Every December, the same thing happens: Europe’s Christmas market squares fill shoulder to shoulder, mulled wine costs a small fortune, and hotel prices climb to their highest point of the year. But here is the secret smart budget travelers already know — the best places to travel in December besides Christmas markets offer the same winter magic, warmer weather, and far lower prices.
December is one of the most underrated travel months of the year, as long as you pick the right destination. Early December, from the 1st to the 15th, is the real sweet spot: the weather is essentially identical to Christmas week, but hotel rates run roughly 40–60% lower. Christmas week itself, from around 21 December to 3 January, is the priciest week of the year almost everywhere. Fly early, go somewhere warm, and you get the festive feeling without the festive price tag.
10 Best Places to Travel in December Besides Christmas Markets
These ten destinations were chosen for three things: reliable December weather, genuine budget value, and something that feels special in the year’s final month. From winter sun islands to quiet Mediterranean capitals, here is where to go instead of the market crowds.
1. Tenerife & Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are the closest thing Europe has to guaranteed winter sun. In December, Tenerife and Gran Canaria sit at a comfortable 21–23°C with around seven hours of sunshine a day, and rain is rare. You can swim, hike volcanic trails, and eat dinner outside in a T-shirt while northern Europe shivers.
Tenerife’s south coast is the classic winter-sun base, with long beaches and cheap flights from across Europe, while Gran Canaria’s Maspalomas dunes feel like a mini Sahara by the sea. Both islands are among the cheapest winter sun destinations you can reach from Europe without a long-haul flight. Expect around €45–70 per day: guesthouses run €25–40 a night in early December, local meals cost €8–12, and buses are cheap and reliable.
2. Hurghada, Egypt (Red Sea)
If you want real heat in December without a long-haul price, Hurghada is hard to beat. Daytime temperatures reach 24–26°C, the Red Sea stays a warm 23–24°C, and it virtually never rains. This is beach weather by any honest definition, in the middle of winter.
The Red Sea’s coral reefs are the main draw: snorkeling and diving here rival far more expensive destinations, and boat trips to Giftun Island are cheap and easy to book locally. All-inclusive resorts in Hurghada often cost less in December than a basic hotel room in a European summer hotspot, which is why Egypt features in our Egypt travel guide as one of the best-value warm escapes. Budget around €40–60 per day, and less on an all-inclusive deal.
3. Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakech in December is one of travel’s best-kept seasonal secrets. Days are sunny and warm at 18–21°C, perfect for wandering the medina, haggling in the souks, and drinking mint tea on a rooftop terrace. Nights turn cold, so pack layers — but that crisp evening air is exactly what makes the city’s lantern-lit squares feel magical.
December is smart timing because the summer crowds are long gone and prices drop. You can stay in a beautiful riad in the old city for far less than a comparable hotel in Europe, and street food like tagine and harira soup costs just a few euros. Plan on €35–55 per day. Our full Morocco travel guide covers the best routes, costs, and cultural tips if you want to extend the trip to the desert or the coast.
4. Bangkok & Phuket, Thailand
December is quite simply Thailand’s best month. The rainy season is over, humidity drops, and temperatures settle at a pleasant 30–32°C — hot enough for the beach, cool enough to actually enjoy sightseeing. Bangkok’s temples, street food, and night markets are at their most enjoyable, and Phuket’s beaches are at their best.
The catch is that everyone else knows it too, so December is peak season and prices are higher than in the shoulder months. Even so, a budget traveler can still manage around €30–50 per day: guesthouses from €10–15 a night, incredible street food for €1–3 a meal, and cheap local transport. For more low-cost Thai bases beyond the big names, see our guide to the cheapest places to travel in Asia.
5. Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is the cheapest capital in Western Europe in the shoulder season, and December is when that really shows. Daytime temperatures hover around 15°C with roughly seven hours of sunshine, the trams are half-empty, and you can walk into restaurants that have queues out the door in summer.
December also brings Lisbon’s own quiet festive season — lights across the Baixa district, Christmas concerts, and nativity scenes — without the market-square crush of central Europe. Budget around €55–80 per day, which covers a comfortable guesthouse, pastéis de nata for breakfast, and long tram rides up to the castle. Our Lisbon on a budget guide breaks down the cheapest neighborhoods to stay and the free viewpoints worth the climb.
6. Athens, Greece
Athens in December is a completely different city from Athens in July. The Acropolis, which bakes under 35°C heat and tour-group crowds in summer, is quiet, walkable, and bathed in soft winter light. Temperatures sit around 14°C — cool enough for a jacket, warm enough to spend all day outside exploring ruins, neighborhoods, and tavernas.
Hotel prices drop sharply after the summer season, and you can stay in a well-located apartment in Plaka or Koukaki for a fraction of peak rates. Expect roughly €50–75 per day, including museum entries and generous taverna dinners. To see how Athens compares on cost, check our roundup of the cheapest cities in Europe.
7. Valencia, Spain
Valencia is Spain’s great December bargain. While Barcelona and Madrid stay busy and pricey, Valencia offers around 16°C days, only about four rainy days in the whole month, and prices noticeably lower than its more famous rivals. The old town is compact and walkable, and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences looks spectacular in winter light.
Valencia is also the home of paella, and winter is the right time to eat it properly: a proper Valencian paella lunch in a local restaurant costs far less than the tourist-trap versions on the coast in summer. Budget around €55–80 per day. If you are weighing up festive Europe more broadly, our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe is worth a read too — Valencia is the escape hatch if the crowds put you off.
8. Sal, Cape Verde
Sal, in the Cape Verde islands off West Africa, is the most underrated December sun spot on this list. Temperatures reach 27–29°C, the Atlantic is warm enough to swim in, and the island’s long white-sand beaches are almost empty compared to the Caribbean or the Canaries. It is a short flight from several European cities, yet it still feels like a discovery.
Sal is a windsurfing and kitesurfing hotspot, and December brings steady trade winds that make it one of the best months for watersports. Santa Maria, the main town, has a relaxed beachfront strip of restaurants and guesthouses where fresh fish dinners cost a few euros. Budget around €60–85 per day — slightly more than the Canaries, but you get Caribbean-level heat for a European short-haul price.
9. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
For travelers coming from North America, Punta Cana is the best-value Caribbean escape in December. Temperatures sit at 27–29°C, the sea is warm, and the island’s all-inclusive resorts compete hard on price in early December before the Christmas-week surge. You can often find a beachfront all-inclusive for less than a mid-range hotel plus meals in a US or European city.
Beyond the resorts, the Dominican Republic rewards a little exploring: the colonial old town of Santo Domingo, the waterfalls of Samaná, and the mountain town of Jarabacoa all make easy side trips. Budget around €70–100 per day outside the all-inclusives, and less if your package covers food and drinks. If December works for you here, see our best places to travel in January for where the warm weather continues.
10. Buenos Aires, Argentina
December in Buenos Aires feels like the start of something: it is the beginning of the southern-hemisphere summer, with temperatures around 27°C, long bright evenings, and the whole city spilling out onto café terraces and into parks. While the northern hemisphere bundles up, porteños are eating ice cream at midnight and dancing tango in open-air milongas.
Argentina is also one of the best-value long-haul destinations for budget travelers, with daily costs of roughly €40–65 covering a comfortable hostel or budget hotel, famously good steak dinners, and subway rides for pennies. The neighborhoods each have their own character — colorful La Boca, elegant Recoleta, bohemian San Telmo — and December’s long days give you time to see them all. If you can be flexible on dates, our guide to ways to travel cheaper has practical tricks for cutting long-haul fares.
When to Book: The Cheapest Week in December
Timing matters more in December than in almost any other month. The first two weeks are the bargain window: flights and hotels are priced for the quiet season, and the weather is the same as it will be at Christmas. From around 21 December to 3 January, prices spike everywhere — the most expensive week of the year for flights and hotels, and the crowds peak with it.
- Best value window: 1–15 December. Same weather, 40–60% lower hotel rates than Christmas week, and far fewer crowds.
- Book flights 6–8 weeks ahead for the best fares — around late October to early November for an early-December trip.
- Fly midweek (Tuesday or Wednesday) rather than Friday or Sunday, when fares jump.
- Avoid 21 December–3 January unless you specifically want Christmas itself — that week costs the most and delivers the least elbow room.
- Watch for early-December deals on all-inclusives and package holidays, often discounted to fill rooms before the Christmas rush.
If you can only travel over Christmas itself, pick one of the warm destinations above rather than a market city — you will still pay peak prices, but at least you will get sunshine and space for your money.
December Daily Budgets at a Glance
Here is how the ten destinations compare on a typical budget-traveler day, covering a bed in a guesthouse or budget hotel, local meals, transport, and one activity:
- Bangkok & Phuket, Thailand: ~€30–50 per day — the cheapest on this list.
- Marrakech, Morocco: ~€35–55 per day.
- Hurghada, Egypt: ~€40–60 per day, less on an all-inclusive deal.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina: ~€40–65 per day.
- Tenerife & Gran Canaria: ~€45–70 per day.
- Athens, Greece: ~€50–75 per day.
- Lisbon, Portugal: ~€55–80 per day.
- Valencia, Spain: ~€55–80 per day.
- Sal, Cape Verde: ~€60–85 per day.
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: ~€70–100 per day.
These are rough daily averages for a budget traveler in early December. Mid-range travelers should add roughly 50% for a comfortable hotel, nicer restaurants, and a tour or two.
What to Pack for a December Escape
Packing for a December trip that skips the markets is a balancing act: summer clothes for the beach and a warm layer for the evenings. The golden rule is layers, not bulk — one good jacket beats three heavy sweaters.
- Light layers: T-shirts and a light shirt for warm days in the Canaries, Egypt, Thailand, and the Caribbean.
- One warm jacket: Essential for Marrakech, Lisbon, Athens, and Valencia evenings, when temperatures drop fast after sunset.
- Swimwear and sunscreen: Yes, in December. The sun in Tenerife, Hurghada, and Phuket is strong enough to burn.
- Comfortable walking shoes: For medinas, old towns, and ruins — leave the heels at home.
- A light rain jacket: Just in case for Lisbon, Valencia, and Athens, which can see a few wet days.
- Travel insurance: Always worth it, and especially in winter when flight delays are more common.
December Travel FAQs
Is December a good month to travel?
Yes — if you pick the right destination. Early December is one of the best-value windows of the year: warm places are still warm, European cities are quiet and cheap, and flights are at their lowest before the Christmas surge.
Where is it warm in December without going to the Caribbean?
Plenty of places. The Canary Islands (21–23°C) are the easiest warm escape from Europe, Egypt’s Red Sea coast reaches 24–26°C, Marrakech hits 18–21°C, and Sal in Cape Verde reaches 27–29°C on a short-haul flight. Thailand is the warmest of all at 30–32°C, but it is a long-haul trip.
Are Christmas markets worth skipping?
That depends on what you want. The famous markets are beautiful but crowded and expensive, especially in the final week before Christmas. If you love the festive atmosphere, visit a smaller market in a quieter city — or go in early December, when the markets are open but the crowds have not arrived. If you would rather have sun, space, and lower prices, the destinations in this guide are the better choice.
What is the cheapest place to travel in December?
On daily costs, Thailand is the cheapest on this list at roughly €30–50 per day, followed closely by Marrakech at €35–55. From Europe, the Canary Islands usually win on total trip cost because flights are short and cheap. From North America, Punta Cana’s all-inclusives often work out cheapest overall.
How far in advance should I book a December trip?
Book flights 6–8 weeks ahead for the best fares, and hotels 4–6 weeks ahead. For early December travel, that means booking in October or early November. Leaving it to the last minute rarely pays off in December — prices climb steeply as Christmas approaches.
Final Thoughts: Skip the Crowds, Keep the Magic
December does not have to mean shivering in a crowded market square, paying peak prices for a cup of mulled wine. The smartest December trips go where the sun still shines, the streets are still walkable, and your money still stretches: a Canary Island beach, a quiet Athenian taverna, a Marrakech rooftop at sunset, or a Buenos Aires summer evening.
Ready to plan your escape? Start with our guide to the best places to visit in December, compare the cheapest winter sun destinations if warmth is your priority, and check our ways to travel cheaper before you book your flights. Happy travels!
