Since Christmas 2020 wasn’t what we hoped, with only the big day to mingle with very few family members, why not make this Christmas one to remember forever?
Spending Christmas abroad can be such a magical experience for everyone and is a great way to make the day even more special.
But with so many destinations to choose from, how will you decide where to sing carols and give gifts to your loved ones? Don’t worry, we’ve got it covered!
Discover some of the best places to go abroad for Christmas:
Dominican Republic
Forget about a white Christmas, it’s all about sun, sea and sand this Christmas. If you want somewhere warm and sunny to celebrate the big day this year, then the Dominican Republic is a great choice.
Typically, people in the Dominican Republic celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve instead of 25th December. Families gather together for ‘La Noche Buena’ where they enjoy traditional food and drink around a table while waiting to ‘cheers’ to Christmas as the clock strikes midnight.
Another Christmas tradition you will see throughout the Dominican Republic is the Charamicos. These are hand-crafted wooden Christmas trees, stars and animals, often painted in bright colours and situated in the streets of Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. According to history, white Charamicos in the shape of a tree represent snow covered trees that you won’t find on the island due to its warm temperatures.
There are plenty of beautiful resorts and hotels in the Dominican Republic, but one of our favourites is:
Riu Bambu, Bravo
The Riu Bambu hotel is situated in a popular part of Punta Cana, but is surrounded by tropical gardens helping to give the space a more private feel. The hotel is home to five pools, seven restaurants and even a nightclub a five minute walk away!
If you don’t want to venture out of the resort then don’t worry, Riu Bambu has a jam-packed entertainment programme with tribute shows and folk performances. The hotel even has an on-site spa, perfect for a well-deserved treat after plenty of festive partying!
Cyprus
Though Cyprus isn’t too hot in December, you will be able to enjoy some warmer weather than back home and the less tropical temperatures mean it’s a great place to go with younger children.
Christmas in Cyprus is very much a religious affair and while the holiday is not as celebrated as Easter, you will still find streets and villages filled with Christmas lights and decorations.
There are many towns throughout Cyprus where you can enjoy all the festive comforts of Christmas including visiting the Christmas markets to enjoy mulled wine and hot chocolate while taking in the holiday lights. If you haven’t quite finished your Christmas shopping or just want to take in the festive window displays, then you also will find plenty of shopping malls and streets to explore.
Looking for the perfect hotel to stay at during your Christmas break to Cyprus?
Louis Phaethon Beach, Paphos
Louis Phaethon Beach is set in a quiet part of town, just outside of the main resort. There are three restaurants on-site, giving you plenty of choice for mealtimes. If you’re wanting to explore the local area, there are buses that run roughly every half an hour from outside of the hotel.
Though the hotel’s water park isn’t open in winter months, you can still enjoy Louis Phaethon Beach’s two main pools all year round.
Barbados
If you’re wondering, ‘where is the most beautiful place to spend Christmas?’, Barbados is definitely a front runner. It is the perfect place to enjoy some winter sun while relaxing on a beautiful, white sandy beach, giving ‘white Christmas’ a bit of a different meaning!
When it comes to Christmas in Barbados you really do get the best of both worlds. You can enjoy lots of traditional experiences while being in a warm and sunny destination. While you probably won’t be able to enjoy any sleigh rides, you will be able to ride the waves on a jet ski, making some unforgettable Christmas memories.
If you can’t imagine a Christmas dinner without a juicy turkey with all the trimmings, then don’t fret! Many hotels in Barbados have been welcoming British tourists for years at Christmas time, so you can still enjoy a traditional feast from the other side of the world, how cool is that! There are lots of other options available if you want to try something different though, with freshly caught fish and lobster being the favourites.
If you want a hotel that’s just a stone’s throw away from one of Barbados’ iconic white sand beaches? Check out:
Time Out Hotel, St Lawrence
Dover Beach is about a minute’s walk away from Time Out Hotel, and here you will find plenty of activities including paddleboarding, snorkelling and kayaking. The hotel pool has a spacious patio and plenty of sunloungers, perfect for those lazy days when you just want to kick back and relax.
All rooms come with plenty of amenities as standard, including air conditioning, and double rooms even come with the option of a pool view.
Benidorm
The most magical place to spend Christmas will always be wherever your family are, so ensuring there are plenty of family-friendly facilities is a must for your festive break. Benidorm is packed with hotels, activities and excursions that are designed with families in mind.
The town is great if you still want an authentic Christmas experience, while enjoying the joys of being on holiday. Temperatures won’t be sky high at this time of the year either, so you don’t need to worry about little ones getting too warm throughout all of the excitement.
Streets are lined with Christmas spirit, and you will find lots of magic and wonder in each corner with a Christmas village, Christmas market and even a Christmas house! Benidorm is filled with fantastic shops and each year, Benidorm Council plans a jaw-dropping window dressing competition that could make Scrooge stop and stare!
Our hotel recommendation for your festive break would be:
Hotel Flamingo Oasis, Benidorm
Hotel Flamingo Oasis, Benidorm
Nestled in the perfect spot to enjoy everything Benidorm has to offer, while still having lots of peace and tranquility, Hotel Flamingo Oasis is a great base for your Christmas break in Benidorm.
There’s a big lagoon pool at the heart of the hotel as well as a paddling pool for children. There are weekly theme nights at the buffet restaurant and an adults-only bar, where you can listen to a live pianist. It’s a 15 minute walk to the beach and town centre if you want to explore the festivities.
Tenerife
The Canary Islands have always been a favourite for winter holidays and Tenerife is one of the most popular islands to visit. But what can you do at Christmastime?
In most Tenerife towns you will find twinkly light displays, but for festive features that really make your eyes widen, then the bigger towns and cities are the place to be. You can find elaborately decorated nativity scenes, or Belén in Spanish, dotted everywhere on the island and most are based on the birth of Jesus.
If you’re lucky, you might even get a white Christmas in Tenerife, up at the top of Mount Teide! While it’s still lovely and warm along the coast, the tip of Mount Teide is often topped with snow, after all, it is the highest peak in Spain.
Even without a white Christmas, we think this hotel is a winner!
Bahia Principe Sunlight Costa Adeje, Playa Paraiso
Bahia Principe Sunlight Costa Adeje showcases panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean from its clifftop position. There’s a rocky cove just a short stroll away, or you can catch a bus into Playa de las Americas where you can enjoy plenty of white sandy beaches.
The hotel’s pool is lively, and there’s always music playing while people are enjoying water activities – it’s a great atmosphere! You can eat around the world at the buffet restaurant, or the four themed à la cartes. One revolves around Asian cuisine, the other serves Mexican food with tequila cocktails and another deals in Italian.
Grenada
If the main question on your mind is ‘where is hot at Christmas?’ then Grenada is the place for you! With average highs of 30°C in December, you’re sure to feel the heat this festive season.
In Grenada, you can enjoy a traditional Christmas, with a bit of Caribbean flare. Much like back in the UK, Christmas in Grenada is all about spending quality time with loved ones, as well as chowing down on delicious meals and sipping tasty drinks.
A typical Grenadan Christmas dish is black fruit cake, which is baked and soaked, for many months, in port wine and local Clarke’s Court white rum. Parang is a popular type of music during the festive season in Grenada and groups go around serenading their neighbourhoods, just like carolling back at home. Steel pans, guitars and tambourines also help to get people on their feet and feeling merry.
Want a Christmas showstopper?
True Blue Bay Boutique Resort, Grenada
Everything revolves around the waterfront at the True Blue Bay Boutique Resort – the pools, restaurant and gardens are all close to the shore. The main pool is right beside True Blue Bay. It’s got luxe touches like an infinity edge and a skirt of white sand that the hotel added in a bid to outdo the local beach.
Dodgy Dock Grenada, the restaurant, gets its name because of its setting on a wooden deck above the water. Theme nights crop up every day, and include street food, open-air barbecues and Caribbean spreads. Cocoa night is on the agenda once a week – the hotel owner has an artisan chocolate shop in True Blue, so this evening offers everything from chocolate martinis and cocoa-coated chicken wings to ribs in chocolate sauce and cocoa nib pizzas.
Where to?
We hope you now have enough Christmas inspiration, and are ready to book a holiday of a lifetime! Have a look at our best deals, and enjoy our exclusive online discounts.
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