This European Capital Was Just Crowned the Best Christmas Tour Destination in the World

Nearly every city around the world flaunts festive charm during the holidays, but there’s one destination that knows how to truly capture the magic of the season.

That honor belongs to London, which was ranked the top city in the world for Christmas tours, according to a study that was shared with Travel + Leisure by PrivacyJournal, a company that provides honest reviews of VPNs and other digital-security products. The city was applauded for its “exceptional range” of tour options (think: walking tours through Victorian-era markets and behind-the-scenes experiences at historic palaces) in addition to “numerous free festive events and attractions.”

Between decked out Christmas markets, beautiful festive displays, merry ice skating rinks, and more, London offers an endless array of holiday activities for everyone.

Beyond London, Amsterdam was ranked the second-best city in the world for Christmas tours thanks to festive experiences like boat cruises and traditional Dutch holiday treats. That was followed by Nuremberg, Germany; Zagreb, Croatia; and Strasbourg, France, rounding out the top five.

“What’s really striking about this year’s results is how completely Europe dominates the Christmas tour landscape—nine of our top ten destinations are European cities. But what’s even more interesting is the diversity of destinations,” Mauricio Preuss, PrivacyJournal’s CEO, said in a statement shared with T+L. “You’ve got London leading with sheer variety, the Netherlands, France and Germany with classic Christmas market experiences and language accessibility, and then hidden gems like Zagreb offering more affordable December accommodation.” 

In North America, Canada’s Quebec City took the top spot, coming in at No. 8 on the list overall. There, the company said Christmas tours celebrate the city’s French-Canadian heritage and are typically offered in two languages. It’s also one of the most cost-effective cities with a median tour rate typically coming in at about $22.63 per hour.

Quebec City was the only city in North America to place in the top 10.

New York City was the top destination in the United States (and No. 14 overall), followed by Branson, Missouri, at No 16, and Savannah, Georgia, at No. 17.

To come up with its list, PrivacyJournal analyzed data from Tripadvisor and Kayak, honing in on four factors: the number of available Christmas tours, the median tour price per hour, the average number of languages tours are offered in, and the average hotel rates per night in December.

This is the full list of the top 10 cities for Christmas tours, according to PrivacyJournal.

1. London, United Kingdom
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
3. Nuremberg, Germany
4. Zagreb, Croatia
5. Strasbourg, France
6. Prague, Czech Republic
7. Budapest, Hungary
8. Quebec City, Canada
9. Copenhagen, Denmark
10. Rome, Italy