Top 5 Places to Celebrate Christmas Holidays
Some of most popular destinations for a Christmas holiday include London, New York, Paris and Berlin. What other destinations in the world have a unique feel to them and actually feels like Christmas. These five places all have special qualities that make for a memorable Christmas experience and a unique holiday theme.
Bethlehem, West Bank/Palestine
Bethlehem in the West Bank/Palestine is the birth place of Jesus and is a major Christmas event in the world. The Christmas festival in Bethlehem is celebrated in magnificent manner and attracts visitors for all over the world. The whole town is decorated with flags, Christmas lights and crosses painted on every home of a Christian.
Bethlehem holds a Christmas market, nativity plays are performed and on Christmas Eve, the procession takes place through the center of the town. The procession finishes at Manger Square in the old city and at midnight the Christmas Mass at St Catherine's Church begins.
For a unique and refreshing Christmas event, Bethlehem stands out from the rest and holds the true meaning of Christmas for the tourists who attend.
Lapland, Finland
Every child loves Santa Claus/Father Christmas to deliver their presents to them on Christmas morning. Lapland in Finland gives a truly unique Christmas experience, crisp white show in abundance, reindeers and the man himself in his red suit!
Lapland is near the Arctic Circle, this is where you will find the festive Santa Claus Village and The Santa Park. The village of Rovaniemi is nearest to the amusement park and where you can experience traditional Finnish Christmas events.
For the ultimate Christmas event the Urho Kekkonen National Park is a remote part of Lapland. A Christmas holiday with snowmobiles, husky and reindeer sledges, plus the magical Northern Lights to enchant children and families alike. To add to the picture postcard scenery in Lapland you can stay in pine cabins and glass igloos for a unique winter Christmas holiday.
Rome, Italy
Christmas in Rome, The Eternal City and Christmas Day mass at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City is a unique Christmas experience for a tourist. The city has many special Christmas events, celebrations and activities for everyone. As with Bethlehem, Vatican City is the perfect place to find the real meaning of Christmas.
Rome is not a commercial Christmas like many western countries, there are less decorations and more focus on spiritual celebrations. St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Day is the place where you will find the tourists for the midday blessing from the Pope, `Urbi et Orbi’.
On the 26th December falls St. Stephens Feast Day and most of the restaurants and shops will be closed as it’s a national holiday. The city has plenty of other attractions at Christmas including the Piazza Navona Christmas market and ice skating at Castel Sant'Angelo.
Barcelona, Spain
The Three Kings Parade on Three Kings Day in Barcelona is after Christmas Day on 6th January, but this Christmas festival should not be missed. The event starts on the evening on 5th January when The Three Kings arrive in Barcelona from the Middle East on their camels.
The Kings parade through the streets of Barcelona and the Procession of the Kings officially starts, `Cabalgeta de Reyes’. The Three Kings parade through the street on festive floats throwing sweets and gifts to the children. Three Kings Day, the epiphany day is when children in Spain open their presents.
Barcelona has wonderful Christmas markets, Santa Llucia has over 300 stalls and 30 miles of Christmas lights to enjoy. The Plaza Catalayuna is home to ice skating, but no festive snow in Barcelona. The city has a fantastic atmosphere for a magical Christmas holiday and with a traditional meaning of Christmas for families.
Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
Christmas turkey and all the trimmings whilst sitting on a beach, it’s the complete opposite of a Northern hemisphere Christmas holiday. If you don’t like the cold, or don’t want to have a white Christmas, then Bondi Beach near Sydney is a unique and sunny Christmas break.
It might be a little bit hot for a Santa suit on the beach, but a Santa hat and a swimming costume watching a surfing Santa Claus is unique for Christmas Day!
Christmas at Bondi Beach is a mix of locals and tourists, Sydney is just 4 miles away, so it attracts city dwellers for a Christmas Day BBQ on the beach. The beach is alcohol free on Christmas Day, but there is a party at The Pavillion with alcohol available. No matter where
After celebrating Christmas at Bondi Beach, the next big event is New Year’s Eve around Sydney Harbour. If Christmas Day on the beach wasn’t enough for you, the fireworks display in Sydney is a truly spectacular event. The food for Christmas Day at Bondi Beach is a little bit different too, BBQ turkey and Kangaroo sausages!
Where will you go?
A Christmas Holiday doesn’t have to be in a commercial city, there are unique places in the world for a Christmas Day with a difference. The spiritual town of Bethlehem offers the birth place of Jesus and Rome has the spectacle of the Pope giving blessings from the Vatican
Lapland and seeing the original Santa with the snowy scenic backdrop is the ultimate for winter Christmas fans. Barcelona has a traditional nativity story for Christmas with The Three Kings and Bondi Beach is for anyone who wants to kick back on the beach for Christmas Day.
No matter where your Yuletide spirit takes you this year, make sure to stay connected with the outer world while you are away from home. Even if you want to escape from the traditional Christmas celebrations, it is important to keep in touch with your loved ones back at home. Equip yourself with Global Data SIM or Mobile WiFi Hotspot and get coverage in 100+ most traveled destinations across the globe.
Psst, how do you think Santa is keeping in touch with Mrs. Clause?
