Where in Europe Dead of Winter??

Big cities that don't get their major income from tourism are your best bets and Rome Rome Rome where I've had excellent luck with sunshine at that time. Chilly enough for pleasant walking. Then onto Naples? Sicily could be very wet

Rome and Florence! The crowds are minor to non-existent so museum-going is easy, but the weather is often very nice (55-60 degrees Fah. is not uncommon) so you won't be freezing. My favorite trip to Florence was in January. The hotel was half-price and restaurants were happy to see us.

We have been to Rome in February - the weather was pleasant and the crowds were light. Barcelona Or Nice might also work.

London and Paris won’t be as busy as other times of year and everything remains open.

I certainly wouldn’t go to Greece then. If you want decent weather, the Canary Islands are the only place where you stand a good chance of seeing the sun.

Southern Spain, Italy or Portugal will be milder.

"Thinking we need to go somewhere that has indoor activities... We do like museums, art, architecture, nature, food and wine."

Berlin is perfect for that. A direct train can get you there in less then 3 hours from Nuremberg. Spend 5-6 nights there - do a day trip to Potsdam - then fly to Rome for the remainder.

London, Amsterdam and Paris- for their outstanding museums. More art and museums, cathedrals and better weather- Florence, Rome, Sicily, Andalusia Spain( Seville, Granada, Cordoba)
There is Rick Steves’ off season tour of Sicily in early/mid February.

I've been in Paris, Vienna, Munich, Prague, Budapest, Barcelona and a lot of Switzerland in January. All were wonderful. I think you have to go where the weather is fairly temperate or to "real" winter, and not slushy, winter mix. Salzburg was beautiful in the winter, tho we got there in the midst of their biggest snowfall in a couple years. Visibility was not good. We were extra lucky in Prague in terms of weather, and to avoid crowds I would gladly visit Prague in the winter. It looked like you were considering southern Spain. I'll add that we thought Barcelona was wonderful in January, especially the day trips we took out into Catalunya. It was typically high 50s to mid 60s, perfect weather to be walking around town and sightseeing. Paris and Vienna were a bit on the cool side, but skies were blue. It snowed when I was in Budapest and it made the city look even more beautiful and it melted within a day. The first time I was in Munich in January it was a little gray and gloomy, when it wasn't raining, but we had a great time. The only thing we really missed seeing was the outdoor beer gardens. The second time it was snowing heavily and the locals were having a blast with it and it didn't bother us at all. I'll gladly go at times people might consider "off season" so that crowds are a bit smaller and prices are lower.

We do like museums, art, architecture, nature, food and wine.

Well, there you go! Major cities are a joy because the culture is in full swing with day trips to surrounding towns/villages if there is an interest for you. "Dead" of winter -- nothing dead in Paris or London for example. What is "dead" is the lack of swarms of tourists so have a wonderful time.

If you ski, experiencing alpine runs is a joy you will remember for a long time afterwards.

In February, I've been to Paris, Barcelona and London. I was as happy as could be. My only worry, which is why I don't travel often in winter for pleasure, is JFK closing for a blizzard or nor'easter.

Sicily, beautiful destination with lots to do.

I would recommend the Christmas Markets that are all over Europe.

Not many Christmas markets in January.

RS tours: 7 Days in Paris begins Feb 10
11 Days in Sicily begins Feb 10
Many RS Winter Escapes but Feb 10th was the earliest date i could find. You will have your pick of great cities to visit in Germany - Berlin or Hamburg or Austria - Vienna. Amsterdam. Great museums, great music as in classical, Berlin Philharmonic will be in full swing. Wow, wonderful choices.

I agree with 75020 that Rome would be a good choice.
I also think Paris would be wonderful, been there for many January’s, and it would be my top choice.

Rome is as far north as NYC, in February there is nothing "warmer" to the extent that it matters. So what to do? You go someplace with long hard winters!! Why? Because people who live in areas with shorter, slightly warmer winters hunker down and survive the cold. But people with long hard winters don't have that luxury if they want to have lives too. They make the best of it in amazing ways.

Me, i would go to Eastern Europe. Theater, arts, maybe snow, concerts, very early sunset followed by spectacularly beautiful lights....

James average high in New York in February is 5c , average high in Rome is 14 c , that’s a significant difference to me .

Rome is as far north as NYC,

That means nothing, climate is not determined solely by latitude but by many other factors, land mass, land composition, elevation, location of large bodies of water, gulf stream, jet stream etc.

Rome may be as far north as NYC but the climate is very different, average temperature of 12c in January is certainly warmer than the average temperature in New York. I'll happily be in Rome in January, I was there at the beginning of February and I was in short sleeves in the sun, it was perfect weather for exploring the city.

Jules, I think you have the right idea. I want to go to the Spainish coast when I can enjoy the beach; not when the best I can say is "it's not as cold as ..... " I once spent the week of Christmas in Sorrento, few tourists and few things open ... but that was 15 years ago. I've also done London and Rome and both were a bit unpleasant in January with people complaining about the cold and wet. Now i spend some time in either Jan or Feb some place in Centeal or Eastern Europe and for my lifestyle and interests its always worth the time. Did a January in Moscow once and have never been so cold in my life, but dressed right and loved it. In these places they aren't hunkering in, they are in the streets, the concert halls, the pubs and things are alive.

Rome might be a good choice. It's never shut down. Paris will be cold but lots of great museums and other indoor activities, same for London, and Berlin. The cities keep moving through winter, they just don't spend afternoons in the park. The good news is flights and lodging are significantly cheaper.

Another option is to embrace winter and do something you can't do other times of the year - a skiing vacation.

Hi everyone!

So happy to hear all of your thoughts! I have learned that there is great advice to be had on this forum. I'm listening and it sounds like Rome would be a great destination. We have been there before but only a day and a half on tour, not even close to enough time. Going to check out Sicily as well.

We plan to fly back home Feb. 13 or 14 so the RS tours starting on the 10th won't work. My birthday is happening while we're gone and as Paris is one of my favorite places we will probably end there - what a great place for a birthday! We have spent quite a bit of time in Berlin (even Potsdam) and loved it! Great city! Eastern Europe is high on my bucket list but I will probably take a RS tour there in the next year or two. We love Barcelona but again have spent a bit of time there. I think Rome is the winner with Paris for the finale. Now to think about transportation and how to pack for a winter trip! :0)
Thank you all so much! It is especially nice hearing from so many who have been to Europe this time of year.

You guys are wonderful! Happy Travels!

Rome then Paris sounds like a delightful combination! I celebrated my April birthday in Holland this year and loved it. To be in Paris on your birthday will be a treat. Enjoy!

A little late, but yes Rome is nice, have been there in February several times, also for business. Another great option is Madrid or Barcelona, both also have moderate climates. From all of the suggestions, I think you can see that cities are a great Winter option, my preference would be Southern Cities though, temperatures are tolerable with a lighter jacket and a sunny day warms everything up.

How many days will you have? I loved Sicily even though I was there in June, which was certainly not ideal. But to me it's a place that needs a good bit of time. I'd say a minimum of about two weeks. So if you have something like 12 days and want to spend part of it in Rome, I'd suggest somewhere other than Sicily as your second destination. Maybe Puglia ifyl you can onfirm that there are enough places that won't be dead in January. Some of the popular stops in Puglia are cute coastal towns; I'm not sure what they would be like in January, because January will not be beach weather.

My packing for winter is essentially summer pack list plus (pick fabrics, like wool or synthetic, that can get wet and still keep you warm):

1. A second warm layer. (I always pack one warm layer, lightweight and not bulky. If I expect cold, I pack a second with an eye toward layering them both over a shirt and under a rain shell. Four layers is usually enough for even freezing temps. If it's not that cold, use them separately.)

2. A ski cap (they don't take up much room and you lose most of your heat through your head).

3. Some warm, but not bulky, gloves (look at the gloves that are made for runners to wear in winter, warm but light and work with electronics).

4. Pack a warmer sock (I like the merino blend hiking socks that come in three packs at Costco)

5. Pants don't need to be heavy weight, quick dry fabric is better. (My favorite are golf pants - light weight, look dressy, don't wrinkle, dry fast)

6. Choose a walking shoe that has water resistance. (If your out in rain with an umbrella, something that will keep your feet from getting soaked.)

If you need anything more than this, go to a department store and buy them. When I had my family in Germany mid October and it got cold, we stopped in a department store in Munich and purchased hats, scarves and gloves for everyone. Then we headed down to Italy and didn't need them anymore.

Not mentioned above in the clothes to take dept. is silk long underwear. Light, takes little room in a suitcase, rinses out easily, can be purchased in different weights depending on the temps of the places you're visiting.

Agree with others that Sicily with its rich history, historic landmarks, magnificent landscapes, out lying islands, is not a place for a short visit. I've been there for visits of a month or more and still haven't gotten to Enna.

When considering Sicily also consider the elevations that will affect temperature and weather greatly.

Layers, Layers, Layers. I spent January in Europe a few years back. Catalunya Spain, Vienna, Salzburg, Berner Oberland, Munich, Paris. We had huge snow falls in Salzburg and Munich. I did not bring what I consider a winter jacket. (I live in MN) Hat, lightweight gloves, heavier gloves, gator, long underwear, uninsulated rain/snow pants, leggings, turtleneck. fleece pullover, wool sweater, hooded lightweight fleece, midweight jacket (rated like 30/40 F), "Bog" boots, raincoat. This way I had something for every condition. It confirmed to me how awesome a rain coat is. The rain coat over either jacket (or both) on occasions, really added to warmth. One thing I soon learned, is 25 degrees at home, in and out and normal routine, is very different than 25 degrees (or much colder in Switzerland) traveling/sightseeing on public transportation. Many buildings like churches/public transportation aren't really that warm in terms of being able to "warm up". Some times public transportation was too hot, then its great to have the ability to easily "peel off". I always made sure my footwear was set up for the night so that the insides would be dry. I had so much flexibility in terms of what I could wear for every scenario. Sometimes I wore very little or a light jacket (Barcelona). Sometimes I wore most every layer I had. (Switzerland) We had a fantastic time and I was always comfortable.

Thanks for the packing tips! Great information. I live in Oregon and don't really own a "heavy" winter coat but it sounds like layers with a good rain jacket over top is the way to go. Will be looking for some waterproof, comfy walking boots next. :0)

We lived in Germany for four years and the only thing good about the Winters were the skiing.

In Germany, in late December and January, it gets dark around 4:30PM. It is cold, prepare for that.

If you want to focus on museums, Berlin is good. However, I would prefer Italy in the Winter. It is warmer there and there are great museums in Rome and Florence.

I would advise Istanbul, but Turkey is not great these days.