Winter Vacations For Foodies And Design Lovers & Trendsetters: Mexico Colombia And Peru
Central and South America is beginning to reopenand for foodies and design lovers who are hungry for stimulation, now is the perfect time to start planning your next winter vacation. Together, Mexico City, Lima and Bogotá are home to five of 2019s Worlds 50 Best Restaurantsand all but one are open for reservations, which would normally be quite difficult to get additionally, Indagare can arrange special-access tours of highlights like Mexico Citys Anthropology Museum . For a quieter escape that is no less exceptional when it comes to cuisine, crafts and boutique hotels, smaller towns like San Miguel de Allende, Cartagena and Cusco are ideal. If you are not ready to travel to urban areas, Mexicos mountain and beach regions are home to indulgent, spacious resorts where you can hide away for a week, like Rosewood Mayakoba, Hacienda de San Antonio, Cuixmala and One& Only Palmillawhile Colombias Andean coffee region provides a taste of adventure and culture, and Perus Sacred Valley offers plenty of outdoor activities and supremely comfortable lodges like Belmond Sanctuary Lodge and Sol y Luna.
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Lech Am Arlberg Austria
If we were to pick one of our favorite ski resort towns in Europe, it would be Lech Zurs Arlberg in Vorarlberg. Lech is exactly what you could want out of an Austrian ski holiday.
The village ambiance is tough to beat due to a wide selection of boutique hotels, all intimate in size due to strict ordinance laws. You wont find any mega hotels or foreign investment in this former farming village.
Its all distinctly Austrian, with restaurants, hotels, bars, chalets, and B& Bs run by local families. Everything in the village is modern and luxurious but understated so that you wont be completely gobsmacked here. This charm is what continues to draw regulars from around the world year after year.
Top Things To Do In Sibiu
- Visit or stay at the Ice Hotel
- Check out the spectacular Christmas lights on Nicolae Balcescu street and visit the Christmas market up until the first week of January
- Make a city walk of Sibiu town:
- St. Marys Cathedral
- Liars Bridge
- Council tower which offers great city views
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Sarajevo Bosnia And Herzegovina
Sarajevo, which is the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is one of the best winter destinations in Europe having lots of fun and beauty to offer for the visitors.
If you are an adventure addict and want to experience the best of snowboarding and skiing, these mountain valleys of Sarajevo are the perfect ones as well as the stunning ice skating rink in the city area near Zetra Olympic Complex.
Sarajevo also offers amazing lip-smacking Bosnian cuisines to the visitors and a series of coffee shops and organic tea stalls to have a comfortable winter Europe trip for the visitors. Sarajevo should be a must inclusion for every traveler while visiting Europe in winter.
Best Winter Destinations In Europe For Families
Where to spend winter in Europe with family? Our round-up of the Best Winter Destinations in Europe for families as recommended by travel experts includes all the must-see places in Europe in winter that you can add to your winter Europe itinerary.
WINTER a season that brings joy, love, and warmth a season that brings holidays a season that everyone celebrates Its the most beautiful time of the year.Some love to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, making a snowman, drinking a cup of coffee or hot chocolate while curling up by the fire or go Christmas market hopping or chase the Northern Lights while some love to escape the cold weather altogether for somewhere warmer Whatever you fancy, we have got you covered in our ultimate list of the best winter holiday destinations in Europe for families.
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And Now For The Beach In Canary Islands
Whether it is for the beach in January and February in the Canary Islands that depends on whether it is sunny or cloudy.
In the darkest days may be around 19 20°C.
This weather is great for outdoor activities, because is not hot or cold.
It is just perfect.
For the beach, however, may seem cool.
But if the weather is sunny it is around 23 24°C, which makes it great for the beach.
This is actually the only place in Europe where you can lounge on the sand and bathe in the sea in January.
The temperature of the ocean during this period varies in the range of 17 to 19°C.
It is influenced more by ocean currents than by season.
But the fact is that there are people who are more sensitive to weather and according to them temperatures are too low for the beach.
However, there is a decision.
The swimming pools on the Canary Islands are heated during the winter months.
So in all likelihood every visitor will be satisfied according to the temperatures.
Although there are not many people who would complain of local 19, 21 or 23°C when the temperatures of almost the entire continent are around and even below freezing.
Not to mention that in Europe, even if it is sunny, the January sun hardly could be felt, whereas here there is even a risk of burns!
Neuschwanstein Castle Fussen Germany
The Neuschwanstein castle is a must-see location no matter the time of year, but theres something even more magical about this castle in the winter! This is the castle that inspired the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland and its easy to see why.
You can visit the castle from Munich to Neuschwanstein for about $17 each way per person. However, there are only a few buses each week that will take you directly to Schwangau Neuschwanstein. Or book a day tour.
READ: Day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich and ways to get there
You can stay at the foot of the Neuschwanstein Castle for only $85- $140 a night at Romantic-Pension Albrecht on Booking.com! It comes with a free breakfast, but book as far in advance as you can as it gets filled up quickly!
From there you can easily walk to both castles : the Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein.
One downside about visiting in the winter is that the Marienbrucke bridge with the best viewpoint of the castle is closed. However, if you are feeling rebellious, you can still head up to the area and find a viewpoint of your own like we did!
If youd like to go inside the castle, you can book in advance online for 13. It must be at least 2 days in advance and they are known to sell out, so book early!
With any extra time, you can visit the Hohenschwangau castle and even hop over to Fussen which is an adorable town with its own castle as well!
CONTRIBUTED BY: Dayna Brockbank from Happily Ever Travels
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Gran Canaria Canary Islands
If you want to know more about the weather in the archipelago, you can read our article about the warmest Canary Island, but keep in mind that all the islands enjoy great weather and the differences are not huge, so you should choose in accordance with what you’d like to do and see during your time spent there.
The south of Gran Canaria is definitely hotter than the north, so if winter sun is what’s you’re after, you should look for accommodation around the areas of Maspalomas and Puerto Rico, instead of Las Palmas and the mountainous regions.
| Gran Canaria |
|---|
- Least rainy days:& February
- Most hours of sunshine per day:
Although the Canary Islands are the hottest place to visit in Europe in winter, you can still get the odd rainy days or even a few days of calima, a phenomenon where hot sand dust comes from the Sahara Desert and stays suspended in the air .
Depending on what activities you prefer during a holiday, you can look here and decide which Canary Island you should visit.
Top Things To Do In Bruges
- For history and architecture buffs there are plenty of visit worthy sites in town. The most famous ones are:
- The Church of our Lady
- The Belfry Tower on the Market Square
- The Basilica of the Holy Blood
- City Hall on Burg Square
- Take a look at the work of Belgian master painters in the Groeninge Museum.
- Learn more about the history of Diamonds in the Diamond museum.
- Visit Ten Wijngaerde the only preserved beguinage
- Explore Minnewater Park and Minnewater Lake
- Visit the port of Bruges: Zeebrugge
- In between the end of November and December: Wander around the Christmas market and skate on the ice rink
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Next Winter In Europe The 20 Best Christmas Destinations For 2021
Basel, Switzerland has been chosen as the Best 2021 European Christmas Destination 2021.
EBD
Forget 2020. Although, Covid or not, Christmas is here, the fun of fairs and markets is not with us this year and its impossible to ignore that, along with pine trees aromas, theres coronavirus in the air.
Better to look ahead to presumably happier times and start planning the next Christmas vacation.
In an effort to spread a message of hope and encouragement and to help travelers with their vacation planning for next year, the European Best Destination organization invited people from all over the world to vote for the Christmas markets of their dreams.
Over 100,000 travelers from 121 countries answered the question: Where would you like to spend Christmas in Europe in 2021, ?
Some 66% of the voters are located in Europe and 34% from other countries, mainly the U.S., Canada, Australia and China.
Most of the Christmas markets and other traditional celebrations in Europe were cancelled this year due to the epidemic, with disastrous effects for most of the people and organizations involved.
Isles Of Scilly United Kingdom
Located just off the coast of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly is the warmest place in England during winter. We actually stayed in Penzance in the winter and quite enjoyed the peacefulness and temperate climate of the area.
The North Atlantic Current keeps the islands warm throughout the winter months, making frost or snow extremely rare.
Visiting the Isles of Scilly is like taking a step back in time. Everything moves a little more slowly on these beautiful islands, as it should.
Average Daily Highs °
11°c 52°f 10°c 50°f 10°c 50°f 11°c 52°f
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Top Things To Do In Innsbruck
- Outdoor activities:
- Tobogganing: let your inner kid out and descend the slopes on a sled
- Bobsledding
- Paragliding
Belgium A Fairytale Destination For Families In Europe In Winter
Belgium is a very special place for our family as it is where it all started for us!
We lived in Belgium for over two years and we fell in love especially with the Christmas season there, which is festive and fun.
Some of the best places to visit in Belgium in the winter are the pretty town of Bruges and Gent.
These are ancient market towns with fantastic architecture that seems out of a fairytale, with turrets and pinnacles that make the buildings look as if they were made in marzipan!
Compact and family friendly, Bruges and Gent are wonderful also outside the festive season however, at Christmas they are a treat for kids as they host large Christmas markets with stalls, lights, ferry wheels and tons of kids friendly attractions that will brighten up the darkest of winter days.
You can find here > > > our favorite places to visit in Belgium with kids
Brussels is also worth visiting in winter as it has many fun museums and attractions for kids, including fun ones such as the chocolate museum and the museum of comics.
Not to be missed here are stunning Grand Place, Place Saint Cathrine and La Bourse, which dress up in festive markets, and Mini Europe, maybe the best kids attractions in Brussels, where they can see the whole of Europe in miniature version!
You can find here > > > our complete guide to visiting Brussels with kids
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Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber Germany
Considered one of the most photogenic Christmas destinations in Europe, Rothenburg is Christmas, Germany and medieval all rolled into one gorgeous parcel. It has to be one of the most romantic towns in Germany and especially beautiful in the winter, with a light dusting of snow. It will be busy here at this time of year though, book well in advance.
The Christmas market is legendary, even in Germany, home to the Christmas Market! Rothenburgs market has been taking place every year since the 15th century. Weve been to a fair few Christmas markets in Europe and this is one of our favourites, for the tradition and spectacle it provides and its picture perfect setting.
Make sure to visit the world famous Kathe Wohlfhart Christmas shop love it or hate it, you cant ignore this most distinctive of tourist attractions it when youre in Rothenburg!
Visit The Christmas Market In Cologne
The Cologne Cathedral visible as far away as neighboring Bonnis a must-visit on any Cologne or even European itinerary.
And its also the center of one of the largest Christmas markets in all of Germany.
An impressive gothic structure, the cathedral rivals many of its European counterparts and is actually the most visited tourist attraction in all of Germany.
It also has a more dubious claim to fame: it was one of the only large structures left standing in Cologne after the World War II bombing, as its said that Allied pilots used it as a landmark, rather than a target.
The Cologne Christmas market attracts visitors from nearby cities as well as international visitors, making it one of the best European winter holiday destinations.
Youll taste fragrant mulled wine, lebekuchen and find gorgeous handicrafts.
But the Cologne Christmas market also specializes in delicious local beer and more unique foodie fare.
Try the zimtbrezeln, a fusion between a cinnamon roll and a salty pretzel that will have your taste buds singing.
Spend a few hours walking around this market before you head into Cologne proper.
More lovely shops await you in the main streets of Hohe and Breite Strasse there.
Consider a river cruise in Cologne or a pub crawl, too. You can check prices and availability on all Cologne tours here.
And if youre headed towards Munich or Nuremberg next, be sure to visit the beautiful medieval town of Regensburg.
Lee | The Travel Scribes
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Winter In Europe: 22 Best Places To Go
Wondering where to enjoy winter in Europe? Just as Autumn in Europe is lovely, winter is also an incredible season to visit.
Central and Northern Europe are winter wonderlands. In southern Europe, brilliant sunshine lights up the turquoise Mediterranean Sea.
Glimpse the mystical Northern Lights. Go dog sledding. Or visit a Norwegian reindeer farm. With fewer crowds and cheap flights, the best of Europe awaits.
Heres some destination inspiration for enjoying Europe in winter in 2021:
Marrakesh And Taghazout Is That Europe
Fair enough: Morocco is located in Africa
but it is close to Spain and very easy and cheap to get to.
During the European winter, Marrakesh is still warm. The city is cheap and a paradise for the budget traveler.
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If you cannot stay in Marrakesh for longer than 1-2 days, well, there is always Taghazout and Essaouira. Essaouira is located right next to the beach. It is a tiny town, surrounded by thick walls. It is really beautiful to visit, very safe and great to wander and unwind. Other than Marrakesh which can be stressful.
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Tatra Mountains Slovakia / Poland
Chosen by Jiayi, Diary of a Nomad | follow on
One of the best winter destinations in Europe is the beautiful High Tatras mountain range, located at the border of Slovakia and Poland. Its highest peaks are found on the Slovak side, and its the perfect place to enjoy stunning winter wonderland sceneries without the crowds.
In fact, the High Tatras are still a hidden gem that dont receive too many tourists almost everyone who visits is from Slovakia, Hungary or Poland. The reason for this is unclear though this mountain resort is one of the dreamiest places in the world, with a large variety of things to offer to visitors!
To start off with, the High Tatras have a gorgeous selection of hiking trails. Some of the unmissable ones are Krivá Peak, Rysy Peak, and Kôprová Valley. Another great thing to do in this area is to take a walk around some of the stunning emerald lakes at the foot of the mountains. The best ones are trbské Pleso and Popradské Pleso.
You can also enjoy a relaxing massage at the Grand Hotel Kempinski, which offers spectacular mountain views from its spa centre! As you can imagine, the High Tatras are also a great place for skiing, and the largest ski slope is Tatranská Lomnica, which is 12 kilometres long.
So, if youre looking for a winter vacation thats both activity-packed and relaxing, look no further than the beautiful and quiet High Tatras mountains.