Spain’s favourite Christmas holiday destination – it is not Madrid (and it might surprise you)
Spain brims with street markets filled with festive lights and Yuletide spirit in December. The winter holidays are an ideal time for family celebrations as well as discovering new parts of the country on a little getaway.
The choice of uniquely charming places to visit in Spain is plentiful. As a result, we asked our community of travelling experts what place they consider to be Spain’s best Christmas holiday destination.
The verdict from those who know Spain best
Unique insights into Spain are a distinguishing characteristic of España Fascinante’s followers. Their travel experience and impressions are a treasure trove allowing us to discover Spain’s most magical places at Christmastime.
The search looks to highlight those places renowned for celebrating Christmas in their own special way, and voters’ comments reveal an unexpected winner.
The Christmas champions’ podium
In addition to the undeniable winner, other extraordinary Christmas destinations deserve an honourable mention, like the bronze-medal-winning city of Gijón. While much of Asturias is a welcome Christmas destination, Gijón in particular offers a persuasive combination of seaside charm and a cosy urban setting.
Second place goes to Barcelona, a city that really shines during the winter holidays. The dazzling sight of the Basilica of Sagrada Familia overlooking Christmas street markets imbued with festive lighting occasions a poignantly refined air. If that is not enough, the city’s old port hosts a Christmas fair in December, which never fails to surprise locals and visitors alike.
Voters’ favourite Christmas getaway in Spain
The travel community prefers a farther-away destination at Christmas. As a result, the winning destination is the Canary Islands, whose irresistible warm climate was certainly a factor in its favour.
Whilst escaping the Iberian Peninsula’s frigid weather may be a fair argument, the Canary Islands offer so much more during Christmastide, such as Las Canteras Beach in Gran Canaria, which hosts an annual sand nativity crèche on the beach — an ephemeral sculpture created by experts.
A Canary Island Noël also includes choral performances of Christmas carols and other traditional songs called ranchos de Pascua, sung by local groups in towns and cities. If you need another reason to visit, Canary Island cuisine offers delights like the one-of-a-kind Christmas pastries truchas de batata — impossible to eat just one.
You can also read this article in Spanish here.
Follow us on Facebook to discover more fascinating places in Spain!