Hitting the slopes, exploring incredible landscapes made bare and fiercely beautiful by winter cold, gathering around tables to enjoy good food and to help keep you warm, nestling a cup of hot cocoa (or a hot drink that’s a little stronger) between your cool hands when you return home to your vacation rental from the cold, enjoying the festive season or making the lull just after it a little more special with a trip, curling up in front of the fire with a good book, chatting away with loved ones in a warm room...all these cosy images are also great reasons to plan a winter break. Sure, summer trips, with their fun, sun, and excitement are all well and good and essential but a little getaway to brighten the darkest months of the year is also wonderful and indispensable because Seasonal Affective Disorder and the January Blues are very real and very unpleasant. Winter sun is also an option for a getaway at this time of the year but, if you really want to lean into the cosy vibes of December and January then you should head to destinations where either the scenery, the cuisine, the traditions, or the celebrations lend themselves to embracing the best parts of the season. While there are endless charming destinations for winter getaways, we have compiled a list of some of our favourite spots to get seriously into the spirit of things...
Norway
Norway is a destination that is seriously undervalued compared to some of its neighbouring countries, especially when one considers all that is has to offer a visitor. It boasts a wild and diverse landscape that is exceptionally, breathtakingly lovely and it is the perfect place for those who like to explore. From pretty cities to fjords to snow-capped peaks to rugged coastlines to endless forests, any or all of which can be crowned by the magical Northern Lights once night falls, Norway is just a wonderland waiting to be discovered. And then, once you have had your fill of incredible sights or the cold for the day, of hiking (the national pastime), skiing or snowboarding, visiting tiny and picturesque port towns, or discovering galleries full of incredible works of art, you can head indoors to escape the elements, warm up, and continue to enjoy that rugged beauty all around from the comfort and safety of your vacation rental. The vacation rentals in Norway themselves? Well, they’re just the perfect place to get cosy and embrace the season and are largely the typical cabin-style properties that define the architectural character of the country, with windows framing extraordinary views and porches from which to take them in, comfortable and simple interiors, and living room spaces that centre around wood-burning stoves, the heart of the home. Norway is a truly perfect place to curl up with loved ones this winter!
Finland
Similarly, lovely Finland boasts a landscape that is wild and gorgeous and utterly unforgettable. Here, too, you can encounter the magic of the Northern Lights, in addition to a true winter wonderland and, even, Santa’s hometown! For families with kids, in particular, Finland is an astounding place to holiday in winter and is where memories that will never be forgotten get made. From sleds pulled by teams of dogs to encountering reindeer to meeting the man in red himself, there are the expected, though undeniably wonderful, parts of a vacation in Finland. And then there are the things that many might not know about it as a destination... Like the vibrant “new Suomi” epicurean scene centred around Helsinki that will help keep you full and content when you most need a little more meat on your bones, the wonderful saunas that are all over and are perfect for relaxing and melting away stress, and the proliferation of bizarre but utterly joyous competitions throughout the country (giant air-guitar contests, competitive mobile phone throwing, and swamp soccer to name but a few). Truly endless excitement, fun, and wonder awaits in Finland. Similarly to Norway, too, you’ll find that the holiday rentals in Finland that you return to each day are largely cosy and very pretty cabins, surrounded by lovely scenery, and decorated for comfort and relaxation. Perfect places for sitting around the fire, laughing, talking, and truly being with the ones you love.
Italy
While many picture sun-drenched days exploring famous monuments, laying out on beaches, sipping wine in beautiful vineyards, enjoying a gelato while wandering around charming cities, and eating outside little family-run restaurants in picturesque town squares when thinking of a holiday in Italy there is still plenty to enjoy if you holiday in the region in the colder months. In fact, in some ways, a winter getaway in Italy is even more enjoyable than travelling there in the summer. Certainly, you will have fewer tourist crowds to contend with but the Italian culinary heritage really is also perfect for the winter months when all you want is delicious comfort food. Enjoying a villa in Tuscany in the winter, for example, means eating lots of incredible seasonal pastries and sweet treats along with hearty pasta dishes and some amazing local wines, perhaps not outside, but likely with views and surroundings that are just as charming. And charming truly is the word as Italy comes alive around the festive period. With such a large proportion of Christian residents, Christmas is big and town and city streets all across Italy fill with markets and festive cheer and twinkle with lights. So, if you find a vacation rental in Rome or a holiday rental in Venice, you will be able to spend holidays darting from world-famous museums to astounding architectural gems pretty shops to delightful Christmas markets and more before returning home, red-nosed, full of great food and cheer and great memories to warm up and sit around a wonderful villa in Italy together. Plus, if you love winter sports and the après-ski lifestyle, or being the person who stays behind in the cabin while the others play in the snow and curling up with a good book and a hot drink in front of the fire until they all return, then browse some of our vacation rentals in the Northern Italy Ski Region and discover the endless excellent ski towns and resorts in the Alpine regions of the country.
France
Much the same can be said for a planning winter getaway in France. With lots of festive traditions steeped into French culture, you’ll find a special abundance of tasty things to eat, wonderful experiences and events to attend, pretty sights to take in, and memories to be made. A vacation rental in Paris, for example, is perfect for those who want to see the City of Light even more aglow with Christmas decorations, to attend some brilliant Christmas markets, and to enjoy seasonal treats in some of the best eateries in the world but also to experience famous attractions with fewer crowds. Those who are also after the skiing experience will find that France is another perfectly glamorous and enjoyable place to partake with skiing destinations dotted throughout several regions across France. Browse our holiday rentals in Rhône-alpes to discover some of the most popular ski spots in France and to spend a winter vacation hitting the slopes and taking in incredible scenery by day and enjoying the après-ski lifestyle and being cosy and safe with loved ones indoors come evening.
So, why not plan a cosy winter getaway today and discover the unique charms of travelling during the colder months and have something wonderful to look forward to this winter?
Illustration credit: ninikvaratskhelia_