9 Reasons to Travel in Europe During the Winter

Are you thinking of traveling to Europe, but low temperatures scare you a bit? Are you worried it’ll be dull and uneventful? No worries! Europe is fascinating no matter the season, the only thing that changes is the way in which it’s interesting. Winter has its charm, impossible to grasp at any other time of the year. Here’s a list of 9 reasons why you should travel in Europe during the low season.

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   There aren’t many tourists

Few places in Europe get crowded during the winter and even if they do, not nearly as much as in the high season. That means you can go to famous museums and see the paintings, not just briefly glance over tourists’ shoulders. You can get to the Eiffel Tower without waiting in a queue for the whole day and peacefully walk the halls of the Natural History Museum in London. Booking an accommodation is easier because most hotels and hostels always have some free rooms. Since there’s no need to reserve a bed weeks in advance, you can be more spontaneous.

2. Everything is cheaper

Europe can get insanely expensive, especially at its most touristy parts. During the summer prices rise, even in relatively inexpensive countries, such as Croatia, Montenegro or Portugal. A cup of coffee or a cocktail can cost twice as much as in the low season. The same applies to accommodations and various attractions. Hostels, for example, tend to have different prices for high and low season. A night in a dorm usually gets about 10-30% cheaper (it can be more though), but there’s one more thing – during the winter finding a bed in the most inexpensive hostels is more comfortable, because most of the time nothing is fully booked. You have a more extensive range of alternatives so that you can pick the less expensive options.

3. Cities look magical

You may not be able to sunbathe or enjoy some of the natural attractions, but the charm of European cities will make it up for you. Red roofs covered with snow, sparkling cobbled streets, snowflakes floating amongst Gothic buildings – it’s truly enchanting. You can sit in one of Budapest’s lovely cafés, drink hot tea and watch snow through the window. You can go ice-skating in the historic center of Prague. You can drink traditional mulled wine in Munich. The weather in most of Europe is cold, but it doesn’t mean the atmosphere is cold as well – in contrary, there are a unique warmth and coziness to European winter.

4. Christmas markets and celebrations

If you go to Europe in December, you’ll have a chance to see most fantastic decorations, colorful Christmas trees, and bright shop displays. There are lovely nativity scenes in Cracow, great markets all around Germany and awe-inspiring light exhibitions in Paris. You can not only admire the aesthetic side of celebrations but also participate and learn about traditions. Each European country has its unique customs. Try to get invited to an atmospheric family dinner in Poland or a crazy Spanish festivity. Listen to a British choir singing Christmas songs in a church, drink hot toddy (liquor mixed with water, herbs, spices, and honey) in Scotland or have a taste of Portuguese traditional delicacies. Prepared especially for this occasion (like Arroz Doce – a sweet pudding, or Peru Recheado com Nozes – turkey stuffed with walnuts). Whichever of these you do, it’s doing to be an unforgettable experience.

5. Parties and festivities

First, there’s the New Years’ Eve, celebrated in most European countries. The ways of spending it are numerous. You can choose between a romantic dinner in a mountain cabin somewhere in Norway or a crazy party in London. Then, in February and early March, there’s the Carnival. Venice has the most famous one, but great events are being held in other places as well, such as the Greek city of Patras, Tenerife or Cadiz in Spain. Get a creative costume and be ready for wild partying, because European carnival is the time when streets become dance floors, alcohol flows like rivers and shyness are being forgotten.

6. The South is still warm

The magic of snowflakes doesn’t get to you? The amazing atmosphere of snow-covered towns doesn’t convince you? Well, you can still go to the South. Not all of Europe becomes cold during the winter. You may visit the southern part of Portugal and Spain, Canary Islands, Madeira, Cyprus or Malta. Not all of them are very hot, but at least moderately warm – enough to eat ice-cream on the beach and stroll about in a t-shirt.

7. The North has aurora

For those who don’t fear shallow temperatures, the North of Europe has a unique reward- the bizarre phenomenon of aurora borealis. To see it, you should visit Norway, Finland, Sweden or Iceland (it might be visible in other countries as well, but spotting it is the easiest of these mentioned above). Various agencies offer northern light tours and cruises. Hotels are prepared as well, some of them even have cottages with glass windows, so that guests can view aurora from their beds (for instance the Hotel Kakslauttanen or the Arctic Glass Igloos in Finland). Many lodgings offer aurora wake-up calls – the staff can wake you up in the middle of the night in case the lights appear in the sky. As you can see, it’s a major attraction in the northern Europe. Not without reason, the aurora is a breathtaking site.

8. Indoor attractions are as exciting as in the summer, but not so crowded

Many tourists visit Europe to discover its captivating museums, enjoy the vibrant nightlife, visit theatres, operas, and art galleries. All of these things can be done in the winter. Moreover, favorite places are not as crowded as during the summer. It’s way more fun to stroll about a fascinating gallery when it’s not full of chatty tourists.

9. You can have fun skiing, sledding or snowboarding

For winter sports enthusiasts, Europe is a wonderland. There’s so much to choose from; you can eventually have trouble deciding which sport to pick and where to go. For many sporty travelers, French Alps are a favorite destination, which makes them one of the most popular ones. The views are spectacular and resort numerous. You can also visit lesser-known regions, such as the mountains of Bosnia & Herzegovina – they’re beautiful as well, but cheaper and less crowded. If you want to do something original, try dog sledding in Norway.

Are you convinced yet? Let us know what you think! And share this article with your friends, to let them see Europe during the winter is just as great as in the summer.