14 of the Best Ways to Enjoy an Epic Winter in Europe

European Christmas markets are the epitome of nostalgia-inducing Nöel magic – especially when sprinkled with gently falling snow – and offer a shopping experience that will upgrade your holiday dècor. Try the 15th-century market in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which runs for four weeks in the Bavarian walled town and is located just under two hours from Stuttgart by car. Here, castle-like buildings are strung with Christmas lights and pine garlands, providing a stunning backdrop to a central marktplatz (market square) flanked by shops that specialise in everything from ornaments (at the Käthe Wohlfahrt flagship) to the sugar-dusted fried dessert specialty known as schneeballen.

Europe has plenty of castles and châteaux, and they’re the perfect setting for a family-friendly winter experience. Many owners rent their properties online and some of them – including this eight-bedroom 10th-century castle in Llaés, Spain (complete with staggering mountain views), and pink three-bedroom château-esque former hunting lodge in Montreuil-aux-Lions, France, just a short drive from Disneyland Paris – are the stuff of fairytales. Luxury hotels such as the Rosewood Schloss Fuschl near Salzburg and Glenapp Castle in Scotland’s Ayrshire county offer a set-and-forget  experience; at the former, you can decorate gingerbread houses on Christmas Eve before indulging in a five-course dinner featuring local veal and poached pear for dessert.

Strap on some snow-friendly shoes and fortify yourself with a Thermos of hot chocolate before setting out to wander the twinkling streets of England’s capital city. The power is turned on, so to speak, from early November, with department stores including Selfridges, Harrods and Liberty London – as well as the iconic Advent-calendar-esque façade of Fortnum & Mason – decked out in tinsel, fir garlands and velvet. The highlights? The stars suspended above Oxford Street, ice-skating at the Winter Wonderland in nearby Hyde Park, Leicester Square’s entertainment-filled Christmas market and Regent Street in the West End, illuminated along its entire length for the holidays.

Winter in Gstaad, a German-speaking town in the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps, is a postcard-perfect affair, with the snowcapped peaks of Wispile, Rinderberg and Sparenmoos offering ideal runs for skiers, snowboarders and tobogganers. An alpine stay at the intimate Ultima Hotel Gstaad, located minutes from the ski lifts, is best spent in one of the 11 spacious suites or six family-friendly private residences – some with fireplaces but all offering daily breakfast. You’ll also have access to the Japanese-inspired restaurant and timber-clad spa, where you can enjoy a signature chakra-balancing massage before fully decompressing in the steamy Finnish sauna.

If any place conjures the holiday spirit best, it’s Strasbourg – just under two hours from Paris by train. This French canal city is deemed the “capital of Christmas”, thanks  in part to its market (Christkindelsmärik), which has been held here since 1570. All month long, sparkling light displays adorn historic timber-fronted buildings and winding cobblestoned streets. Sip mulled wine spiked with cinnamon and clove as you stroll Cathedral Square/Place de la Cathédrale, turning off at Place des Meuniers to pick up glazed biscuits and Place Grimmeissen for one-of-a-kind sustainably made ornaments and objects sold out of retired shipping containers at The Off Market.

Known for its practical approach to food cultivation and cookery, the 42-year-old Ballymaloe Cookery School is situated on its own 40-hectare organic farm, which produces many of the ingredients used by students. This prestigious facility – a 3.5-hour drive from Dublin – is renowned for its 12-week certificate course but the short courses are ideal for picking up some culinary skills over the holiday season. The half-day Just Cook It Christmas class covers essential techniques and recipes for the big day, as well as a hands-on lesson and goodies for a tea break. Tuition for the 2.5-day Heartwarming Christmas Meals course includes visits to the micro-dairy, foraging for goods in the garden and the opportunity to master cooking techniques.

There’s no shortage of holiday spirit in Rome, which is home to more than 900 churches and cathedrals. Here, Natale (Christmas) is very much a religious occasion: the life-size presepio (nativity scene) outside the basilica in Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City takes weeks to build and features complex, detailed elements made by artists from around the world. The tradition of displaying a sacred scene at Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore – the same church that houses sycamore pieces believed by the faithful to be relics from the manger of Christ – dates back to 1291. There’s also a heavenly sight to behold at the Basilica di Santa Maria in Aracoeli, reached via the 124 steps leading to the entrance of the church.

Glimpsing the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) is a bucket-list experience for many and there’s no better time to try your chances than in winter. Prized as much for their rarity as their beauty, these dancing natural lights begin to (unpredictably) appear across destinations such as Norway, Sweden and Iceland as early as October, when days become shorter and optimal darkness is achieved. While sighting this natural phenomenon is never guaranteed, visiting northern latitudes where light pollution is minimal between October and April is certainly your best bet.

Revered since Viking times, the tradition more recently coined  “Hogmanay” is a beloved way Scots celebrate the end of the calendar year. For those who live here, that might include traditions such as “first-footing” (being the first person to enter a home on 1 January), cleaning the house or clearing the fireplace of ashes, and singing Auld Lang Syne at the stroke of midnight. Travellers can get involved with torchlight processions, bonfires and fireworks – including those held in Stonehaven, a two-hour drive north-east of Edinburgh, where giant fireballs are swung on wires by 40 cheery locals as they parade through the town’s High Street. Cap it off with a dram of whisky and you’ll be an honorary Scot in no time.

At the heart of the famed Dortmund Christmas Market (Dortmunder Weihnachtsmarkt), held between 20 November and 30 December, is one of the world’s largest Christmas trees: a shimmering 45-metre-tall centrepiece made from more than 1000 Norwegian spruces and illuminated by tens of thousands of lights. The tree is just one of many light installations in the central Hansaplatz and is surrounded by about 300 stalls stocking sweet stollen, savoury bratwurst and handmade gifts, treats and treasures.

Keen on ceiling-high pine trees in the lobby, Nöel-inspired menus and thoughtful details delivered by none other than Santa’s elves? London’s luxury hotels take things up a notch in wintertime, decking the halls (and the suites, rooms and tea tables) with Yuletide spirit and charm. Christmas stays at The Emory in Belgravia include stockings for kids; a horse-drawn carriage ride; cookies, carrots and milk for your little ones to leave out for Santa; and a feast on Christmas Day. The Dorchester has a meet-and-greet with Saint Nick on the big day, with sumptuously decorated trees and flutes of Veuve Clicquot adding extra magic to the Christmas Carols Afternoon Tea, held on weekends in November until 21 December. At The Langham, festive stays in connecting Club Executive Rooms (or above) include a visit with Santa in his “grotto”, an in-room tree and a bottle of champagne to celebrate the occasion.

Spread across the central Parque Eduardo VII from the end of November until early January, this epic free-to-enter event features an 800-square-metre ice rink, a glittering Ferris wheel and food trucks galore, along with 50-plus local makers’ stalls (the perfect spot to pick up last-minute Christmas gifts). The whole lot wraps around a picnic-friendly green space that’s about 15 minutes’ drive from the airport. Take photos with Santa and his elves, watch “candy cane” stilt walkers parade through the market and explore the Christmas village, open every day and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.