Are you a winter person? I am not, yet the winter scenery always kind of wins me over.
I’m not a person who is going to go skiing but I am all for a cozy cabin with a fire burning and beautiful snowy views.
Nevertheless, my hate towards the cold did not stop me from writing about the three, personally most interesting European countries that offer a lot every winter.
If you’re interested in upgrading your winter holidays, keep on reading!
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#1 FINLAND
Finland is the first country on this list and probably the epitome of THE winter destination. The home of Santa Claus represents one of the Nordic countries situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Finland is a country that’s always worth visiting but its magic comes alive at Christmas time.
The official languages are Finnish and Swedish but English is very well-spoken everywhere so you shouldn’t worry.
1. Helsinki
The capital of Finland is the biggest and most important city in Finland. It’s also the leader of politics, education, tech, and many other important industries of the country.
The city is compact yet so beautiful, and in winter it offers many winter activities that will make your adventurous spirit happy!
Some of the activities are:
cross-country skiing – you can rent a pair of skis and see the city by skiing through it. Helsinki has many different trails through various Helsinki forests.
Pulkka sledding is especially fun for children. As for cross-country skiing, you can choose many different trails for sledding but the most popular one is Kaivopuisto Park.
You can also go ice-skating at many locations in the city, or you can choose ice bathing if you’re extremely brave!
2. Lapland
Ever wanted to visit Santa? Well, now you can!
Lapland is a true winter wonderland that allows you to live out your biggest childhood dreams once you’re there. The region is situated in the northern part of Finland, and it offers tourism all year round, although it is the most popular during winter.
Fly in into Rovaniemi and have the best winter holiday of your life!
Visit Santa Claus in Rovaniemi – the travel itinerary they offer on their page includes Snowmobiles, Husky or Reindeer sleigh rides, a search for Santa, and more!
3. skiing
Much different from Austria or Italy, Finland’s ski trails are much smaller and less crowded.
Some of the most popular resorts are:
Levi – described as best for beginners and family holidays, it’s a ski resort that offers 44 km of ski trails and an incredible resort with many family activities, restaurants for fine dining, and bars for a dash of nightlife.
Ylläs – the biggest ski resort in Finland is made of 53 km of easy and intermediate trails, therefore it’s perfect for beginners and recreational skiers, but the advanced ones looking for adventure may get bored.
Salla – the smallest ski resort in Finland offers only 10 km of skiing trails but many people prefer the tiny resort over many other crowded ones. Salla is amazing for families with children – the resort has many different snow activities and skiing instructors.
If you want to book any of the activities, check them out here:
#2 SWITZERLAND
Switzerland, the heart of Europe, is a small yet very influential and beautiful country. Swiss Alps, green rural areas, rivers, and lakes make Switzerland a fairyland.
Switzerland is most known for its chocolate and cheese but keep reading if you want to find out what else makes it special!
1. Zermatt
The small town of Zermatt is home to Switzerland’s most loved and arguably best ski resort. The ski region is so large that it includes 54 mountain railways and lifts and what’s most important, 360 kilometers of pistes, which is more than all of the resorts in Finland together.
The highest mountain is Matterhorn, which Switzerland shares with Italy. The mountain was first ascended in 1865, and since then it has become the most popular place in Switzerland for tourists interested in winter activities.
The most popular pistes of Matterhorn are Rothorn (3,103 m), Gornergrat (3,089 m), the Matterhorn glacier paradise (3,883 m) and Schwarzsee (2,583 m).
2. The Glacier Express
If you love long train rides with breathtaking views, you cannot miss the opportunity to ride the Glacier Express!
The eight-hour ride starts in Zermatt and takes you all the way to St. Moritz with multiple stops in between. The ride includes 91 tunnels and 291 bridges, so the scenery is truly incredible.
The whole trip offers delightful views, but tourists choose The Oberalp Pass as a highlight.
The 1st class ticket is 268 CHF (259 euros) + seat reservation for the long journey is 39/49 euros, depending on the season. If you want to splurge and sit in the Excellence class, you will have to pay an additional 420 CHF (409 Euros).
The perks of the Excellence class are – guaranteed window seat, seven-course menu, Glacier Bar, concierge, etc.
if you want to see what the Excellence class looks like, here’s a 360 view of the class click here, and if you want to see a youtube video about it click here!
3. Zurich
Zurich is the biggest city in Switzerland, but it is not the country’s capital. Although it’s the biggest city here, compared to other cities around the world, Zurich is fairly small and easy to see. The old town and Lake Zurich combined make Zurich an incredibly attractive tourist attraction.
During winter, Zurich turns into a complete Winter Wonderland. In Switzerland, snow is almost guaranteed so if you come in winter, you will definitely see incredible snowy Christmas markets full of food, decorations, and Christmas activities.
Zurich’s oldest and most beautiful Christmas market is in the old town, and it offers various hot drinks like punch or mulled wine, as well as food – the most popular being fondue.
Sukkulenten Sammlung is a botanical garden in Zurich, located near Lake Zurich and it includes the garden, botanic library, herbarium, and plant research center.
It’s open from 9 to 16:30 and it’s completely free!
Shopping in Zurich is very pricey but it’s an experience!
Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s most famous shopping street is only a minute from Zurich’s main railway station and there you can find many boutiques and stores that offer anything from chocolate to Swiss watches!
Another place which may pique your interest in shopping is the old town where you can find new and trendy stores right next to well-established old traditional ones.
#3 AUSTRIA
Right next to Switzerland, we have another Winter Wonderland country – Austria. The country has everything – from big cities to incredible natural beauties and that makes Austria one of the best places to visit any time of the year, not only winter!
If you want to find out what are your must-visit locations in Austria, keep reading!
1. Hallstadt
Hallstadt is the most wonderful, romantic town that makes you think you’ve entered a Hallmark movie the second you step into it.
It’s situated in between mountains and a lake, making the scenery incredible, especially in winter when everything is under a snow blanket.
The incredibly old and picturesque houses, the old church, the main square called “the Marketplatz” all give the town a certain fairytale charm.
You don’t need a lot of time for Hallstadt as it is VERY small, but it makes for a perfect day trip!
2. Christmas market in Vienna
Vienna, Austria’s capital city, has been known for having one of the best Christmas markets in Europe each year.
The city has multiple Christmas markets which seem like small villages in different parts of the city.
They offer various food and drinks, as well as souvenirs – Christmas or just traditional Austrian ones.
But beware, you must have cash because Christmas stands are rarely prepared for credit cards.
Vienna offers so many other activities that you probably won’t know where to start.
My advice – walk. There are many beautiful things you can see and visit on foot.
Vienna’s Old Town is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, which means it’s necessary for you to explore it thoroughly.
Vienna also has many concerts, museums, galleries, etc. which you must visit when you’re there.
3. Castles and Palaces
If you know anything about Austria’s rich history, you’re probably aware of the palaces and castles it owns.
If you don’t, here’s a crash course. Austria was conquered by the Romans, and later by the Bavarians and Slavs. In the 13th century the most famous Austrian family, The Habsburgs, came to power, and they stayed there until the first World War. They had a lot of influence over Austrian culture, art, and even architecture.
Let’s see which are the must-see palaces and castles of Austria!
1. Belvedere Palace
The Palace consists of two Baroque palaces, horse stables, and orangery. It’s located in Vienna and was built in the 18th century.
Upper Belvedere is open Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm and the entry tickets are 16 euros.
2. Kreuzenstein Castle
Pronounced as one of the most beautiful castles of Austria, Kreuzenstein Castle today is a very famous tourist attraction – it’s a museum and occasionally a filming location.
The castle is open from 10 am to 4 pm on workdays and until 5 pm on Sundays. The adult ticket is 10 euros and the children’s are 6 euros.
3. Schönbrunn Palace
Probably the most famous Palace in Vienna is the Schönbrunn Palace. The palace is the place where the Habsburgs spent their summers and, believe it or not, it is said the Palace has over 1400 rooms!
The tickets for adults are 22 Euros and the tickets for children are 15 euros. It’s open from 9:30 am to 5 pm.
These are my top winter destinations, and I would love to hear your favourites… maybe you change my mind about the cold!
If you want to check out my best summer places I’ve visited this year, click here!
I want to visit all these places next winter!
I’m glad this was useful! 🙂
I’m so keen to go to Finland in the winter – it just looks beautiful!
Yes, it looks perfect. I hope to see the Northern lights soon!
I’m fascinated by these winter destinations but I don’t like the cold and come from a warm city where it never snows. The winter scenery is quite different and so pretty. I enjoyed reading this & think I would love a winter trip to Europe! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading! I also hate the cold so I understand.
Thanks for sharing Karla, I need to add Finland to my bucket list. My favourite places I’ve been in Winter were also Hallstatt and Zermatt. I also recommend Lauterbrunnen (in Switzerland), Kitzbuhel (Austria) and St Gilgen Christmas markets (Austria) 🙂
Thanks for your recommendations, I’ve heard all of Austria’s Christmas markets are wonderful!
Oh my! Finland looks gorgeous – of course, the others do too (but I’ve been there). I would love to take a trip there in the winter. The powdery white snow in your first photo totally had me hooked! Thanks for sharing.