The 14 best winter destinations in Europe, by travel writers who’ve seen them all

Best for: breathing space

People who have visited Venice will probably mention the crowds that swamp this city almost immediately, but that’s why we’re making the case for it as a brilliant winter destination. It still experiences high-season numbers of people well into October, but in January and February, things are more chilled, leaving you plenty of breathing space to take in the majesty of the Rialto Bridge, St Mark’s Square and Doge’s Palace without the influencers. Temperatures linger between 2C and 6C, but if you wrap up, the views on the canals will be much less tourist-laden too, and you’ll be able to see all the riverside buildings properly glisten. To warm up? Find a toasty spot to enjoy some cichetti. 

Not convinced? Here’s why winter is the best time to visit Venice. 

Stay here: The neighbourhood of Dorsoduro is home to some of Venice’s cosiest hotels, and Hotel Galleria has bags of old-world charm that will revive you after chilly days exploring the city.

📍 Discover the best things to do in Venice

Best for: active fun in the snow

Within easy reach of the Swiss capital, Bern, this gorgeous alpine village sits at the heart of the Jungfrau Region, which offers more than 200km of ski slopes under the gaze of Switzerland’s famous trio of peaks, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. But winter in Grindelwald isn’t just about skiing. Snowshoe beneath the Eiger North Face, walk the vertiginous Cliff Walk at First, and experience some seriously epic toboggan runs – at 15km, the slide from the Faulhorn back down to the village is the longest in the world.

Stay here: Bed down with the ghosts of pioneering mountaineers at the village’s oldest hotel, the Pinte, which dates from 1843. Bang in the centre of town, it’s a short stroll to the trains, buses and cable cars that will whisk you up into the hills.

❄️ Discover the best places to go skiing in Switzerland

Best for: some winter sparkle

The Tyrolean capital is the ideal place to experience the magic of winter in the Austrian Alps, even for non-skiers. Situated in the deep valley between two alpine ranges – flying into Innsbruck is quite the experience – the jagged peaks provide a stunning backdrop to the city’s medieval Altstadt, famous Goldenes Dachl (‘Golden Roof’), grand Habsburg palace and baroque cathedral. But to really appreciate Tyrol’s alpine beauty go up the Zaha Hadid-designed Nordkettenbahn cable car or Olympic ski jump to admire the glittering snow-capped mountains – or to nearby Swarovski Kristallwelten for some luxury sparkle, before warming up with a hot chocolate and Apfelstrudel in one of the city’s traditional inns.

Stay here: obsessed with Austrian culture? Try Hotel Goldener Adler, a ridiculously pretty hotel in the thick of it all. 

🏔️ Discover Austria’s best ski resorts and the best places to visit in the Austrian Alps

Best for: the ultimate city break 

If you’ve been visiting Amsterdam in the summer, you’re doing it wrong. This city is more magical than you can believe when winter comes around, as festive lights are strung along its canals and you’re craving good, warming Dutch comfort food. In October Amsterdam opens its most iconic outdoor ice rink, right in front of the Rijksmuseum, but if you’re lucky, its existing canals will freeze over completely, so you can skate all over the city. Combine that with dinner at De Kas and drinks at Café de Dokter, Amsterdam’s tiniest (and most charming) little bar, and you’ll probably never want to visit when the sun’s out again. 

Stay here: Splash out with a stay at the Hoxton’s second branch in the Eastern Docklands for its accidentally-on-purpose Wes Anderson décor.

📍 Discover the best things to do in Amsterdam

Best for: festive traditions with a local flare

We Brits tend to pigeonhole Spain as a sunny summer destination, but there’s a lot to love in the tourist off-season too (and very little rain). In Madrid, local festive traditions such as heading to the Plaza Mayor Christmas market to buy belenes (small nativity scenes which you’ll find in many Spanish homes); ringing in the New Year at the Puerta del Sol by eating 12 grapes at midnight (harder than you’d think, especially since most Spanish varieties have pips); and watching the Three Kings parade (complete with 1,500 dancers, around 300,000 spectators, and a special appearance from Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar themselves) on January 5 are all great ways to experience the best of winter in the Spanish capital. 

Stay here: Room Mate Alicia hotel is located in the charming Las Letras neighbourhood, just five minutes away from the Puerta del Sol (ideal for those who washed down their New Year’s grapes with one too many glasses of cava).

📍 Discover the best things to do in Madrid

Best for: indoorsy things to do

Even though it’s pretty much guaranteed the North of England will be battered by wind and rain throughout the winter, Manchester is a brilliant place to be when the cold snap hits. Spend your days dipping into vintage shops and record stores, and fuel up with street food at Mackie Mayor (or for an occasion, book a table at new-ish fine dining spot Skof). What’s more, Manchester’s home to a surprisingly brilliant selection of Christmas markets, from classics to goth-themed, all selling great food and gifts from independent shops. If the weather really goes wild, hide out in John Rylands Library, one of the most hauntingly beautiful spots in the city. 

Stay here: This fabulous, NYC-style loft apartment in Manchester’s Northern Quarter is easy to reach from the city centre but has plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars right on its doorstep. Check out the best things to do in the Northern Quarter. 

📍 Discover the best Christmas markets in Manchester

Best for: affordable skiing and curious vibes

Sarajevo has quietly developed into one of the planet’s best winter destinations, combining quality snow activities with a unique multi-cultural atmosphere in the old centre. The former takes place in the surrounding mountains, as the facilities from the 1984 Winter Olympics are given new life (skiing on Jahorina or Bjelašnica is remarkably affordable), while the streets of the Baščaršija shine brightest while wearing a hat, gloves and a scarf. A rakija or two will help you deal with the temperatures, and Bosnian food was practically devised for the colder months.

Stay here: For the full winter sports adventure, head to Jahorina and stay at the fantastic Hotel Vučko, a renovated hotel built for the ’84 Olympics and named after the iconic (and undeniably cute) mascot wolf that you’ll see all across the city.

❄️ Discover the best affordable ski resorts in Europe

Best for: hygge (obviously) 

Plenty of people hate the winter and spend the dark evenings craving the warmth of the sun. Not me – my favourite places are crisp, icy-cold destinations which just know how to do the season right. Why? Because of ‘hygge’, that’s why. Pronounced ‘hoo-gah’, the Nordic word describes that fuzzy feeling of cosiness and contentment you only get in cold places, and Copenhagen is a master of it. For a hit of ‘hygge’, Andersen & Maillard makes delicious coffee and even more delicious pastries (their pistachio cube is out of this world), and it’s my favourite breakfast spot. Bar La Una is a vibey dinner and cocktail place which feels like the extension of somebody’s kitchen: I’d recommend nabbing a counter seat. 

Stay here: We stayed in this hygge-filled Airbnb in Vesterbro, which was an excellent spot for journeying into central Copenhagen but also for exploring the neighbourhood’s bars. 

📍 Discover the best things to do in Copenhagen

Best for: hardcore winter devotees

If there’s one place on earth that deserves the title of ‘winter wonderland’, it certainly isn’t a crowded stretch of beer tents and bumper cars in central London. It’s Lapland, of course, a place that’s blanketed in thick snow from early November and stays that way ’til spring. Reindeer sleigh rides, husky sledding and the actual official home of Santa Claus guarantees a festive trip of dreams, but Lapland is a paradise for winter fun all season long. I showshoed and sledded, plunged into ice-cold lakes, warmed up in Finnish saunas, roasted marshmallows mid-nature hike. I even saw the Northern Lights (kind of, if you turn up the saturation on my phone). Aurora borealis or not, pure arctic wilderness awaits.

Stay here: Sleep beneath the stars (or the Northern Lights, if you’re lucky) in a glass-topped igloo room at Apukka Resort – you’re only here once, right?

📍 Discover the best things to do in Helsinki

Best for: Pagan holiday traditions and winter magic

Legend has it that the Christmas tree originated in Riga, making it an ideal destination for a festive-season getaway. In the city's historic centre, near the 800-year-old Doma Church, Riga hosts a bustling Christmas market where you can try Latvianflavors and experience pagan solstice traditions. The church sits in a several-metre-deep "pit" that turns into a sledding hill in winter, letting you relive childhood nostalgia as you glide down its slopes. For an outdoor escape, head to Ogre’s Zilie Kalni hiking trails, just 45 minutes from Riga. Explore snow-covered forests and frozen lakes, immersing yourself inLatvia’s winter wonderland.

Stay here: Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga is located next to the Opera House and just a 10-minute walk from Doma Square and the Christmas market. This 5-star hotel offers luxurious suites with royal interiors and a Michelin Guide restaurant at incredible value.

Best for: a couple’s retreat

If your idea of a perfect winter break is misty walks in long coats, cosy restaurants and chilly morning trips to the bakery, well, essentially, you’ve been dreaming about Paris. But there’s a whole side of the city you only get to see in winter; this year, the largest ice rink in the world has come to the city at its Grand Palais, or you can hide from the cold by touring its best wine bars. Ticking off the Louvre for your first time or a seasoned visitor, Paris will make your cold, wintery dreams come true. That’s a promise. 

Stay here: For a stay that won’t break the bank (as much as the others), try the monochrome Chess Hotel in the 9th district. 

📍 Discover the best things to do in Paris

Best for cosy vibes and budget winter sports

Just a couple of hours bus ride from Athens’s buzzing streets, amphitheatre-shaped Arachova perched on the slopes of Mount Parnassus has been dubbed ‘The Greek Mykonos’ because of its lively apres-ski scene and chic boutiques. Head for the slopes to have fun in the snow or hike out with local company Trekking Hellas Parnassos to see the ancient site of Delphi. After a day on the slopes, fill up on home-cooked fare at Kaplanis near the clocktower, and then enjoy that apres-ski scene in Sehre, Husky and other hip bars along Arachova’s cobbled main street.

Stay here: For a brilliant budget-friendly option with cosy rooms (some with open fireplaces) and lashings of local breakfast goodies it has to be Likoria, along a hard-to-find alley close to the centre of town.

Best for: exploring the wilderness

As cities go, Reykjavik is pretty titchy – Iceland’s countrywide population isn’t quite 400,000, and though around 80 percent of people live in the capital, it still feels like a little ski town. But that’s the best thing about it – the boutiques, bars and restaurants along Laugavegur (the high street), Hallgrimskirkja (the dazzling Expressionist church) and Harpa (its waterside concert hall) are all within a 20 minute walk of each other. Plus, it’s a gateway to the country’s moody, wildly beautiful landscape which is sprinkled with volcanoes, geysers, waterfalls and geothermal springs. Check out Hvammsvík (just under an hour’s drive from the city) – if you dare, you can even brave the sea. 

Stay here: ION City isn’t your average city-centre pit stop (although the fact it’s nestled on Laugavegur is super handy). A member of Design Hotels, this place incorporates Icelandic makers and materials into its decor, and is a cosy and stylish pitstop. 

📍 Discover the best things to do in Reykjavik

Best for: Belgian beer, of course

Antwerp is a lovely place for a stroll – you’ve got plenty of Gothic architecture such as the Cathedral of Our Lady to admire, lovely boutique shops to browse and museums to nip into, but the best thing about doing all this in winter? The excuse to warm up. And everyone knows Belgian beer is good, but when it’s pulled from the taps of a city-based brewery (De Koninck) or enjoyed in one of the many brilliant beer cafes (Witzli-Poetzli), it tastes even better. 

Stay here: August is a ridiculously chic place to stay on your weekend in Antwerp. In what was once an Augustinian cloister, the building is no longer a place of worship – obvs – but there is something grand about its dramatic reception and pretty windows. 

📍 Discover the best things to do in Belgium