paris
Why go there? The cold bite of oysters piled high on a silver platter. Pearly pink foie gras. Champagne, champagne, and more champagne. No one does Christmas quite like the French. Settle into a moleskin banquette in a café, bundle up for a walk along the Seine, or shop for a once-in-a-lifetime gift along couture row, Avenue Montaigne.
Best outing: Flaunt your double axels on the skating rink that's a December fixture in the heart of Paris, at the Hôtel de Ville (city hall). The open-air rink, a favorite with all generations, is especially romantic at night.
Top lights: Paris may not have snow, but the trees still glisten--with thousands of white lights. For sheer charm, stroll the Rue de Buci market at about 5 p.m. The food stands are still open, and the rows of lights overhead illuminate the cobblestone streets. Pick up a round of irresistibly unctuous Vacherin cheese, traditionally eaten at Christmas.
Stocking stuffers: Members of the international social set buy Fabergé-esque gems at Jar's (7 Place Vendôme; 33-1/42-96-33-66). But you'll have to cultivate a relationship with owner Joel Rosenthal to score one of his made-to-order designs, such as a pair of bushy-tasseled pearl earrings (one black, one white). Si Tu Veux (68 Galeries Vivienne; 33-1/42-60-59-97), a toy store to die for, goes deep into exquisite wooden items, including marionettes.
Christmas pastries: Paris's loveliest tea salon, Ladurée (75 Ave. des Champs-Élysées; 33-1/40-05-08-75) was given a kick last year by Pierre Hermé, perhaps the world's most innovative pastry chef. Save room for his rose-flavored macaroons and his light, flaky croissants À l'ancienne.
Christmas Eve dinner: Join the very in-crowd on the 24th, the day many French reserve for their most important holiday meal, at Terence Conran's just-opened Alcazar (62 Rue Mazarine; 33-1/53-10-19-99; dinner for two $110). The 280-seat, everything-taste-can-buy brasserie is on the site once occupied by the legendary Alcazar nightclub. Chef Guillaume Lutard, former sous-chef at Taillevent, promises chicken breast stuffed with truffles and "a Yule log that's not really a Yule log."
Where to stay: Built in the 18th century as a private town house, the Hôtel Duc de St.-Simon (14 Rue de St.-Simon; 33-1/45-48-35-66; doubles from $245) is the summum of discreet chic: antiques furnish each of the 34 rooms, and breakfast is served in the vaulted stone cellar. Or tuck yourself into one of the 26 rooms at the vest-pocket Hôtel Verneuil (8 Rue de Verneuil; 33-1/42-60-82-14; doubles from $130), newly decorated by style doyenne Michelle Halard with bolts of toile de Jouy. -- Nadine Frey
copenhagen
Why go there? Though it's Scandinavia's most densely populated city, Copenhagen is still cozy: the only traffic jams are on pedestrian streets. Christmas spirit is most evident in the medieval district, with its wine bars, boutique-lined walkways, and bakeries that make real Danish pastries.
Best outing: Closed during winter, Tivoli Gardens is open November 20 to December 23, with puppet shows, amusement rides, and gift booths. Meander through early, before it's too crowded, or go at night to see the fabulous lights.
Christmas treats: Local kids can't resist honningkager, heart-shaped honey cakes with chocolate frosting. Scoop them up at Trianon (37 Vimmelskaftet; 45-33/156-681) or Marstrand Bageri & Konditori (15 Kømagergade; 45-33/140-791).
Stocking stuffers: Think David Lynch designing Japanese-style jewelry for Cruella De Vil. Among the most eccentric pieces by Mikala Naur (37 Gammel Mont; 45-33/119-520) are necklaces set with fishing lures.
For a homey room: Vendors hawk mini-trees along Nyhavn canal, where many of the boats are decorated for Christmas. Buy glass balls for your two-foot-tall pine at Søstrene Grene (29 Amagertorv; no phone), a Danish five-and-dime.
Hot toddies: The subterranean wine bar Hviids Vinstue (19 Kongens Nytorv; 45-33/151-064) turns 275 this year. Sip glogg, mulled wine spiked with port, brandy, Jamaican rum, crème de cassis, spices, raisins, and slivered almonds.
Christmas dinner: Book a table at Restaurant Wiinblad (34 Kongens Nytorv; 45-33/370-643; dinner for two $100), one of the few places that will be open. Feast on salmon with dill, duck with apple-and-prune stuffing, and pickled red cabbage.
Where to stay: Like a giant birthday cake, Hôtel d'Angleterre (34 Kongens Nytorv; 45-33/120-095; doubles from $330) is decked out for Christmas with huge ribboned wreaths, garlands, and lights. The interior is posh old-England: lots of chintz and cushy armchairs. Take time for afternoon tea at the hotel's Restaurant Wiinblad. -- Karina Porcelli
cape town
Why go there? The thwack of a cricket bat drifts on warm breezes. At seaside cafés, rock lobsters are rushed from the grill to tables crowned with bowls of peaches. A Cape Town Christmas combines your favorite Fourth of July picnic with cherished holiday traditions.
Best outing: African and European carols reverberate with passion and poignancy during the fabled Christmas Eve and midnight mass performances at St. George's Cathedral (5 Wale St.; 27-21/247-360).
Stocking stuffers: People serious about the art of the continent should make an appointment with Design Afrika (Bergvliet Farm, Homestead Ave.; 27-21/750-574). In the limewashed stables of her family home, Binky Newman sells chic scrap-metal candlesticks, paper made from elephant dung, and lovely fabrics. For similar finds right in town, check out African Images Arts & Crafts (52 Burg St.; 27-21/238-385).
Don't miss: A spirit of sunstruck revelry infuses the season, which culminates in the Cape Carnival Parade on New Year's Eve. It's full of dazzling colors and riotous music.
Christmas meal: Most Capetonians prefer the cool evening hours of the 24th for a traditional dinner, leaving the 25th free for a beach picnic. Choose between trendy locations (Camps Bay, Clifton) and the far-flung Boulders, where only the penguins join you. The enterprising crew at Melissa's Food Shop (94 Kloof St.; 27-21/245-540) packs gourmet baskets brimming with crackers, ripe Stilton, homemade green-fig preserves, gingerbread men, and red-check tablecloths.
Where to stay: Exchange gifts by the tree in the lobby of the pink colonial 226-room Mount Nelson Hotel (76 Orange St.; 800/223-6800 or 27-21/231-055; doubles from $320), known affectionately as the Nellie. The staff will also decorate a small tree for your room. In the suburb of Constantia, at the 55-room Cellars-Hohenort Hotel (93 Brommersvlei Rd., Constantia; 27-21/794-2137; doubles from $185), tiny Christmas cakes replace chocolates on pillows. -- Fiona Donnelly
