Where to go in December

While daytime temperatures in the Catalan capital tend to linger around 15°C in December, you couldn’t feel more festive in this ambient city. Just a 15 to 20-minute stroll from Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, two of the biggest Christmas fairs in town begin at the end of November: Fira de Santa Llúcia – a 225-year tradition nestled under the dramatic spires of the Gothic Catedral de Barcelona – and Fira de Nadal de Sagrada Família, with its 120-plus stalls selling decorations, handmade crafts and even traditional zambomba drums. The best bit? These items are crafted locally, so the community directly benefits from your custom. In Port Vell, a festive village comes to life with street food stalls and activities for children. If you’re visiting in mid-December, join the annual Santa-Montjuïc Santa Claus Parade – where hundreds of people come dressed as old Saint Nicholas himself.

It may be a pleasant 21°C during the day here, but this time of year in Dubai can feel just as festive as anywhere else in the world – with ice rinks, fairs, carol concerts and even pop-up ski chalets serving pots of hot cheese fondue throughout December. At Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai, the festivities begin with an iconic Afternoon Tea menu – serving delicious hot chocolate and spicy teas in the outdoor courtyard – while hampers packed with cakes, mince pies, gingerbread houses and stollen can be ordered to your room from The Mandarin Cake Shop. With 1,200 outlets, The Dubai Mall is the place to go gift shopping, while Ski Dubai boasts the world’s third largest indoor ski slope and hosts 6,000 tonnes of snow and snowman building activities.