Christmas Staycations: Where to Spend Christmas in the UK

Spending Christmas away from home takes the pressure off: no hosting, no marathon cooking and a change of scenery for the whole family. The right place depends on what you want from the day itself, whether that's a cathedral service and a city full of lights, a country house hotel doing all the work, or a cottage with a fire and a long walk on Boxing Day. This guide is about the Christmas break itself; if you're looking for a pre-Christmas weekend of shopping, see our guide to UK Christmas market breaks.

Historic cities at Christmas

York

York is one of the most atmospheric places in Britain for Christmas. The medieval streets around the Shambles suit the season, and York Minster is the obvious place for a carol service or midnight mass. The Grand, York is the city's five-star option, rated 4.6 from over 3,000 reviews, and the Golden Fleece, an old inn on Pavement, accepts dogs. For more, see our York staycation guide.

Bath, Durham and Canterbury

Bath works well at Christmas, with Georgian streets and the chance to bathe in the thermal waters on a cold day. Durham and Canterbury are both built around great cathedrals, which makes them natural choices if a Christmas service matters to you. Winchester is similar, and small enough to walk everywhere.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a good choice if you want to stay on through to the new year, as the city is famous for its Hogmanay celebrations. Our guide to New Year staycations has more on that.

Country house Christmas

If you want someone else to do everything, a country house hotel is the answer. Many run Christmas stays that include meals, so check what's included when you book. Good places to look include the Lake District, where Gilpin Hotel and Lake House is rated 4.7, and Yorkshire, where Middlethorpe Hall on the edge of York and Rudding Park near Harrogate both have spas for the quiet days between Christmas and New Year.

A cottage Christmas

A self-catering cottage gives you the most freedom and suits families and groups. Look for somewhere with a real fire and a walk from the door. The Cotswolds are popular, with Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford both good bases. In the north, Keswick and Grasmere in the Lakes, Skipton for the Dales and Bakewell in the Peak District all have fells and paths close by for a Boxing Day walk.

For a bigger family, our guides to group staycations in large houses and multi-generational staycations cover what to look for. If you want to stay in a city cottage instead, cottages in York put you within walking distance of the Minster.

Christmas by the sea

The coast in winter is quiet, and a Christmas Day walk on an empty beach is a tradition for many families. Whitby has its harbour and abbey ruins, St Ives is mild and pretty in winter, and Tenby has a long tradition of a Boxing Day swim. Seaside towns are much quieter than in summer, so check which cafes and restaurants stay open.

Practical tips for Christmas away

Plan travel carefully. There are no mainline trains in Great Britain on Christmas Day and a very limited service on Boxing Day, so if you're travelling by train, arrive by Christmas Eve and plan to leave from the 27th. Large shops in England and Wales are closed on Christmas Day, so self-caterers should shop before arriving.

If you want Christmas lunch out, book well ahead, as many restaurants either close or run set menus on the day. Hotels with Christmas packages tend to fill up early. Finally, check whether your accommodation has a minimum stay over Christmas, which is common.

For more seasonal ideas, see our guide to cosy winter staycations.