Schloss Elmau
Bring your most festive bathing suit (you have one, right?) to Schloss Elmau, in the heart of the Bavarian Alps. The outdoor pools at this spa-resort, one of the most luxurious in Europe, are heated year-round so you can swim while the snowflakes fall. Later, take a ski-safari or sleigh ride or warm up indoors at the bookstore, the largest in any hotel in Germany. This December, the acclaimed SIGNUM saxophone quartet and other renowned musicians will perform in the resort’s concert hall, shown here.

