5 European cities that I loved visiting in winter
Winter season is upon us and 2019 is coming to an end. Time to start making some travel plans for 2020! If you’re anything like me, then your first trip of the year cannot happen fast enough. So why not plan a winter city trip?
Personally, I really love traveling in winter. I feel like you’ll really get to experience the ‘true vibe’ of a city in winter, without the crowds of high season. Also, depending on where you travel to, you might even escape the cold of your own hometown! So, without any further ado, here’s my top 5 of cities that I loved visiting in winter.
Athens
Ah Athens, the nostalgia. The city where I moved to in February 2014 as an exchange student. For me, Athens and winter will always be connected to each other. As soon as the days become dark and short, I start feeling this overwhelming longing for sweet Athina. So yes, I am very biased when it comes to Athens. I experienced this city during every season and I think every day of the year is a perfect day to travel to the home of the Akropolis. However, having traveled there twice in winter, I can genuinely confirm that Athens is a great choice for a winter city trip.
It might rain a day or two, but overall winter in Athens is a lot warmer and sunnier compared to most European countries. It feels like an early spring! And with no touristic activity on the islands, Athens also happens to be the most lively place in Greece during the winter months. Visit Athens during Christmas season for a magical display of lights and a fun market, or use the city as a starting point for a longer trip around the Greek mainland. You will be surprised how many gems this Mediterranean country has to offer in winter!
Go to my Athens archive for all my recommendations and personal stories. Or, check this blogpost out for more Greece winter travel inspiration:
6 places that prove that mainland Greece is a perfect winter destination
Budapest
I only visited Budapest once and it happened to be in winter, so I cannot tell if it gets better throughout the year. But I sure loved it and I wouldn’t doubt to book another trip to Budapest during the winter! I found it to be a very vibrant city, with lots of cultural and historic sights, a giant ice rink for some wintertime joy and a fun nightlife. I explored Budapest with the hop-on-hop-off bus and it also included a nighttime cruise over the Danube, which was absolutely magical!
I collected some Blazing Budapest insider tips, shared by a friend who lived there!
Luxembourg
The capital of Luxembourg is another city that I saw during all four seasons, and I have to admit that it looks the prettiest in fall. So why still add Luxembourg to this list of winter city trips? Well, two reasons: Christmas markets and snow!
The Christmas season in Luxembourg is called Winterlights Festival, and it features several Christmas markets, an ice rink and an enchanted forest. The market at Place de la Constitution is amongst the most beautiful Christmas markets that I’ve ever seen, with the mighty Petrusse Valley as a backdrop. However, if you cannot make it before Christmas, then I still recommend giving Luxembourg a try during winter. When covered in snow, that same Petrusse Valley will give you the feeling that you walked straight into Narnia.
Madrid
So apparently it does get quite chilly and cloudy in Madrid during winter. Guess I had a lot of luck then during my winter visit to Madrid, because there was no lack of sunshine and it was really pleasant to explore the city by foot. Not as hot as during the rest of the year, the mild temperatures still allowed for all the fun outdoor things: sipping sangria on a lively square, rowing a boat at Buen Retiro Park and enjoying the city views from a rooftop bar. Also, many of Madrid’s top attractions are indoors. So even when weather doesn’t help, I still like to think that you’re bound for a good time in Madrid.
Read more about my sunny wintertrip to Madrid in Discovering Madrid.
Porto
I doubted if I should add Porto to this list, as I’ve seen the best and the worse of its winter: sunny, springlike days where I felt like sipping cocktails all day, AND days with pouring rain when I also wanted cocktails but indoors. So yeah, if you like cocktails, definitely go to Porto in winter. Even more if you like red wine, since that’s their number one export product. Just go to Porto, whatever your drink of preference is, I’ll promise it be fun. The colorful, tile-decorated facades of Ribeira are waiting for you to cheer to them!
With Porto being one of my second homes, I shared all my tips and favorites in this blogpost:
Which of these five cities would you pick for a fun winter getaway?
Ayo! AR x
