Thanksgiving Is the Best Kept Secret Week to Travel Abroad

Every year, a handful of our families quietly skip the turkey, the traffic, and the hosting, and spend Thanksgiving week in Europe instead. They come home rested, with a trip under their belt before the holidays even start. And every year, more of them tell us it’s become their favorite trip of the year.

Here’s the secret: Thanksgiving is an American holiday. In London, Paris, and Vienna, it’s just a regular week in late November. The summer crowds are long gone, the holiday decorations are going up, and the Christmas markets are starting to open. You get Europe at its coziest, without the peak season rush.

Why Thanksgiving Week Is Better Than Christmas Week For Travel

You can use less vacation days. With Thursday and Friday already off for most people, a Tuesday night departure and a weekend return gives you five nights away with just two or three days of PTO. If your kids’ school takes the whole week off, you can maximize and be away for up to eight or nine nights.

Europe is calm and magical. Late November is one of the quietest times of year for international visitors. Museums aren’t crowded, restaurant reservations are easier, and the best hotels have more time for you and much better rates.

The holidays are just getting started. Lights tend to go up in mid to late November in most European cities, and many Christmas markets open around the same time. European towns at Christmas time are absolutely the magic you imagine them to be!

You skip the hosting or the awkward family juggling. No planning, no shopping, no cooking for twelve, no cleanup. If you still want the turkey, we can arrange a Thanksgiving dinner. If you’d rather skip it and have schnitzel in Vienna or gelato in Florence, that works too!

Five Cities That We Love at Thanksgiving

London

Flight time: About 7 hours overnight from New York.

Best for: First trips abroad with kids, and families who want it easy. Couples that love great restaurants, the theater and a lively city!

London is the easiest international trip for families. No language barrier, a short overnight flight, and so much to do with kids. By late November, the holiday lights on Regent Street and Oxford Street are on, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is open, and the big hotels are decorated. We suggest a West End show, afternoon tea, a private guide at the Tower of London, and a day trip to Harry Potter studios, and you have a week everyone in the family will remember.

Vienna

Flight time: About 9 hours overnight from New York.

Best for: Families who want the full Christmas market experience.

If you want Christmas markets, Vienna is the place to go at Thanksgiving! Its markets open in mid November, earlier than many others in Europe, so they’re in full swing by the time you arrive. Between the markets, you have palaces, the Spanish Riding School, classical concerts, and grand old cafés where hot chocolate and Sachertorte come with a side of history. It feels like stepping into a holiday card. This is our top pick for the quintessential Christmas experience!

Copenhagen

Flight time: About 7.5 hours nonstop from New York.

Best for: Families with younger kids who have been to all the major European cities.

Copenhagen at the holidays is pure hygge. Candles in every window, cozy restaurants, and Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, transformed for Christmas with lights, rides, and markets. The city is compact, safe, and easy to explore, and the food scene is incredible. It’s a very easy city to navigate with littles that won’t overwhelm you.

Lisbon

Flight time: About 7 hours overnight from New York.

Best for: Families who want mild weather and a slower pace.

If you’d rather have sunshine than snow, Lisbon is the answer. Late November temperatures are mild, the city’s holiday lights are up, and it’s only five hours ahead of the East Coast. Spend a few days exploring the city with a private guide, then head to Sintra for fairytale palaces or out to the countryside for wine and great food. Lisbon is our FAVORITE for families, because it’s a great entry to European travel.

A Few Tips From Us

Book flights now. International flights around Thanksgiving fill faster than people expect, especially the Tuesday and Wednesday departures.

Skip the Sunday return if you can. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year in US airports. Coming home Saturday or Monday makes al difference.

Pack for cool weather. Late November is chilly in most of Europe, and days are shorter. That’s part of the charm. Think warm coats, long dinners, and lots of hot chocolate.

Plan the arrival day. After an overnight flight, a private transfer and an early check in make all the difference. We can arrange both so the first day starts with a nap, not a line.

Let Us Plan It

Thanksgiving 2026 is on November 26, and the best rooms and flights are going now. We handle everything: the flights, the hotel, the private guides, the transfers, even the Thanksgiving dinner if you want one. You just show up and enjoy the week.

If a Thanksgiving trip abroad sounds like the break your family needs, start here and we’ll set up a time to talk.

Curious why private guides make such a difference on a short trip? We wrote about that here: What a Private Guide Actually Does (And Why It Changes Everything)