.
How warm is it really? Spain's national meteorological agency, AEMET, records a historical December average daytime maximum of 22.8°C at Tenerife South Airport. The average night-time minimum is 16.5°C. December also has some rain, so “winter sun” is fairer than “guaranteed beach weather”. The mountain around Mount Teide can be substantially colder than the coast.
What makes December special? You can spend the day at the beach, see festive decorations later and enjoy dinner outdoors on a pleasant evening. For families, the big advantage is choice: on a cooler day there are alternative activities instead of having to sit by a pool.
Watch out for: Unheated swimming pools, cooler evenings, busy Christmas weeks and long transfers to hotels away from the main resort areas. If sea swimming is non-negotiable, remember that Atlantic water and wind can make a sunny day feel less tropical than photographs suggest.
Official reference: AEMET's Tenerife South climate records. For another Canary Islands option, compare November escapes and January holiday ideas.
2. Madeira, Portugal: Christmas lights, remarkable scenery and a memorable New Year
Best for: Couples, walkers, food lovers, festive atmosphere and travellers who value experiences over hot beach days.
Madeira is unusual because December can feel genuinely festive without the full chill of a northern European winter. Funchal is decorated for Christmas, restaurants remain part of the experience and the island's dramatic landscape is never far away. It works particularly well for people who want to combine a seasonal city break with a day trip to mountain viewpoints or the coast.
Where to stay: Central Funchal gives you the easiest access to Christmas events, harbour walks, restaurants and celebrations without depending on a rental car every evening. Hotels farther along the coast can be quieter, but check how you will get back after a New Year event, whether transfers are running and whether hillside roads are suitable for your plans.
Madeira's official tourism board describes the island as mild through winter and emphasises its microclimates. That means one part of the island can be sunny while another is cloudy or wet. Pack layers and waterproofs if you intend to walk. December is not a reliable choice for long, uninterrupted beach days.
The standout experience: The official tourism programme for 1 December 2026 to 10 January 2027 includes festivities across the season, culminating in New Year's Eve fireworks. There are also distinctive local traditions such as Funchal's market celebrations. This is worth planning around rather than discovering after booking a hotel in the wrong part of the island.
Watch out for: Heavy demand for well-located New Year accommodation, road and walking-trail conditions, wet mountain weather and transport after midnight. If you hope to hike, check official trail status and any booking requirements immediately before travelling.
Official references: Madeira's Christmas and New Year programme and Madeira's official weather and microclimate guide.
3. Dubai, UAE: warm beach days and big-city attractions
Best for: Those who want warmer December days, modern attractions, polished hotels and a mixture of pool time, dining and sightseeing.
Dubai makes a compelling December holiday if you want to be comfortably outdoors during the day but also have plenty of entertainment when you have had enough of the beach. You can combine a resort stay with waterfront neighbourhoods, museums, shopping, desert excursions and large family attractions. December's weather is generally more manageable for sightseeing than Dubai's intense summer.
Where to stay: Jumeirah Beach Residence offers restaurants and public beach access; Dubai Marina suits an urban waterfront holiday; Palm Jumeirah offers resort-style hotels, often with more emphasis on staying on the property; Downtown Dubai is strong for city attractions, but not for strolling straight onto a beach. Choose based on the activities you actually plan rather than simply the most impressive pool photograph.
Weather reality: Visit Dubai gives a typical December range of approximately 21–27°C and a daily mean around 24°C. This is an attractive month for outdoor dining and exploring, but it is still sensible to pack a layer for cooler evenings and to check weather forecasts before booking outdoor experiences.
The financial catch: A reasonable package price may not tell you what the week will actually cost. Count meal plans, transfers, taxis, attraction admissions, hotel taxes and possible festive dinner supplements. Travelling with children can make these extras much more significant than they first appear.
Watch out for: Traffic, distance between attractions, expensive extras and Christmas/New Year demand. Families should confirm exactly what the hotel package includes. For UK travellers, check passport validity and entry requirements before committing to a non-refundable trip.
Official references: Visit Dubai's December weather guide and UK government UAE entry guidance.
4. Cape Verde: an Atlantic resort holiday when you really want a beach
Best for: Travellers who want a slower-paced holiday built around a beach, hotel facilities, sunshine and a change of winter scenery.
Cape Verde feels different from a city-and-beach destination such as Dubai. The appeal is less about visiting a long list of attractions and more about relaxing at an Atlantic island resort. Sal is a sensible first choice if you like having restaurants and some activity outside the hotel, particularly around Santa Maria. Boa Vista is often chosen for wide sandy beaches and quieter resort stays, but its more isolated properties call for careful planning.
December is part of Cape Verde's drier, typically warm part of the year, but don't confuse a warm climate with calm conditions. Atlantic trade winds can be noticeable, especially on exposed beaches, and sea conditions can make swimming unsuitable on particular days. Observe warning flags and choose hotels with good pool facilities if you want reliable time in the water.
What to do beyond the beach: On Sal, consider exploring Santa Maria, the salt pans at Pedra de Lume and guided excursions around the island. On Boa Vista, scenic trips can be rewarding, although the distances and road conditions mean that a proper guided excursion may be preferable to improvising.
Watch out for: Wind, sea currents, remote hotel locations, available excursions, medical facilities and what your all-inclusive package actually covers. Do not assume facilities outside the resort will operate at the same scale as in a major Mediterranean destination.
Important for UK passports: The UK government advises that a passport should have at least six months' validity beyond arrival in Cape Verde. Check the current entry rules and any pre-registration or airport tax requirements with official sources before travelling.
Official reference: FCDO Cape Verde entry requirements. The right trip here is one you would still enjoy even if a windy day rules out a long swim.
5. Vienna, Austria: Christmas markets with real depth behind the decorations
Best for: Festive city breaks, couples, adults who enjoy museums and culture, and families who are happy walking in cold weather.
Vienna earns a place on a December shortlist because the Christmas markets are only part of the experience. Between stalls selling seasonal food and gifts, you have grand architecture, cafés, musical performances, museums and palaces. It is an excellent choice if your ideal holiday involves dressing warmly and being out in a city rather than escaping cold weather altogether.
Where to stay: The Innere Stadt is convenient but can be expensive. Hotels near well-connected U-Bahn stations slightly farther out may offer better overall value. For a weekend, choosing somewhere near public transport is more useful than booking the cheapest room at the edge of the city.
When to go matters enormously. Vienna's tourism office lists the principal Rathausplatz market as 13 November to 26 December 2026. Other markets have different dates. Some finish on 23 December, and Christmas Eve can bring early closing times. The popular advice to “visit Vienna for its Christmas markets in December” is incomplete unless you check which market you mean and the days you will actually be there.
For a first visit, combine Rathausplatz with a smaller market if you want a different atmosphere, then leave time for a museum or concert. A single night can feel rushed once airport transfers are included; two or three nights give you more flexibility if the weather is unpleasant.
Watch out for: Cold, wet or icy conditions; crowded Friday and Saturday evenings; market closing dates; advance reservations for popular performances; and restaurants with special festive hours. Snow in central Vienna is not guaranteed, so don't book expecting a permanent white Christmas scene.
Official reference: Vienna Tourism's individual market dates and opening times. You can also compare a colder December city break with February's winter city and ski options.
6. Finnish Lapland: extraordinary winter scenery, if you prepare for the Arctic
Best for: Families seeking a Santa experience, travellers keen on snow activities and anyone who wants a memorable winter holiday rather than sunshine.
Lapland is almost the opposite of a Tenerife package. The appeal is snow-covered forests, outdoor adventures, seasonal lights and, in the Rovaniemi area, experiences centred on Santa Claus. More northerly destinations such as Levi or Saariselkä suit travellers who want a stronger focus on nature, skiing or a different kind of Arctic atmosphere. The practical details vary a lot between locations.
Choose the trip type carefully. A dedicated Santa package can include specific activities, transfers and thermal clothing. An ordinary hotel booking might include none of them. Check what is included, how long excursions last, whether you must queue outside and whether the activities are suitable for your children's ages. Buying everything separately can change the total budget considerably.
Cold and daylight: The December climate can be severely cold, with very limited daylight and polar-night conditions farther north. The temperature range on the infographic is not a reliable forecast for all of Lapland. Pack proper insulating layers, gloves and winter footwear, even if the package includes borrowed overalls. Children may tire quickly outdoors, so a packed timetable is not always the best one.
Northern Lights: December's long darkness offers opportunities to see auroras, but activity and cloud cover determine whether they are visible. Never pay for a Lapland holiday assuming you are guaranteed to see them. Visit Finland explicitly describes December as a popular Northern Lights month, not a guaranteed viewing period.
Watch out for: Peak Christmas demand, the difference between daylight and usable sightseeing time, added activity costs, lengthy transfers, cancellation terms and age restrictions for excursions. Consider whether a quieter trip in January or February would achieve your snowy-holiday goals with less Christmas pressure.
Official references: Visit Finland on the best Northern Lights seasons, Northern Lights viewing advice and UK government Finland entry requirements. For a mountain holiday instead of a Santa break, explore our skiing guides and beginner-friendly ski resort advice.
Know when you can travel?
Choose your departure airport and dates first, then compare holiday options that fit. December prices and availability can vary dramatically by week.
Find holidays by dateEarly December versus Christmas week: why the timing changes everything
In early December, some destinations can be calmer before school holidays and New Year celebrations. You might find more flexibility in hotel choice and flights, although this varies by location and operator. For Vienna, this can also be an ideal time to visit markets before the final busy days. In Madeira, travelling early means you can enjoy festive lights without necessarily committing to the New Year crowd.
Christmas week is different. Flights that fit school schedules are more valuable to families. Popular hotels may have minimum stays or special meals, and New Year events can alter transport and local access. Compare the total cost for the exact dates you need, not an advert based on a cheaper earlier December departure. If you can move by two or three days, compare multiple options rather than assuming the day after Christmas will be cheaper.
How to choose the right December holiday for your budget
Compare the full cost, not only the headline price
Two December packages priced similarly can lead to very different bills. A Tenerife self-catering apartment may require restaurant spending but little local transport. A Dubai room-only holiday can add meals, taxis and expensive family attractions. A Lapland holiday may include activities and winter clothing, or leave them all as extras. Before choosing, write down a comparable total for flights, baggage, accommodation, food, transfers and the experiences you most want.
Prioritise the one experience you cannot compromise on
If the holiday is primarily about children meeting Santa, reserve the actual experience and confirm its terms. If it is about a Christmas market, check the event's operating dates. If you are booking a warm escape, check the pool and hotel's winter facilities. It is easier to save on extras than to rescue a holiday after you discover the central experience is missing.
Remember that winter weather changes plans
Flight disruptions can occur at UK and destination airports during winter. Leave sensible connection times, carry essentials in hand baggage and check what your travel insurance and package arrangements cover. For outdoor activities in Lapland or Madeira, operators may change plans when conditions are unsafe. A trip with more than one worthwhile activity is more resilient than one built around a single outing.
What should families look for in a December holiday?
For sun: Tenerife is appealing because there are established resorts and plenty of things to do on a cooler day. Dubai offers greater warmth, but with a longer flight and potentially higher daily costs. Cape Verde suits families happiest at their hotel, though you should check beach conditions, pools and children's facilities.
For Christmas memories: Lapland can be extraordinary, but the cold, activity duration and daylight deserve just as much attention as the magical photographs. Vienna can also be a brilliant festive family city break for children who enjoy markets and cultural outings. Neither should be judged solely by the number of activities you can squeeze in.
For UK travellers bound by school holidays, prices may rise sharply around term-end dates. Check the precise term dates for your school rather than assuming all UK schools finish on the same day.
December holiday FAQs
Where is warm in December for a holiday from the UK?
Dubai is typically warmer than Tenerife and Madeira. Cape Verde can also be a good choice for a winter beach resort, although wind and sea conditions matter. Tenerife offers a shorter, familiar winter-sun alternative. Decide whether you need genuinely warm swimming weather or would be happy with mild outdoor temperatures.
Is Tenerife hot enough to sunbathe in December?
Some days can be suitable, particularly in sheltered sunny spots in the south. AEMET's historical average December maximum at Tenerife South is 22.8°C. That is pleasant, not guaranteed hot weather. For pool-focused holidays, check heating and wind exposure.
Is Madeira good for Christmas or New Year?
Yes, particularly around Funchal. Madeira's official tourism board runs a substantial festive programme including its well-known New Year's Eve celebrations. It is an especially good choice for atmosphere, restaurants and scenery, rather than a guaranteed beach holiday.
Are Christmas markets in Vienna open after Christmas Day?
Some are, but many smaller markets finish before Christmas. The official 2026 Rathausplatz market runs through 26 December, while dates vary by venue. Check the exact market you want rather than assuming the whole city's markets remain open until New Year.
Is snow guaranteed in Lapland in December?
Lapland is strongly associated with snowy winter conditions, but snow cover varies by location, year and date. December also brings very limited daylight. Check the destination and the activity provider's snow and cancellation policies rather than relying on snowy photographs.
Will I definitely see the Northern Lights in Lapland?
No. Long winter nights create opportunities, but viewing depends on auroral activity, cloud cover and local light pollution. Plan a holiday you would enjoy even if the aurora does not appear.
Is December an expensive month to travel?
It can be, especially over Christmas, New Year and school holidays. Early December may provide better-value dates in some destinations, but there is no universal cheapest week. Compare the full package price on the dates you can actually travel.
Keep exploring holidays by month
If you are flexible, compare November holiday destinations for an earlier winter break, January escapes after the festive rush, or February winter-sun and snow options. You can also browse the complete Holidays by Month guide hub.
The best December holiday is the one that matches your priorities. Warm sunshine, festive atmosphere and snow are all worthwhile reasons to travel, but they lead to very different destinations, costs and expectations. Choose your dates, check the details that matter most and build the trip around experiences you will actually enjoy.
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