The Top Places For A Magical (And Snowy) Winter Holiday

During the festive season is the best time to get away and there are plenty of places to choose from if you're looking for a magical winter holiday. Say goodbye to the stresses of Christmas at home, and book a vacation in some of the most magical places on the planet. From the ski slopes of Colorado and Austria to not one, but TWO Laplands to explore in Finland and Sweden, there is no shortage of destinations if you're looking for your wintery fairytale. Still, you will need to wrap up warm. Break out your winter woollies and try one these winter wonderlands for a white holiday getaway.

Colorado

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Colorado is a world-class destination if you're looking for some snow. It is the perfect place if you're looking for some spills and thrills. You can book a visit at one of their world-renowned ski resorts, and ski, snowboard, and even take a dog sled down one of the many slopes. Of course, you can do this at any time of the year in this popular Western state, as snow is never in short supply, but then you would miss out on all kinds of festive activities happening around Colorado's many towns. With Santa races in Breckenridge, special showings of 'The Nutcracker' in Denver, and torchlight parades in Aspen, you will never run out of holiday cheer. Read about more here for anybody visiting Colorado this year.

Iceland

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Alright, we all know lately Iceland has been on EVERYONE's trave;l bucket list. The home of the northern lights is not a sight to be missed. Iceland is a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year, but over the winter, it is particularly magical. This is the best time of year to see the Northern Lights for starters, that incredible natural phenomenon which takes every visitor's breath away! You can ice skate on Reykjavik Park, ride across ice plains on Icelandic horses (freakin' RAD), and take a ride on a horse-drawn carriage through the Christmas markets in Hafnarfjörður. Going snowmobiling across the Golden Circle is a popular activity among tourists, and then hang around until the New Year for the fantastic firework celebrations in Reykjavík. Maybe chilly activities aren't your thing? You can also bathe in the hot springs. Swimsuits in the wintertime are always a blast. Just don't expect to see much  of Santa, as Iceland has a decidedly more weird Christmas folklore featuring the Icelandic Yule Lads. Follow the link to find out more!

Finnish Lapland

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If you are traveling with children, then this is the place to go for Christmas vacationers. It's the home of Santa Claus! Mrs. Gingerbread, the elves, and some wonderful reindeer also live here as well. Visit Santa Village to meet the great man himself, and explore his magical homestead. Say hello to Mrs. Gingerbread in her famous kitchen at the nearby theme park, and take your kids on a thrilling sled ride, being pulled along by huskies and reindeers. Of course, you don't need kids with you to do any of these things. I'm 25 and I STILL want to meet Santa but beyond that Lapland is great for all ages. Away from Santa land, you can experience the Sauna Gondola, which is an ice music festival held inside an igloo concert hall.

Sweden

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You can experience Sweden in two ways over the winter season. You can take to the big cities and enjoy the festive markets, listen to the choirs and carol singers, and walk through the streets surrounded by a dizzying array of Christmas lights. Or you can head out into the countryside, go dog sledding, and get up close and personal with the reindeer. You can do one or the other, or like any sane holidaymaker, you can also do both. There are plenty of Christmas tours available that feature Sweden's Old Town, guided snowmobile tours through the hills and mountains, or take a snowshoe expedition through Swedish Lapland, and take in the arctic landscapes and again (we will never get bored of them), the Northern Lights.

Austria

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When we mention Austria to you, two things probably come to mind. The first is The Sound of Music, because the hills are alive in the city of Salzburg. You can check out the tour if you're a fan of the musical or skip that and do some gnarly skiing. Austria has some of the best ski areas in the world. This is the place to be if you are looking to take part in some extreme winter sports. However, there is more to do on a winter holiday than skiing down a mountain or dancing atop of one singing like a less tuneful Julie Andrews. You can wander through the mountain villages, and immerse yourself in the quaint shops and food places hidden within. There are horse-drawn carriage rides through the wintry towns and hiking through the mountains. All of the usual festivities are accessible with things like Christmas markets to peruse in Salzburg and Christmas concerts to spellbind you in Vienna. And there's the Bohemian Forest to explore, which looks absolutely spectacular in the winter months. Austria is for everybody, so whether you ski or not, you will have something to do here.

Do you want to visit Santa and his elves in Lapland this Christmas? Do you want to ski, snowboard, or get pulled along by dog-sleds down the wintry slopes? Do you want to make like Julie Andrews and climb atop every mountain you come across, and sing to your heart's content? Or would you rather stay at home this year and snuggle by an open fire instead of braving the cold? The options are certainly there. What sounds the best to you? Let me know in the comments below!

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