Christmas lights on Regent Street, London. (Photo credit should read Matthew Chattle/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
It’s that time of year, again. Christmas is a little over a month away and for many who celebrate the holiday, that means lights, decorations, cozy sweaters and nostalgic songs.
It’s also a time to indulge in what makes you feel the happiest. Whether that’s staying home watching holiday movies and sipping hot chocolate (or something stronger) or fantasizing about traveling to some far-off land to enjoy the warm glow of Christmas markets and taking photos of cute snow-draped houses.
If you actually plan to turn that fantasy into a reality and need ideas about where to go, Cloudwards, a company that does reviews on cloud and privacy software, curated a list of top destinations people want to visit during the holidays both in the United States and across the world.
Europe claims top spot
Cloudwards analyzed data from 69 different countries and found many cities in Europe were the top picks for a dream holiday destination.
London was No. 1 overall, with 23 out of the 69 countries choosing the home of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace for their top pick.
When it comes to where Americans wish to go for the holidays, the No. 1 city was Vienna, Austria, according to Cloudwards.
Vienna is home to one of the most epic and beautiful Christmas markets in all of Europe, according to Condé Nast Traveler.
Aptly named the Viennese Dream Christmas Market, there are over 90 stalls to enjoy food, drinks and shopping.
Top cities people want to visit for Christmas around the world
Top cities Americans want to visit for Christmas
- Vienna, Austria
- Québec City, City in Québec, Canada
- Paris, France
- London, United Kingdom
- Rome, Italy
- Tokyo, Japan
- Athens, Greece
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Paris was a particular favorite for states in the South, according to Cloudwards data.
But in the Northeast, most states chose Québec City, which reinforced a preference for not traveling too far for Christmas vacation.