1. London, England

How dare you not spend your Christmas in what is considered as all of Europe’s most festive place come holiday season? Go exploring the horde of Christmas markets and fairs scattered around the city, or maybe go shopping at one of world’s most popular department stores, Harrods. You really need to spare some time for an ice skating activity, or probably for some lavish afternoon tea session at Mayfair’s Brown’s Hotel.

2. St. Petersburg, Russia

Christmas in St. Petersburg is nothing but dreamy. Just imagine all these historic buildings covered in snow and the whole city clothed in glittering lights—spectacular! Make sure to secure tickets for The Nutcracker shown at the Mariinsky Theatre, the exact same place where the classic two-part ballet debuted in 1892.

3. Bethlehem, Israel

If you want to delve into the sacred roots of Christmas, there is certainly no better place to visit than the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The home of the original nativity scene, you can participate in a pilgrimage that ends at the Church of Nativity, believed to be the exact same spot where Jesus was born. Also, you can’t miss the Midnight Mass that takes place at St. Catherine’s Church at the very first hour of Christmas day.

4. Lapland, Finland

What about Christmas in the Arctic Circle? This might be an obvious choice, but how can you not get excited about the thought of setting foot on the official homeland of Santa Claus? Enjoy petting and playing with Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer! And guess what, you can actually make cookies with Santa’s wife Mrs. Claus! There’s also this Santa Park you should never miss out on while in Lapland. Quite expensive of a trip, to tell you frankly, but rest assured it will all be worth it!

5. New York, USA

Not sure if Christmas never sleeps in New York, but guaranteed you will never forget that time you spent the holidays in one of the most sought after places in the whole world! Go see the awe-inspiring window displays at Macy’s and Bergdorf’s, and showcase your skating skills at the Bryant Park or Rock Center ice rink. Most importantly, don’t forget to take a selfie with the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree as your background.

6. West Virginia, USA

Not a lot of folks know that there is this one spot in West Virginia where Christmas is super alive—the historic Greenbrier hotel. Well, historic because it has already hosted 26 U.S. presidents in its lifetime. What an honor it would be to be in there, right? Greenbrier is home to some 2,000 poinsettias, a 100 Christmas trees, and just about 120,000 Christmas lights. Its 2,000 chocolate display is not too shabby either.

7. Malta

This gorgeous island in the Mediterranean is not to be excluded in the list of the best places to go during Christmas. Delight yourself watching the carolers parading the streets, and be in awe of the amount of people attending midnight mass in Malta’s beautiful baroque churches. Also, there’s a Christmas morning brunch at the Corinthia Palace Hotel you cannot not sign up for!

8. Nuremberg, Germany

This city is home to one of the oldest Christmas markets in the world, the Christkindlesmarkt that started in 1628. It now has 180 stalls overflowing with toys, candles, and trinkets, as well as gingerbread and a vast variety of sweets! If you’re an architecture buff, Nuremberg’s medieval structures will leave you stunned. At night, the city is just a sight to behold!

9. Tucany, Italy

Buon Natale! Whether or not you can speak Italian well, a Christmas vacation in Tuscany should be in your bucket list. Did you know Santa Claus has a castle in here as well? Yes, he actually escapes Lapland every once in a while because he can’t resist the call of Tuscany. Well, you can find his massive Italian residence at the Christmas Village Montepulciano, where you can also see a mini pony ranch and a toy factory exhibit! In addition to that, the Christmas market in Piazza San Michele is an experience you can never miss in this lifetime. If you’re still not sold, well, an enthralling array of Renaissance art and architecture abounding in Tuscany’s capital, Florence, is a spectacle you cannot find somewhere else. Still not going?