The Christmas holiday is typically the most stressful time of the year. The expense of buying Christmas gifts, the last-minute shopping scramble, and the heightened expectations of family togetherness can all combine to undermine our best intentions. There is, however, one guaranteed way to combat “Christmas stress” – travel.
With the 2015 festive season approaching, World Travel Awards (WTA), “the Oscars of the travel industry,” polled its database of travel professionals worldwide to list ten favorite ways to enjoy this Christmas holiday:
- For the energetic: skiing and apres-ski in Kitzbühel
- For the complete getaway: winter-sun relaxation in the Maldives
- For the sporting: a Christmas Day round of golf in Scotland
- For fab food: gourmet dining in Peru
- For the naturalist: whale watching off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- For tradition: midnight mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
- For the romantic: celebrate in a Yorkshire castle
- For a life-changing experience: tiger safari in India
- For the kids: wizardry with Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort
- For a great party: non-stop celebrations in Rio de Janeiro
The Christmas holiday should be the most relaxing and memorable day of the year, but staying at home can often end up an anti-climax.
The choices of the professionals we polled feature experiences to suit all tastes. If you want barefoot luxury, as far removed as possible from the daily stresses, then head to the Maldives. If you crave winter action and adventure, then Kitzbuhel in the Austrian Tyrol offers world-class skiing with high-octane nightlife to match. For a traditional family feast, staying in a castle in Yorkshire will be a once-in-a-lifetime family Christmas with log fires and loads of atmosphere.
