1. Rovaniemi, Finland
Finnish Lapland is a winter wonderland like no other, perhaps best exemplified in the region’s capital city of Rovaniemi. Aside from being perhaps the best place to spend Christmas (the town claims to be the official hometown of Santa Claus, after all), Rovaniemi is packed with reindeer farms, husky sledding, ice skating rinks, and Northern Lights safaris that make it a must-visit for adventurous families. If you’d prefer something a little less festive and a little more pensive, book a few nights at the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel. Here you can sip glogg by the fire, eat cloudberry ice cream and smoked salmon, and take in views of the snow-blanketed forests from your warm bed.
2. Zermatt, Switzerland
Visiting Switzerland during ski season is kind of a no-brainer—especially if you plant yourself in Zermatt. Sitting at the foot of the country’s iconic Matterhorn mountain, this impossibly gorgeous resort town has an abundance of serious skiers, fresh powder, and epic views from the lifts. Its après-ski scene (which, let’s be honest, is just as important as the slopes) is also the best around: Enjoy a lemondrop martini at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof’s Star Bar, refuel with some alpine cuisine at Brasserie Lusi, and take in a spa treatment or two at Hotel Firefly.
3. Zagreb, Croatia
With its cobbled streets, old city quarter, and baroque architecture, Zagreb has everything you would expect from a Central European capital—plus a few extra-special perks come wintertime. The city erupts with yuletide cheer during its annual Advent in Zagreb festival, complete with 25 Christmas markets, ice skating rinks, and glittering lights galore. Fill up on homemade sausages and brandy, then schedule a day trip to nearby Plitvice Lakes National Park to see the 16 terraced lakes and waterfalls completely frozen over—an imagination-defying landscape that simply must be seen in person.
4. Bergen, Norway
Bergen has all the makings of an idyllic Nordic village: colorful wooden buildings, a scenic harbor, and sweeping views of the surrounding fjords. The town looks pretty in the summer, sure, but it’s during the winter months that you get to view the Northern Lights during their peak season. If you’re going to be freezing up in Scandinavia, you might as well get to cross an astronomical wonder off of your bucket list.
5. Amsterdam
Every December through January, the Amsterdam Light Festival brings some illumination to the Dutch capital, courtesy of light installations from all over the world. While the city does draw considerable crowds during the holiday season, the tourist numbers tend to drop with the temperatures, so the later winter months are prime for enjoying snow-shrouded canal views and cozy restaurants in peace. And we swear: Dutch food, hearty with lots of bread and potatoes, is even more satisfying on cold days.
6. Ilulissat, Greenland
Greenland’s western town of Ilulissat draws tourists for several reasons: the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord, dog sledding, relative accessibility (you can fly there from Iceland or Denmark), and its proximity to iceberg-filled Disko Bay. The biggest crowds descend during summer—chasing that midnight sun, no doubt—but Visit Greenland strongly recommends coming in winter: “The stunning silence of a thick snowy terrain, speckled by a few howls of the Greenlandic dog, is an experience everyone should try at least once in their lives.”
7. Venice, Italy
Venice has become notoriously overrun during peak season—just see its recent attempts to limit tourist numbers for proof. But come wintertime, the city actually lives up to its La Serenissima (“The Serene”) nickname. The canals are quiet and shrouded in mist, hotels give discounted rates, and you can actually visit St. Mark’s Basilica without a stranger’s selfie stick poking you in the eye.
8. Strasbourg, France
A blend of French and German cultures (it’s located right near the border with Germany), Strasbourg naturally stuns in the winter months. Grey skies are more common than snowfall in the Alsace region, but we say it’s worth visiting no matter the weather. Strasbourg’s Christmas markets are renowned (they were first held here in the 16th century), causing the scent of mulled wine and bredele cookies to waft through the streets. The brilliant hanging lights that illuminate the city’s centerpiece, the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg, are also a sight to behold.
9. Budapest, Hungary
Winter is, hands down, the best time to visit Budapest. Seeing the Hungarian Parliament surrounded by ice drifts on the Danube could make even the strictest of beach bums embrace the cold. And you’re sure to find all of those grand cafés, museums, and thermal baths infinitely more welcoming after spending a few chilly hours exploring the city.
10. Dublin, Ireland
Every December, the city hosts the magical Smashing Times City of Dublin Winter Solstice Celebration, a festival honoring the solstice (December 21) with céilí dancing, traditional storytelling, and a fire ceremony. Dublin also gets lights up even more around New Year’s Eve, with events like the light festival Luminosity, and the world’s largest Celtic drum session set around town. Of course, there is also beauty in the season itself: James Joyce’s short story “The Dead” even pays tribute to the city’s snow-covered graveyards.
11. Copenhagen, Denmark
When you visit the birthplace of hygge (basically the Danish concept of “coziness”), you better believe your winter vacation is going to be inviting. That lovely feeling can be found throughout Copenhagen, from pastry shops to inviting hotels. Don’t feel like you have to stay indoors to enjoy the season, though. Those Michelin-starred restaurants, Tivoli Gardens, and canal views are certainly worth bundling up for. And is it just us, or do the buildings of Nyhavn look even more colorful against a snowy background?
12. Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival—a three-day bacchanal celebrating the New Year, with outdoor concerts, fireworks, and dancing Scots—is reason enough to book a trip to the city. Not much of a partier? Shop for some cashmere, then curl up with your new scarf and some whisky at the speakeasy-style Panda and Sons. You can also work up a sweat skiing in Pentland Hills Regional Park or walking among the winter-flowering plants at the Royal Botanic Garden.
13. Hallstatt, Austria
Yes, it’s technically a village, but nowhere fits the phrase “storybook setting” better than Hallstatt, which sits pretty on the shores of Austria’s Hallstätter See (about an hour’s drive east of Salzburg). The town’s 12th-century churches, candlelit restaurants, and market square only become more stunning during the winter months, especially when the already-scenic Dachstein Mountains are capped with snow. As with most Austrian towns, Hallstatt does winter activities well, with skiing, snowshoe hiking, and horse-drawn carriage rides all up for grabs.
14. Bruges, Belgium
Europe’s best-preserved medieval city is also one of its most bewitching, especially during the holiday season. Let’s start with its light displays, when every tree and storefront seems ablaze with twinkle lights (just look up as you wander the cobbled streets). When your fingers start going numb, warm up with mugs of Belgian hot chocolate in the historic Craenenburg Cafe.
15. Ljubljana, Slovenia
Slovenia’s capital city is a real-life fairytale setting, come sunshine or snow flurries. Visit during December to see the Baroque architecture surrounded by Christmas lights; or dodge the crowds and book a trip after the holidays, when you’ll have tons of room to stroll the pedestrian-only Old Town and sip coffee by the riverside cafés. You can also add Lake Bled and the Julian Alps to your itinerary, as Ljubljana makes the perfect base for Slovenian day trips.
16. Berlin, Germany
Germany is known around the world for its Christmas markets—its capital city alone has more than 60 of them, including the incredibly picturesque WeihnachtsZauber, which is surrounded by landmarks like Französischer Dom and the Konzerthaus. But don’t think that Berlin’s wintery appeal starts and ends with the holidays. Travelers can enjoy the city’s Michelin-starred restaurants, buzzing nightclubs, and edgy museums well into the new year, sans the summer crowds.
17. Transylvania, Romania
Visiting the Gothic castles and dense forests of Transylvania on a bright summer day is great. But visiting when the mountains are quieted by snow and the sky has a bleak, wintry haze to it? Way more appropriate. While we are well aware that Transylvania is an entire region, there are so many cities that shine in the winter that it’s impossible to choose just one: Sibiu has a glittery Christmas market with 100 merchants, an ice rink, and a Ferris wheel. And Sighișoara is a classic medieval town with a UNESCO-protected historic center and colorful houses that look especially striking against crisp, fresh-fallen snow.
18. London
Christmas in London has timeless appeal—chalk it up to the decorated Georgian townhouses, lively pubs, and a dash of Dickensian charm. But the winter months that bookend the holidays have their own charms, as well. Visitors can go ice skating at the Natural History Museum or Somerset House, then warm up with some museum visits and afternoon teas. Be sure to slot out a couple of day trips to nearby cities like Cambridge and Bath, where you can admire the impossibly charming streets dusted in snow and hole up in even more cozy pubs.
