Grafton Street, festive pubs and the Moving Crib maintain the Irish capital on the Condé Nast Traveler’s listing
In its 2025 round-up of the prime 28 cities to go to over the holidays, the Irish capital earned a particular nod for its pubs, festive purchasing and family-friendly traditions.
“If your idea of Christmas merriment includes an authentic Irish pub crawl (we get it), then Dublin is your place,” the journal stated.
“There’s no better way to warm up on a cold Christmas night than with some black pudding and a few pints — and trust us, this city has enough cosy bars to last you through New Year’s.”
But Dublin isn’t nearly drinks. The festive spirit might be discovered at Christmas markets, the decked-out outlets of Grafton Street, and glowing tree-lighting ceremonies throughout the metropolis, in accordance to the journal.
One long-running custom that continues to delight locals and guests alike is the Moving Crib in the basement of St Martin Apostolate.
“For 66 years, the Moving Crib has charmed families with its mechanical figures depicting scenes like Noah’s Ark,” it stated.
The crib, which options 25 transferring animal characters and a 20-foot Noah’s Ark, was refurbished in 2015 by a workforce of expert carpenters and craftsmen.
For these planning a festive keep in the metropolis, the Westbury Hotel was talked about as providing prime views over Grafton Street and its Christmas lights, highlighted as being good for afternoon tea with a festive twist.
While Dublin holds its personal with cosy appeal and conventional festivities, Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 listing reveals that the vacation spirit stretches throughout the globe.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, city-wide mild shows and markets kick off early, whereas Sydney, Australia, dazzles with greater than 85,000 LED lights throughout its “Sydney Christmas” competition.
For sun-seekers, Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town provide beachside celebrations, nativity shows and temperatures nicely into the 80s.
Europe’s classics stay robust too: Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens glimmer with Alpine-style Christmas markets, Cologne attracts thousands and thousands to its Old-World markets and Bruges’ medieval streets twinkle alongside the Winter Glow mild path.
Even nearer to residence, London impresses with its Georgian townhouses, Somerset House ice rink and festive pub scene.
And for these sticking round Dublin, it’s clear the Irish capital continues to appeal each locals and guests alike, with pubs, markets and household traditions guaranteeing it stays one of the world’s most festive cities to go to at Christmas.