Every summer, Europe greets a stampede of sightseers. Instead of jumping into the peak-season pig pile, consider planning a trip for the off-season 鈥� generally, that means November through March. Here are some things to know when planning a winter trip:
It鈥檚 cheaper: Off-season airfares are often hundreds of dollars cheaper. And with fewer crowds in Europe, you鈥檒l find you can sleep for less, too: Many higher-end hotels drop their prices and budget hotels have plenty of vacancies. And while many B&Bs and other budget accommodations might be closed, those still open are almost empty and, therefore, more comfortable. The opposite can be true of big-city business centres (especially in Berlin and the Scandinavian capitals), which are busiest with corporate travellers and most expensive off-season.
You鈥檒l encounter fewer crowds: Off-season adventurers loiter all alone through Leonardo da Vinci鈥檚 last home in France, ponder in Rome鈥檚 Forum undisturbed, kick up sand on lonely Adriatic beaches, and chat with laid-back guards by log fires in a Loire ch芒teau. In wintertime Venice, you can be all alone atop St. Mark鈥檚 bell tower, watching the clouds of your breath roll over the Byzantine domes of the church to a horizon of cut-glass Alps. Below, on St. Mark鈥檚 Square, pigeons fidget and wonder: 鈥淲here are the tourists?鈥� Off-season adventurers enjoy step-right-up service at shops and tourist offices, and experience a more European Europe.
Some places are just better off-season. Although many popular tourist-oriented parks, shows and tours will be closed, off-season is in-season for high culture: In Vienna, for example, the Boys鈥� Choir, opera and Lipizzaner stallions are in all their crowd-pleasing glory. London鈥檚 theatre season is in high gear; music lovers can enjoy winter concerts at the grand red-velvet-draped Royal Albert Hall. In parts of the Mediterranean, it鈥檚 so darn hot in the summer that if you can just bundle up and go off season, you鈥檒l have a much more comfortable time.
Prepare for the weather: Make sure to consider weather conditions when you make travel plans. The weather can be miserable 鈥� cold, windy, and drizzly 鈥� and then turn worse. Europe and North America share the same latitudes and a similar climate, but you can鈥檛 go by latitude alone. Madrid and New York City should have similar weather, but Madrid is also nearly 700 metres above sea level. Inland areas have colder winters, so Prague can get as chilly as Minneapolis.
But don鈥檛 write off a cold destination just because it鈥檚 winter. I spoke to a traveller who swapped the sunny Caribbean for a too-good-to-pass-up deal to Iceland in the dead of winter 鈥� with just four hours of daylight 鈥� and the breathtaking Northern lights viewed from her glacier hike made her glad she did. As long as you dress appropriately, you can have a fine time.
Remember the smart traveller鈥檚 mantra: There鈥檚 no bad weather 鈥� just inappropriate clothing. Pack for the cold and wet 鈥� layers of clothing, rainproof parka, gloves, wool hat, long johns, waterproof shoes and an umbrella. Bundle up. Europe鈥檚 wonderful city walking tours go regardless of the temperature. Cold weather is colder when you鈥檙e outdoors trying to enjoy yourself all day long, and cheap hotels are not always adequately heated in the off-season. But just as summer can be wet and grey, winter can be crisp and blue, and even into mid-November, hillsides blaze with colourful leaves.
Beware of shorter hours: Because much of Europe is at high latitudes, the winter days are short. It鈥檚 dark by 5 p.m. Make a point of getting your day started early so you have a full stretch of daylight to have your fun. Some sights close down entirely, and most operate on shorter hours, with darkness often determining the closing time. Winter sightseeing is fine in big cities, which bustle year-round, but it鈥檚 more frustrating in small tourist towns, which can be boringly quiet, with many sights and restaurants closed down. In December, many beach resorts shut up as tight as canned hams. While Europe鈥檚 wonderful outdoor evening ambience survives all year in the south, wintertime streets are empty in the north after dark. English-language tours, common in the summer, are rare off-season, when most visitors are natives. Tourist information offices normally stay open year-round, but have shorter hours in the winter. Opening times are less predictable, so call ahead to double-check hours and confirm your plans.
With a well-planned itinerary and preparation for weather conditions, a winter trip to Europe can be easier and more relaxed than one during the hectic summer school break. In fact, some of my warmest European memories have been in the chilly off-season.
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Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
