Need destination suggestion for a winter trip

It would help to know what your interests are. If it's winter sports, I would head to Switzerland or Italy.

If you enjoy festive villages, the Christmas markets are a lot of fun, and you can find them in many places throughout Europe. Some of the most popular ones are in Nuremberg, Strasbourg, Colmar and Vienna, as well as Budapest, Prague, and even London. But they can be found in a lot of the smaller villages as well.

One option if you like would be to visit the Alsace area of France (where Strasbourg and Colmar are) but then make your way to Germany for some of the fun markets there as well.

Or…you could combine Strasbourg and Colmar with Paris for both Christmas Markets and art!

I'd suggest one thing: Have an extended stay in any big city of your choice. In January 2012, I spent an entire week in Paris. It was wonderful! Paris was more fun in winter compared with my summer visits in part because fewer tourists were there. Locals reclaim their cities in the cool and cold months. Most museums and sites worth visiting are open in winter, but check guidebooks/websites for winter hours. There are holiday markets. If you were to go to Paris, there are trains aplenty to skiing sites in the Alps. Other non-Spanish cities probably great for extended winter visits are London, Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin.

Oh, this one is easy. You have two weeks. The first week in Budapest obviously. The Christmas markets always rate among the best in Europe and many of them stay open past Christmas day. https://www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/culture_society/budapest-christmas-market-all-time-best-europe-advent-basilica/

Oh, so what to do on Christmas day? First not everything is closed 24 thru 26 a few examples are the city park Ice Skating rink https://youtube.com/shorts/7FoDCrUXs6c?si=KRcAvoNop0M0oG1t and the bath houses https://youtube.com/shorts/BMy82cjQL0A?si=THnszFQXI8qn0I_c . You will also find restaurants and bars (wine and beer bars) open https://youtu.be/TrfTpCgpUls?si=HRtLjD77SZ9iGWdo . But you have to plan your time a bit.

Short days? Enjoy them!! https://youtube.com/shorts/PCgmLIw3PqY?si=gPNoO1vRjXidDhJ0 https://youtube.com/shorts/vNKIHOzxr4Q?si=XZGUff-WlloCq7Uo https://youtube.com/shorts/B6IEhymB0qE?si=qFIsxaJmJ-LWBdo4 https://youtube.com/shorts/niDQ-Sa00zU?si=VmtO1UiOlqx1PVMc

Almost forgot the art: https://youtu.be/yZb4lMnFvlQ?si=hXg4RXO5M9XHzN24

And just in general: https://youtu.be/1nd5AtZIrTk?si=bgjIZE0LPv0PtLRY

The second week you run up the tracks to Vienna. A trip of 2:40 if OBB has their act together. The markets in Vienna also stay open until the first of the year.

I just booked BUD to IAD tickets round trip and it was under $600. Vienna can be a little pricey (yes it can Emily :-) ) Budapest is rather inexpensive so the two balance nicely.

Oh, this one is easy. You have two weeks. The first week in Budapest obviously.

Are you on the Budapest Tourism Board now? LOL. Budapest is a nice city, but there are other places.

Budapest "Nice"? Hmmmmm. Like saying the Pope is sort of Catholic

But I suggested Vienna, too (because it's nice).

Do you have any suggestions for good destinations during that time?

I know this is the "General Europe" section, but "Beyond Europe" can be a nice option. We've done South America several times and Australia & New Zealand during our winter up here, and boy is that a great way to recharge from the colder (and shorter) days. Toss in Central America, plenty of other place near the equator/tropics, and you've go many options.

I can recommend Tallinn for a Christmas trip. Estonia has a large orthodox population that celebrate Christmas in January, so a lot of things will stay open as normal in late December. Tallinn also has a nice christmas market.

Orthodox makes up only about 16% and it's in a bit of turmoil right now as they are going through the process of severing ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. When Ukraine severed ties they also adopted the Gregorian calendar which has Christmas at 25 December. The Estonian church could potentially do the same. But old traditions die hard and I celebrated Christmas 7 January this year in a church in Kyiv. So who knows. But with only 16% I would expect closures 24 thru 26 not much influenced by it. But I coukd be wrong so do some research if that's what you are banking on.

The key to success for this trip will be finding a place that has something to do 24, 25, and 26 December.

You also need a place that will remain interesting for 2 weeks or has a convenient connection to 1 or 2 other places that are interesting at that time of year.

Hi, sounds like a great plan! Everything doesn't really close down from Dec 24-26th, it's later in the day on Dec 24th, (you'd need to look carefully at what to do on Christmas day) but you just need to plan ahead! For example, we arrived in Rome Dec 26th and there were lots of places to eat and wander open (won't comment on museums, but we did find one fascinating underground museum open January 1st.)

Unfortunately, Dec 20th - January 4th is not a quiet time for travel - You will find things quieter over the weekend of Dec 20th and early the following week, later on it will be VERY crowded in most major cities in Europe. I spent a few months thinking this over, and ended up taking Syn's advice (see below) and booking a hotel in Pompeii, (another poster's idea) within commuting distance of Naples & Salerno for day trips. Yeah, Naples will be jammed, but for the day that's OK. About Vienna - We decided to skip it because of the 800,000 people who celebrate on NYE in the streets (which might be absolutely fun for the teens but of zero interest to us!)

Another way you can see just how crowded a place will be, is to look at hotel prices.

Here's the thread I wrote originally about options, https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/looking-for-less-crowded-city-over-nye-2025-2026. Mostly people tried to answer the actual question posed, (although some ignored the question, hahaha).
There were some good ideas about Bari, Germany & areas outside Paris. Good luck and let us know when you know more!

I would start with Munich. From there, check a map, you can easily visit Salzburg and places like Augsburg, Regensburg, by train. On this forum and Google generally, you can read lots about Munich and environs over Christmas. I would also head south, by train, and visit the Tirol. There, you can find places to ski and Christmas markets that run past Christmas itself. Lots to choose from. Enjoy!

Good point about NYE. If you want a quality street party and world class fireworks, skip Vienna and Budapest. But you will find good quality private events and in Budapest river boat parties and I am sure on the Vienna forum some interestig things to do in Vienna.

I am guessing a bit but in other than party cities, cities with good Christmas Markets will settle down quite a bit after the 24th. At least my city does. But Budapest might be the exception. I just havent been to enough at Christmas to know.

Orthodox makes up only about 16%

Yes, but that is mostly because most Estonians identify as not religious. But of those that consider themself religous, the vast majority are Orthodox. More than twice the amount of Lutherans, which are the second largest group.

and it's in a bit of turmoil right now as they are going through the
process of severing ties with the Moscow Patriarchate.

Yes and no. There are two Orthodox churches in Estonia. One of them cut the ties with the Moscow Patriarchate earlier this year. The other one did it many years ago (first time in 1920, second time after Estonia regained their independence) and has been under the Patriarch of Constantinople since 1996. We might see a change, but as you mentioned, it's hard to change old habits…

Note the date of the article: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2025/27-june/news/world/estonian-s-parliament-resumes-efforts-to-cut-ties-between-church-and-moscow-patriarchate.

But then the question remains, what do you do for 2 weeks in Estonia in the dead of winter?
There may be a good answer, but one should plan it well.

And we could have just looked it up, but that would not have been as much fun:

Estonian Public holidays and days off 2025, include:
24. December - Christmas Eve
25. December - Christmas Day
26. December - Boxing Day
but not 7 January

Paris! It has the art, culture and food. A side trip for skiing (or Xmas markets--the ones in Paris are meh) should be very easy to add. Things are open and busy on the 24, for sure. We stayed in on the 25th and left on the 26th, so I can't vouch for those days. We did our celebration meal on Xmas Eve on Bustronome, which we all enjoyed. There were people out everywhere, and we saw a parade of Santas on motorcycles. We had a super time. Highly recommend.

Always hard to beat Paris. With 2 weeks London and Paris.

But then the question remains, what do you do for 2 weeks in Estonia
in the dead of winter?

There is a lot to see and to in Estonia. And if that is not enough, Finland and Sweden are close by. And so is St Petersburg, but I do not recommend a visit there at the moment.

And yes, they all celebrate Christmas in late December, they just have a different opinion on when late December is…

In the Julian calendar Christmas is not in late December. I believe its 12 December (EDIT ignore this i eas ver wrong, and to be honest, not sure how i cme to this. I know better. My bad). Still not a holiday in Estonia. Not to correct you, I just love this sort of knowledge and if you hadn't pursued this I would have never learned. It is one of the things I am grateful to this forum for. That and it taught me to abandon conventional internet knowledge.

But to pursue the Tallinn idea, if you wanted to do Tallinn and something else here are two places to start looking

1. For land and sea:
   https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Tallinn.htm

   I am not sure how often the ferry lines run in the dead of winter
   but if they run on the 24th thats a way to use the day if things are
   closed.

2. This one is non-stop flights. Check different days because the low
   cost carriers tend to run different schedules on different days.

   https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxolEgoyMDI1LTEyLTI0KABqBwgBEgNUTExyDAgEEggvbS8wMmo5ekABSAFwAYIBCwj___________8BmAECsgEEGAEgAQ&tfu=GioaKAoSCaemN8MqLE5AEQAAAABAX0FAEhIJoFROwTd0REAR_______AIsA

I love Iceland in the winter. They have one of the biggest NYE celebrations with bonfires and fireworks all over Reykjavik. Yes the days are short then, but you can still get out and see a lot. The scenery in the winter is just as beautiful as the summer, just different. Amazing food there too!

Wow, thanks everyone for all the great suggestions! Seeing how many places there are to visit, I’ve come up with a non-traditional but I’m not sure how doable it is.

Since it’ll be winter and not the best time for exploring small villages, the countryside, or beaches, I’m thinking of focusing on major cities and their highlights. I’d start by flying into London, then take trains to cities like Paris, Brussels, Cologne, Munich, Venice, and eventually Rome, where I’d fly back home.

I plan to stay 2–3 nights in each city to see the best of the city. What do you all think of this idea? Are there any cities you’d recommend adding or skipping? I planned more trips next spring and summer, so if I have to miss a place I will make them up on my next trip.

You need to take a look at the transportation time involved in your proposed itinerary. For example, the train from Munich to Venice is 7-8 hours. I guess you could fly. Either way, you're eating up a LOT of time in transit. Your teens will probably LOVE that if and only if the wifi is working.

kai,
What G3rryCee said. You are spending every 2nd or 3rd day in transit. 2 nights in a place equals one full day there; 3 nights= two full days. Even if the train ride is only 3-4 hours, you are spending about another 2 hours in checking out of hotel, getting to train station, getting from arrival station to new hotel and checking in. Likewise flying (security checks take time and you have to be at most airports 2 hours before flight time.) Also, if your days from Dec. 20 to Jan 4 include travel to and from Europe, the first and last day are lost. (Leave US the 20th, arrive Europe the 21st. Returning, leave Europe the 4th). With possible jet lag plus arrival details (e.g. immigration check) and getting to your first night's lodging, the 21st may give you just a few hours to sightsee. So you have 13 full days. (If your arrival in Europe is on the 20th, and departure is the 5th, please excuse my assumptions.) Take travel days (or half-days) from the remaining 13 and your seeing the cities has been considerably shortened. My suggestion is to pick fewer places. You will also save some money on all that intercity travel. (I see 7 cities listed in your last post. That's 2 days per city, not counting any travel time.) It is just my opinion, and you may have a good handle on this, but I would suggest 3 places (4 max), and research your transportation modes and times before committing to those locations.
The big three are London, Paris and Rome, and each one offers tons of things to do and see for all interests. There is good reason they are the Big Three! To add a 4th I would say Munich (personal preference), but Venice is more logical with Rome. Any ski locations, whether in the Swiss or French Alps or Italian Dolomites (Alps) will probably be uber-expensive at that time, if you could even find lodging at this point. (I'm not a skiier so may be way off base here.)

The three biggies aren't the cheapest, but you really get your bang for your buck! I'd go with them. But you know best what you and the kids want.
Best of luck with your planning and your trip!

Your plan beats the heck out of Tallinn or any place in Nothern Europe in Decmber ... for my taste.

But too many stops for my taste, too. London, Paris, Brussels for me would be a two week trip. Or a short tour of Italy would make for 2 good weeks. I have no particular interest in Germsny, but likewise you could spend 2 weeks in some fairly tight 3 city regions of Germany and / or Austria and France.

Trying to do Lonfon, Paris and Rome .... 3 major cities in 2 weeks is more than I would Enjoy.

Or what you posted. I suspect you will have a great time but might slow down the next trip a bit. After all, what you suggested is slower than some RS tour.

But, again, the solution is obvious. Vienna and Budspest with day trips to Melk, Gyor. Szentendre.

My first thought was to head to the Otztal, a beautiful, small, ski country place where the odds on running into another American are slim. Go all the way up the valley to Hochgurgl or Obergurgl, right on the Austrian/Italian border.

If you must have a bigger city, take a look at Nancy, France. Home to Art Deco/Jugendstil and a major center for art glass also. Fantastic old buildings, excellent art museums, beautiful Christmas market in one of the most beautiful main squares anywhere in Europe, and very overlooked by Americans. Also only an hour from Metz, Paris, Strasbourg, Wissembourg, Trier, and Troyes.

My last suggestion is Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It's a great ski town (they held the Olympics there), You can visit the castles, day trip to Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Oberammergau, even Nuremberg, Augsburg, etc. It's small enough to feel snug, everything you need is right there, and the scenery on a clear day is postcard perfect. I've spent several week long trips right in town, back when I was skiing, and could easily do it again. I still go for 3-4 days minimum every year.

small, ski country place where the odds on running into another
American are slim.

and

and very overlooked by Americans.

If it’s a combo of skiing and avoiding Americans (I didnt get that in your post ... must have missed it, sorry), you want then my choices would be Bukovel (probably the fewest Americans right now) or Bansko or Poiana Brașov or Jahorina or Kolašin. Not sure I could spend two weeks in any of them but plenty good stuff to see in the areas. All a lot more affordable than the other suggestions. Less crowded too I suspect.

Thanks again for all the great feedback! I’ve realized my original plan included way too many destinations, so now I’m focusing on the “three biggies,” as many of you suggested. I’ve also dropped the idea of including ski days to concentrate fully on the cities. I also like the idea to have "extended" stays in big cities.

Here’s my updated draft itinerary:

Day 0: Fly to London

Days 1–4: Explore London and do nearby day trips

Days 5–9: Paris and day trips like Versailles

Days 10–14: Rome and I may include cities like Naples or Florence

I’m already getting excited, even though the trip is still six months away! I was struggling at first about this "winter" trip, but this new plan feels much more promising with a clear focus on the "big three." And now I have six months to prepare… I honestly can’t wait for winter to come :D

Sounds like such an exciting trip!
Have you been to London or Paris before? There is so much to do within the cities, but there are also so many good day trips, or overnight trips close by. It's been almost half a century since I was in Rome, but I think you will find so much to keep you busy in just London and Paris, and in nearby towns, once you start researching.

When we first started planning our UK 'holiday sites and events' trip for this Nov/Dec, we thought we'd spend some time in London then venture to several other towns to catch their Christmas markets and spirit. However, we once we started choosing events/shows/concerts in London, in addition to a few events easily accessible to the Bath/Wells area, we realized our 14 days (with a couple of down days in a country house) are eaten up. We've had several trips to London before to experience the main attractions, so we will focus on soaking up the holiday spirit and visiting a few favorite museums or galleries. (Rome and Florence certainly provide a bountiful buffet of art. My husband just reminded me that I wanted to stay all day in Paris' Musee d'Orsay.)
Allow time to wander, absorb the city, and sit to watch the world go by. Around almost every corner you will find something to catch your interest and your time.
You'll have a wonderful trip whatever you end up doing as you make memories together. Save what you don't get to for your 'next trip.'

kai,
With the cities you chose, you will have lots to do in winter, Shorter daylight hours, but there are lots of indoor things to see and do, and you can get out of any rainy and cold weather. The museums, churches, castles, cafes will be open. Also, you should find lots of concerts, especially in London and Paris. And theater is great in London! If need be, Windsor is a good day trip from London. From Paris there is Reims, Amiens and Chartres (day tripping). Plus lots of concerts in churches in Paris too. Rome...Ostia Antica, Villa d'Este (if open), Although, all three have so much to offer you may not have time for a day trip. There will be some beautiful Christmas religious services if you are so inclined.
The only hiccup might be Christmas day dinner. Early research is important here, plus early reservations. From about mid-day the 24th through the 25th and (maybe) the 26th things may be shut down, so after due diligence nail down your plans.

Best of luck on a sure-to-be happy holiday trip!

You have chosen a lot for a two-week trip. If it were me, I would use all 16 days of two weeks and add at least 3 more if I could. If I couldn’t, I would be inclined to just do Paris and Rome.

From Paris to Rome, I would fly. Plenty of cheap discount airlines. Door to door It will be 5 hours vs maybe 11 hours by train.

Before I booked anything I would do a bunch of research to try and figure out which city I wanted to be in 24, 25 and 26 and which for NYE. I have been in London and in Rome for Christmas day and between the two I would choose Rome again. London really was dead. Maybe I planned London poorly but it was not a good trip. I have been in Rome for NYE and am pretty certain that I would never want to do that again unless I found something really special for the evening. But I would be happy to choose Paris first for NYE. Of course, that organization of the stops would require two flights.

If I did it, this could be either a brilliant trip or something a lot less if I didn’t take full advantage of what each stop has to offer, and I didn’t plan it out well for things to do on the holiday days.

As for the weather and the sun. I live in a city with very short winter days and most of the US has winter days of about the same length as the cities you have chosen. Not really a negative and not about finding inside things as the city lights can be pretty amazing and the streets continue to stay alive. As for rain and temperatures, it will be a mixed bag but you didn’t choose a lot of really dry places in the winter but the temperatures are extreme.

London 40F to 49F average rain for London, not the wettest or the driest 30% chance, 7:50 hours of daylight. Paris 37F to 45F among the wetter months, 28% chance, 8:15 hours of daylight. Rome 39F to 54F among the dryer months, 22% chance, 9:08 hours of daylight. NYC 33F to 43F, average rain 26%, 9:15 hours of daylight. Kansas City 26F to 42F, among the dryer months, 13% chance, 9:25 hours of daylight.

Sounds like it's developing nicely!

Days 10–14: Rome and I may include cities like Naples or Florence

Day 10 is a day you'd fly to Rome & day 14 you'd leave? That would only give you 3+ days in Rome - I would just stay in Rome, it's after NYE, so perhaps a bit less busy and lots to do. Here's my TR from Dec '23, of all the things mentioned, the Palazzo Massimo near Roma Termini station was an under-visited museum gem! https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/rome-was-jammed-over-ny-but-still-fun.

Instead of Naples or Florence, consider Ostia Antica by a quick 30 minute subway ride from Rome's Pyramid station, if you need a dose of a well-preserved ancient city.

Sounds like a good itinerary. Just plan right now each day of your trip and your "must sees" in each city because these 3 major cities have so much to do you will only scratch the surface. Make sure places you want to see are open. Research, research, research. The better and more detailed your plan, the better experience you will have seeing these 3 cities in 14 days. Time is your enemy when traveling with an ambitious itinerary. Don't waste it.

You have picked 3 great cities. Enjoying all your highlights of London, Paris and Rome will be a memorable winter school break that will carry you mentally to spring vacation. LOL Enjoy.

If the goal is a ski trip, then there are a lot of better ways to skin that cat without burning the long dollar on Europe. The Tetons are a wonderful place to go. There are so many others. What are your ski skills? Are you looking for deep powder or groomers? The Alps have been struggling with snow conditions...... not so in Idaho or Wyoming.

If I were planning another trip to the UK and London, I would make it in decent weather. Winter conditions there are not enjoyable. Plan a trip in good weather and take the time to visit more of the UK than just London. We tend to overlook Wales. Scotland, Ireland, gosh, in good weather these are such a great place to visit.
Paris in the winter....yeah. not ideal in my book. More London. It can be so dark and grey. It is so romantic and exciting to visit in the spring. With good weather you can enjoy the countryside there. In the winter, that seems unlikely.
Budapest on par with London or Paris? Come on. That is not a serious suggestion, or it should not be. Vienna, one of my favorite cities in the world is a drag in the winter. Hit it during the wine harvest.
Where am I going with this? It's quite obvious to me that Rome, Naples (Ischia) and Sicily are a logical and perfect destinations.
If you must indulge in skiing, let the Dolomiti and Cortina call you. How about Cervinia? There are options. If you haven't booked your ticket yet, take a good look at Italy.

You mentioned side trips while in Italy. That might not be a good idea if you really want to see Rome. But there is no bad trip, only the trip that works for you is important. Having said that, I am still going to throw my two cents in. LOL London in the winter, especially Christmas, just doesn’t light my fire at all. I tried it about a dozen years ago. Not a great trip. Otherwise I love London (when its warmer). Rome would be great before Christmas instead of London. I mean the theme sort of fits, doesn’t it? Paris is always sweet. Might be the most civilized NYE celebrations ... just a wild assumption. My best winter trips have always been Eastern Europe. They do winter with class. Always plenty to do but you have to wear a sports coat or a bathing suit.

I have to see things listed out to wrap my head around them, so I did that below. On the first post you said the travel dates were 20 December through 4 January. So using your last post that means:

• 20 December, depart the US
  

I am assuming the US?

• 21 December (1), arrive in London mid-day (a guess, maybe you do better)
• 22 December (2), see London (this is Monday. Monday lots of things are closed … research)
• 23 December (3), see London
• 24 December (4), see London (a lot will be closed so you will need to research for this day. This might actually be a better travel day)

I think this works pretty well.

• 25 December (1), train to Paris, (I think “maybe” more will be open than on the 24th, but a guess at best. Needs lots of research to find something to see or do upon arrival).
• 26 December (2), Paris (there might still be some closures …. Research)
• 27 December (3), Paris
• 29 December (4), Paris (Monday, a lot is closed. Research)

Not bad, other than 2 out of three days there being holidays. There is still a day left over at the end. This is where I would put it … well except you have a similar problem with Rome.

• 30 December (1), Flight to Rome (arrive mid-day …. Just a guess)
• 31 December (2), NYE. I spent NYE in Rome once, wasn’t one of my more intelligent ideas. But that was a while back. Maybe things changed or maybe I didn’t plan it correctly. Some things may be closed or may close early.
• 1 January (3), Rome. It’s a holiday. Research what might be open.
• 2 January (4), Rome.
  - 3 January, ???

Maybe a bit short?

• 4 January, Return to the US.
  

Nothing functionally wrong about the trip at all. Go have fun. It will be what you make it to be and you are excited so I suspect it will be very near perfect for you.

In the Julian calendar Christmas is not in late December. I believe
its 12 December. Still not a holiday in Estonia. Not to correct you, I
just love this sort of knowledge and if you hadn't pursued this I
would have never learned.

No, Christmas is celebrated in late December, the 24th or 25th by almost all christians. But some churches still use the Julian calendar, so Christmas for them is early January in the Gregorian calendar.

To qoute Wikipedia:

Most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar,
which has been adopted almost universally in the civil calendars used
in countries throughout the world. However, part of the Eastern
Christian Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25 of the older
Julian calendar, which currently corresponds to January 7 in the
Gregorian calendar.

And no, Orthodox Christmas is not a holiday in Estonia, for long and complicated reasons I probably understand very little of.

I’ve realized my original plan included way too many destinations, so
now I’m focusing on the “three biggies,” as many of you suggested.

Good idea! Your previous plan was way too rushed in my opinion. But I hope you understand that this is still a very short visit to those three cities.

If you go to the Isle of Foula in the Shetland Islands they still uniquely celebrate 'Old Christmas ' on the early January date, not 25 December.

It is maybe little known but at Braithwaite, near Keswick in the English Lake District there is an Orthodox Church, in the Eastern tradition.
So there you can celebrate Christmas (and Easter) twice- on the western dates in the town's Churches and on the Eastern dates in the Orthodox Church.