A new report from Deluxe Holiday Homes reveals the world’s most crowded Christmas destinations, and Paris takes the top spot by a wide margin. With more than 8.3 million December tourists packed into just 105 square kilometers, the city becomes a holiday crush zone. Its nearly 50 Christmas events, including the famous Champs-Élysées market, only amplify the crowds.
Brussels ranks second, drawing 1.77 million visitors despite offering just 364 hotels during the season. The combination of heavy online interest and limited accommodations makes it one of the more stressful Christmas getaways. Strasbourg comes in third with roughly 3.4 million tourists and the highest online interest in the top five, thanks to more than 1.6 million people searching for its festive markets.
Zurich takes fourth place with about 2.3 million December visitors and the most Christmas events in the top ten. Its lower crime rate helps ease some of the crowd pressure, making it a safer option for travelers braving the rush. Dublin rounds out the top five with tourist numbers similar to Zurich and a remarkable 700,000 online searches for its holiday offerings. The city’s 13 Christmas events add to the vibrant, and often packed, seasonal atmosphere.
The top 10 most overcrowded Christmas destinations

- Paris, France
- Brussels, Belgium
- Strasbourg, France
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Dublin, Ireland
- Manchester, UK
- New York City, US
- Chicago, US
- London, UK
- Amsterdam, Netherlands