St. Petersburg, Russia

Why visit: The grand boulevards and bridges of St. Petersburg are at their most lovely, including a layer of snow and illuminated by holiday lighting. The lavish Hermitage Museum is especially striking on December 31, while it’s surrounded by crowds waiting for the fireworks show over the partly frozen Neva River. As the clock ticks down, they drink champagne and ship masses of paper lanterns up into the nighttime sky. Russians celebrate both Catholic Christmas on December 25 and Orthodox Christmas on January 7, so touring now comes smack in the middle of the holiday season, while the city’s main drag, Nevsky Prospect, is adorned in Christmas lights and photographs of Father Frost (the Russian version of Santa). And Russians flip out all over again on January 13 to celebrate Russian New Year, a remnant of the Julian calendar used prior to the revolution.

Where to stay: it won’t come reasonably priced, but a new year’s stay at the Grand Resort Europe might be a night to remember. The opulent hotel, built in 1875, was the first in Europe to have electric-powered lighting fixtures and became Dostoyevsky’s favorite place to stay.