Our Picks: 10 Winter Cities That Guarantee a Warm Welcome

As a busy, blustery and sometimes bitter season, winter is not the typical time many of us imagine taking a break. It may be a period many of us want to go into hibernation, but braving the elements brings its own rewards in the stunning winter cities listed below.

Durham, UK

Beamish Living Museum/Visit County Durham

Offering numerous activities to intrigue any visitor, let the winter wonderland of Durham delight you this snowy season. For those who haven’t quite got their fix of retail therapy over Xmas, Durham City contains quaint cobbled streets lined with boutiques and high street shops. Families will love the Polar Express at Weardale Railway in the Durham Dales, and Beamish- The Living Museum of the North which is excellent for all ages with an inquisitive mind. Tickets for this immersive experience are valid for a full 12 months from the date of your first visit, making it perfect for return trips throughout the year. To escape the Christmas hustle and bustle head to one of the numerous surrounding areas offering peace and tranquility such as the Durham Heritage Coast, or the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Treat yourself to a warming tea or hot chocolate mid-walk at one of the tea shops or pubs scattered around the county.

• Seasonal Specialties: Mulled wine, or any hot drink after exploring the great outdoors!
• Activities: Outdoor ice skating at Beamish Museum operates every weekend until 1st March. The Weardale Railway also transforms into the Polar Express during November and December, offering a magical experience for children and adults alike.
• Events: Numerous events and exhibitions in Durham City and across the county around Xmas. The breathtaking countryside can be explored any time of year but looks particularly beautiful if it snows when you visit.
• Average Temp: 3-5° C in January.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Winter in the Danish capital offers visitors exciting Christmas experiences alongside unique traditions. As temperatures drop, the city radiates with the warming lights of its Christmas markets. One of the cosiest spots can be found at the Nyhavn waterfront district, offering numerous traditional Danish Christmas specialities. Throughout December on most Fridays and Saturdays groups of Danes celebrateJulefrokost, where they feast on a special Christmas lunch featuring a smorgasbord of treats and delicacies. Dine like a Dane and indulge in the tradition of dropping a whole almond in the serving of Risalamande rice pudding. The attendee who finds it wins a present!

• Seasonal Specialties: Gløgg (mulled wine) will keep you warm and is great for washing down æbleskiver. The name translates to “apple slices” although the cakes are actually made of pancake dough, shaped like balls and eaten with jam and powdered sugar.
• Activities: Open air ice skating. Lots of fun and keeps you warm! Frederiksberg ice rink has free entry– you only need to hire skates.
• Events: “Jul”, the Danish celebration of Christmas begins at the start of December with numerous activities taking place until 25th of the month.
• Average Temperature: Between 5 and -2° C

Schwangau, Germany

If your idea of a winter holiday is to get away from the city, Schwangau, a small village in the German Alps offers the perfect opportunity. Surrounded by snowy mountains, lakes and containing beautiful attractions such as the famous Schloss Neuschwanstein (which was the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle) or the artificial lake Forggensee, the area is ideal for sightseeing, hiking and skiing. The village lies at the end of the “Romantic Road Germany”, a well-known route with majestic and breathtaking scenery between several cities in the southern part of Germany. The castles in the area are always stunning, but even more so when snow-covered and lit by atmospheric lights.

• Seasonal Specialties: Rustic meals are typical for the whole region of Allgäu. Specialties include “Spätzle und Knödel” (boiled dough) mostly served with various types of meat, followed by a dessert of “Kaiserschmarrn” (sugared pancakes).
• Activities: There is a large, active ski resort here during the winter season which offers numerous ski and cross country slopes, as well as practice courses. Those just wanting to chill can take advantage of the spa and swimming pool here.
• Events: A huge firework show and music performance at Schloss Hohenschwangau for New Years celebrations.
• Average temperature: Around 3 and -5° C.

Hasselt, Belgium

If you like to grab a bargain in the January sales look no further than Hasselt. This beautiful, cosy city in Limburg, Belgium, is one of the country’s leading fashion hubs. With plenty of retail outlets to explore, the city becomes a shoppers paradise come January 3rd when the sales begin. If you still need convincing of the regions high class credentials, take into account it’s nickname, the ‘Capital of taste‘, and ponder the various highbrow restaurants and bars you can also enjoy during your stay. Nothing beats a good meal after a hard days shopping, which you can wash down with the local drink of Jenever. It comes in a variety of flavours, including very sweet ones such as chocolate or apple.

• Seasonal Specialties: Jenever! The one from Hasselt is described as very easy to drink.
• Activities: Visit the Jenever Museum, go shopping, and taste beautiful Belgian chocolate at Boon – The Chocolate Experience.
• Events: Winterland, a big christmas market with an ice skating rink and a big new years eve celebration.
• Average Temperature: Between 3 and -1° C.

Segovia, Spain

If your interests lie in history, the city of Segovia in Spain will not leave you disappointed. The aqueduct, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the best example of a Roman structure still standing in the country. The snow that often covers the landmark in winter only adds to its beauty. Exploring further, a few kilometers away you’ll find many beautiful landscapes such as Valsaín forest and Peñalara natural park. The city is also popular for the funniest tradition on our list, the Christmas Day Turkey Trot. In this quirky race the goal is for the contestants to get as far as possible on a chainless bicycle. The race is made up of a 550 metre route, with the winner receiving a turkey, second place getting a duck, and third, a chicken.

• Seasonal Specialties: Segovia is known throughout Spain for its Castilian style roast lamb or pork. Try some and you’ll soon see why it is famous.
• Activities: Segovia is located very close to the Sierra de Guadarrama which during winter offers 4 destinations to practice winter sports like skiing, cross-country skiing or snowboarding. The best is the La Pinilla featuring slopes for all levels.
• Event: The Winter Indie City (WIC) occurs intermittently throughout the winter, between the months of November until the arrival of the spring.
• Average temperature: Ranges between 9 and -5° C.

Verona, Italy

For something a little more low-key, head to the legendary city of Verona in Italy. Although it rarely snows here, a winter mist that settles on the city adds to the atmosphere and mystique. This ambiance combined with a peaceful quiet provided by reduced traffic measures allows Verona to feel world’s away from reality, which is pretty apt for the setting of one of Shakespeare’s most well know works:Romeo and Juliet. Visit Juliet’s balcony and rub her statue for good luck in the year ahead.
As a UNESCO Heritage Site, the city is perfect for sightseeing, or simply wandering through to lose yourself in the network of Medieval street that make up the Old Town, all decked out for Xmas. During the Christmas season, Verona also hosts the International Exhibition of Traditional Nativity Scenes, with more than 400 pieces from museums and private collections on display.

• Seasonal Specialties: The Nadalin Father of Pandoro are two typical cakes for Christmas time. Food of Verona is simple but tasty with a large use of wine, especially the local Valpolicella, a young and low alcohol wine. Many traditional dishes come from medieval times like the Pastissada de Caval (Horse hash).
• Activities: Along the river Verona you can find two parks – Adige Alto and Adige Basso – where it is possible to take tours by bike or horse to discover the flora and fauna of the river. Within 30 – 40 km of Verona visitors can enjoy natural thermal baths at Villa dei Cedri, perfect for staving off the winter chills.
• Events: Many events take place in December and January, including the usual New Years and Xmas celebrations. A more unusual happening is the BodyArt Winter Festival taking place late January. This spectacular event features great body painters presenting work on live models.
• Average Temperature: Between 8 and -2° C.

Les Deux Alpes, Isère, France

If you prefer to keep warm by getting active on a winter break, check out Les Deux Alpes in Isère, France. With 225km of ski tracks, this is one of the biggest resorts in the country. Built in the 50’s, this also makes it one of the oldest, and with the highest slope located on a glacier at 3600 meters high, Les Deux Alpes is – you guessed it – one of the highest slopes in the world. The highest point is so high, in fact, that much of the time spent on it you’re above clouds, offering a great view of adjoining mountains. For those who prefer the great indoors, there are numerous sheltered activities here too, along with beautiful restaurants, bars and clubs.

• Seasonal Specialties: You can find very good local saucisson (a kind of dry sausage) and Tome de Savoie (a well-known local cheese). If you are brave enough you can drink some génépi, a local drink made of a mountain flower and rubbing alcohol. It is supposed to make you feel warm and to make you feel hungry by cleansing your stomach.
• Activities: Skiing, zorbing, dog sledding, horse sledding, hiking, snowmobile riding, paragliding and ice skating are all available as outdoor pursuits. An avalanche simulator, cinema, bowling alley, spa and museum are among those activities found indoors.
• Events: Christmas markets and a night snow trail can be found here. A freestyle ski and snowboard competition also take place over winter.
• Average Temperature: Depends on the weather and the altitude but most of the time it’s under 0° C.

Sintra, Portugal

Though it may add to the overall wintery, festive feel, a colder climate is not to everyone’s tastes. For those that prefer dressing down to layering up, consider a winter break in Sintra; a small Portuguese, World Heritage town nestled in a forest and only a few miles from the sea. The area is pretty crowded in summer, but in the quieter winter months it offers the perfect opportunity to explore its great historical architecture and the spectacular Da Pena Palace, located in the National Park of Sintra-Cascais. Although it may be warmer here than in other winter destinations, the only people who brave the waves at nearby Praia Grande beach are surfers, with their wetsuits helping them hold up in the cold Atlantic. Whether you’re happy in a wetsuit or sightseeing on shore, you’re bound to enjoy the destination Lord Byron named the most beautiful city in the world.

• Seasonal Specialties: The famous Queijadas, which are sweets originating in Sintra. A traditional treat with over seven centuries of tradition, these unusual desserts are made with cheese, egg and flour.
• Activities: A day in the National Park Sintra-Cascais offers the perfect opportunity to discover the wealth of Sintra thoroughly. Due to its size, it is wise to hire bikes. The park is divided into two areas: the agricultural area, and the coastal region with beaches, cliffs and dunes.
• Events: The Continuandum Exhibition of Design takes place in the Museum of the Arts of Sintra on 13 and 14 January.
• Average Temp: +10° always.

Innsbruck, Austria

The capital of the Austrian State of Tirol is situated on the river Inn, in a valley between the Alps. Due to its location it will come as no surprise that Innsbruck is covered in snow every winter, and therefore boasts a long and famous tradition of winter sports. This includes having hosted the Olympic Wintergames 1964 and 1976, and continuing to hold various events every year.
If winter sports are not your cup of tea, the surrounding mountains are also extremely popular with hikers, many of whom name the Patscherkofel mountain is a must see destination. From there you get a fantastic view over the city and the valley as a whole. Every winter from end of January to February visitors can also enjoy various torchlit hikes through the forests and the area around the city.

• Seasonal Specialties: Tyrol is the home of a lot of hearty meals, like Kasspatzen (Noodles with Cheese), Speckknödel (dumplings with bacon) and Gröstl (potatoes with beef or pork and onions)
• Activity: You can find any kind of winter activity in Innsbruck and the surrounding area. For brave people ice climbing is offered in different locations, with several degrees of difficulty.
• Event: In January the Four Hills Tournament – a famous Skijumping Event – comes to Innsbruck, engulfing the whole city in competition and celebration.
• Average Temperature: Usually between -1° and -5° C in winter.

Delft, The Netherlands

With its beautiful canals and small picturesque bridges, Delft is even more stunning when covered in snow. Furthermore, when the canals freeze the locals all take to the ice, enjoying their Koek-en-Zopie(cookies and drinks) in between skating sessions. Once skating has tired you out it’s time to head indoors for a traditional Stamppot, a dish made from potatoes mashed with one or several other vegetables and bacon. The city overall is a young and vibrant place to visit, largely due to the university here.

• Seasonal Specialties: Delftware or Delft pottery. You can also visit the factories where they are made.
• Activity: Special winter tours are available here which give you a great, scenic view of the city.
• Event: An ice skating rink can be found here until 5th January. A lot of Christmas and New Year’s Eve concerts also take place.
• Average Temperature: Between 0 and 5° C