winter finally made her icy appearance into kansas city, at least for a day, and as i sat there wrapped in a cozy sweater with a steaming coffee, waiting for my escape to the southern hemisphere, i couldn’t help but think of great winter destinations. not to escape winter (that’s another post) but to fully embrace the cold and snow.
the obvious choices are the northern reaches of europe, where you can glimpse the northern lights, or ski resorts across the united states, canada and central europe. but what about places that are typically crowded in the summer – but still offer the same incredible sights in the winter? and how can you miss the christmas markets that emerge out of the woodwork in central europe? here are my picks for ten of the best winter destinations. wrap yourself in a cozy scarf, grab some mulled wine, and read on…
lake louise, banff, & jasper, canada
stunning white mountains encircle banff, alberta and the powder that blankets them is as soft as anything. but there’s more to do in banff than just hit the slopes. visit lake louise, a crystal blue lake completely surrounded by the canadian rockies, visit athabasca glacier, part of the columbia icefield, or relax in the hot springs. if you’re dead set on skiing, there’s hundreds of miles of trail for your skiing/boarding pleasure. aprés ski, head into the town of banff to the red earth spa for some indulging spa therapy, or take in a moonlight walk along the shores of the lake. before leaving the area, drive the 140 miles to jasper, across the icefields parkway, on one of the most scenic on the planet, or hike up to the lake agnes teahouse above lake louise.
zurich, switzerland
ok, really anywhere in switzerland should be on your winter destinations list. it’s gorgeous, from the lake shores of luzern to the ski resorts at interlaken, and it’s modern, despite its very old world settings. zurich is a central european hub, meaning its highly accessible from anywhere in europe, and caters to every kind of tourism you could want. fashion, food, culture and adventure meet here: over 50 museums, over 100 art galleries, hundreds of restaurants, and a nightclub scene to cap off the night. zurich also has world-class resorts dedicated to wellness and ski resorts all within a day’s visit. visit their culture website for more details.
tromsø, norway
head north – as far north as you can – to tromsø. daylight is almost non-existent here in the winter, which bodes well for catching a well-earned glimpse of the northern lights. be forewarned, you should plan to stay for a few days in case the weather isn’t as awesome as it needs to be. there’s a reason why tromsø is called the capital of the arctic: there is a ton of culture and history packed into the city at the top of the world.
edinburgh, scotland
my favourite part about edinburgh in the winter is the way that the streetlights shimmer in the rain that falls on the cobblestones. if that’s not your cup of tea, however, why not head up to aberdeen and the nearby cairngorms for some light skiing? edinburgh has a magical winter market in the gardens below the castle, complete with a carnival, PLUS you cannot miss hogmanay, the new years eve celebration in edinburgh. it’s quite possibly the biggest new years celebration in the uk and it’s absolutely famous. if anything, go just after christmas for hogmanay alone. book super early as hotels will fill up quickly!!
paris, france
paris might be at it’s best in the winter. the biannual soldes (sales) start january 8, the cafes aren’t crowded, and the museums are still open (but with less people.) there are also christmas markets, some of which stay open past the new year. it’s the city of lights and the city of love: the perfect place to spend a winter holiday.
lake baikal, siberia
extreme winterers might be interested in lake baikal. temperatures drop to forty below zero, but you can still participate in adventure sports like ice diving, snowmobiling, or dogsledding. many people in the area don’t speak english, so it’s recommended that you hire an english speaking guide for your days out, or go through a tour company like baikal explorer. you can fly into irkustk on a regularly scheduled flight, or you can take the trans-siberian train. can you guess which one i’ll take?
munich, germany
the oktoberfest crowds are finally gone, the city sparkles in the dusky evenings, and the christmas markets are in full swing. munich’s allure is the traditional bavarian christmas, although some nearby towns have more picturesque markets (most markets have the same items… it’s the setting that changes.) take a day and head to neuschwanstein castle – a fairy tale setting. after you sate yourself in the marienplatz market, spend time in the englischer garten, especially if there’s snow, and make sure to visit the frauenkirche.
italy
i spent eleven days in italy last winter, and it was one of my most favourite vacations. the weather was still great (except for a few rainy days in florence,) there were way less people than the summertime, and there was still a lot to do. we spent a few days in rome before traveling via high-speed train to florence, spent a week there and went to siena for a day trip. italy at christmas was really special. if you’ve ever spent a few hours in line to see the sistine chapel or the david, you may want to consider a winter trip to italy: we got right in with no lines, and the chapel was almost empty.
st. petersburg, russia
frozen canals, glittering in the winter sun, and dark nights with shining stars and northern lights? does that sound ideal? then you will absolutely love st petersburg, russia, in the winter. ok, it’s literally freezing – as a median temperature – but it’s a magical atmosphere. markets start in late november/early december and run through the new year. tour the hermitage galleries (the winter palace), stop into the church on the spilled blood and st isaac’s cathedral, and book a showing of the faberge eggs at the faberge museum.
telluride, colorado
anyone who’s spent time in the ski resorts of colorado knows that they get busier and busier each year. telluride – in the southwestern corner of the state – is so far removed from the resorts that are just outside denver that it’s almost a winter oasis. from ice climbing to ghost towns and from unparalleled ski slopes to dog sledding through the canyon, telluride should be on your winter destination list.
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