While it's always nice to go on a hot holiday and soak in the sun, it isn't the only type of holiday you can have - especially in the winter, and especially over in Europe. The continent is home to some of the best 'cold' destinations from top to toe, and we're going to have a little chat about them today.
Some are obvious and others are a bit more 'unknown,' but regardless of their reputation, you should still go out of your way to investigate them and truly understand what it is that makes these locations so special in the eyes of travelers around the globe.
10 Reykjavik, Iceland
If there’s one place in Europe that you’d look at and think “yup, that’s gonna be cold” it would be Iceland. Despite being a relatively small island it’s still got a lot to offer the world, with Reykjavik being one of the most underrated cities we’ve ever been to.
With the Blue Lagoon being just down the road it certainly has its benefits in terms of transportation and getting around, and on top of that, it’s the kind of trip that would force you to put on about six layers for most of the day.
9 Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is fantastic all year long, but when you get the chance to experience Scotland’s greatest city in the kind of climate it was designed for, it really does make it all the more special.
If you’re really lucky then you’ll get to see it when it’s all snowed in, but even if that isn’t the case, there’s still such a charm behind Edinburgh and everything it has to offer. To call it romantic would be an understatement, and to call it mystical would be even more so. In short, you need to go here.
8 Prague, Czech Republic
It’s viewed as a fairly stereotypical getaway for a lot of Europeans, but there’s a reason for that: in fact, there are a few – it’s cheap, it’s beautiful, and the weather can be whatever you want it to be.
In saying that, we mean you tend to get what you would expect from a city like this depending on what time of the year you visit. Walking along the cobbled streets of Prague is great all the time, but in the winter months, it’s particularly cozy – and there’s plenty of cheap beer to warm you up.
7 Copenhagen, Denmark
We would certainly argue that Copenhagen is one of the most underrated cities for a cold, winter-like getaway, especially if you’re looking to jet off around the holidays. They live for seasonal celebrations over there, and in terms of safety, there aren’t all too many cities better than this one.
There’s patriotism and spirit within Copenhagen that is rare to find at other destinations around the world, to the point where you could be walking for hours on end and never get bored of seeing everything that Denmark has to offer.
6 Ljubljana, Slovenia
If you could make the perfect city out of Lego and then turn it into a destination that is actually real, we honestly believe it would resemble Ljubljana nine times out of ten.
When you think about and hear about the kind of quirky European places that non-Europeans love to go to, it really is shocking when this Slovenian beauty is left out of things. We enjoy the fact that it’s also a lot smaller than many of these other destinations, too, which makes it feel a little bit more personal.
5 Berlin, Germany
Christmas markets, anyone? Berlin is big and it makes no apologies for that, but if you can get over the sheer size of it all, you’ll soon discover that it is one of the cultural hubs of not just Europe – but the entire world.
From the food to the drink to the freezing cold temperatures in the wintertime, Berlin has something for everyone. It can be a bit intimidating at first, but that’s the case with a lot of cities like this. It’s just a case of embedding yourself into the lifestyle.
4 Lapland, Finland
We’ve all pictured what it would be like to discover that Santa Claus is real, and if you’ve ever felt like really exploring a place that gives you that kind of vibe, then we’d suggest heading over to Lapland.
It may cost an arm and a leg just to get there, but we’ve got a sneaking suspicion that it’d be more than worth the admission fee. They thrive off of the Christmas culture up there, to the point where everywhere you turn has a different themed tourist spot for you to explore.
3 Innsbruck, Austria
Known for being a popular winter sports destination, Innsbruck is one of the most naturally breathtaking places on the entire continent. The same thing could probably be said of Austria as a whole, in truth, but beyond all of that, we just think it’s a great place to go and forget about all of your problems.
You get the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime, regardless of whether or not you’re heading over there on your own, with your partner or with your family & friends. There’s so much variety, and that can only be a good thing when you’re jetting off on holiday.
2 Norwegian Fjords
As you gaze out onto the Norwegian Fjords it’s hard not to be completely awestruck by what you’re seeing before you. In our mind, when we picture such a scene, it always feels more ‘real’ in the wintertime, as if it’s more raw and natural.
The cold weather lingers for months and months on end, but it’s not even like you’d end up feeling it all that much when you visit. Why? Because you’ll be too busy taking in the sights to even care. Honestly, it’s pretty special over there.
1 Greenland
What’s one of the best things about traveling? The sense of the unknown. That’s the primary aspects of Greenland that we find so appealing because there’s so much of it that is rarely explored by travelers. It’s cold and wintery all year round, you won’t get disturbed, and there’s so much of it to investigate.
It may be harder to get to and a bit less convenient, but we don’t think those things should get in your way. Honestly, a trip to Greenland would be one of the best experiences you’ll ever have.