Cold mornings, check. Historic architecture, check. French pastries and Italian pasta, check.
What’s missing? The crowds…
The offseason is the best time to visit Europe and pretend it is your own private playground. Whilst the famous cities of London and Paris never really loose the crowds, here are a few trade-offs I am sure you will fall in love that are (nearly) free from selfie stick attacks and queues long enough to be a flight time during the offseason.
Trade in Anything for Iceland
I am literally off the plane from Iceland and after my little travel rant last week I am excited to say that I did stand in Awe and have my ‘Holy Crap’ moment here!
The northern lights hid the whole time but seeing the country covered in snow, the incredible New Year celebrations, trekking glaciers, hunting waterfalls and snorkelling between two continents are some of the best travel moments you can have.
Trade in Venice for Cinque Terre
It’s no secret, I have a little love affair going on with Venice when the tourists leave, but Cinque Terre might have just taken the crown. The five villages that make up this rugged, colourful and nature filled destination on the Northern coast of Italy were practically empty in winter. An Italy top destination without any crowds? You bet! Read More: Cinque Terre
Trade in London for Edinburgh
A lot of people think the capital city of the UK is where it is at for New Year Eve… Wrong!
The Scottish capital of Edinburgh is pretty magical over the festive season, with its markets and old world charm over Christmas right through to its very unique festival celebration. Hogmanay, the unique New Years celebration stats on the 30th December and runs through to the 1st January. It’s three days of events, Vikings, fireworks and celebration – found out more information here.
(Ok, this one might not escape the crowds but trust me, the Scottish countryside will be tourist free to explore after the festivities!)
Trade in Amsterdam for Ljubljana
If you have a thing for Canals, coffee and quirky capital cities then skip out on Amsterdam this year and head to Ljubljana before everyone else does. Since I visited two years ago Slovenia has garnered a heap of online attention but trust me, Europe’s cutest capital city with its snow-covered mountains nearby is the ideal winter escape.Read More: Ljubljana
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Trade in Prague for Kutna Hora
I love Prague, but head an hour out-of-town and you can find the cobbled streets, grand architecture and the unique ‘Bone Church’ without anyone getting in your way.
Kutna Hora is an easy day trip out of the city, but book in for a few days and soak up the Bohemia beauty in the off-season without the need for a selfie stick battle on Charles Bridge.
Trade in Krakow for Gdansk
I have gotta admit, Krakow didn’t do much for me. It was snowy, charming and a drunk stag man threw up on my shoe… Fun times! Gdansk on the other hand, winner.
This pretty much empty city in Poland brings the treats, from the colourful architecture to the dirt cheap eats. You even have a beach resort (yep, Poland has one!) down the road in Sopot if you fancy some freezing cold sunbathing this winter.
Trade in Dubrovnik for Korcula
Dubrovnik, I wish I could say I had seen you but I mainly saw the back of someone’s head. The famous city is one hell of a tourist magnet but didn’t seem to have the space to fit everyone in. Korcula on the other hand, a bus and ferry ride away is an Island that stole my heart.
The clear waters of the Med, the buildings with their fading stonework, the laid back feel and awesome sunsets completely washed away the constant queues of its famous cousin across the water.
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Trade in Paris for Mont Saint Michel
The city of Romance is never known for being quiet no matter what time of year it is, but this Abbey Island enjoys its most peaceful time to visit during the winter months. The former converted Prison in Normandy receives over three million visitors a year so hitting it up outside of the summer means the small narrow streets and little creperies are much easier explored without having to shove your way to the perfect vantage point.Read More: Northern France
Brittany Ferries are also running a bargain £24pp offer between Northern France and the UK over the coming months.
Trade in Edinburgh for Luxembourg
I swear Luxembourg does not get the attention it deserves. I used to think of it as a sterile, business, financial haven but the ramparts, vistas and a multi-level split of the old town had me heading back for two February visits.
If they ever need a new location for a Harry Potter shoot then this needs to make the cut. It isn’t the cheapest place to visit in Europe for sure, but heading here before summer kicks in should save you a fair bit of dollar.Read More: Luxembourg City
Got any other ideas for great winter weekends in Europe?
Leave them in the comments below!
Pin it for your winter travel planning.
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Hey! I’m Dan and I am a little bit obsessed with exploring the world, meeting people on the road and can usually be found lost and attached to a camera. I’ve been lucky enough to visit 50+ countries and aim to share the best travel tips, stories and guides here on the blog. If you want to be kept up to date every month + get access to the latest deals and competitions sign up on the form just down there or feel free to stalk me a bit more if you need help planning a trip, click here to get in touch!
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Love this blog post. Gave me some great ideas for our next trip. Also the photography is stunning
Thank you so much Angela. Wheres next for you in Europe?
danflyingsolo 11th August 2016, 2:10 pm
the French Riviera is so stunning. I really want to just get a car and explore it all one Spring really slowly and with lots of amazing food so thanks for the tips 🙂 do you plan on visiting again sometime soon?
Hi Dan, I was planning on visiting the French Riviera again on my way to Italy, specifically Cinque Terre ;-) either spring of 2017 or summer. It truly is stunning has has so many AMAZING medieval villages on top of the hills facing the French Riviera and only about 20min from it!
Ahhh amazing! Cinque Terre is so beautiful and 100% go away from the main season! I’m hoping to get out France again for Spring too :)
Love this! There is still so many places in Europe that I haven’t seen, especially in winter. I’ve just been to Iceland and it has absolutely blown my mind. I definitely want to return and explore this stunning place in the winter though.
isn’t Iceland amazing! I would love to get back and see it in Summer as well :) Europe is one continent that is always full of surprises! Safe travels
I may be late to the party, but I just spent Dec 2015 through May in the south of France, Côté d’Azur and fell in-love with the area, specifically the village of Saint Paul de Vence with its many art galleries, restaurants, magical forest and gorgeous views of the French Riviera, not to mention the stunning blue sky. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the sky so blue, as when I was there and I live in Hawaii. It’s no wonder it was one of Piccaso’s favorite places to frequent. You may have visited already, but it’s only 20min from Nice, up in the mountains. Winter was beautiful there, but Spring is probably the best time to go. They even have a restaurant Picasso use to frequent, that has been passed down generations within the same family who’s original owners were friends of Picasso and the restaurant has some of his original paintings hanging from their walls. I’m looking to go back to visit next year. Made a lot of friends in that area and it now feels like another home for me.
the French Riviera is so stunning. I really want to just get a car and explore it all one Spring really slowly and with lots of amazing food so thanks for the tips :) do you plan on visiting again sometime soon?
I have to disagree in regards to Korcula. We were there in the off season (September) and while it was stunning, everything was closed. EVERYTHING. Korcula city was a ghost town and we ran out of things to do after our first day. Dubrovnik in the fall on the other hand, was amazing.
Oh wow! I was there in October the 2nd time and it wasn’t so bad, but it might have been school holidays so maybe that was why. And yeah, I just drove past Dubrovnik a few days ago and remember just how beautiful it was :)
Great suggestions – definitely agree with Iceland! I’ve been twice and still don’t think I’ve seen enough of it. Such a magical place!
I imagine the same, I would love to get back and see it in the opposite around summer time :)
Interesting picks! I did love Budapest, though I visited in July. :-) Visiting Krakow and Amsterdam in a few weeks, so will let you know on them!
I think I need to give Budapest another shot as everyone thinks I am crazy for not loving it… Have a great time in those two citities, they are awesome city trips too :)
Try Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. About an hour southish on the train from Prague. Small medieval town with an unusual bridge.
It is somewhere I really want to go and was meant to on my last visit but ended up visiting Karlov Vary instead… next time :)
This post was awesome. Just what I was looking for. My wife and I are wanting to plan a trip to EU, but we would like to do it while avoiding the crowds/tourists.
I’m so excited for you. I would always recommend missing summer and doing Spring/Autumn – less people and I find it much more beautiful!
Pretty great freaking post with some sweet alternatives man. Amazing pics as well!
Cheers dude! Safe travels :)
You should try Bergen, Norway! Maybe next year?
I loved Bergen, but I went on the 2nd January and all the things I wanted to do was impossible and it was freezing haha. Need to go back and give it a chance in better climates I think :)
Some great suggestions here, except Belgrade for Budapest. Belgrade has a long way to go before it gets anywhere close to being as interesting as Budapest. Love your photos, btw.
Thank you so much. I think I need to give Budapest another chance, I found it seriously boring but the weather was really poor… That said, in Belgrade I met some awesome locals on the flight over who showed me a great time so that might have helped sway my decision. Safe travels!
I think you visited a lot of cities in the wrong season-winter! I’ve done the same though, been to a place and thought “not all that” bc it was cold and wintry but when the sun came out the next day….!
I loved all these cities, and all the ones I said to bump (I much preferred many of those during winter) – It’s funny how the sun can make such a difference, but for me it’s really the crowds that can make or break a place! :)
Iceland was the most magical place I’ve been to, did you know they have 12 santa’s? One for each day leading to Christmas! I loved Ljubljana too and Kutna Hora, the bone church was the most creepy but cool structure i’ve seen, I kept thinking if there was a lot ghosts around when I went in! I went to Berlin one year for xmas, and it was fairly quiet, and if you take a trip to Potsdam just outside of it, its beautiful too.
The santa’s as so cool, they had them projected all over the city jumping around which was amazing. The bone church was very creepy but fascinating to learn the hstory of. Potsdam is a new one for me, will hopefully get visit one day :)
Safe travels!
Dan
Yes please with a side of yes! Totally agree on Kutna Hora, Korčula, Belgrade and Ljubljana… And sure I would on the others on the list if I’d been to them!
I like your style! Serbia is somewhere I would love to spend a lot of time exploring, sadly only had a city break there.