Where to Go This Winter: 8 Trips for Sun, Snow or Neither

Winter is the most underrated time to travel. Prices drop outside the holiday spikes, crowds thin, and a lot of places are simply better cold. The trick is knowing which mood you're in.

Chase the sun

Morocco

While Europe shivers, Marrakesh sits at a pleasant mid-to-high teens°C, the High Atlas is snow-capped in the distance, and the medinas are crowd-light. Peak season done right. See Morocco.

UAE

Dubai's whole tourist season is winter — summer is unbearable, but December to February is warm, dry and made for it. See UAE.

Egypt

The one time of year the desert and the ancient sites are comfortable to explore. Nile mornings are crisp, afternoons are perfect. See Egypt.

Embrace the cold

Iceland

Winter is when Iceland earns its reputation: northern lights, empty roads, and geothermal pools steaming in the snow. Short days, but the ones you get are unreal. See Iceland.

Switzerland

The obvious one, and obvious for a reason. Whether you ski or just want a village that looks like a postcard, the Alps in winter deliver. See Switzerland.

Norway

Fjords under snow, the aurora in the north, and cosy is a national religion. Pricey, but singular. See Norway.

Dodge both — cities that are better cold

Czechia

Prague under a dusting of snow, mulled wine in the old town, and half the summer crowds. One of the great winter city breaks. See Czechia.

Austria

Vienna was built for winter — coffee houses, concert halls, and Christmas markets that actually live up to the hype. See Austria.

The budget angle

Winter is where value hides. Outside the two-week Christmas–New Year spike, both flights and rooms drop hard, and sun destinations like Morocco and Egypt are at their best precisely when European beach spots are dead. As a rough guide, on-the-ground pocket money for a winter city break for two runs €120–220 for a long weekend — less than the same trip in summer.

The one thing to watch: book around the holiday peak, not through it. A departure on the 3rd of January can cost half of one on the 27th of December.

---

Pick a mood, pick a place, and we'll build the exact trip — cheapest flight window included. Browse the full list of destinations to start.