Winter travel in Europe
We’ve talked a fair amount about various warm winter destinations for your holiday but it’s interesting to also consider visiting some places in Europe during the off-season, because there are quite a few places on the continent which might surprise you.
First of all winter is pretty much the off-season in most of Europe, barring the countries where there are ski resorts and general snow and ice related activities, most of the continent can be considered to be in the off-season.
There are several advantages of traveling in the low-season, mostly because everything is cheaper, from accommodation to food, but there is also the fact that there are way less crowds to deal with, usually none, and you also get a different insight into the life of a particular location outside the high tourist season.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Viewed by many as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, there are several sights and attractions to be found here, regardless of what the weather is like. Talking of the weather, considering this is Scotland there will be days with cold winds and rain, but it comes with the territory of winter travel.
Strolling around the narrow cobbled streets of the ‘old town’ can give you a wonderful sense of walking through history, don’t forget to visit places like Greyfriar’s Kirk and of course the Edinburgh castle.
St. Anton, Austria
Some of the best winter destinations can be found in Austria, but these are exclusively for those who like to embrace the cold and who enjoy engaging in snow-related activities, like skiing or snowboarding.
Austria features over three-hundred and fifty such locations but St. Anton is one of the largest and is well-known for its great ski slopes, relaxation options and crazy night life.
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Returning for a bit to the idea of visiting a warm place, this island in the Canary Islands offers some of themildest weather around, with winter days being at a rather relatively comfortable 15 degrees Centigrade.
As you might imagine there are many activities that you can engage in while in Lanzarote but if you’re looking for a nice warm place to visit during this winter, this is another good choice.
Barcelona, Spain
The main idea behind visiting Barcelona during the colder months is that this will guarantee you the best possible experience because the tourist crowds thin considerably.
The entire city has a diffeernt vibe about it, it’s true that probably the clubs are not as crazy but you can rest assured that you’ll still find places where you can experience the night-life if that’s what you’re looking for. Otherwise the lower temperatures will allow you to explore much more of the city in more detail because during the summer, the city tends to get rather hot.
Budapest, Hungary
One way of fighting off the cold is to relax by soaking in some wonderful hot water, but we’re not talking about taking a bath here, we’re talking about enjoying soaking in a naturally hot water pool renown for its health-improving properties.
The capital of Hungary has many beautiful baths and a long tradition of both inside and outside public baths using local hot springs.
All of this being shrouded in culture and efervescent nightlife.
