7 Christmas movie backdrops for the perfect festive escape

Tamara Hinson

Nothing beats curling up in front of the TV to watch a Christmas movie, not least because of the way they fuel our wanderlust.

Christmas in New York City © Lazy Llama - Adobe Stock Image

Is it even possible to watch Home Alone and not want to stroll around a wintertime Central Park? Or to enjoy Christmas classic The Holiday and not find yourself fighting the temptation to retreat to one of the Cotswolds' impossibly perfect thatched cottages for the winter?

In the spirit of Christmas, we've taken a closer look at seven destinations across the USA, UK and Europe with starring roles in just some of our favourite festive films to inspire your next seasonal getaway.

New York City, USA

It's hard to keep track of the festive flicks shot in the Big Apple, whether it's Elf, Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street or You've Got Mail.

Fancy walking in Elf's (or at least, Will Ferrell's) footsteps? Head for Fifth Avenue, where Gimbels, a now-shuttered department store, stood in for Macy's.

And the historic store is certainly the jewel in New York's Christmas crown; last year's window displays included animatronic fairies and more fairylights than you can shake a candy cane at.

Macy’s iconic festive window displays, New York © DW Labs Incorporated - Adobe Stock Image

Other iconic movie locations include The Plaza, where Kevin's family stayed (albeit without their son) in Home Alone. The hotel is famous for its festive offerings, ranging from Christmas-themed afternoon teas to stays in suites with six-foot Christmas trees.

Finally, nothing beats a lap around an ice rink, and we recommend Central Park's Wollman Rink; in the rom-com Serendipity, it's the location of Sara and Jonathan's (played by Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack) reunion.

Climate in New York City

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	3	4	9	16	21	26	29	28	24	18	12	6
Hours of sunshine (daily)	5	6	7	8	8	9	9	9	7	7	5	5
Days with some rainfall	10	10	11	11	11	10	9	9	8	7	10	11
Sea temperature °C	5	4	4	7	12	17	21	22	21	17	12	8

The above guide shows the climate in New York City.

Getting there: find great value breaks to New York with Virgin Holidays^*.

London, UK

Like New York, London's been the setting for countless Christmas movies. In Last Christmas, starring Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh and Emilia Fox (the latter plays an employee at a Christmas shop where staff are required to dress as elves), backdrops include a snow-dusted Covent Garden, St Mary's Church in Marylebone and a fairylight-strewn Brick Lane.

Ice skating at Somerset House © Cedric Weber - Shutterstock.com

Meanwhile, in Bridget Jones' Diary, Bridget heads to Borough Market to buy a Christmas tree (which, we should point out, aren't actually sold there).

In Love Actually, snow-dusted settings include the South Bank (famous for its annual Christmas market), Somerset House and its famous ice rink (which turns 25 in 2025) and, somewhat bizarrely, Heathrow Airport Terminal 3, where a plaque has now been put up in the movie's honour.

Climate in London

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	7	7	10	13	17	20	22	22	19	15	10	8
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	2	4	5	6	7	6	6	5	3	2	1
Days with some rainfall	16	12	14	14	13	11	10	12	11	13	15	14

The above guide shows the climate in London.

Where to stay: browse affordable accommodation in and around London with Travelodge^*.

Shere, Surrey, UK

No, the Surrey village of Shere doesn't have tinsel-adorned department stores or supersized ice rinks, but that's part of its charm. In The Holiday, Cameron Diaz's character, Amanda, heads to this ridiculously quaint village for some much-needed respite.

Although visiting the cottage she stayed in isn't an option, we suggest heading to The White House pub where Amanda and Graham (played by Jude Law) enjoy a romantic meal (the pub's steak and ale pies are brilliant winter warmers).

The White Horse pub from The Holiday © Philip Enticknap - Adobe Stock Image

The timbered White House dates back to the 1400s, and Shere's other historic locations include St James' Church, which dates back to 1190. Less historic, but equally worth a visit, is the nearby Silent Pool Distillery, where you can sample its delicious gins and sign up for behind-the-scenes tours.

Climate in Shere

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	7	7	10	13	17	20	22	21	19	15	10	8
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	2	4	5	6	7	6	6	5	3	2	2
Days with some rainfall	17	13	15	14	14	11	11	12	12	14	15	16

The above guide shows the climate in Guildford, close to Shere.

Where to stay: find a cosy cottage of your own for less with Booking.com^* this Christmas.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

You might not have heard of this town, but this Bavarian beauty doubles as a fantastic Yuletide escape, and it's known to have inspired several Disney movies.

Geppetto's home in Disney's Pinocchio movie was modelled on the Plönlein, a lemon-yellow, half-timbered house in the town's medieval centre. The town has also appeared in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Snow-dusted Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany © Stockphoto-graf - Adobe Stock Image

Planning a visit? Make sure you stop by Käthe Wohlfahrt, a Christmas decorations shop and Christmas museum (the most sought-after items include the gherkin tree ornaments).

The fabulously cosy Zur Höll tavern, which is over 1,000 years old and, if you're visiting in the run-up to Christmas, Reiterlesmarkt, Rothenburg ob der Tauber's winter market.

Climate in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	2	4	9	14	19	22	24	23	20	14	7	3
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	3	4	6	7	7	8	7	6	4	2	1
Days with some rainfall	18	15	15	14	16	15	14	14	12	12	15	17

The above guide shows the climate in Nuremberg, close to Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Where to stay: for something special, search current offers from Luxury Escapes^*.

Bohemian Switzerland, Czech Republic

Large parts of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe were filmed in an area of the Czech Republic known as Bohemian Switzerland, famous for its forests, mountains and medieval towns.

Channel the Chronicles of Narnia in the Czech Republic © Ondrej Bucek - Adobe Stock Image

One of the most recognisable areas is Tiské skaly, an area known for its weird and wonderful rock formations; this is the setting for the scene where Lucy visits faun Tumnus. It's also where you'll find a natural rock bridge known as Pravčická Brána, which the Pevensie siblings cautiously cross in the movie.

Located near the German-Czech border (it's actually just 50 kilometres from the German city of Dresden), Tiské skaly is a popular year-round hiking destination, and it's also just a 20-minute drive from Děčín, a riverside Czech city with a beautiful hilltop castle.

Climate in Bohemian Switzerland

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	1	4	9	14	19	23	24	24	20	14	7	3
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	3	4	6	7	7	7	7	5	4	2	2
Days with some rainfall	13	12	13	12	13	14	14	13	11	11	13	14

The above guide shows the climate in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

What to do: browse deals on activities in Bohemian Switzerland with Viator^*.

Chicago, USA

Chicago is famous for its freezing, cold winters, so it's hardly surprising that various Christmas movies have been filmed there.

These include Chevy Chase's 1980s Christmas classic, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and 2018's Christmas Chronicles starring Kurt Russell (fun fact: Russell's partner, Goldie Hawn, has a cameo as Mrs Claus).

And then there's Home Alone (again). Head to north Chicago's 671 Lincoln Avenue to gawp at Kevin's family home (sadly, it's not open to the public). Make for the city's Chestnut Court Park to see the location of Kevin's heart-to-heart with Santa and Chicago's stunning, neo-gothic Grace Episcopal Church to admire the spot where Kevin meets his neighbour Marley.

Some of the movie's most memorable scenes were the family's dashes through Chicago O'Hare Airport. These were actually filmed in July 1992, requiring the airport to be decked out with Christmas decorations, much to the confusion of passengers.

Finally, we can't leave out Vince Vaughn's Fred Claus, a 2007 movie in which Santa's brother must travel from Chicago to the North Pole to earn his brother's bail money (no, we're not making this up).

Climate in Chicago

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	-1	1	8	15	21	27	29	28	24	17	9	2
Hours of sunshine (daily)	4	5	6	7	9	10	10	9	8	6	4	3
Days with some rainfall	12	10	13	13	11	10	10	9	9	9	11	12
Sea temperature °C	4	3	3	3	6	12	19	21	19	14	9	5

The above guide shows the climate in Chicago.

Getting there: see current offers on city breaks to Chicago with British Airways^*.

The Cotswolds, UK

The aptly-named village of Snowsill in the Cotswolds features in Bridget Jones' Diary's opening scene, when Bridget arrives at her parents' house on New Year's Day.

This Gloucestershire village's church, which also appears in the movie, is one of the Cotswolds' most popular selfie spots.

In The Holiday, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz explore the 200-acre grounds of Cornwell Manor in nearby Chipping Norton; sadly, the property is only available for private hire.

Head, instead, for Cotswolds' Newark Park where the network of trails which weave through its gardens is perfect for winter walks. What's more, throughout the festive period, Father Christmas puts in regular appearances.

Climate in the Cotswolds

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	6	6	9	12	16	19	21	21	18	14	9	7
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	2	4	5	6	7	6	6	5	3	2	2
Days with some rainfall	17	14	17	15	15	13	13	14	14	16	17	18

The above guide shows the climate in Cirencester.

Where to stay: for an affordable grown-up retreat, search stays at Warner Hotels^*.

Tamara Hinson

Tamara Hinson is a freelance travel writer who loves getting off the beaten path. Specialising in adventure travel, she often covers outdoor activities such as snowboarding, mountain biking and scuba diving. Tamara's work features regularly in newspapers such as The Telegraph and The Independent along with numerous travel websites.

Posted on Thursday 30th October 2025 in: Culture Europe North America Season

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