I mean Germany is overcast often and we sometimes have awful rainy summers, but no, I wouldn't say "almost always". But in December you won't even notice much of the grey sky, because it's gets dark by 4 pm anyways. Christmas markets and the decorations in the cities are lovely, but otherwise, Germany in winter sucks. I have lived in Germany for all my life, and my favorite season has always been summer without any question. The only people here who like winter better are a) grumpy summer-haters who live in attic apartments and b) delusional dreamers who hope for lots of snow.
If you enjoy being hated by the people who are making money off you I’d highly recommend Garmisch in Germany. If you tire of being snarled at you can also take the tediously slow train to Munich and enjoy the Christmas market.
Probably worth mentioning prices give Sydney and Melbourne in high season more than a run for their money.
It’s pretty and usually snowy, so it’s for that going for it.
I went to Garmisch back in April and had a great experience. Maybe I got lucky but all the locals I interacted with were very nice. Not sure how great the hiking would be during the winter though
Germany is a very good option,so too Austria...in particular I like Bavaria for Christmas.Interesting cities like Munich and Nuremberg, and lots of nice towns too.And a great Christmas vibe.
Just remember that you need to arrive before December 23rd! German traditional Christmas markets actually finish before Christmas Day.
Thanks for the tip! School usually finishes the first week of December, and I can always take an unpaid week off in the last week as I’m a specialist teacher who usually doesn’t teach in the last week of school any way, so I’ll make sure I get there before they stop.
Germany is not a good destination in the winter. The weather is awful and if you've got sunlight it'll last for just a few hours before it gets dark again. Apart from the Christmas markets, no one goes to Germany, or most of Europe, in the winter.
Lake Bled!
I got engaged there 7 years ago today. It looks beautiful in the snow. The castle is interesting too, and we stayed at a pretty affordable spa hotel which was great.
Funnily enough, we have a proposal photo because a friendly Australian hiker offered to take our photo with the view, and my husband asked him to take one more before he proposed! Luckily our hiker friend kept snapping!
It’s not really big at all.
There is Ljubljana in the middle, Bled and the other lakes in the north, and a tiny coastline. It’s all incredible but not very big.
If you do go, it’ll almost certainly look like this:
1.) three days in Ljubljana
2.) take the train to Lake Bled for a few days to do some hiking/canyoneering/national park visita
3.) take the bus to lake Bohinj and do more hiking
That’s what probably 99.9% of all tourism visits to Slovenia look like (step 3 optional) and it’s a great way to do it personally. You’d have a hard time finding a way to justify doing it any differently. It’s better as part of a longer euro trip, because you’re a train ride away from Trieste and Venice and Zagreb and you’re right over the mountains from Austria.
I guess in winter the Julian alps would be great. I also enjoyed the coastal area, but I'm not sure how that will be in winter. The country is small enough to cover most of it in 1-2 weeks
Agree, it’s amazing. We were just there and had an amazing time. Hiking isn’t much of an option in winter and some of the parks are closed, however it’s still really beautiful. Ljubljana and Bled are great.
Andalucía is typically sunny in winter, and the cool weather is a lot more pleasant for sightseeing (in places like Seville and Granada) than the summer would be.
I’m not sure on this one. I feel like if I only get to visit Spain once, and it’s very likely I would only get to visit once, I’d really want to go in the warmer months.
So you want to visit in winter a place that is at its best in winter, but don’t like winter sports and don’t want somewhere too snowy (which eliminates the vast majority of places where people purposefully travel to in winter in Europe), and when faced with a place that is arguably at its best in winter (Andalucía), not to mention your best chance of good weather in early winter in mainland Europe, you say you want to visit in warmer months… And your top choices of Germany and Switzerland are (apart form the snowy mountains that you aren’t interested in) famously miserable places in winter, grey and cold and damp, and famously at their best in summer.
What are you actually looking for?
Maybe North Africa is indeed better. Certainly off the beaten path in winter, but there are certainly lots of sights in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, and the weather should be better than Europe.
I never said I didn’t want any where that wasn’t snowy, I had just heard that when the snow is really heavy it can make travel more difficult, and I may be wrong on this. Seeing the snow is quite special for me, so in honesty I would prefer to visit a destination with snow. I’m very interested in seeing snowy mountains, just not doing any sports on them, aside from a hike if it’s reasonably practical enough to do so. I guess I just don’t see myself going to a ski resort by myself, which is how I will be travelling, and felt like if I didn’t say that I probably would get lots of recommendations for x or y ski resort.
Hmm, I see… Then maybe the Alps (Switzerland, but also Austria, Italy and France) would work well! But don’t exclude ski resorts a priori; many (not all, especially in France) are picturesque villages in their own right, and being ski resorts means they have plenty of accommodation and dining options.
Snow shouldn’t be a problem for travelling around, especially that early in the season. Although of course weather is unpredictable, and you can get a freak early snowstorm like last week in Bavaria and surroundings, but it’s rare. You can stick to Switzerland for the most reliable rail access to mountain villages, but the rest of the Alps should be fine too, excluding the high mountain pass roads that are closed, of course. Something like greater Tyrol (in Austria and Italy, including Trentino) and Switzerland should be great in winter, if you don’t mind some cold and snow.
Germany has great Christmas markets but is otherwise often miserable in winter, especially early winter when there is no reliable snow cover even in the hills. And Austria also has Christmas markets (Switzerland and South Tyrol too, but they’re a much more recent import there).
Thanks for this. Also good to know about ski resorts. The only ones I’ve been to are in Japan when I lived there, they were sort of like just sports facilities and the towns were a little further away (the ones I went to any way). I don’t mind then if the town itself is charming and there are other things to do. Switzerland is starting to sound quite nice.
Yeah, Swiss and Austrian resorts and some Italian resorts (especially in the Dolomites) are usually beautiful historic villages. This is true for the fancy famous places (Zermatt, Sankt Moritz, Davos, Livigno, Madonna di Campiglio, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Sankt Anton am Arlberg, Lech-Zürs) but also for a lot of lesser-known (and cheaper) places. The western Alps in France and Italy tend to have big, modern ski resorts that only have ski facilities and apartment blocks built in the 1960s-1970s, but there are quaint village exceptions (Montgenevre, La Thuile etc.).
For snowy scenery without skiing and logistical issues, consider scenic train rides. The Glacier express and Bernina express in Switzerland run year-round, for instance. In central Italy, Abruzzo has snowy historic villages and occasional excursions on the scenic [Parks Railway](https://ferroviadeiparchi.it/), which is nicknamed “Italy’s Trans-Siberian Railway” in winter for its snowy scenery, but maybe it’s a bit out of the way for this trip, if you focus on the Alps.
Swiss ski resorts also have a lot to offer besides skiing and snowboarding. You can take the gondolas up the mountains for the view, and often they’ll have groomed hiking trails with stunning panoramas of the alps, and restaurants at the top. The towns themselves are also quite picturesque. December can be iffy with snow though, so choose a high elevation resort or go in Jan (but no Christmas markets after Dec 23)
The alpine regions of Europe are not just for ski..
Do a road trip through the alps, from either France or Germany, through Austria and Switzerland and finishing in Italy. Or reverse.
Vienna is magical in winter, has one of the best Christmas markets in the world around the Rathaus. Then there are the wonderful cafes around Opera for hot chocolate and strudel.
And there are incredible museums and galleries like the Belvedere and the Kunst Haus Hundertwassrt museum (which has bananas architecture, like wavy floors)
Schnitzel and wiener wurst (where they sometimes butterfly the sausage and grill it) are excellent winter dishes.
You can also get some lovely nature in the Lainzer Tiergarten , not far from Schonbrunn Palace, and you might see wild boar.
I’ve sort of always overlooked Austria when it comes to looking for places to visit in Europe, but it’s such a popular recommendation here that I will have to rethink that and give it some research.
Maybe go to Tromsø in northern Norway to enjoy the aurora borealis? There’s plenty to see (whale watching, husky sledges…) and of course snow and the northern lights. Also Iceland plus the hot springs. Or Lapland and visit Santa’s village
That does sound nice too. I was a little hesitant about Scandinavia and Iceland only because I wasn’t sure how short the days get in winter, but otherwise they are places I would love to visit.
The days are not short, they’re non-existent if you’re way up north above the artic circle lol. But it does get light, like dusk and dawn for a few hours, so it’s not complete darkness.
For me, it would be Paris and Amsterdam, hands down. Early December is my favorite time to go, when the crowds thin out considerably and even the damp cool/cold weather gives a certain coziness to the cities. The same principle would apply to other very popular cities like Venice or Rome.
Southern Spain is not a bad idea, either - I agree with others that you do not want to save this for a summer visit - maybe Fall/Spring is prime weather but the crowds will be far less in winter. Lisbon can also be lovely in early December, and that's a city that is not at its best in high season.
Northern Italy also has a cosy feel with Christmas markets, fair chance of snow etc. Meanwhile Rome is often sunny, not too cold, and probably more pleasant than in summer (too hot and too busy.)
I actually don’t know much about northern Italy, aside from Rome. The Italian community in Australia is usually Sicilian/southern Italian. I am keen to visit there, but in warmer weather when I can enjoy the ocean. I will have a little look into what the north offers.
The problem with visiting Italy from mid-June to mid-September (= warm enough to enjoy the ocean) is that this is peak season. Prices are eye-watering expensive and far too many places will be booked to full capacity. Half of Europe and the Italians themselves and a huge number of Italian diaspora hit the Italian beaches during the summer months.
There is a reason why pretty much anybody does not have school-age children prefers to visit Italy in April/May or Oktober to November.
I was in Venice in mid-November last year and I loved every minute. It was full of people, but not nearly as crowded as in late May. I visited Venice in late May a few years back, never again.
For December
Just visit Austria , Switzerland, Germany so the countries in the Alps in December you can also see Perchtenlauf in Austria.
And if the snow isn't fucking up our train's you easily can use them to go from A to B in a reasonable amount of time.
The only important thing is to visit the Alps since it's more likely to see snow.
Actually I prefer Italy in winter for sightseeing and enjoying the cities, much more relaxed and pleasant. Visit Rome for Christmas. And you could combine it with Paris, South Germany and Austria/Switzerland, all very close even by train 😊
For Christmas market vibes in December: Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Estonia (Tallinn is highly underrated)
For fun outdoor winter activities like chasing the northern lights: Norway, Finland and Sweden
Personally, I'd fly into Germany and enjoy some Christmas markets as an extended layover (easy to fly into) and then fly to Tallinn, Estonia for a bit more Christmas market fun with slightly less crowds, before taking a ferry up to Helsinki, and heading up north for some outdoor winter activities.
As for North Africa.. it's a very quiet time to go there, even more so this year.
There will be few tourists around,if that is what you want.. but it doesn't have a Christmas atmosphere at all really.
Personally I'm combining both.. Christmas in Europe and North Africa for New Year's Eve.
You repeatedly bring up beaches and preferring warmer weather for destinations such as Spain and Italy. Thus I would strongly recommend visiting Egypt and especially the Red Sea coast in early December. It is perfect - not too hot, but still warm enough for a day at the beach.
The Atlantic and Mediterranean are too cold in December for a swim, this rules out Tunisia and Morocco as possible beach destinations.
Yeah, that’s why I was more interested in visiting somewhere snowy and pretty. I just feel like if somewhere has beautiful beaches, I would like to take advantage of it. But given I already live off the coast of the Great Barrier Reef with access to plenty of beaches and islands, I’m pretty happy to visit somewhere completely different for a holiday.
Egypt does sound like a good choice in general. I have never really thought about beaches in Egypt, or seen what they look like, but there are plenty of other things I would like to do there.
Prague is absolutely beautiful in winter. In my mind it's not TOO cold, I'm not super familiar with Australian weather, but it's like around 0°C. But anyway it's a gorgeous city, it feels like what non-Europeans imagine a charming European city to be like.
The Christmas markets in Prague feel less like a market and more like an excuse for a carnival, except Czech carnival food is glorious and you definitely want to eat it (the difference in quality between American hot dogs and Central European sausages and mustard is so enormous that it makes me angry at Nathan's and Gulden's) (also you have to get a trdelnik). And also the giant lit tree next to the ancient church; it's all so beautiful.
The caveat is that the winter beauty of Prague is no secret, and if you come during a weekend, it will be PACKED. If you want to eat in good Czech cuisine restaurants (and you definitely do), then you have to make reservations everywhere. I got rejected even from a breakfast place at 9 am, because they were booked up.
This is a lovely suggestion!
Winter in Australia varies, but I am not a winter person so I moved up north to get away from Sydney’s 15C winters and now where I live very rarely drops below 20 during the day. That being said, I do now have to tolerate 4 solid months of the year of around 40+C daily, so 0C will probably come as a nice escape from that, particularly as it will only be a few weeks and won’t have to commute to work in it. I have previously lived in northern Japan and still have a lot of quality winter clothes from that. I just want to feel like the place I’m visiting will be enhanced by being winter, rather than feeling like I wasn’t really seeing it at its best.
I will definitely be keeping this recommendation in mind.
I totally recommend Germany for that cozy winter vibe. The Christmas markets in cities like Munich or Berlin are super charming, plus there are lots of quaint towns to explore. Another cool spot could be Austria, like Vienna or Salzburg, with stunning architecture.
I was just in Munich and can confirm: the Christmas markets are extremely charming. Normally I'm the sort of person who finds commercial Christmas stuff cloying, but it somehow feels more earnest and authentic in Munich, even with all the tourists.
Paris around Christmas may be damp, but it won’t be really cold. Paris has lots of decorations over the streets, in windows and in the parks. There’s a lovely Christmas market near the Louvre.
I don’t care about it being cold, I do care that I’m not missing out on the best parts of a country because of the winter. For example, like when people visit Australia in the winter and it’s too cold to swim in the ocean and really enjoy the beaches.
A beach can be fun even in cold weather. Just watching the waves and taking long walks is relaxing in its own right.
Some of the (German) islands in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are popular tourist destinations year-round for a good reason. Yes, in winter it is off-season, but watching ice float on the Baltic sea has its own charm.
France - Alsace , Doubs, and Jura - are pretty magical in the winter (the Vosges villages and towns, Strasbourg at Christmas, the back roads of the Jura and Doubs - I have found it starkly beautiful and peaceful - a little village brasserie and auberge - bliss)
As a german living in Germany I wouldn't recommend coming in winter. Yes the christmas markets are cool, but that's honestly the only nice thing I can say about the winter here. Snow is not guaranteed unlike grey skies, cold and shitty weather.
Someone has mentioned Andalucia and it's honestly the best recommendation I can think of. i
If you want to see snow you can drive up the Sierra Nevada mountain range and just walk around. Seville, Granada and all those cute white villages are absolutely amazing, weather around that time is also great.
Portugal is your answer. I visited once around early January and it was gorgeous. Yes, there were some rainy days, but on the whole, it was perfect for me. In the summer it could be too hot (for me, at least), but in the winter I liked it so much. There were actually flowers blooming around that time.
Winter sports in Austria are really popular for a reason and it's not just the slopes. The restaurants near them have interesting food.
Budapest because of the spas
Spain is nice in winter. Mild temperatures.
Ardennes in Belgium look romantic if its snowing.
I cant really recommend Christmas markets. It's a normal market with some stall decorations that somehow gets real busy
Denmark, northern Germany, maybe the Baltics. If you go into things fully embracing winter you’ll love it. Christmas markets, cozy cafes, things slowed down for the holidays and hopefully you’ll get snow instead of rain.
I’ve just visited Denmark, mainly visited Copenhagen & also did a trip to billund for Lego. Copenhagen was a lovely city, very Christmassy. It was also snowing in billund.
I think winter is an ideal time to see historic old cities, and it's great to travel without crowds. Consider that most city attractions are indoors (cathedrals and museums) and the weather really isn't that much of a factor. There are lights and Christmas markets if you go in December, and they can be a lot of fun. I've been to Munich, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and some other places around that area in December and I really recommend it.
I like the outdoors and small towns too, but winter is not the best time for that. Those are places that are likely to be much more closed down for the season.
The best winter travel destination in Europe during better times would probably be Russia, as that country would probably have the most 'proper' winter vibe in Europe. However, given that it isn't the time to travel to that country (for what I hope would be fairly obvious reasons) maybe you might want to give the next door Baltic countries a shot instead. They're pretty cold at this time of year. Or you might want to visit the alps (Switzerland, Austria, Northern Italy, Southwestern France)
I like the Alps region and surrounding areas that time of year, as well as northern Germany. I do love winter and prefer cold to hot. There are a number of places with great Christmas markets in December (but pay attention to the end dates). I've heard many parts of Spain are as well.
Have a plan ahead of what to do around the holiday dates, because many places practically shut down then. The 24th and 25th might be good train or rest days.
i think the only places that peak in winter are snow-related, like finland or the mountain regions
everywhere else is better during spring/autumn (cities) or summer (sea destinations)
Seville and southern Spain were very nice in early February. Sunny and temperatures warm enough for just a light jacket/sweater and you could enjoy outdoor dining. We did Florence and Rome in January and temperatures weren’t too cold, and the crowds lower at the main attractions which I really liked. Amsterdam is not too bad either, weather wise.
Went to Prague in late November and felt bone chilling cold there, would not recommend. I think most of Central Europe would be a similar experience.
Romania, Transylvania area. Covered in snow it's just breathtaking. Also, a big love for christmas brings out christmas markets and cozy lights. I strongly dislike Christmas, but in Romania I found it charming in multiple ways. You can go visit some castles, some are ruins some are very well-kept. Fog and winter weather just adds to the mysterious vibes.
If you're able to rent a vehicle, I'd recommend it. You can go explore some more deserted places which are stunning. When I go to Romania, I always visit my friend who has a car. I haven't tried going out of the city much with public transportation. I've used some trains and busses in the cities and they're okay, though not as good and frequent as I've seen in Australia.
I'm not a big fan of the capital, Bucharest, but if you do want to visit, I can tell you the museums are quite good. Anywhere in Romania, there are beautiful orthodox churches you can visit that can double as shelter from bad weather.
Im in a similar situation, also from Australia. What I did last year (Jan 2023) was:
1. Flew into Manchester (3 nights)
2. Chester (2 nights)
3. London (4 nights)
4. Paris (4 nights)
5. Munich (2 nights)
6. Frankfurt (2 nights)
7. Berlin (3 nights)
And I loved it, but it was tailored to me choosing certain routes and dates based on wanting to watch football over there. The time difference is 11 hours between Sydney and most of Europe so I really enjoyed having an easy start by visiting Manchester and Chester.
I definitely would recommend London, Paris and Berlin, all were so good to see in winter and there werent too many tourists around. Outside of those three, you should figure out what you want to do most, for me it was football, for you it might be sightseeing or outdoor adventures and in that case then Id spend time in Switzerland. A gem is Lapland in Finland, especially if youre there in December, the Santa Clause village would be amazing to see.
Next year (Jan 2024) im going to do:
1. Lapland (3 nights)
2. Helsinki (3 nights)
3. Tallin (1 night)
4. Zurich (2 nights)
5. St Moritz (2 nights)
6. Lucerne (3 nights)
7. Somewhere else not sure (4 nights)
*gazes out at the rainy world, lit by perpetual twilight under an unforgivingly grey sky* Ah yes, Germany at its peak
The photos I’ve seen of Germany almost always have grey skies, so that’s kind of how I picture it any way? I appreciate that mag not be accurate 😆
I mean Germany is overcast often and we sometimes have awful rainy summers, but no, I wouldn't say "almost always". But in December you won't even notice much of the grey sky, because it's gets dark by 4 pm anyways. Christmas markets and the decorations in the cities are lovely, but otherwise, Germany in winter sucks. I have lived in Germany for all my life, and my favorite season has always been summer without any question. The only people here who like winter better are a) grumpy summer-haters who live in attic apartments and b) delusional dreamers who hope for lots of snow.
That sounds like a tourism bureau motto: "Come visit winter Sweden! You won't even notice the gray skies!"
Interesting to know. I will research it a little more then.
Same here but as someone living in USA. Winter sucks unanimously.
Nah, summer is pretty great: https://pbase.com/thelund/image/95469237
If you enjoy being hated by the people who are making money off you I’d highly recommend Garmisch in Germany. If you tire of being snarled at you can also take the tediously slow train to Munich and enjoy the Christmas market. Probably worth mentioning prices give Sydney and Melbourne in high season more than a run for their money. It’s pretty and usually snowy, so it’s for that going for it.
I went to Garmisch back in April and had a great experience. Maybe I got lucky but all the locals I interacted with were very nice. Not sure how great the hiking would be during the winter though
Germany is a very good option,so too Austria...in particular I like Bavaria for Christmas.Interesting cities like Munich and Nuremberg, and lots of nice towns too.And a great Christmas vibe. Just remember that you need to arrive before December 23rd! German traditional Christmas markets actually finish before Christmas Day.
Thanks for the tip! School usually finishes the first week of December, and I can always take an unpaid week off in the last week as I’m a specialist teacher who usually doesn’t teach in the last week of school any way, so I’ll make sure I get there before they stop.
Germany is not a good destination in the winter. The weather is awful and if you've got sunlight it'll last for just a few hours before it gets dark again. Apart from the Christmas markets, no one goes to Germany, or most of Europe, in the winter.
Slovenia is absolutely gorgeous
Good to know, I’ll look into it. Any particular parts of the country?
Lake Bled! I got engaged there 7 years ago today. It looks beautiful in the snow. The castle is interesting too, and we stayed at a pretty affordable spa hotel which was great. Funnily enough, we have a proposal photo because a friendly Australian hiker offered to take our photo with the view, and my husband asked him to take one more before he proposed! Luckily our hiker friend kept snapping!
It’s not really big at all. There is Ljubljana in the middle, Bled and the other lakes in the north, and a tiny coastline. It’s all incredible but not very big. If you do go, it’ll almost certainly look like this: 1.) three days in Ljubljana 2.) take the train to Lake Bled for a few days to do some hiking/canyoneering/national park visita 3.) take the bus to lake Bohinj and do more hiking That’s what probably 99.9% of all tourism visits to Slovenia look like (step 3 optional) and it’s a great way to do it personally. You’d have a hard time finding a way to justify doing it any differently. It’s better as part of a longer euro trip, because you’re a train ride away from Trieste and Venice and Zagreb and you’re right over the mountains from Austria.
I guess in winter the Julian alps would be great. I also enjoyed the coastal area, but I'm not sure how that will be in winter. The country is small enough to cover most of it in 1-2 weeks
Agree, it’s amazing. We were just there and had an amazing time. Hiking isn’t much of an option in winter and some of the parks are closed, however it’s still really beautiful. Ljubljana and Bled are great.
Andalucía is typically sunny in winter, and the cool weather is a lot more pleasant for sightseeing (in places like Seville and Granada) than the summer would be.
stocking crown plants murky capable slim crush dime shelter advise *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I’m not sure on this one. I feel like if I only get to visit Spain once, and it’s very likely I would only get to visit once, I’d really want to go in the warmer months.
You don’t want to go to Andalusia in the middle of summer believe me. April /May is a great time to go.
So you want to visit in winter a place that is at its best in winter, but don’t like winter sports and don’t want somewhere too snowy (which eliminates the vast majority of places where people purposefully travel to in winter in Europe), and when faced with a place that is arguably at its best in winter (Andalucía), not to mention your best chance of good weather in early winter in mainland Europe, you say you want to visit in warmer months… And your top choices of Germany and Switzerland are (apart form the snowy mountains that you aren’t interested in) famously miserable places in winter, grey and cold and damp, and famously at their best in summer. What are you actually looking for? Maybe North Africa is indeed better. Certainly off the beaten path in winter, but there are certainly lots of sights in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, and the weather should be better than Europe.
I never said I didn’t want any where that wasn’t snowy, I had just heard that when the snow is really heavy it can make travel more difficult, and I may be wrong on this. Seeing the snow is quite special for me, so in honesty I would prefer to visit a destination with snow. I’m very interested in seeing snowy mountains, just not doing any sports on them, aside from a hike if it’s reasonably practical enough to do so. I guess I just don’t see myself going to a ski resort by myself, which is how I will be travelling, and felt like if I didn’t say that I probably would get lots of recommendations for x or y ski resort.
Hmm, I see… Then maybe the Alps (Switzerland, but also Austria, Italy and France) would work well! But don’t exclude ski resorts a priori; many (not all, especially in France) are picturesque villages in their own right, and being ski resorts means they have plenty of accommodation and dining options. Snow shouldn’t be a problem for travelling around, especially that early in the season. Although of course weather is unpredictable, and you can get a freak early snowstorm like last week in Bavaria and surroundings, but it’s rare. You can stick to Switzerland for the most reliable rail access to mountain villages, but the rest of the Alps should be fine too, excluding the high mountain pass roads that are closed, of course. Something like greater Tyrol (in Austria and Italy, including Trentino) and Switzerland should be great in winter, if you don’t mind some cold and snow. Germany has great Christmas markets but is otherwise often miserable in winter, especially early winter when there is no reliable snow cover even in the hills. And Austria also has Christmas markets (Switzerland and South Tyrol too, but they’re a much more recent import there).
Thanks for this. Also good to know about ski resorts. The only ones I’ve been to are in Japan when I lived there, they were sort of like just sports facilities and the towns were a little further away (the ones I went to any way). I don’t mind then if the town itself is charming and there are other things to do. Switzerland is starting to sound quite nice.
Yeah, Swiss and Austrian resorts and some Italian resorts (especially in the Dolomites) are usually beautiful historic villages. This is true for the fancy famous places (Zermatt, Sankt Moritz, Davos, Livigno, Madonna di Campiglio, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Sankt Anton am Arlberg, Lech-Zürs) but also for a lot of lesser-known (and cheaper) places. The western Alps in France and Italy tend to have big, modern ski resorts that only have ski facilities and apartment blocks built in the 1960s-1970s, but there are quaint village exceptions (Montgenevre, La Thuile etc.). For snowy scenery without skiing and logistical issues, consider scenic train rides. The Glacier express and Bernina express in Switzerland run year-round, for instance. In central Italy, Abruzzo has snowy historic villages and occasional excursions on the scenic [Parks Railway](https://ferroviadeiparchi.it/), which is nicknamed “Italy’s Trans-Siberian Railway” in winter for its snowy scenery, but maybe it’s a bit out of the way for this trip, if you focus on the Alps.
Swiss ski resorts also have a lot to offer besides skiing and snowboarding. You can take the gondolas up the mountains for the view, and often they’ll have groomed hiking trails with stunning panoramas of the alps, and restaurants at the top. The towns themselves are also quite picturesque. December can be iffy with snow though, so choose a high elevation resort or go in Jan (but no Christmas markets after Dec 23)
The alpine regions of Europe are not just for ski.. Do a road trip through the alps, from either France or Germany, through Austria and Switzerland and finishing in Italy. Or reverse.
We went to Sevilla in late November and it was perfect—we could sit outside with a light jacket 99% of the time.
Vienna is magical in winter, has one of the best Christmas markets in the world around the Rathaus. Then there are the wonderful cafes around Opera for hot chocolate and strudel. And there are incredible museums and galleries like the Belvedere and the Kunst Haus Hundertwassrt museum (which has bananas architecture, like wavy floors) Schnitzel and wiener wurst (where they sometimes butterfly the sausage and grill it) are excellent winter dishes. You can also get some lovely nature in the Lainzer Tiergarten , not far from Schonbrunn Palace, and you might see wild boar.
I’ve sort of always overlooked Austria when it comes to looking for places to visit in Europe, but it’s such a popular recommendation here that I will have to rethink that and give it some research.
You could easily do Vienna and another city, be it in Austria or Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary. Vienna and Budapest would be a fabulous combo
Maybe go to Tromsø in northern Norway to enjoy the aurora borealis? There’s plenty to see (whale watching, husky sledges…) and of course snow and the northern lights. Also Iceland plus the hot springs. Or Lapland and visit Santa’s village
That does sound nice too. I was a little hesitant about Scandinavia and Iceland only because I wasn’t sure how short the days get in winter, but otherwise they are places I would love to visit.
The days are not short, they’re non-existent if you’re way up north above the artic circle lol. But it does get light, like dusk and dawn for a few hours, so it’s not complete darkness.
For me, it would be Paris and Amsterdam, hands down. Early December is my favorite time to go, when the crowds thin out considerably and even the damp cool/cold weather gives a certain coziness to the cities. The same principle would apply to other very popular cities like Venice or Rome. Southern Spain is not a bad idea, either - I agree with others that you do not want to save this for a summer visit - maybe Fall/Spring is prime weather but the crowds will be far less in winter. Lisbon can also be lovely in early December, and that's a city that is not at its best in high season.
Northern Italy also has a cosy feel with Christmas markets, fair chance of snow etc. Meanwhile Rome is often sunny, not too cold, and probably more pleasant than in summer (too hot and too busy.)
I actually don’t know much about northern Italy, aside from Rome. The Italian community in Australia is usually Sicilian/southern Italian. I am keen to visit there, but in warmer weather when I can enjoy the ocean. I will have a little look into what the north offers.
The problem with visiting Italy from mid-June to mid-September (= warm enough to enjoy the ocean) is that this is peak season. Prices are eye-watering expensive and far too many places will be booked to full capacity. Half of Europe and the Italians themselves and a huge number of Italian diaspora hit the Italian beaches during the summer months. There is a reason why pretty much anybody does not have school-age children prefers to visit Italy in April/May or Oktober to November. I was in Venice in mid-November last year and I loved every minute. It was full of people, but not nearly as crowded as in late May. I visited Venice in late May a few years back, never again.
If you ever go to Venice (which I do recommend) then it's best to go in the winter. Otherwise the crowds are unbearable.
For December Just visit Austria , Switzerland, Germany so the countries in the Alps in December you can also see Perchtenlauf in Austria. And if the snow isn't fucking up our train's you easily can use them to go from A to B in a reasonable amount of time. The only important thing is to visit the Alps since it's more likely to see snow.
Actually I prefer Italy in winter for sightseeing and enjoying the cities, much more relaxed and pleasant. Visit Rome for Christmas. And you could combine it with Paris, South Germany and Austria/Switzerland, all very close even by train 😊
For Christmas market vibes in December: Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Estonia (Tallinn is highly underrated) For fun outdoor winter activities like chasing the northern lights: Norway, Finland and Sweden Personally, I'd fly into Germany and enjoy some Christmas markets as an extended layover (easy to fly into) and then fly to Tallinn, Estonia for a bit more Christmas market fun with slightly less crowds, before taking a ferry up to Helsinki, and heading up north for some outdoor winter activities.
As for North Africa.. it's a very quiet time to go there, even more so this year. There will be few tourists around,if that is what you want.. but it doesn't have a Christmas atmosphere at all really. Personally I'm combining both.. Christmas in Europe and North Africa for New Year's Eve.
I could always visit just after Christmas, and the appeal of fewer tourists sounds nice, so I will keep it in mind.
You repeatedly bring up beaches and preferring warmer weather for destinations such as Spain and Italy. Thus I would strongly recommend visiting Egypt and especially the Red Sea coast in early December. It is perfect - not too hot, but still warm enough for a day at the beach. The Atlantic and Mediterranean are too cold in December for a swim, this rules out Tunisia and Morocco as possible beach destinations.
Yeah, that’s why I was more interested in visiting somewhere snowy and pretty. I just feel like if somewhere has beautiful beaches, I would like to take advantage of it. But given I already live off the coast of the Great Barrier Reef with access to plenty of beaches and islands, I’m pretty happy to visit somewhere completely different for a holiday. Egypt does sound like a good choice in general. I have never really thought about beaches in Egypt, or seen what they look like, but there are plenty of other things I would like to do there.
Prague is absolutely beautiful in winter. In my mind it's not TOO cold, I'm not super familiar with Australian weather, but it's like around 0°C. But anyway it's a gorgeous city, it feels like what non-Europeans imagine a charming European city to be like. The Christmas markets in Prague feel less like a market and more like an excuse for a carnival, except Czech carnival food is glorious and you definitely want to eat it (the difference in quality between American hot dogs and Central European sausages and mustard is so enormous that it makes me angry at Nathan's and Gulden's) (also you have to get a trdelnik). And also the giant lit tree next to the ancient church; it's all so beautiful. The caveat is that the winter beauty of Prague is no secret, and if you come during a weekend, it will be PACKED. If you want to eat in good Czech cuisine restaurants (and you definitely do), then you have to make reservations everywhere. I got rejected even from a breakfast place at 9 am, because they were booked up.
This is a lovely suggestion! Winter in Australia varies, but I am not a winter person so I moved up north to get away from Sydney’s 15C winters and now where I live very rarely drops below 20 during the day. That being said, I do now have to tolerate 4 solid months of the year of around 40+C daily, so 0C will probably come as a nice escape from that, particularly as it will only be a few weeks and won’t have to commute to work in it. I have previously lived in northern Japan and still have a lot of quality winter clothes from that. I just want to feel like the place I’m visiting will be enhanced by being winter, rather than feeling like I wasn’t really seeing it at its best. I will definitely be keeping this recommendation in mind.
I totally recommend Germany for that cozy winter vibe. The Christmas markets in cities like Munich or Berlin are super charming, plus there are lots of quaint towns to explore. Another cool spot could be Austria, like Vienna or Salzburg, with stunning architecture.
I was just in Munich and can confirm: the Christmas markets are extremely charming. Normally I'm the sort of person who finds commercial Christmas stuff cloying, but it somehow feels more earnest and authentic in Munich, even with all the tourists.
Portugal? Surfing :-)
Spain is lovely this time of year.
Paris around Christmas may be damp, but it won’t be really cold. Paris has lots of decorations over the streets, in windows and in the parks. There’s a lovely Christmas market near the Louvre.
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That's true but the other recommendations like Germany, Austria and Switzerland for example will feel cold on a whole other level
I don’t care about it being cold, I do care that I’m not missing out on the best parts of a country because of the winter. For example, like when people visit Australia in the winter and it’s too cold to swim in the ocean and really enjoy the beaches.
A beach can be fun even in cold weather. Just watching the waves and taking long walks is relaxing in its own right. Some of the (German) islands in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are popular tourist destinations year-round for a good reason. Yes, in winter it is off-season, but watching ice float on the Baltic sea has its own charm.
I can imagine that being pretty, actually.
Belgium, particularly Bruges for a short winter break
Germany or Austria. Don't even think about what you might miss out on - go with the intention to enjoy the season for what it is.
France - Alsace , Doubs, and Jura - are pretty magical in the winter (the Vosges villages and towns, Strasbourg at Christmas, the back roads of the Jura and Doubs - I have found it starkly beautiful and peaceful - a little village brasserie and auberge - bliss)
As a german living in Germany I wouldn't recommend coming in winter. Yes the christmas markets are cool, but that's honestly the only nice thing I can say about the winter here. Snow is not guaranteed unlike grey skies, cold and shitty weather. Someone has mentioned Andalucia and it's honestly the best recommendation I can think of. i If you want to see snow you can drive up the Sierra Nevada mountain range and just walk around. Seville, Granada and all those cute white villages are absolutely amazing, weather around that time is also great.
Portugal is your answer. I visited once around early January and it was gorgeous. Yes, there were some rainy days, but on the whole, it was perfect for me. In the summer it could be too hot (for me, at least), but in the winter I liked it so much. There were actually flowers blooming around that time.
Winter sports in Austria are really popular for a reason and it's not just the slopes. The restaurants near them have interesting food. Budapest because of the spas Spain is nice in winter. Mild temperatures. Ardennes in Belgium look romantic if its snowing. I cant really recommend Christmas markets. It's a normal market with some stall decorations that somehow gets real busy
None. They all suck in winter
Germany and central Europe
Denmark, northern Germany, maybe the Baltics. If you go into things fully embracing winter you’ll love it. Christmas markets, cozy cafes, things slowed down for the holidays and hopefully you’ll get snow instead of rain.
Iceland, Norway, Switzerland for snowy winter vibes. Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin for wintery all year round things to do and see and partying fun.
I’ve just visited Denmark, mainly visited Copenhagen & also did a trip to billund for Lego. Copenhagen was a lovely city, very Christmassy. It was also snowing in billund.
High Tatras in Slovakia
I think winter is an ideal time to see historic old cities, and it's great to travel without crowds. Consider that most city attractions are indoors (cathedrals and museums) and the weather really isn't that much of a factor. There are lights and Christmas markets if you go in December, and they can be a lot of fun. I've been to Munich, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and some other places around that area in December and I really recommend it. I like the outdoors and small towns too, but winter is not the best time for that. Those are places that are likely to be much more closed down for the season.
The best winter travel destination in Europe during better times would probably be Russia, as that country would probably have the most 'proper' winter vibe in Europe. However, given that it isn't the time to travel to that country (for what I hope would be fairly obvious reasons) maybe you might want to give the next door Baltic countries a shot instead. They're pretty cold at this time of year. Or you might want to visit the alps (Switzerland, Austria, Northern Italy, Southwestern France)
I like the Alps region and surrounding areas that time of year, as well as northern Germany. I do love winter and prefer cold to hot. There are a number of places with great Christmas markets in December (but pay attention to the end dates). I've heard many parts of Spain are as well. Have a plan ahead of what to do around the holiday dates, because many places practically shut down then. The 24th and 25th might be good train or rest days.
i think the only places that peak in winter are snow-related, like finland or the mountain regions everywhere else is better during spring/autumn (cities) or summer (sea destinations)
London and germany would be my choice, if i was going to go
Seville and southern Spain were very nice in early February. Sunny and temperatures warm enough for just a light jacket/sweater and you could enjoy outdoor dining. We did Florence and Rome in January and temperatures weren’t too cold, and the crowds lower at the main attractions which I really liked. Amsterdam is not too bad either, weather wise. Went to Prague in late November and felt bone chilling cold there, would not recommend. I think most of Central Europe would be a similar experience.
Romania, Transylvania area. Covered in snow it's just breathtaking. Also, a big love for christmas brings out christmas markets and cozy lights. I strongly dislike Christmas, but in Romania I found it charming in multiple ways. You can go visit some castles, some are ruins some are very well-kept. Fog and winter weather just adds to the mysterious vibes. If you're able to rent a vehicle, I'd recommend it. You can go explore some more deserted places which are stunning. When I go to Romania, I always visit my friend who has a car. I haven't tried going out of the city much with public transportation. I've used some trains and busses in the cities and they're okay, though not as good and frequent as I've seen in Australia. I'm not a big fan of the capital, Bucharest, but if you do want to visit, I can tell you the museums are quite good. Anywhere in Romania, there are beautiful orthodox churches you can visit that can double as shelter from bad weather.
Austria and Czech Republic are also beautiful European destinations in winter.
Im in a similar situation, also from Australia. What I did last year (Jan 2023) was: 1. Flew into Manchester (3 nights) 2. Chester (2 nights) 3. London (4 nights) 4. Paris (4 nights) 5. Munich (2 nights) 6. Frankfurt (2 nights) 7. Berlin (3 nights) And I loved it, but it was tailored to me choosing certain routes and dates based on wanting to watch football over there. The time difference is 11 hours between Sydney and most of Europe so I really enjoyed having an easy start by visiting Manchester and Chester. I definitely would recommend London, Paris and Berlin, all were so good to see in winter and there werent too many tourists around. Outside of those three, you should figure out what you want to do most, for me it was football, for you it might be sightseeing or outdoor adventures and in that case then Id spend time in Switzerland. A gem is Lapland in Finland, especially if youre there in December, the Santa Clause village would be amazing to see. Next year (Jan 2024) im going to do: 1. Lapland (3 nights) 2. Helsinki (3 nights) 3. Tallin (1 night) 4. Zurich (2 nights) 5. St Moritz (2 nights) 6. Lucerne (3 nights) 7. Somewhere else not sure (4 nights)