The Christmas and New Year period needs a bit of planning if you want to travel over those weeks, so it’s not too early to book something now.
Spend New Year’s Eve skiing in Italy, or wander round Tallinn’s captivating Christmas markets which go on until early January.
Get away during Christmas week by renting a cottage on the North Norfolk coast or staying in a Scottish castle.
If staying warm is your priority, head to The Gambia or take a cruise from Panama to Costa Rica on a tall ship.
If this is the year for your big-ticket adventure, spend a leisurely couple of weeks exploring New Zealand or sailing from Cambodia to Vietnam.
Wherever you decide to travel in December, you’ll find some ideas here.
Read more: Where is hot in December? Best winter sun holiday destinations 2026
Italy
This is a glorious way to see out 2026 and welcome 2027 – from the snowy slopes of Sauze d’Oulx in northern Italy. It’s part of the Italian-French Via Lattea ski domain, giving you 400km of slopes to explore. SNO is slashing £645pp off a week’s ski holiday departing 27 December – now costing £859pp – at the simple but central Hotel Villa Cary. This includes Eurostar rail travel from St Pancras to Oulx, transfers and seven nights’ half-board.
Read more: These are the most cinematic spots in Venice
The Gambia
Prefer sun to snow? The Gambia Experience is offering a week at the Kairaba Beach Hotel for the frankly mad price of £649pp – down from £1,109pp. You’ll be in the lively Atlantic coastal resort town of Kololi facing the sandy beach, and there’s also a pool in the hotel’s tropical gardens. Departures are either on 1 or 5 December, and the price includes flights, transfers and breakfast.
Read more: This overlooked West African country should be your next culture trip
Norfolk
Wells-next-the-Sea on the North Norfolk coast is a delightful place to gather a small group for a Christmas get-together. Full of period features including beamed ceilings and an inglenook fireplace, Smugglers Retreat has three double bedrooms and a fourth with a child’s bed and one for a toddler. Norfolk Cottages has availability for seven nights from 21 December for £1,179, down from £1,836.
Read more: How to discover Scotland’s Highlands and islands for just £2
Costa Rica/Panama cruise
Christmas in a warm climate takes on another dimension when you’re sailing on one of Star Clippers’ tall ships – giving you much more than a beach holiday. You’ll spend a week cruising from Panama to Costa Rica, dropping anchor in some of the most gorgeous coastal areas and islands in both countries. San Jose Island, Isla Iguana and Coiba National Park in Panama, plus Golfito, Quepos and Islas Tortugas in Costa Rica are just some of the stops. Prices for a 19 December departure start at £2,185pp and include seven nights’ full board on Star Clipper and port charges, but exclude flights and transfers.
Read more: This new Costa Rica hotel sits in the most remote part of the country
Estonia
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Winter makes Tallinn an even more romantic place to be, with its beautiful medieval Old Town blanketed in snow. And, of course, there’s the magical Christmas market that takes over the Town Hall Square until 6 January. Regent Holidays has a four-day winter break to Estonia’s capital in December from £775pp, including flights, transfers, breakfast, a city pass for free museum entry and a snowshoe hike through the region’s forests and bogs.
Read more: How women are reviving traditional Seto culture in Estonia
Scotland
One way of forgetting it’s December is to stay in a wing of a Scottish castle and pretend to be a laird for a week. Branxholme Castle’s East Wing near Hawick in the Scottish Borders has four bedrooms sleeping eight, along with a games room and plenty of cosy living space. And there’s a hot tub in the large garden to go with the castle’s extensive grounds you share with people living in the other wings. Cottages & Castles has a week’s self-catering from 11 December from £1,349, but if you want to stay for Christmas, the rate goes up to £2,649. Up to two dogs are allowed.
Read more: Why Mull is my new favourite Scottish island for a hiking holiday
And if you want to splash out…
New Zealand
New Zealand isn’t a country to be rushed through, and this 14-night Highlights of New Zealand group tour takes you to the must-see sights of both islands. Between its major cities of Wellington, Auckland, Queenstown and Christchurch, plus its natural wonders including Franz Josef’s glaciers, Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Lake Rotorua and Mount Cook National Park, this tour with New Zealand Sky will make you fall completely in love with the place. Prices start at £5,449pp and include flights, all transport, breakfast and specified excursions.
Read more: Where was East of Eden filmed? Netflix’s new series
Cambodia/Vietnam
This is a fabulous way to get to know Cambodia and Vietnam – via the Mekong River. Over 16 days, you’ll visit Siem Reap, Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh before taking a boat to explore the regions along and around the Mekong. Cross the border into Vietnam and feel the pace speed up a bit as you get to know Ho Chi Minh City and Saigon before unwinding on the coast at Mui Ne. Experience Travel Group will tailor your tour, and prices start at £5,500pp for 16 nights, including flights, all transport, guides, drivers, many meals, immersive experiences and gratuities.
Read more: This Mekong River cruise takes in peaceful villages and buzzy cities
Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Where is hot in December? Best winter sun holiday destinations 2026