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(CNN) — You can put up a few lights anywhere and call it a holiday celebration, but travelers who really love Christmas want more.
Many places have plans to return for a more vibrant season after two years of festivals being suppressed or canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
From Finland to Mexico, 15 destinations around the world offer the best holiday atmosphere for traditionally Christmas-themed holidays.
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
Popular lore leads us to believe that the North Pole is the official home of Santa Claus and his delightful wife, but Finns lead us to believe otherwise.
for them Rovaniemi is the home of Christmas, just north of the Arctic Circle in Lapland. Kids here can make her gingerbread cookies with Mrs. Claus, enroll in her school of elves, take a calligraphy class, and write her list of Christmas wishes with a traditional quill. or create.
Arktikum A science center that unravels the mysteries of the aurora.
For those looking for a truly chilled experience, Arctic Snow Hotelmade entirely of snow and ice, but equipped with a sauna and hot tub to decompress.
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Close to Philadelphia and New York City, Bethlehem offers a small-city Christmas escape.
Settled by Moravian settlers in the 1700s, Bethlehem was naturally live advent calendarYou can enjoy it from 17:30 from December 1st to 23rd.
This is a free, family-friendly event, where town criers ring bells up and down Main Street to call visitors to Gondi House, the oldest house on Main Street. A local business surprises everyone when a kid from the crowd is invited to her triple knock.
“Christmas City” New decorations have also been added, including giant LED stars, life-sized toy soldiers, and thousands of lights strewn about.
Bath, UK
The Christmas Market is lit up at night behind Bath Abbey.
Alan Baxter/Stockbyte Unpublished/Getty Images
This historic city in South West England celebrates both the birth of Jesus and the birth of Jane Austen in grand style.
Jane Austen Center — and the on-site Regency Tea Room — is the perfect place to learn about the city’s most famous residents.
The Theater RoyalReferenced by Austin in “Northanger Abbey” and “Persuasion” has a varied program of holiday dramas, musicals, operas and concerts.
of Bath Christmas Market There are many wooden chalets selling unique British handcrafts in a quaint Georgian setting. The impressive Bath Abbey and the venerable Roman market across Bath offer a festive way to discover the character of this historic city.
bus on ice The perfect excuse to bundle or lace up your skates.
Philippines, San Fernando
If Asia had a Christmas capital, San Fernando In the Philippines, where there are many Roman Catholics, he would be a prime candidate.
Located northwest of Manila, the city is famous for its Giant Lantern Festival, which runs from December 17th to January 1st. San Fernando’s lantern-making tradition dates back to his late 18th century.
Highlights of our visit here were: Colorful electric Christmas lanterns, parol It symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. Parole conjures up psychedelic kaleidoscopes, vibrant stained-glass windows, prismatic windmills, and oversized snowflakes.
Barcelona, Spain
Who can extend their vacation until the 12th day of Christmas – aka Day of the Three Kings Or Epiphany — you can catch up with Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar in Barcelona.
On the night of January 5, the Kings (also known as the “Three Wise Men”), splendidly bearded and velvet robed, arrive in the city’s harbor on their ship, the Santa Eulalia. To do.
The magic of the Magi officially begins as cannons are fired, fireworks are set off, and the mayor hands over the keys to the city.
They parade through the streets in processions of spectacular floats containing camels, elephants, giraffes and dazzling costumes.
new york city
New York is full of Christmas traditions. One of his favorites with tourists and residents is ice skating at the Rockefeller Plaza rink.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
Nearby Radio City hosts the annual Christmas Spectacular. Rockets.
on the southwest corner of Central Park, columbus circle The holiday market brings together over 100 vendors selling clothing, gifts, snacks and beverages.
Fashion’s biggest labels attend and perform at the festival In an elaborate Christmas display at Bergdorf Goodman on Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s Herald Square flagship store and other department stores.
Nairobi, Kenya
The magic of Christmas lies in the holiday chaos of the Kenyan capital.
Visitors will find loud carol music in many languages blaring in various shops, public transport, long queues in restaurants and supermarkets.
A visit to a friend’s house or a popular restaurant can mean the plate is piled high Chapati (flat bread), a spicy rice dish known as Pilau and grilled meat – or nyama choma In Swahili — just to name a few.
You can burn calories by hiking in scenic areas. Karla Forest Reserveis an outdoor enthusiast’s haven made famous by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai.
symbolic nairobi national park We offer safari options where you can see rhinos, lions, giraffes and other animals against the backdrop of a sprawling city.
Bustling open-air markets for Christmas gifts maasai tribe We offer authentic African paintings, jewellery, clothing and fabrics unique to Kenya.
Nuremberg, Germany
Adults can enjoy Nuremberg’s spicy gingerbread and mulled wine.
Bogota, Colombia
A woman dressed as Santa Claus sits next to a Christmas tree and a Christmas star in Bogota’s Plaza Bolivar.
Fernando Vergara/AP
The high-altitude capital of Colombia is lit up with Christmas lights every year.
Bogota has a tradition of the “Ruta Navideña” or Christmas route. Celebrators stroll through the city’s hot spots to enjoy the dazzling displays. click here About some of the best places to go, including the breathtaking Monserrate, the high mountains that dominate the city.
Dia de las Veritas (Little Candle Day) is celebrated on December 7, the eve of the Immaculate Conception. It’s the official start of Christmas in Colombia. People light small candles or paper lanterns on windowsills and balconies.
Christmas is sweet here. Natira A custard dish similar to flan or pudding that can be eaten with other festive favorites such as Bunuelos (Freshly baked fried egg)
Malta
December is the off-season, but this Roman Catholic island in the Mediterranean gets festive and spiritual at Christmas time.
visit Precege, or the nativity scene, is an integral part of Christmas here. Each year, residents proudly open the shutters, and sometimes the garage door, to reveal the holy crib treats to the public.
Downtown Valletta is home to a vibrant holiday spirit, with carolers singing outside the Baroque St. John Co-Cathedral during Advent time. See the dazzling Christmas lights of Republic Street.
visit to private property Malta Toy MuseumFeaturing dolls, soldiers, train sets and clockwork tin trinkets dating back to the 1790s, it’s a heartwarming homage to childhood.
Quebec City, Canada
The elegant streets of Quebec City’s historic Petit Champlain district are perfect for a winter holiday stroll.
Poloria/Adobe Stock
A green outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, Quebec thrives on winter activities and offers holiday programs to suit all tastes.
Old Quebec It transforms into a picturesque Christmas village. Lovers of sausages and roasted chestnuts can browse the products at his Christmas market in Germany. Those more religiously inclined can wander through nativity scene expositions around the world.
Speed demons can zoom with snowmobiles nord exp.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Pinata, Posada When punch Summarize the festivals of this colorful city in the hinterland of central Mexico. Christmas is both solemn and festive.
Through December 24th, visitors may come across Mary and Joseph strolling the streets. “Posada‘ (or ‘Shelter’) recreates the trip to Bethlehem.
Pinata When punch (a drink of mulled fruit) concludes a long night of pilgrimage around this cobbled city. UNESCO World Heritage Site Abundant and magnificent churches, well-preserved architecture and magnificent Zocalos.
Salzburg and Oberndorf, Austria
Salzburg’s Christmas markets and associated festivals are truly worthy of a song.
ecstk22/Adobe Stock
Mozart’s birthplace and ‘Sound of Music’ filming location. salzburg Chocolate Box Perfect. Imagine snow-capped mountains, baroque architecture and traditional Christmas markets.
It is also the stage of “Silent Night”.A popular hymn played nearby for the first time Oberndorf by Salzburg Christmas Eve 1818.
The town also hosts more unusual Christmas traditions.
In Austria and Bavaria (nearby Germany), people dress up as fearsome alpine beasts known as Krampus. Rampage the streets in search of mischievous children who need punishment.of Krampus runs in Salzburg Various dates are held in December.
Strasbourg, France
Get a taste of both French and German Christmas in this border city that feels the influences of both cultures. Strasbourg, dating back to 1570, The oldest Christmas market in France One of the oldest in Europe.
The 30-meter (98-foot) tall Christmas tree is brought to the central square of Place Kléber each year and is decorated with ornaments and lights for photos and visual memories.
Queenstown, New Zealand
Paragliding takes to the skies in New Zealand, where outdoor activities and Christmas meet.
damianalmua/Adobe Stock
The traditional Christmas colors of red, green and white take on a whole new meaning in New Zealand.
where red is Pohutukawa (Christmas tree with ruby red flowers in New Zealand). White represents pristine sandy beaches. And green? Kiwi of course!
Sun lovers who want to join Santa’s surf shorts should definitely head over queenstownLake Wakatipu offers jet boating, river surfing and paragliding due to the warm summer temperatures.
Alternatively, visitors can simply set up camp along the lakefront and enjoy a hearty Christmas meal of lamb, seafood and chicken with Barbie.
Forrest Brown, Roseann Lake, Laura Ma, Faith Karimi, Maureen O’Hare, and Al Gerard de la Cruz contributed to this article.
