33 Best Places to Visit in Winter in 2026 and 2027

Snow Monkeys at Jigokudani, Nagano, Japan

Where a wild troop bathes in steam while the valley disappears under snow

Jigokudani means Hell’s Valley, a name earned by the steam vents and boiling springs that burst from its cliffs, yet for the Japanese macaques who live here it is the gentlest place in the mountains. In winter the troop gathers around a hot spring pool in the Yokoyu River valley, and the sight of a monkey with frost on its fur and its eyes half closed in the heat is the image that made Nagano famous across the world. The park, officially Jigokudani Yaen Koen, opened in 1964 and welcomes visitors every day of the year.

The approach is half the pleasure. From Kanbayashi Onsen you walk a forest trail of roughly 25 to 30 minutes that is often packed snow and ice, and macaques sometimes appear on the path before you reach the gate. Beyond the pool you can look across the river to Korakukan ryokan, where humans soak in their own hot spring, and the Jigokudani steam vent just before the entrance is a registered natural monument.

The wider valley rewards a slow stay. Shibu Onsen, a short ride away, is a lantern lit hot spring village known for its nine public bathhouses, and Nagano city offers Zenko ji temple on the way back. Plan on Shinshu soba, sweet apples, and oyaki, the stuffed dumplings of this region, taken warm from a street stall in Nagano or at a village shop near Yudanaka station, followed by a night in a ryokan with a hot spring bath and a dinner of mountain vegetables.

Beyond the monkeys, Nagano prefecture rewards a slow stay. Zenko ji temple in Nagano city is among the most visited in Japan and holds an early morning service that visitors may join, while Shiga Kogen, one of the largest ski areas in the country, lies close to Yudanaka. Obuse, a small town east of the valley, is known for its chestnut sweets, and a chestnut dessert with green tea is a gentle reward after a cold day.

Food here follows the cold. Try nozawana pickles, the leafy turnip greens of the region, with rice at breakfast, hot soba with tempura at a noodle shop near Nagano station, and sweet apple pastries from a bakery in the city. In Shibu Onsen, ryokan dinners serve mountain vegetables, river fish and local rice wine, and the steam drifts through the lanes after dark.

The park introduced dated online tickets from August 2026, so winter 2026 and 2027 is the first season under the new system. Book your date before you travel and wear shoes with real grip or add clip on spikes for the trail.

Sapporo and Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

Snow sculpted into towers, ramen steaming in the cold, powder that squeaks underfoot

Hokkaido is Japan’s winter heartland, and early February is when it puts on its finest show. The Sapporo Snow Festival is confirmed for 4 to 11 February 2027 across three sites, Odori Park for the giant snow sculptures lit after dark, Susukino for clear carved ice, and Tsudome for snow play with children. General entry to all three sites is free, which makes it one of the best value spectacles in winter Asia.

Close by, the canal town of Otaru glows with candles during its Snow Light Path, which usually runs the same week as the festival, so an evening trip by train is easy. For skiers the pull is Niseko, a name that has become shorthand for deep, dry powder snow, and Sapporo itself has smaller hills within a short ride of the city.

Eat your way through the cold. Sapporo is the home of miso ramen and soup curry, and the lamb grill called Genghis Khan arrives sizzling at the table. Taste fresh crab and uni at Nijo market in the morning, then the local lager in the red brick Sapporo Beer Garden, and save an evening in Otaru for sushi built around Hokkaido seafood.

Beyond Sapporo, Hokkaido stretches into frozen scenery. Furano and Biei have rolling white hills and pale blue ponds, Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa lets you watch penguins waddle across the snow in winter, and hot springs at Noboribetsu steam above the snow as a restful stop after the cold. Late winter drift ice cruises near Abashiri add one more reason to extend the trip.

The food is as large as the landscape. Taste Hokkaido butter corn and milk soft serve from market stalls, a bowl of seafood rice with salmon roe at Nijo market, and the famous cheesecakes sold along Otaru’s Sakaimachi street. Beer lovers should reserve an evening in Sapporo’s Susukino district, where izakaya serve grilled scallops, crab and local sake.

Festival week is the most expensive and most booked week of Sapporo’s year. Fix your dates early, book a cancellable room, and keep a day free in case snow slows the trains from New Chitose airport.

Tromsø, Norway, for the Northern Lights

A town above the Arctic Circle where the sky itself becomes the attraction

Tromsø is the most dependable address in Europe for watching the aurora, and winter is when the city leans into it completely. The northern lights season runs from late August to early April, and November to February offers the longest nights. From late November to mid January the sun stays below the horizon and the polar night paints the hours around noon in blue, pink and violet twilight.

Days are for the Arctic itself. Husky sledding, reindeer sleigh rides, and in the early winter months fjord cruises to look for whales are all on offer, while the cable car above town gives a view over the harbour and the Arctic Cathedral. In the evenings small group tours drive out of the city to find clear skies, because the aurora needs clear weather as much as darkness.

Warm up with the northern kitchen. Try reindeer stew, fresh king crab and the dried and salted cod that built this coast, then finish at Ølhallen, the old pub attached to the Mack brewery, for a pint of local beer in a room that has not changed in decades. Fish soup in a harbour side cafe is the simplest and best lunch in the cold.

Tromsø offers more than the lights. The Arctic Cathedral across the bridge glows blue at night, the Polar Museum tells the story of Arctic hunters and explorers, and the Polaria aquarium brings Arctic seals indoors on dark days. A walk across the bridge to the cathedral at twilight is one of the simplest and best free pleasures of the trip.

Local food tastes best in the cold. Try bidos, the reindeer stew served at Sami gatherings, and the open sandwiches of smoked salmon and shrimp sold in harbour cafes. The Mack brewery, founded in 1877, makes the beer served at Ølhallen, and a slice of cloudberry cake finishes a meal at most traditional restaurants.

Nobody can promise the lights. Stay at least three nights so cloudy evenings do not decide your trip, and dress in layers that you can wear standing still for two hours in a wind off the fjord.

Iceland: Reykjavik, the Golden Circle and the South Coast

Ice caves glowing blue, steaming lagoons and green ribbons across a long dark sky

Iceland packs the biggest set pieces of winter into a few hours of driving from Reykjavik. On the shortest day the sun rises around 11:22 and sets around 15:29, so you get a little over four hours of daylight, while early November still offers about eight. The dark is the point, because northern lights season peaks from December to March and the ice caves inside Vatnajökull glacier open only when the ice is stable, from around November to March.

The Golden Circle gathers Gullfoss waterfall, the Geysir geothermal area and Þingvellir National Park into one easy day, and in winter the falls freeze into pale sculptures. The South Coast adds Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and the black sand of Reynisfjara, and farther east the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon floats blocks of blue ice. Geothermal pools such as the Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon and Secret Lagoon are the perfect reward after a cold day.

Food here is built for the cold. Order kjötsúpa, the lamb and root vegetable soup, skyr with berries and a pylsur hot dog from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur in Reykjavik, then try rye bread baked in geothermal ground at Laugarvatn. Smoked lamb called hangikjöt is the traditional Christmas dish and appears on many December menus.

Reykjavik itself deserves a half day. The tower of Hallgrímskirkja church gives a view over colourful rooftops, the glass panels of Harpa concert hall glitter at the harbour, and the old harbour has cafes and whale watching tours that sometimes find dolphins and orcas in winter. A short drive south, the Reykjanes peninsula adds lava fields and steaming vents close to the airport.

For more local tastes, try plokkfiskur, a creamy mash of fish and potato, and the fresh Arctic char that appears on most menus. Skyr cakes and kleinur, the twisted Icelandic doughnuts, fill bakery windows, and the brave can try fermented shark with a shot of brennivín in a harbour restaurant.

Check safetravel.is and the road conditions map before every drive, rent a car equipped for winter and plan sightseeing between roughly 10:00 and 16:00. Three to four days is enough for the Golden Circle and the South Coast.

Abisko and Kiruna, Swedish Lapland

A national park with its own pocket of clear sky and a hotel carved from ice

Abisko National Park sits on the shore of Lake Torneträsk in Swedish Lapland, and it has a long reputation among aurora watchers for clearer skies than the mountains around it. In December the sun stays below the horizon for a few weeks, and the light that remains is a soft blue that suits the frozen lake and birch forest. Nights are long, cold and quiet, which is exactly what the northern lights need.

The Aurora Sky Station on Mount Nuolja is reached by chairlift and gives you a dark viewpoint above the treeline, with warm food and a heated lodge when you need it. By day you can ski or snowshoe along frozen trails, join a husky ride or walk across the lake ice with a guide. A short journey away, the ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi is rebuilt every winter from river ice and offers ice art, an ice bar and cold rooms for the brave.

The food is simple and warming. Try renskav, sautéed reindeer with mashed potato and lingonberries, Arctic char from the cold rivers and cloudberry desserts, then take a proper fika with a cinnamon bun and coffee at a mountain station cafe. Dinner at the lodges around Abisko and in Kiruna is where these dishes taste best after a day in the cold.

Daylight activities change with the weeks. In January a thin line of sun returns to the horizon, and skiers cross the frozen lake on marked tracks, while snowmobile and dog sled trips run across the open plain toward the Norwegian border. Cross country skiing on the Kungsleden trail gives a quiet taste of the mountains in winter.

Kiruna adds a human story. The town is being moved east because of the mine beneath it, and its landmark red wooden church, one of the largest wooden buildings in Sweden, now stands in the new town centre. In Jukkasjärvi, the village that holds the ICEHOTEL, Sami heritage is visible in craft shops and reindeer farm visits.

Abisko is remote and services are limited in the dark months, so book rooms, the Sky Station chairlift and meals ahead. Stay at least three nights so one cloudy evening does not decide your trip.

Fairbanks, Alaska, USA

Cold so clean it rings, and a hot spring lake under a green sky

Fairbanks sits at 64 degrees north in Alaska’s interior, directly beneath the aurora oval, and the aurora season runs from late August to late April. Activity is often strong from November to January, and winter is also when the cold becomes part of the adventure, with average temperatures of about minus 23°C to minus 12°C. March brings milder weather and longer days with the lights still dancing.

The classic trip is Chena Hot Springs Resort, about 60 miles northeast of town, where you soak in an outdoor spring at about 41°C while your hair freezes into icicles and then visit the Aurora Ice Museum. Murphy Dome, a free viewpoint above the city, is another place to wait for the sky to open. Dog mushing, ice fishing, snowmobiling and a stop at Santa Claus House in North Pole fill the days, and late winter often brings the World Ice Art Championships to town.

The cooking is Alaskan and filling. Try reindeer sausage, wild salmon and halibut, sourdough pancakes for breakfast and a local craft beer, and eat at the restaurant at Chena Hot Springs Resort after your soak. Hot drinks and thick soups become essential at these temperatures.

The town adds its own pleasures. The University of Alaska Museum of the North holds mammoth and gold rush exhibits, the Georgeson Botanical Garden sleeps quietly under snow and the university’s research station offers glimpses of musk ox. In the evening, a heated yurt or cabin near the lights makes the wait for the sky more comfortable.

Dine like an Alaskan. Reindeer chili, a bowl of salmon chowder and thick stews appear on local menus, and the sweet of the season is a slice of blueberry pie with whipped cream. North Pole, a short drive away, has candy cane lamp posts and Santa Claus House, which sells holiday gifts and mails letters with a North Pole postmark.

Winter lodging books up a year ahead and aurora tours often return around 4 am. Rent arctic gear locally if you do not own it, and expect lows near minus 25°C on the coldest nights.

Haines and the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, Alaska, USA

A river that refuses to freeze and thousands of eagles in the bare cottonwoods

Haines is the most dramatic wildlife spectacle on this list, and it begins in late October when the Chilkat River near town refuses to freeze. Upwelling water keeps a stretch of the river open while the rest of Alaska locks up, and a late run of chum and coho salmon draws somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000 bald eagles from across the north. They fill the cottonwoods in rows, so many that the bare branches look dressed in white blossoms.

The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve protects about 48,000 acres along the Chilkat, Kleheni and Tsirku rivers, and the main viewpoints sit along the Haines Highway between mile markers 18 and 21. The pullout at mile 19 has information displays and a short paved trail beside the river, and a longer riverside trail runs about two miles. Arrive after the light has climbed over the mountains, because the best light falls in late morning.

The Alaska Bald Eagle Festival runs from 6 to 8 November in 2026, with transport from Haines to the viewing areas, talks and photography sessions. The town itself is small and friendly, with the old army post of Fort Seward, a waterfront on the Lynn Canal and a handful of galleries and cafes that stay open in the cold. For the full month by month picture of where else to watch eagles, including the Skagit River in Washington and the Mississippi River in January, see our guide to the best places to see bald eagles in the USA.

Eat the coast. Smoked salmon, halibut and Dungeness crab appear on local menus, and the town’s craft brewery pours a pint after a cold morning on the river. A bowl of hot chowder at a cafe on Main Street is the simplest and best lunch after standing beside the water.

Haines is reached by small plane from Juneau, by ferry from Juneau or Skagway, or by road through Canada, so build slack into the plan because winter weather delays all three. Rooms fill up for the festival, so book months ahead.

Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Santa’s own doorstep on the Arctic Circle, wrapped in frost and woodsmoke

Rovaniemi is the gateway to Finnish Lapland, and it wears Christmas better than any city on earth. Santa Claus Village straddles the Arctic Circle line, and a walk across it with children in snowsuits is the memory most families bring home. Beyond the village the town offers reindeer farm visits, husky safaris through silent pine forest and snowmobile trails over frozen rivers.

Lapland is also a place for stillness. Glass roofed cabins and igloo style rooms let you lie in bed and wait for the aurora, and a traditional wood heated sauna followed by a roll in the snow is a Finnish winter ritual you can try in almost every lodge. Arktikum museum in town explains the culture and wildlife of the far north in a warm, light filled building.

The food is honest and hearty. Try poronkäristys, sautéed reindeer served with mashed potato and lingonberries, creamy salmon soup called lohikeitto, and leipäjuusto, the squeaky Lapland bread cheese eaten warm with cloudberry jam. Many cafes and restaurants in the town centre serve these dishes, and a fire lit lodge near the village is the best place to taste them after a day in the cold.

The Arctic Circle region offers more than Santa. Ranua Wildlife Park, about an hour south of town, keeps polar bears, lynx and wolverines in snowy enclosures, and Arktikum’s exhibits explain the Sami people and the northern lights. Ounasvaara hill, on the edge of Rovaniemi, has ski slopes and a lookout where you can watch the aurora with locals.

Local flavours are warming. Try hot lingonberry juice from a stall at Santa Claus Village, warm blueberry pie with vanilla cream at a lodge and strong coffee with a cinnamon bun in a town cafe. Many lodges also offer a fire lit evening with grilled salmon cooked on a plank beside the flames.

December is the premium month and the most crowded. If Santa is not the point of your trip, January and February give you the same snow and aurora for less money.

The Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Cog railways climbing into the clouds and the Matterhorn burning pink at dawn

Switzerland packs a winter fairy tale into trains that actually run on time. Zermatt is car free and sits beneath the Matterhorn, whose pyramid catches first light in a flush of pink, while Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland offer cliffs, frozen waterfalls and the cog railway toward Jungfraujoch. In the east, the Glacier Express rolls over viaducts and through tunnels on one of the great railway journeys of the world.

You do not need to ski to enjoy it. Winter walking trails are groomed and signposted, sledging runs are lit at night in several villages, and thermal baths and lakeside Christmas markets in Zurich and Montreux fill the days when the weather turns. Swiss rail and mountain lift passes can save real money if you plan three or more days of movement.

Come hungry. Raclette is scraped hot from a half wheel of cheese over potatoes, fondue arrives bubbling in a pot, and rösti turns up crisp beside almost everything. Taste them in mountain huts and village restaurants in Zermatt and Grindelwald, and end with hot chocolate that tastes of real chocolate and not powder.

Beyond the headline resorts, Switzerland’s smaller towns charm in winter. Lucerne has a lake lit at Christmas and a covered wooden bridge, Bern has arcaded lanes and a Christmas market near the Parliament, and Montreux holds a lakeshore market with the Alps behind it. Train travel between them is simple, and a Swiss rail pass covers most routes.

Taste the Alps in every village. Try Walliser raclette in Zermatt, Bündner nusstorte, a rich walnut and caramel tart from Graubünden, and a mug of Swiss hot chocolate in every cafe. A fondue dinner at a mountain hut followed by a night sledge ride is among the great winter evenings in Europe.

Check the live webcams before you buy a ticket up to Jungfraujoch. A cloudy day at the summit is an expensive white wall, and mornings often clear later than the forecast suggests.

Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Turquoise lakes locked in ice and the Rockies standing over a town built for winter

Banff is a small town inside a vast national park, and in winter the Canadian Rockies feel enormous. Lake Louise freezes into a skating rink with the Victoria Glacier at its head, and when conditions allow, an ice sculpture festival lines the shore in late January. The Banff Gondola lifts you to the top of Sulphur Mountain for a view of the whole valley.

Active travellers have plenty to do. Johnston Canyon becomes a frozen gorge where you can walk on the ice, the Banff Upper Hot Springs let you soak in steaming water while snow falls, and ski areas around Banff and Lake Louise cater to every level. Wildlife such as elk is common near the roads, so a slow drive pays off.

Eat like the mountains. Look for bison and elk dishes, Alberta beef, a plate of poutine after a cold day, and the fried pastry called a BeaverTail with cinnamon sugar from a stand on Banff Avenue. A big mug of hot chocolate in a lodge by the fire completes the picture.

The park extends far beyond town. Lake Minnewanka offers winter walks and ice fishing, Canmore to the east has a Nordic centre for cross country skiing and snowshoe trails, and Yoho and Kootenay national parks in British Columbia add frozen waterfalls and the Radium hot springs. The Icefields Parkway, when it is open, is one of the great winter drives in North America.

Warm up on local flavour. Try Alberta beef at a downtown steakhouse, an elk burger on Banff Avenue and craft beer from a local brewery. A cup of hot chocolate with a cinnamon roll from a Lake Louise bakery makes a satisfying break between skating sessions.

Moraine Lake road is closed in winter, so do not plan around it. A park pass is required, winter tyres are essential if you drive, and the Icefields Parkway can close with little warning.

Nuremberg Christmas Market, Bavaria, Germany

Gingerbread, mulled wine and a Christkind who opens the season from a church balcony

Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is among the oldest and best known Christmas markets in the world, and its red and white striped stalls fill the Hauptmarkt below the Frauenkirche every year from late November. The 2026 market runs from 27 November to 24 December, and the opening ceremony on the first evening, when the Christkind speaks from the church balcony, is the best moment of all. The craft rules are strict, so what you see on the stalls is mostly handmade.

Beyond the market the old town is easy to cover on foot. Climb to the Kaiserburg imperial castle for a rooftop view, visit the Albrecht Dürer House, and walk the lanes along the Pegnitz river where timber framed houses lean in the cold. Day trips to Bamberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber add a medieval chapter to the same Bavarian trip.

The edible list is short and serious. Order Nuremberg bratwurst, finger sized sausages served three in a bun, with a mug of hot Glühwein, then buy a box of Lebkuchen, the soft spiced gingerbread that the city is known for, from a stall on the square. Prune figurines called Zwetschgenmännle are the quirky souvenir.

The city also tells hard history. The Documentation Centre at the former Nazi Party rally grounds explains how propaganda shaped Germany, and the Palace of Justice where the Nuremberg trials were held opens to visitors on selected days when no court is sitting. The Germanisches Nationalmuseum, with its huge collection of German art, is a warm refuge on a freezing afternoon.

Food has other local stars. Try Schäufele, roast pork shoulder with crackling and a potato dumpling, at a traditional Franconian inn, and sample Franconian wine from the stubby bottle called a Bocksbeutel. At the market itself, craftspeople sell nativity carvings, hand painted baubles and wooden toys.

Mugs carry a small deposit, so return one for a refund or keep it as a souvenir. Weekends and evenings are crowded, so walk the market on a weekday morning.

Vienna Christmas Markets and Imperial Winter, Austria

Palace courtyards lit with lanterns, punch steaming in your hands and a waltz in every season

Vienna dresses for Christmas like a palace expecting guests. The big Rathausplatz market in front of City Hall opens in mid November and runs to 26 December, while the Schönbrunn Palace market continues into early January, so even a trip after Christmas can still find lights. Dates differ a little between listings, so check the city website before you book.

The imperial city is easy to enjoy on foot and by tram. Visit Schönbrunn Palace and its gardens, the Belvedere with its Klimt paintings, the Hofburg and St Stephen’s Cathedral, then book a night at the State Opera or a classical concert. Winter is also coffeehouse season, and an afternoon with a newspaper at Café Central or Café Sacher is a Viennese tradition.

The menu is rich and sweet. Order Wiener schnitzel at Figlmüller, Apfelstrudel and Kaiserschmarrn in a cafe, a slice of Sachertorte and hot Punsch or Glühwein at the market, and roasted chestnuts from street vendors. The Naschmarkt is the place for cheese, olives and bakery snacks.

Vienna’s other winter pleasures include classical music at the Musikverein, ice skating at the City Hall rink in season and an evening in the standing room section of the State Opera, which costs only a few euros. The Kunsthistorisches Museum is a warm refuge for art lovers on a freezing day.

For more bites, try Tafelspitz, boiled beef with horseradish, at a classic Beisl restaurant, Käsekrainer sausages from a street stand late at night and roasted chestnuts called Maroni from the vendors beside the markets. Coffeehouses serve melange, a milky coffee, with warm apple strudel.

Most shops close on Sundays and public holidays, so plan shopping for Saturdays. Market mugs carry a small deposit, and concert tickets for New Year sell out months ahead.

Strasbourg, Alsace, France, the Capital of Christmas

Half timbered lanes, a cathedral glowing in the lamplight and a market that smells of cinnamon

Strasbourg calls itself the Capital of Christmas and has earned the title. Its market, known locally as the Christkindelsmärik, spreads across the old town with more than 300 wooden chalets around Place Kléber, Place Broglie and the cathedral. The 2026 market runs from late November to Christmas week, and listings differ by a day or two, so confirm the exact dates.

The market is only part of the pleasure. Notre Dame Cathedral, with its astronomical clock, towers over the lanes, the half timbered houses of Petite France reflect in the canals and a boat tour on the Ill gives you a slow view of the old city. Colmar and the wine villages of the Alsace route, such as Riquewihr and Eguisheim, make easy day trips.

Alsace cooking is hearty and perfect for the cold. Order tarte flambée, a crisp thin pizza with cream and bacon, choucroute garnie with sausages and bredele Christmas biscuits, then warm your hands with vin chaud or a glass of Gewurztraminer. Traditional taverns called winstubs, especially around Petite France, are the best places to try them.

Strasbourg is also a European capital. The European Parliament sits across the river and the Orangerie park beside it is quiet in winter, while the Museum of Modern Art shows French and German artists. Day trips to Colmar, with its canals and small Christmas market, and to castle villages on the Alsace wine route are easy by train.

Add a few Alsatian specialities to the list. Try baeckeoffe, a slow baked casserole of meat and potatoes, Munster cheese with cumin and kougelhopf, a ring shaped yeast cake. Mulled wine at the market is served in a souvenir mug that changes every year, and many visitors collect them.

Weekend evenings are crowded, so visit on weekday afternoons and book winstub tables in advance. Opening day often begins in the afternoon rather than the morning.

Colorado Rockies: Aspen, Vail and Breckenridge, USA

Dry powder, blue sky and a mountain town on every pass

Colorado is America’s ski heartland, and the season usually runs from late November to April. Vail and Breckenridge deliver big terrain about two hours from Denver, Aspen blends four mountains with a polished old mining town, and Steamboat and Telluride add a quieter character. Dry powder, bright sun and wide groomed runs make it one of the most dependable ski regions in North America.

Non skiers are well looked after. Soak in the hot springs of Glenwood Springs, snowshoe through quiet forests, ride a snowmobile or sleigh, and wander the lit streets of Breckenridge or Aspen’s historic centre. Après ski culture is a big part of the visit, with fire pits, fondue and hot chocolate at slope side lodges.

Eat like a mountain town. Try elk or bison burgers, green chile smothering a breakfast burrito, Colorado craft beers and a hot toddy by the fire, and pick up a bottle at Breckenridge Distillery. Mountain lodges and village restaurants serve hearty stews, steaks and trout after long days on the slopes.

Beyond the big resorts, Colorado’s small towns shine in winter. Steamboat Springs has a hot spring pool and a cowboy character, Telluride is a box canyon town reached by a free gondola and Crested Butte is a favourite for steep skiing and a genuine mining town feel. Dog sled rides and fat bike trails add variety to a week on snow.

Taste the high country. Rocky Mountain trout, bison chili and green chile smothered burritos fill many menus, and après ski spots serve warm pretzels with beer cheese. Colorado also makes strong craft whiskey, and tasting rooms in Aspen and Breckenridge offer small flights.

Rail fans can continue the journey by train. Our guide to the best scenic train rides in the USA shows how a slow winter ride can become the highlight of a trip.

Weekend traffic on Interstate 70 can turn a two hour drive into five, and traction rules can apply in snow. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in mid January and Presidents Day weekend in mid February are the busiest, so book early or go midweek.

Park City and Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, USA

Light, dry snow and a runway thirty minutes from the lift

Utah’s resorts are famous for light, dry powder and for how close they sit to a major airport. Park City, Deer Valley and Canyons Village connect lively streets to large ski areas, while Alta and Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon are known for deep storms and steep terrain. Alta is a skiers only mountain, so snowboarders should plan around that.

Off the slopes, Utah Olympic Park near Park City, a legacy of the 2002 Winter Games, offers bobsled and zip line experiences. Soak in the Homestead Crater at Midway, a geothermal pool inside a limestone dome, or head to Salt Lake City for Temple Square and the Great Salt Lake. Park City’s Main Street glows at night, with galleries, bars and restaurants in historic mining buildings.

Food is friendly and hearty. Try a Salt Lake City pastrami burger with fry sauce, hot chocolate by a fire and a plate of funeral potatoes at a family restaurant. Main Street in Park City has the widest range of cafes and dinner spots.

Beyond Park City, Snowbasin near Ogden hosted the 2002 Olympic downhill and still feels uncrowded, and Midway, a Swiss style village in the valley, is lovely under snow. Salt Lake City has the Natural History Museum of Utah and a lively food scene in its downtown, which makes the city a good base for a non skiing day.

Winter food in Utah is hearty and friendly. Try a Utah scone, a piece of deep fried dough served with honey butter, hot cocoa at a Main Street cafe and local craft spirits from a distillery in Park City. After a day on the slopes, a steaming bowl of green chile stew in a Main Street bar feels perfect.

Little Cottonwood Canyon closes for avalanche control and may require traction devices, so arrive early and carpool. Parking lots at Alta and Snowbird fill on powder days.

Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada

Two mountains, one village and a gondola strung across the sky

Whistler Blackcomb is among the largest ski areas in North America, with two huge mountains linked by the Peak 2 Peak gondola and a car free village at the base. The season typically runs from late November into April, with deep snow on the upper slopes and sometimes rain in the valley during warm spells. Skiers and snowboarders of every level find terrain here.

Off the slopes, the village is a pedestrian maze of restaurants and shops, and the Scandinave Spa offers hot baths and cold plunges in the forest. The drive from Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway passes Shannon Falls and the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish, while snowshoe tours, sleigh rides and ice skating fill the quieter hours.

Eat Canadian. Try poutine, maple glazed treats, BeaverTails pastry and craft beer from local breweries, then follow with a pot of hot chocolate in the village. In Vancouver, Granville Island Public Market is a fine place to eat before or after the drive.

Whistler’s side adventures include dog sledding and snowmobile tours, ice climbing and a quiet snowshoe walk to a frozen lake near the village. Lost Lake Park has groomed trails, and Olympic Plaza hosts an outdoor skating rink and winter festivals. Squamish, on the drive from Vancouver, is known for winter eagle viewing along the river near Brackendale.

Eat Whistler style. Try fondue at a village chalet, a bowl of hearty chowder with fresh bread and a Canadian breakfast with maple bacon, and drink local craft beer in the village. Vancouver adds Granville Island, Chinatown dim sum and a harbourfront walk before you fly home.

Winter tyres, marked with the mountain and snowflake symbol or M+S, are required on the Sea to Sky Highway from 1 October to 30 April. Valley rain can fall while the summit gets snow, so dress in waterproof layers.

The Maldives, Indian Ocean

Water in a hundred shades of blue and a horizon with nothing on it

The Maldives is a scatter of more than a thousand coral islands, and from December to April the dry season gives calm seas and some of the best underwater visibility of the year. Temperatures sit steadily around 29°C to 31°C, with a cooling ocean breeze that makes the afternoons easy. Resorts take one island each, but the local islands of the Malé region are now open to guesthouse stays that cost far less.

The house reef is the real attraction. Snorkelling straight off the beach brings reef sharks, turtles and rays, while South Ari Atoll is known for whale shark sightings and diving schools run boat dives for every level. Sandbank picnics, dolphin cruises at sunset and a night on a traditional dhoni fill the days that are not spent in a hammock.

Food on the local islands is a delight. Try mas huni, shredded smoked tuna mixed with coconut and onion and eaten with flatbread at breakfast, and garudhiya, a clear fish broth served with rice, lime and chilli. Tea shops on islands such as Maafushi serve hedhikaa, small fried snacks, in the late afternoon, and bodu beru drumming evenings are a lively cultural treat.

Beyond the resort, local islands show the real Maldives. Malé’s fish market sells tuna in the morning, the Hukuru Miskiy is a coral stone mosque from 1658 and Hulhumalé has a long walkable beach. On Maafushi and nearby islands you can join a sandbank trip, snorkel with turtles and eat lunch cooked by a local family.

More flavours are worth hunting down. Sample short eats like fish cutlets and bajiya, pastry parcels filled with tuna and onion, from a tea shop, drink fresh coconut water and finish with boakibaa, a baked coconut and rice cake. A lunch on a local island often includes tuna curry with roshi, a thin flatbread.

Seaplanes fly only in daylight, so a late arrival can mean a night in Malé or Hulhumalé before your resort. Alcohol is served only on resort islands, not on local guesthouse islands.

Phuket, Krabi and the Andaman Coast, Thailand

Limestone cliffs rising from jade water and night markets glowing with charcoal smoke

From November to March the Andaman coast is in its cool dry season, with temperatures around 27°C to 32°C and a steady blue sky. Phuket is the easy entry point, with beaches such as Kata and Nai Harn on the quieter south coast and a restored old town of colourful Sino Portuguese shophouses. Krabi, a short flight or drive away, offers Railay’s climbing cliffs and Koh Lanta’s slow beach villages.

Boats are the way to see the coast properly. Phang Nga Bay is a maze of limestone karsts and sea caves best explored by kayak, and island trips to the Phi Phi group or the quieter Hong islands bring clear water and white sand. The Gulf side islands such as Koh Samui can be wetter until December, so choose the Andaman coast for a guaranteed sunny start.

Come hungry to Phuket old town. Taste moo hong, braised pork belly in a sweet and peppery sauce, and mee hokkien noodles at a local shop on Thalang Road, then wander the Lard Yai Sunday market for dumplings and sweets. In Krabi, the weekend night market has grilled seafood and fresh coconut ice cream, and Thai curries such as massaman are on every menu.

Add inland and island variety to the coast. Khao Sok’s rainforest lake and limestone peaks are a few hours away, Koh Lanta’s Old Town has stilted sea gypsy houses and Koh Yao Noi offers quiet villages, rubber plantations and rice fields. Wat Chalong in Phuket and the Big Buddha viewpoint provide sunset views over the coast.

Taste the south, where the food is spicy. Try khua kling, a dry meat curry, and gaeng som, a sour fish curry, at a local restaurant in Krabi Town, plus roti with sweet milk from a street stall. In Phuket Old Town, dim sum for breakfast and coffee in a shophouse cafe is a local habit.

Late December to the end of January is peak season with the highest prices. Early December and the weeks after Chinese New Year give you the same weather with far fewer people.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Skyscrapers, spice souks and a desert that turns gold at the end of the day

Dubai is a summer furnace and a winter delight, and from November to March the temperatures are at their most comfortable, with January highs around 24°C. The city offers the Burj Khalifa observation decks, beach clubs along Jumeirah and an old Dubai that most visitors forget to see. Historic Al Fahidi lanes and the abra boats across the Creek are the real heartbeat of the city.

The desert is the best day out. Evening safaris roll over the dunes to a camp with falconry, henna and a barbecue under the stars, and day trips can take you to the mountains of Hatta or the Louvre in Abu Dhabi. Global Village, open in the cooler months, packs pavilions from dozens of countries into one huge fairground.

Eat your way across the Creek. Order a plate of shawarma in Deira, try machboos, the spiced rice and meat dish of the Emirates, and finish with luqaimat, sweet dumplings dipped in date syrup. Al Ustad Special Kebab in Bur Dubai is an old favourite for grills, and the Arabian Tea House in Al Fahidi serves karak chai and breakfast in a courtyard.

Add the contrasts to your plan. Al Seef along the Creek has restored old architecture and cafes, the Dubai Museum in Al Fahidi Fort tells the story of the pearl diving days, and the Gold Souk and Spice Souk fill Deira with colour and scent. For a modern view, the Dubai Fountain at the foot of the Burj Khalifa is a free evening show.

Dubai’s food spans the globe. Try balaleet, sweet vermicelli with eggs, for an Emirati breakfast at a traditional cafe, fresh seafood from the fish market in Deira and karak chai from a roadside stall for very little money. Friday brunch is a hotel ritual, and the city’s old Iranian bakeries sell warm flatbread each morning.

Hotel prices spike from mid December to early January and again during the Dubai Shopping Festival period. Visa rules depend on your passport, so check them well before booking.

Kerala and Goa, India

Backwaters that glide by in green silence and beaches where the sun sets slowly

December to February is the golden season in coastal India, with days around 30°C to 33°C and cooler, drier nights than the rest of the year. Kerala is the quiet one, where houseboats drift along the Alleppey backwaters, Fort Kochi’s lanes smell of spice and old wood, and the hills of Munnar turn cool and misty above the tea. Goa is the lively sister, with long beaches from Palolem in the south to Ashvem in the north and the Latin Quarter of Fontainhas in Panjim.

Fort Kochi hosts a big New Year carnival, and Goa’s churches at Old Goa are a UNESCO site worth a morning. Our South India guide and our post on the best places to visit in India in December will help you stitch a longer route together.

The food is the reason many people come back. In Kerala, sit down to a banana leaf sadya or have appam with vegetable stew, and eat karimeen pollichathu, pearl spot fish wrapped in leaf and fried, in a backwater toddy shop. In Goa, fish curry rice, pork vindaloo and bebinca layer cake are the classics, and fresh poi bread arrives warm from village bakeries every morning.

Choose your slice of the south. Fort Kochi has Chinese fishing nets, the Dutch Palace and the antique shops of Jew Town, Munnar has tea museums and a cool misty climate, and Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary offers boat rides and forest walks. In Goa, the Fontainhas quarter has painted Portuguese houses and the Anjuna flea market runs on Wednesdays in season.

Add more food to the checklist. Try Kerala porotta with beef or vegetable curry in Kochi, pazhampori, banana fritters, from an evening tea stall and a toddy shop lunch on the backwaters. In Goa, a fish thali at a beach shack in Palolem, soft pao bread from a village bakery and sweet dodol finish the picture.

Prices roughly double between Christmas and the first week of January, and houseboats book out early. Visit in November or February to enjoy the same sunshine at a gentler rate.

The Canary Islands, Spain

Spring weather floating in the Atlantic while the whole of Europe shivers

The Canary Islands are the closest guaranteed winter sun for Europeans, with Gran Canaria reaching about 20°C in the day and 13°C at night in January and six to seven hours of sunshine daily. Each island has its own character. Tenerife has the mighty Teide volcano that can carry snow at the summit, Gran Canaria has the Maspalomas dunes, Lanzarote has black volcanic landscapes and Fuerteventura has long white sand beaches.

Days can be as active as you like. Hike through the cloud forest and cliff villages around Masca, take the cable car up Teide, ride a boat to see pilot whales and dolphins off Tenerife’s southwest, or kitesurf at Corralejo. Evenings are cool and breezy, so pack a light jacket.

Eat Canarian. The classic is papas arrugadas, small salted potatoes served with spicy red and green mojo sauces, plus fresh grilled fish, gofio, a toasted grain flour used in stews, and a barraquito coffee layered with condensed milk and liqueur. In Tenerife, look for guachinches, small family run wine houses in the northern hills, for home cooking at very low prices.

Each island offers more than its beaches. Tenerife’s north has the UNESCO listed town of La Laguna and the Anaga forest trails, Gran Canaria has the Roque Nublo rock and the old quarter of Vegueta in Las Palmas, and Lanzarote has the volcanic art of César Manrique. Whale watching boats leave from Los Cristianos in Tenerife all year.

Add a few Canarian specialities. Try conejo en salmorejo, rabbit in a garlic marinade, almogrote cheese spread, honey rum called ron miel and the wine of Lanzarote’s volcanic vineyards at La Geria. A coffee stop in Tenerife’s mountain villages often ends with a barraquito, which suits the cool evenings.

The sea is cool for swimming and hotel pools may not be heated, so treat these islands as sunny walking and sightseeing breaks rather than tropical beach weeks.

Galle, Mirissa and Sri Lanka’s South Coast

A Dutch fort at sunset, blue whales offshore and trains winding through tea hills

From December to March the south and west coasts of Sri Lanka are in their dry season, with temperatures around 28°C to 31°C and calm, bright days. Galle Fort is the heart of it, a Dutch era walled town of cafes, boutiques and ramparts with a lighthouse, where the evening walk along the wall at sunset is a ritual. Nearby beaches such as Unawatuna, Weligama for surf lessons and Mirissa for whale watching fill the coast.

The dry season is also whale season, and Mirissa is one of the few places where blue whales are seen from a boat. Inland, the scenic train from Kandy to Ella climbs through tea country, and Yala National Park offers leopard safaris in the lowlands. It is a country where beach, wildlife and hill country sit within a day’s journey of each other.

Come hungry. Eat egg hoppers for breakfast, kottu roti chopped loudly on a hot griddle in the evening, and fish ambul thiyal, a sour and peppery curry. In Galle Fort, cafes serve crab curry and king coconut, and a slice of watalappan, a spiced coconut and jaggery custard, is the dessert of choice.

Look beyond the beach. Dambulla’s cave temples, Sigiriya’s rock fortress and the ancient capital of Polonnaruwa form the Cultural Triangle, and Nuwara Eliya’s tea hills feel like an English village on a cool morning. In Galle, the Dutch church, Maritime Museum and lighthouse form a short walking route inside the fort.

Add more tastes to the trip. Try rice and curry with several vegetable dishes, devilled prawns, string hoppers with coconut sambol and sweet kokis, crisp flower shaped biscuits. At Mirissa beach shacks, fresh grilled fish and lime arrive at sunset, and Galle Fort tea rooms serve kiribath, milk rice, with spicy lunu miris.

The east coast has its wet spell during these months, so stay west and south. Many nationalities need an electronic travel authorisation, which should be applied for online before departure.

Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast

Howler monkeys in the canopy at dawn and surf rolling in at dusk

Costa Rica’s dry season begins in December and the Pacific side turns warm and bright, with temperatures around 28°C and days made for the outdoors. Guanacaste has wide beaches such as Tamarindo and Playa Hermosa, while Manuel Antonio packs rainforest, monkeys and sloths against a white sand cove. Inland, Arenal volcano is surrounded by natural hot springs and Monteverde’s cloud forest brings hanging bridges and hummingbirds.

The wildlife list is long. You can spot toucans, scarlet macaws and caimans on river boats, and turtles nest on some beaches in the right months. Coffee harvest in the highlands runs through the early winter months, so farm tours are lively and the beans are fresh.

The food is simple and filling. Order a casado, a plate of rice, beans, plantain and meat, or gallo pinto with eggs at breakfast, and eat fresh ceviche on the coast. Small local eateries called sodas serve all of this at low prices, and tres leches cake and patacones, fried green plantain, are the usual extras.

Beyond the headline parks, Costa Rica has the Nicoya peninsula’s wild beaches, Santa Teresa’s surf and the Osa peninsula’s Corcovado, one of the most biodiverse places on earth reached by boat or small plane. Arenal’s hanging bridges and the La Fortuna waterfall are an easy day from the hot springs.

Add a few extra tastes. Try arroz con pollo, sopa negra, a soup of black beans and egg, fresh fruit smoothies and a coffee tasting at a farm in the Central Valley or Monteverde. Seafood on the Pacific beaches comes grilled with garlic, and a chorreada, a corn pancake, is a morning treat.

Sunset falls around 17:30, so plan your outdoor hours early. Parks such as Manuel Antonio close one day a week and cap daily entries, so check opening days before you build your route.

Florida Keys, the Everglades and the Gulf Coast, USA

A sun that still means it in January and sea breezes that ignore the calendar

Winter is the dry, golden season in Florida. Orlando averages around 21°C in January, Miami and the Keys reach the mid 20s by day, and the humidity that smothers the state in summer is gone. It is the best time to visit the Everglades, where cooler dry weather concentrates birds and alligators along the trails.

The Florida Keys are the great road trip, with the Overseas Highway running from Key Largo past Islamorada and Marathon to Key West and its sunset celebration. On the Gulf coast, Sanibel and Captiva are famous for shell collecting, and Clearwater and Siesta Key for white sand. Manatees gather in the warm springs around Crystal River from November to March, and Miami adds Art Deco South Beach and the murals of Wynwood.

Eat the coast. Order Key lime pie in the Keys, grouper sandwiches and conch fritters at beachside shacks and a Cuban sandwich with café cubano in Miami’s Little Havana, with Versailles on Calle Ocho as a classic stop. Stone crab season runs from mid October to early May, and Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami Beach is the famous place to try it.

Key West adds the Hemingway Home, the southernmost point marker and the sunset crowd at Mallory Square, while Dry Tortugas National Park is reached by ferry or seaplane for snorkelling around a Civil War fort. Kennedy Space Center on the east coast is a popular winter day trip from Orlando.

Add Florida flavours to the list. Try stone crab claws with mustard sauce, smoked fish dip, Cuban pastelitos with guava and café con leche from a walk up window in Little Havana. In the Keys, a conch fritter and a slice of Key lime pie on a stick are playful local treats.

Christmas to Easter is peak season, and Keys rooms book early. The sea is cool for swimming in January, so bring a light wetsuit if you want to snorkel. The Overseas Highway is one road, so a crash can cause long delays.

Maui, Oahu and the Big Island, Hawaii, USA

Humpbacks breaching beyond the lanai and the biggest waves of the year on the North Shore

Hawaii in winter is warm and alive, with Honolulu highs around 27°C and ocean temperatures near 24°C. It is also whale season, with humpback whales visiting the islands from about December to April and peaking from January to March. On Oahu’s North Shore, winter brings the biggest surf of the year, and watching the waves at Waimea Bay and the Banzai Pipeline is a spectacle.

Each island has its own character. Maui offers the Road to Hana, whale watching off Lahaina and Kaanapali and sunrise at Haleakalā, which requires an advance reservation. The Big Island has Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the snowy summit of Mauna Kea, while Oahu mixes Honolulu, Pearl Harbor and Waikiki’s beaches with the quieter windward coast.

Eat island style. Try fresh poke, a plate lunch with kalua pork, loco moco, shave ice and warm malasadas from Leonard’s Bakery in Honolulu, plus Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck on the North Shore for garlic shrimp. Kona coffee on the Big Island is a perfect take home gift.

Add the islands’ best moments to the plan. Oahu offers Hanauma Bay for snorkelling and the Diamond Head sunrise hike, both of which need reservations, while Maui has Molokini crater snorkel trips and the Big Island has the black sand beach at Punalu’u where green turtles rest. Kauai’s Na Pali coast is best seen by boat on a calm winter day.

Add Hawaiian flavours as well. Try açaí bowls, fresh pineapple from a Haleiwa fruit stand, shave ice at Matsumoto in Haleiwa, spam musubi from a convenience store and laulau with poi at a Hawaiian restaurant. A slice of lilikoi pie is the sweet to save for last.

Haleakalā sunrise needs a timed reservation booked well ahead. Winter swells make shore breaks dangerous on many beaches, so read the lifeguard signs. Windward coasts are wetter than the leeward sides in winter.

Chiricahua National Park and Southern Arizona, USA

Stone spires in clean winter light and a night sky heavy with stars

Southern Arizona is where winter feels like a gift. In the far southeastern corner of the state, Chiricahua National Park rises as a forest of rhyolite spires, balanced boulders and hoodoos in a Madrean sky island, and the cold, bright days of winter suit hiking far better than the heat of summer. Entry is free and the gate never closes, which makes it one of the least expensive winter trips in this guide.

Drive Bonita Canyon Scenic Drive, about eight miles of paved switchbacks, to Massai Point at 6,870 feet for sunrise, then walk the Echo Canyon Loop of about 3.3 miles through the Grottoes. Heart of Rocks, Sugarloaf Mountain and the old Faraway Ranch fill a second day, and ice can linger in the shaded slots of the trails, so wear shoes with real grip. Our full guide to the best things to do in Chiricahua National Park covers every trail, the Apache history and the stargazing in detail.

Evenings are the reward. Chiricahua became an International Dark Sky Park in 2021, and the Milky Way pours across the sky from Massai Point or the campground, so bring a red light headlamp and a warm jacket. Tucson, about two hours away, is the nearest big city, and its Sonoran hot dogs wrapped in bacon, carne asada tacos and prickly pear sweets are a very local way to begin or end the trip.

Stock up before you go, because the park has no gas, food or store, and the nearest supplies are in Willcox, about 36 miles away. Willcox’s tasting rooms pour wines from the surrounding vineyards, and the historic mining town of Bisbee makes a good extra day if you have time to spare.

Cell service is weak or absent, so download maps before you leave Willcox. Check Bonita Canyon Drive conditions in winter, because ice or snow can close it in hazardous weather.

Budapest, Hungary

Steam rising from thermal baths while the Danube glitters under cold lamplight

Budapest is made for winter. Temperatures hover around 0°C in January, the Danube is wide and grey, and the grand Parliament building glows gold at dusk. The city sits on natural hot springs, and an evening at Széchenyi baths, with its steaming outdoor pools set against yellow neo baroque walls, is the finest way to spend a freezing night.

Walk across the Chain Bridge to Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion, explore the Great Market Hall and wander the old Jewish quarter and its ruin bars, where Szimpla Kert is the original. Christmas markets on Vörösmarty tér usually run from mid November into the first days of January, and after that the city drops into a quieter and cheaper rhythm.

Hungarian food is built for the cold. Order goulash soup, paprika rich pörkölt stew and a plate of chicken paprikash with nokedli dumplings. Upstairs at the Great Market Hall sells lángos, deep fried dough with sour cream and cheese, and kürtőskalács, a chimney cake rolled in sugar, is the sweet to hold while you walk.

Add Budapest’s other districts. The Citadella lookout on Gellért Hill gives a free sunset view, Margaret Island has quiet paths and the Opera House and House of Terror line Andrássy Avenue. The Christmas fair at St Stephen’s Basilica has a nightly light show projected on the facade, and a guided tour of the Parliament building is the finest indoor hour in the city.

Add more food to the plan. Try töltött káposzta, stuffed cabbage, halászlé, a paprika fish soup, and Túró Rudi, a chocolate covered curd bar sold in every shop. Hungarian wine bars pour Tokaji aszú and Egri Bikavér, and the grand New York Café is the place for a slow coffee and a slice of cake.

Go to the baths on a weekday evening and buy tickets online to skip the line. Bring a swimsuit and flip flops, because not every bath provides them.

Prague, Czech Republic

Spires in the mist and a medieval square lit for Christmas

Prague is one of Europe’s best preserved capitals, and winter turns it into a postcard. The Old Town Square market for 2026 is scheduled from 28 November to 6 January 2027, one of the latest closing dates in Europe, so a trip after Christmas still finds the lights on. Highs in January sit near 2°C, with early sunsets that cast the Vltava in pink.

Start at the Astronomical Clock, walk across Charles Bridge at first light before the crowds arrive, and climb to Prague Castle for the view of the red roofs. Petřín Hill and the quiet Vyšehrad fortress are good for a slower afternoon, and the former Jewish Quarter is atmospheric in the cold. Day trips to Kutná Hora and Český Krumlov add a fairy tale side to the visit.

Czech food is hearty and cheap. Order svíčková, beef in a creamy root vegetable sauce with bread dumplings, and a hot mulled wine called svařák at the market, then wash it down with a Pilsner beer in a traditional pub such as a Lokál. Fried sausage from the stalls and warm pastries from a corner bakery keep you moving.

Add Prague’s quieter corners. Vyšehrad’s ramparts are peaceful in winter, Letná Park gives a view across the river and the Strahov Monastery library holds painted ceilings and old maps. The Lennon Wall, the Josefov synagogues and evening classical concerts in historic churches fill the dark hours.

Add a few Czech tastes. Try vepřo knedlo zelo, roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut, smažený sýr, fried cheese in a bun, and bramboráky, potato pancakes with garlic. A slice of medovník, a layered honey cake, is a good coffee companion, and Czech pubs pour Pilsner and dark lager.

After 6 January hotel prices fall sharply. Visit the major sights early in the morning or late in the evening to see them without the tour groups.

Lisbon, Portugal

Yellow trams on steep hills and custard tarts warm from the oven

Lisbon is the mildest of Europe’s capitals in winter, with highs around 15°C and an atmosphere that is slower and more local than in summer. The hills of Alfama, the wooden trams and the viewpoints over the Tagus river are all open to you without the queues. Rain does come, so build your days around a cafe, a museum and a viewpoint.

Belém is the great morning trip, with the Jerónimos Monastery and the Tower of Belém, and Sintra, a short train ride away, is at its most dreamy under winter mist. The Alfama district, LX Factory and the miradouros give you plenty of free pleasures, while fado evenings in small Alfama houses are best in the cold season.

Eat well for little. Pastéis de Belém, the custard tarts made since 1837, are worth the line, and a plate of bacalhau, salted cod, is the national dish. Warm caldo verde soup, a bifana pork sandwich at a counter and a glass of ginjinha, the sour cherry liqueur, complete the standard route, while Cervejaria Ramiro is a popular address for seafood.

Add Lisbon’s other highlights. The Fado Museum in Alfama explains the history of the music, São Jorge castle has a fine lookout, and Time Out Market at Cais do Sodré gathers many of the city’s kitchens under one roof. On a rainy day, the Oceanário at Parque das Nações is an excellent indoor stop, and Cascais with the cliffs of Cabo da Roca is an easy day trip.

Add more tastes. Try ginjinha at a tiny bar near Rossio, a tosta mista toasted sandwich for lunch and grilled sea bream with boiled potatoes. Pastéis de nata from the Manteigaria stall at Time Out Market, vinho verde and Douro reds round out a very good day.

The hills are steep and the cobbles slick in rain, so wear shoes with grip. Winter is the cheapest time of year for hotels, and many offer free cancellation.

Marrakech, Morocco

Rose coloured walls, mint tea steam and the Atlas Mountains white on the horizon

Winter is the easy season in Marrakech. Daytime highs sit around 18°C, the sun is bright without the fierce summer heat, and the Atlas Mountains behind the city are often capped with snow. The medina is a walkable maze, and the great square Jemaa el Fna comes alive each evening with food stalls, musicians and storytellers.

Visit Majorelle Garden in cobalt blue, the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs, then lose a morning in the souks buying lanterns, leather and spices. A hammam, a traditional steam bath, is a lovely way to warm up, and a day trip to Imlil or the Ouzoud waterfalls takes you into the mountains.

The food is rich and slow. Order a lamb tagine with prunes, harira soup to break a cold evening, and pastilla, a sweet and savoury pie of pigeon or chicken dusted with sugar. The stalls of Jemaa el Fna serve grills at night, while Café des Épices on the spice market square is a pleasant rooftop for mint tea and msemen pancakes.

Add Marrakech’s quieter pleasures. The Menara Gardens have olive groves with the Atlas Mountains behind them, Le Jardin Secret is a restored palace garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum stands beside Majorelle Garden. The Ben Youssef Medersa, an old Islamic college, is a masterpiece of carved cedar and zellige tile.

Add a few local dishes. Try tangia, the slow cooked lamb pot unique to Marrakech and traditionally cooked in the embers of a hammam furnace, sfenj doughnuts for breakfast and fresh orange juice from the stalls on Jemaa el Fna. Mint tea poured from a height is the ritual that closes every meal.

Nights in riads can be properly cold, and many have no central heating, so ask about heaters before you book. Agree taxi fares before you set off, and visa rules depend on your passport.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Cool mist over the Old Quarter and a bowl of pho in every doorway

Northern Vietnam has a real winter, with Hanoi settling at around 14°C to 20°C and a soft drizzle that makes the lakes and temples look painted. The Old Quarter’s 36 streets are best explored on foot, and Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature and the Hoa Lo prison museum are all easy to visit in cool weather. Train street cafes and weekend walking streets give the city its personality.

The countryside is close. Ninh Binh, with its limestone peaks and rice fields, is a day trip or an overnight stay, Ha Long Bay is calm and misty in winter, and Sapa in the far north can be cold enough for snow on the highest days. Take warm layers for these trips.

Hanoi is one of the great food cities. Start with pho at dawn, eat bun cha, grilled pork and noodles, at lunch, and try egg coffee, whisked yolk and condensed milk on top of strong coffee, at Cafe Giang. Cha ca, turmeric fish with dill, banh mi from a street cart and fresh spring rolls make a full food tour for a few dollars a day.

Add Hanoi’s calmer corners. The red bridge to Ngoc Son temple on Hoan Kiem Lake, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, a traditional water puppet show and Long Bien Bridge at sunrise show different sides of the city. An evening walk around West Lake is a local ritual, and Hoa Lo prison recalls the city’s colonial history.

Add more food to the day. Try bun rieu, a crab and tomato noodle soup, banh cuon, steamed rice rolls, and xoi, sticky rice with fried shallots, for breakfast. Bia hoi, fresh draught beer served on small plastic stools at Old Quarter corners, is a local pleasure that costs almost nothing.

Tet, the Lunar New Year, falls in early February 2027. Many shops close, transport sells out and prices climb, so either plan around it or visit in January. Many travellers need an e visa before arrival.

Khajuraho and Madhya Pradesh, India

Sandstone temples glowing in low winter sun and tiger forests waking in the mist

Central India is at its best from November to February, with days of about 23°C, crisp mornings and little crowd pressure outside the Christmas week. Khajuraho’s temples, built by the Chandela dynasty, are carved with dancers, musicians and gods in warm sandstone that glows in the late afternoon. Our Khajuraho guide and the post on the best places to visit in Madhya Pradesh map out the details.

The Western Group is the main site and needs an ASI ticket, while the Eastern and Southern Groups sit among quiet village lanes. Panna National Park, nearby, has tigers and a gorge landscape along the Ken river, and the Raneh Falls canyon is a striking nearby stop. The Khajuraho Dance Festival, usually held in February in front of the temples, is a rare chance to see classical dance in its ancient setting, so confirm the dates before booking.

Taste local. Breakfast is poha with jalebi from a morning stall, and lunch is a simple thali of dal, vegetables and fresh bread in a family run restaurant near the Western Group. Sweet shops in the main market sell fresh milk sweets and winter specials made with jaggery and sesame.

Add the area’s quieter sights. Raneh Falls canyon, Pandav Falls and the Ken Gharial Sanctuary lie within a day trip, while the Jain temples of the Eastern Group and the small archaeological museum show how rich the Chandela art was. Orchha, with its palaces and riverside chhatris, is the natural next stop to the northwest.

Add more tastes for winter. Chai in clay kulhad cups, hot samosas with green chutney and gajar halwa made from fresh winter carrots are good at village stalls. Dal bafla, baked wheat balls dunked in ghee and lentils, is a regional favourite found in restaurants around the Western Group.

Winter fog can delay flights and trains on this route, so build a spare day into your plan. Mornings are cold, so bring a warm layer that you can take off by noon.

Ooty and the Nilgiri Hills, India

Tea slopes in cold morning light and a blue toy train curling through the hills

Ooty in the Nilgiri Hills is the cool escape of South India, and winter is when the cold is real. Days are mild, but nights can drop to near freezing in December and January, which brings frost on the lawns. Our complete Ooty travel guide covers the sights in detail.

The Government Botanical Garden, Ooty Lake and the view from Doddabetta peak form the classic list. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO listed toy train, climbs through tunnels and tea country toward Coonoor, where Sim’s Park and the tea estates make a peaceful afternoon. The Pykara and Avalanche roads lead to lakes and forests that feel far from the town.

Bring home the local flavours. Ooty varkey, a flaky buttery biscuit, is the regional speciality, and home made chocolate shops line the main bazaar. Taste fresh Nilgiri tea at a plantation or in a town cafe, and try the hearty vegetable and millet dishes of the Badaga community at local eateries.

Add the hills around Ooty to your plan. The Government Rose Garden, Stone House, St Stephen’s Church and boating on Pykara lake fill a gentle day, while Coonoor’s Dolphin’s Nose viewpoint and Lamb’s Rock look across the plains. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is within reach for a winter safari.

Add a few Nilgiri tastes. Masala tea and hot vegetable bonda from a roadside stall, Nilgiri tea bought straight from a factory outlet, and home made chocolates and varkey biscuits from the main bazaar make good gifts. Coonoor’s small bakeries sell warm cakes and breads in the cool air.

Vehicles entering the Nilgiris currently need an e pass, so check the latest rules before you drive. Nights are cold, so pack a proper jacket and a woollen cap.