Skip to contentMheidegger · CC BY 4.0
Tools
Best cities to visit in December
Countries rated good or better for December and marked as city months - the weather suits streets, museums and a table outside rather than a beach or a mountain.
57 countries rated good or better
Chapter 01
Best cities to visit in December
Egypt92
about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.90 / $5.30
Qatar92
about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.40
Saudi Arabia92
about €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.40
United Arab Emirates92
about €165 / $178 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Senegal91
about €60 / $65 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.80
Eritrea90
about €90 / $97 a day
90Ethiopiaabout €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €10.50 / $11.4090Guamabout €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090LaosCool and dry with sharp mornings in the north; peak season in Luang Prabang.about €35 / $38 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8090ThailandDry and cool nationwide; the busiest and priciest fortnight is the last one.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9089Côte d'Ivoireabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €7.90 / $8.6089Togoabout €50 / $54 a day · eSIM from €7.90 / $8.6088ColombiaDry season returns; Feria de Cali; prices and crowds surge from mid-December.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4088CubaExcellent weather; prices and occupancy surge from mid-December.about €70 / $76 a day88UruguaySeason begins; prices ramp toward New Year on the coast.about €100 / $108 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7086Ghanaabout €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4086GuatemalaClear, festive, cold at altitude; holiday crowds late month.about €50 / $54 a day · eSIM from €4.40 / $4.8085BarbadosDry season returns; festive-season pricing from mid-month.about €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6085CuraçaoDry season and the holiday rush.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6085Dominican RepublicDry season returns; festive surge from mid-month.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8085Hong KongCool and dry with the year's best harbour visibility.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9085IndiaPeak season in Rajasthan, Kerala and Goa; northern fog disrupts trains.about €40 / $43 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4085MacauCool, dry and clear with fewer visitors than autumn.about €100 / $108 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9085MexicoPerfect weather; Caribbean prices surge from mid-month.about €75 / $81 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9085NicaraguaDry season and La Purísima festivities; holiday bump late month.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €10.10 / $11.0085Puerto RicoDry season and the longest Christmas season anywhere.about €95 / $103 a day85Saint Kitts and NevisDry season returns; Sugar Mas carnival from mid-month.about €145 / $157 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6085Sint MaartenSeason opens and cruise traffic peaks.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6084El SalvadorDry and festive; beach towns busy over the holidays.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.90 / $5.3084Nigeriaabout €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2082BahamasHigh season begins; Boxing Day Junkanoo in Nassau. Prices peak over the holidays.about €160 / $173 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7078PanamaRains stop mid-month; verano and high-season pricing begin.about €80 / $86 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6075TaiwanCool and drizzly in Taipei; the south is at its best.about €65 / $70 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9072EcuadorCoast and islands warming into high season; Quito fiestas early month.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.40 / $4.8072South AfricaCape peak season and peak prices; the bush green and thick.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9072Vatican CityThe Christmas crib and tree in the square; midnight mass needs tickets.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9070AustriaChristmas markets and the ski season opening.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9070JapanCold, dry and bright before the New Year week; illuminations everywhere.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9070South KoreaCold, dry and bright with very few visitors.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9070SwitzerlandChristmas markets and the ski season opening.about €190 / $205 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9070VietnamCool and dry; pleasant in the south, cold and misty in the mountains.about €40 / $43 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9068BrazilSummer ignites mid-month; Réveillon on Copacabana draws two million.about €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9068Gibraltarabout €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9068Trinidad and TobagoRains taper; parang season, then pre-Carnival fetes after Christmas.about €100 / $108 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6065ChinaCold and dry; Harbin's ice festival is the northern draw.about €65 / $70 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065CyprusMild coast, snow in the mountains, and few visitors.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065GermanyChristmas markets make the cold and dark worth it.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065MoroccoCool and sometimes wet in the north; clear cold Saharan nights.about €65 / $70 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8065SingaporeWettest month and a busy holiday season.about €115 / $124 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065SpainCool cities, Christmas lights and reliable Canary sun.about €95 / $103 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9062IsraelCool and wet in the north; the Dead Sea and Eilat stay warm.about €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9062San MarinoThe Christmas market fills the centre for several weeks.about €90 / $97 a day60BelgiumChristmas markets in Brussels, Bruges and Ghent.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060FranceChristmas markets in Alsace and the ski season opening.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060ItalyAlpine Christmas markets; cities cold but atmospheric.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060NetherlandsChristmas markets, Sinterklaas and canal-side lights.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060PortugalCool and rainy in the north; Madeira's New Year fireworks are the draw.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Chapter 02
Why these and not others
The tag is editorial: our desk writes it on a month it has written up, never derived from the score. A country scored from climate normals alone carries no tags, so it is not here - and nothing rated below good is, however well it would fit otherwise. A country under an active travel advisory is left out of the recommendation; the advisory itself is on its guide.
Chapter 03