Perfect Christmas & New Year Holiday Destinations
While the big celebratory events of the winter holidays, Christmas, and New Years are unlikely to take place as they normally do this year, that does not mean that celebrations of a different kind cannot happen at all. The most important parts of these events have always been, and will always be, the people you spend them with and the memories that are made. So, we have compiled a list of some excellent European destinations in which you can book a villa or vacation rental and come together with your loved ones, enjoy beautiful surroundings, eat delicious food, and make some precious memories that will last for ever.
Italy
Italy offers a few excellent options for those looking to spend the Holidays together in a villa rental. If you head to the very south of the country and book a vacation rental in Sicily, you won't find the baking heat for long days on the beach of the summer but with average temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees Celsius and mostly sunny days, you can expect some pleasant weather and winter sun to instil some Christmas cheer in your party. Those interested in the exact opposite can find a vacation rental in the Italian Alps and spend their days having fun with their companions on the slopes and then warming up inside around a fire with some hot drinks and good company. Of course, if you're looking to set your gathering in a picturesque setting, Christmas lights illuminating beautiful and famous Italian cities are sure to dazzle. Browse our vacation rentals in Florence, our holiday rentals in Rome, and our vacation rentals in Venice to discover the festive loveliness of these wonderful cities. Whether you are skiing on Italian slopes, warming up with an excellent cup of Italian coffee while watching the world go by in a square in Rome, sharing a bottle of Italian wine with loved ones as you ring in the New Year, shopping for gifts in chic Italian stores, making food together in an impressive kitchen in a lovely villa in Tuscany, going for hikes in the beautiful Italian countryside, or watching the sun rise on 2022 on a beach in Sicily, Italy is the perfect place to spend the Holidays this year!
Holiday Deals in Tuscany Christmas Getaway in Sicily Our Picks in VenetoGreece
Like Sicily, parts of Greece offer an opportunity for a little bit of winter sun and some rather more mild winter conditions, though not quite a tropical getaway. However, spending the Holidays in a sweater rather than bundled up in a coat and scarf, and exploring the incredible history, heritage, cuisine, and landscapes of Greece sounds pretty good to us! Find a vacation rental in Crete or a villa in the Ionian Islands to enjoy some of the mildest winter weather in Europe and take the opportunity to experience the region's famous sunsets over whitewashed villages and rich azure seas with the ones you love, without the crazy tourist crowds that descend during the warmer months. And, if you really do want to really capitalise on the lack of crowds at this time of year, find a vacation rental in Greece and come explore the capital and its impossibly famous historic landmarks, which you'll find you will have almost to yourself! Of course, you will also find plenty of excellent seasonal dishes to enjoy and lots of them that tourists normally miss out on by visiting only during the warmer months. And, though Greece is not well-known for it, it is home to lots of great ski resorts so, like Italy, it is a destination where mild winter weather and winter sports can both be enjoyed. Equally, the cooler weather of winter makes for a more pleasant experience of hiking, exploring, and enjoying the incredibly varied and beautiful landscapes of Greece, without having to contend with the blazing sun of the summer months. So, if you're looking for a unique getaway and a new experience of Greece, then a visit at this time of the year might be just the thing that you are in search of! Enjoy having more of the country and her tourist attractions to yourselves, blow out the cobwebs as you explore together, and enjoy the regional and seasonal culinary delights of Greece all around a table together with your nearest and dearest.
Winter Deals in Crete Holiday getaways in Ionian Islands Our Picks in the South Aegean
Finland
If you are a group that is looking for a truly festive getaway in a magical winter wonderland, there could be few contenders for as perfect a holiday destination as Finland. It is a destination where you will definitely have to wrap up for the winter months and you won't be able to spend all that much time outside but when you do it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Head sledding with a team of dogs, have snowball fights with the little ones in your group (and the young at heart), go in search of the extraordinary Northern Lights, ski and enjoy various different winter sports to your heart's content, and then head inside to laugh about your magical new memories over some hot cocoa (or something stronger!) while you warm up. If there are kids in the group, then finding a vacation rental in Lapland and heading for a very special adventure in Santa's hometown sounds like a dream come true and the wonderful local obsession with Christmas, beautiful festive traditions, and proliferation of reindeer will mean that everyone else in your party will be quickly won over as well. Those looking for something a little more cosmopolitan will find a perfect destination in Helsinki, the, “daughter of the Baltic,” where old and new meet wonderfully and where you will find endless elegant boutiques, quirky bars, excellent restaurants in which to enjoy the flourishing “new Suomi” epicurean scene, great museums, incredible architectural gems, and a pretty and historic core. Browse our vacation rentals near Helsinki. So, if you and your loved ones want to see out 2021 and welcome in 2022 with scenery that will heal the soul and put daily life and concerns far from your mind, if you want to ski and explore and have fun in the snow, if you want to meet the man in red himself, if you want to make magical memories in a true winter wonderland, then consider spending the Holidays in Finland this year!
Christmas Getaways in Lapland Vacation Rentals in Newland Region
Croatia
Another destination that boasts somewhat milder weathers (for those who just can’t bear the cold) to the south of the country, Croatia also has a much more diverse landscape than many are aware of, often only thinking of her beautiful beaches and coastline that are so appealing during the summer months. In fact, Croatia has plenty of truly incredible natural parks, wonderfully preserved landscapes, lakes, rivers, gorges, forests, mountains, and more that are all waiting to be discovered. This, however, can be somewhat unpleasant during the hottest months of the year, when the sun can be beating down on you. Winter, therefore, is an ideal time to visit and truly enjoy this perfect destination for those who like to hike, explore, and have adventures! Get out into the fresh air and make the most of this wonderful natural gem of a destination, particularly by finding a vacation rental in Primorje-gorski Kotar, the so-called, “Green Heart of Croatia,” though there are plenty of stunning regions with great natural boons to explore across the country. If you’re less up for trekking and adventure, however, you will still find Croatia to be an absolutely excellent place to spend Christmas and New Years, with its lesser-known penchant for festive cheer and delicious winter cuisine that is perfectly comforting when it is a little bit cooler outside. Cities and towns all across the country are known to host wonderful light displays and Christmas markets throughout advent with a villa in Zadar being an especially good idea for those who love festive cheer as the city goes all in for the season! So, if you love Christmas and milder winter weather and scenic settings then lovely Croatia really is an excellent place to spend the festive season with your loved ones. Get browsing our holiday rentals in Croatia and start planning your trip today!
Vacation Rentals in Istria Christmas Getaways in Dubrovnik
So, if you want to get away for Christmas and New Years in 2021, to be together and to make the Holidays special, even if things are a little different, then these are some of the loveliest, safest destinations in which you can create the most magical memories to cherish for years to come. Contact us and we'll help you plan the Christmas vacation of your dreams this year!