When the cold of winter starts to take hold in our region, the season often feels like a long and exhausting journey, marked by gray skies and runny noses. But there is also a beautiful side of winter that mostly gets overlooked. Yes you are right we are talking about frozen lakes, and the aurora-lit skies of Lapland, and the English cottages that puts Norman Rockwell paintings to shame.
So if you also curse temperature drops then we invite you to plan an exciting trip to explore one of the best Christmas markets or go skiing in the Swiss Alps—or, at the very least. So grab a warm blanket and walk through some winter wonderlands.
Whether it is Canada or Japan, we have curated a list of some best and gorgeous winter destinations that will sure to melt your icy heart.
1. Lake Minnewanka, Canada
Banff National Park has a list of amazing and beautiful lakes. Lake Louise and Moraine Lake top the list. However we also absolutely love the glacial Lake Minnewanka. It is located in the eastern part of the park and you should not miss the epic views of the Canadian Rockies by any chance.
2. Cotswolds, England
Costwolds is England’s most timeless countryside. It has some very beautiful cottages, horse farms, and chic inns. You will not believe that it becomes a real-life painting sometimes when it gets a light dusting of snow. So don’t miss this out!
3. Switzerland
Who doesn’t love to visit Switzerland? It is surrounded by the Alps and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries all around the world. It doesn’t matter when you’re visiting, it will always be beautiful all the time. If you visit in winter time, then it becomes a veritable wonderland, frozen lakes, with powdery ski slopes, and the most luxurious resort towns you’ll ever witness.
4. Blue Pond, Japan
This Japanese island of Hokkaido is a beautiful spot for natural beauty. It has volcanoes and lakes which makes it even more stunning when you visit it in winter time. One prominent example is the Blue Pond. The protruding trees and azure waters best know how to work those layers of ice.
5. Harbin, China
Every day of January in northern China, millions of tourists are attracted to this mesmerising beauty. Unlike anything else in the world it is a temporary city made whole out of ice. Do you believe it? Yes it is true! Moreover it also celebrates the annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival that has taken place from 1963. It covers around eight million square feet with frozen palaces, LED-covered skyscrapers, sculptures and what not?
6. Shirakawa-go, Japan
Although the best and coldest areas of Japan are in its northernmost part. But we bet that nowhere snowy is more beautifully represented than in these cottages in Shirakawa-go in Japan. These UNESCO-protected villages cover around 170 acres in the central area of Japan and are tucked into the mountains like real-life snow globes.
7. Hallstatt, Austria
Imagine lakeside views and 12th-century buildings. Pretty cool right? Hallstatt makes one of those postcard-pretty towns. If you are visiting it during the winter, then you will get to enjoy the cozy and snowy mountains and candle light restaurants without any crowds of travellers.
8. Multnomah Falls, Oregon
It is a 611-foot-tall falls. The Multnomah Falls flows through lush Oregon in the Columbia River Gorge. It seems like something out of a fairy tale. The popular double cascade has been widely known to freeze during extremely cold weather. It offers one of the most unique and best views in the Pacific Northwest.
9. Antarctica
There is no doubt that there are many few places that are more stunning than the southernmost continent of the world. However, almost 99 percent of Antarctica is fully covered with ice but the landscape is still incredibly diverse. It has many things to see, the rough waterways, the surreal blue glaciers, active volcanoes, the Drake Passage, and also 360-degree views of untouched snow. Exciting isn’t it? Not only this, those views become even better when a humpback whale or an emperor penguin makes an appearance.
10. Gdańsk, Poland
When the holidays begin, the warm and cozy atmosphere of this fairytale-like port city reaches its peak, especially during the month of Christmas Fair. It includes a magical snow globe, advent windows, a sleigh ride flight simulator, and also a speaking elk. Just be sure to always take a small break for the food and drink booths to ride the two-floor Gdańsk carousel.
11. Lofoten Islands, Norway
Located just off Norway’s northwestern coast, the Lofoten Islands feature rugged mountains that rival Iceland, crystal-clear blue waters that could rival the Mediterranean, and enough fishing villages and fascinating museums to compete with any Scandinavian hotspot.
Although some of Lofoten’s sites may be compared to others, the beauty here is unmatched: stunning fjords, colorful fishing villages, and plenty of opportunities to witness the Northern Lights in winter.
12. Lapland, Finland
Lapland comes under the northernmost region of Finland, and is probably one of the most peaceful winter scenes you will ever see. However, there aren’t many places all around where you can visit Santa Claus, sleep under the Northern Lights or take a reindeer sleigh ride but to your surprise Lapland offers all three.
13. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
The Hagia Sophia is named under one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. The Hagia Sophia has been always on the top since the sixth century. Moreover, it is one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture around the world. And we found two great reasons for you to visit during the winter:
- Exterior shots of the site covered in snow,
- Interior lines cut to a fraction of their summertime, tourist-heavy lengths.
14. Vienna, Austria
Vienna is the Austrian capital. Vienna in the winter season is the best place to visit where you can double the enjoyment of your hot chocolate and Sacheri torte. You can listen to classical holiday concerts. You can also visit some Instagrammable places like St. Charles Church that is fully covered in snow.
15. The Dolomites, Italy
The Dolomites are a cozy place similar to the Alps’ glitzy ski towns. The area is covered with powdery slopes and can be accessed by the 86-mile Great Dolomites Road. It is one of the most beautiful alpine drives around the world and a perfect day trip from Venice.
16. Apostle Islands, Wisconsin
When temperatures drop and Lakes become hardened, the sandstone caves of Wisconsin’s Apostle Islands undergo some magical transformation. The waterfalls and streams that usually cascade, freeze in time, and the caves become encased by massive, needle-like icicles.
17. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
If you ask someone who has been on an Alaskan cruise they will tell you: Glacier Bay National Park is the major highlight of the state. It covers around one million acres, and the park is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world. You will also get to see whales, wolverines, moose, mountain goats, and grizzly bears among the more than 100 pristine lakes.
17. Paris
Who doesn’t love Paris, specially when it sizzles. But the City of Light becomes even more mesmerising under a blanket of snow and the Christmas lights. Most exciting of all isn’t it? The notorious lines to get into the Eiffel Tower and Louvre shrink to a fraction of their usual lengths.