Best Christmas getaways with loved ones: stories from home exchangers
This Christmas vacation is the perfect chance to have a chance of scenery, spend quality time with family, and even experience some new Christmas traditions. With HomeExchange's COVID-19 guarantees, you can travel this Christmas affordably and with peace of mind. There's no need to wear a mask as soon as you leave your room, no risk of bumping into strangers in a lobby: you can spend Christmas vacation with all the comforts of your own home.
You can even give the gift of HomeExchange to a loved one so they can experience a free home away from home, anywhere in the world!
Many of our members spend the Christmas holidays traveling, using HomeExchange to ensure this time of year is magical, warm, and welcoming. Here are some of their stories about Christmas home exchanges.
Christmas in Athens
Christmas in Athens didn’t at first seem like an obvious choice, but when we saw George and Maria’s lovely place was available we knew it was the perfect place and time. Although we knew Athens wouldn’t have the obvious Christmas-y vibe of snowier cities, it really did make up for it with its many illuminated decorations and its winterfest buzz. When we arrived at George and Maria’s place, the Christmas smell of clove and cinnamon emanated from the bakery beneath their home and we were welcomed by their friend with 'Kala Christougenna' (Happy Christmas). -Yvonne (read the rest of her story here)
Christmas vacation in Amsterdam
"It was a beautiful trip to Amsterdam for Christmas. I have a cousin who lives there, and they took us as guides, they took us to Christmas markets, to very cool breweries. The lovely HomeExchange family left us a lot of information. They arrived first to Barcelona, we left them some gifts of good food and drink, and we could show them the neighborhood, the market... they loved the fruit stand. When we arrived home, we found some drawings of the children, they were about 6 years old, with a note for my children: thanks for leaving me your room, I have been very well." -Merche
Spend the Christmas holidays in Paris
"Last year we went to Paris for Christmas. We were on a transport strike and our hostess left us a car for almost every day we were there because the house was in a beautiful suburb. We spent two days in Disney with the little one. It was a great exchange, and meeting our host was a plus." -Giovanna
New Year's Eve in Mexico
"We went to Playa del Carmen on New Year's Eve in the Riviera Maya! Our hosts invited us to their private New Year's Eve party at another house with their friends, and my daughter made many friends! Unforgettable family and exchange with warmth!" -Elisabeth
December home exchanges in Europe
"At the end of the year we have made several exchanges and we have very good memories of all of them. In 2008, we went to Paris, 2009 Florence, 2010 London, 2018 Paris again, and 2019 to Rome." -Elena
Christmas traditions in Barcelona
"We exchanged at the end of the year with a family in Barcelona. It was our first exchange and they had a lot of experience with HomeExchange. We met upon our arrival and they explained their traditions and left us all kinds of sweets and Catalan cava. It was the ideal way to start our HomeExchange journey." -Esther
Christmas HomeExchange in the heart of Paris
We visited Paris for Christmas and stayed in a HomeExchange in the city center. The beautiful apartment with three rooms in the center of Paris was perfect for our family with three kids. We went to some museums and exhibitions and we really enjoyed the Christmas holiday mood. We also did some shopping. HomeExchange is a great option to travel to new places and enjoy the experience as a local by living in a real home. The host families are always very friendly and make sure that your stay will be as perfect as possible. -Jason
Christmas travel memories with HomeExchange
"2 years ago we had a Christmas HomeExchange in Belgium. We took advantage of the beautiful illuminated cities, Belgian delicacies, and the region's museums. A very nice discovery! Last year, we exchanged in Montpellier, France. The south of France at Christmas is great! We took advantage of the beautiful landscapes of this region with magnificent weather." -Sophie
Where will you travel this Christmas? A world of possibilities awaits you at HomeExchange! Sign up for free to start planning a memorable Christmas vacation.