What are the 11 best Winter city breaks Europe has to offer? Regardless of whether you’re looking for some top notch weekend breaks or to breakaway for a week or more, European city breaks are ready and waiting for you in the Winter months!
The city breaks Europe has are full to the brim with history, adventure, delightful gastronomy, breathtaking architecture and hidden moments waiting to be discovered. And with so many exciting destinations next door to each other, why not extend your European Winter for a couple of weeks? Cheap weekend getaways are possible at this time as you’ll be travelling off season.
An honorable mention to the picturesque Tallinn, Estonia
Is December a good time to visit Europe? Yes! Don’t let the cold put you off. Short breaks in Europe throughout Winter are particularly great for Christmas markets, special light shows, hot mulled wine and many winter sports. If you’re looking for last minute city breaks and a quick weekend away, here’s a list of my top 11 best city breaks in Europe for Winter time.
What are some great winter destinations in Europe? In no particular order, my top 12 Europe in Winter destinations are:
Read on to find out why!
Is it OK to travel to European countries in winter?
Absolutely! This is the time for Christmas markets, winter sports, magical light shows and delicious European Winter food.
With its rich historical past of Greek and Roman ruins, Athens in Greece is a great mini breaks choice. It has first class museums, a wonderful al fresco dining culture, friendly locals, buzzing nightlife, cheap prices and fantastic shopping too.
Athens has a strong bar and coffee culture particularly, so sit in one of the many watering holes the city has to offer, from trendy rooftop bars, cosy cafes and everything in between.
Check out the souvlaki shops for some succulent and cheap grilled meats and other delights stuffed in a freshly baked pitta too. Nom nom!
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
Being one of the most popular destinations in Europe, Athens is very well connected for your city escape.
Find the best routes and times to Athens here
Many budget airlines serve the city as well as ferries to other Greek Islands and cruises from various European cities. BA, Easyjet, Ryanair and Aegean Airlines are all good choices to get here.
Why not take one of your European weekend breaks in Bergen Norway? Sandwiched between breathtaking mountains and magical fjords, Bergen offers many stunning views and nature walks for your short getaway. Bergen is a city with plenty of character with its charming historical area of Bryggen. There’s many fairytale buildings, art galleries and museums too. Bergen is a perfect city break destination if you’re looking for outdoor adventures and cultural experiences combined!
Spend your winter break seeking epic views at the top of Løvstakken
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
Bergen is well connected via train to Oslo. There are also ferries connecting to Stavanger, Norway, and also services to Denmark.
Find the best routes and times to Bergen here
Many direct flights from European cities come here. BA, Norwegian Air and Ryannair are all good choices to fly with.
Looking for cheap city breaks in Winter? Porto is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most affordable city break destinations. Here you can enjoy fantastic food and drink without breaking the bank during your holiday weekend.
This historic mercantile city offers visitors many attractions such as awe inspiring ancient buildings from Baroque churches to medieval walls. There’s also quirky cobbled street neighbourhoods and beautiful beaches. Not bad at all for one of your cheap weekend breaks!
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
There’s a high speed train connecting Porto to Lisbon.
Find the best routes and times to Porto here
There are many low cost and regular flights from cities all over Europe. Porto’s main airport is Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport. Both budget and regular airlines fly there.
I recommend checking the best deals and routes on Skyscanner
Venice is truly a one of a kind city. Built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic sea, there’s nowhere in the world quite like it.
While it’s known for its main attractions such as St Mark’s Square and Basilica, Venice is a fantastic place to get lost in. Let the myriad of narrow alleyways and canals take you away from the touristy areas and see what you stumble upon.
Venice is a great city for art lovers, with galleries displaying both modern and classical artworks
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
The main airport is Venice Marco Polo airport which is nearby Treviso. Treviso is used by the budget airline Ryannair. BA and Easyjet will get you here.
Discover the best flight deals and routes on Skyscanner
Venice is also connected by high speed, regional and local trains.
Dating back to 1030, Brno is a city rich in historic architecture. It’s got a fantastic coffee culture and given that it’s a university town (there are 6 in total), it has a vibrant atmosphere. This means lots of affordable places to eat, drink and party the night away.
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
Fly directly to Brno-Tuřany airport or take a flight to neighbouring Prague or Vienna, then take the train the rest of the way. Ryanair will get you here!
Discover the best flight deals and routes on Skyscanner
Discover train and bus options to Brno here
Here’s 12 reasons why you should visit the Beskydy Mountains
With its romantic canals (which you can skate on if it’s chilly enough), fantastic art galleries and buzzing nightlife, Amsterdam is the perfect destination for a winter city break.
You might be thinking, isn’t it a bit cold and dark? Fear not as the city hosts the magical Amsterdam Light Festival, with lights adorning the canals and streets between November and January.
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
There is a direct London to Amsterdam Eurostar train. Trains also go from Paris to Amsterdam, Brussels to Amsterdam, Cologne to Amsterdam and several other routes. The main train station is Amsterdam Centraal station.
Find the best train times and prices with Omio here
Many flights serve Amsterdam daily from around Europe and beyond. KLM, BA and budget airlines are all good ones to check depending on your point of departure.
It goes without saying that Salzburg, the birth city of Mozart, is a mecca for classical music lovers. But this romantic city on the Salzach river at the foot of the Alps is wonderful for many other reasons!
The Old Town has fine medieval and baroque buildings and museums with its streets filled with buskers and classical performers.
The cafes have many delicious cakes and coffee and the city hosts over 4000 cultural events a year!
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
Salzburg is easily accessible from Vienna, London, Munich and many other European destinations by train, plane and bus. Salzburg’s airport leads directly to the city centre of Salzburg via bus and is incredibly well-connected to other destinations across Europe.
With influences from the Moors, the Ancient Greeks, the Romans and the Normans to name a few, Palermo is a very exciting place to be! Palermo’s people, food, customs and architecture are a true melting pot of cultures and traditions.
Being the cultural centre of Sicily, there are historic treasures galore; from ancient artefacts to art deco buildings, fantastic food markets and Italy’s largest botanical gardens, which includes a Winter Garden yay!
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
Palermo is well connected by domestic flights to and European flights. BA, Ryanair and Easyjet will get you here.
Find the best flight for you with Skyscanner here
You can also get a train from between Palermo and other Italian cities, such as Messina, Naples and Rome. Buses connect to other Sicilian cities such as Catania and Agrigento.
If you’re looking for a bargain city break, look no further than Sofia. From cheap accommodation and food, to free cycling and walking tours, and even free food tours, this is the destination for those on a budget!
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
There are train connections to Turkey, Romania and Serbia and you can also get a bus here from various European destinations.
Check train and bus prices to Sofia here
There’s plenty of flight routes too! Ryanair and Easyjet can get you here.
With its relatively warm and sunny climate, even in Winter, Seville is the perfect city break destination for those wanting to escape the colder, greyer, damper climes of northern Europe.
The cooler Winter climate is a great time to wander around the city on foot and admire the stunning Moorish architecture that characterises this city, without melting under the scorching Spanish sun of the Summer! Lines will be much shorter and prices a bit cheaper.
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
There are trains to Seville from Madrid and Barcelona, Granada and Cordoba. Buses are also very much available on these routes.
Check train and bus prices to Seville here
There are daily flights from many European cities. There are currently no direct flights from the US to Seville but United wants to launch a direct flight in 2020, possibly from Newark to Seville!
Edinburgh is one of my top best European city breaks, whatever season it is! I’ve visited twice now; once in Summer, once during the Edinburgh Festivals and my next goal is to experience Edinburgh during Hogmanay! From the 30th December to the 1st January, you can see in the New Year within what is arguably the World’s best street party!
CC image courtesy of Erin Stevenson O’Connor on Flickr
There’s a torch procession, a really fun celidh (Scottish dance) happening under Edinburgh Castle and many other spectacles and activities to keep you entertained. The Scots certainly know how to have a good time. Why not bring in the New Year with the ultimate celebrators?
Apart from the particular Hogmanay activities listed above, these are my firm favourite things to do in Edinburgh:
Here are some of the top activities and tours to get up to here!
Here are the top 3 options for budget, midrange and luxury travellers.
You can easily get to Edinburgh from London, Manchester and many other cities throughout the UK via bus or train.
Find the best times and prices with Omio here
You can also fly to Edinburgh!
Are you yearning to spend the holidays gazing out at the Adriatic Sea in Italy or hiking to epic mountain peaks in Norway? Maybe you prefer the metropolises of Amsterdam and Brno or dream of castle hopping in Scotland and Austria. Regardless of the type of traveller that you are, there is magical winter destination in Europe waiting for you!
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These are 11 of the coziest destinations in Europe to spend your winter break but we have many more “bests” lists to inspire your travels.
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