Vienna
Austria
Christmas markets fill the squares until late December, then the ball season runs through January and February.
See hotelsChristmas markets
Mulled wine, carols and old squares lit up until the last days of December.
Snow and northern lights
Real snow, ski slopes and long nights for watching the sky.
Rovaniemi
Finland
On the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland: snow all winter, husky and reindeer rides, and a chance of northern lights on clear nights.
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Tromsø
Norway
From late November to mid January the sun stays below the horizon, so there are long dark hours to look for the northern lights.
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Cortina d'Ampezzo
Italy
Ski the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site, from the town that co-hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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Sapporo
Japan
In early February the Sapporo Snow Festival fills Odori Park with snow and ice sculptures, and the ski slopes are close to the city.
See hotelsWinter sun
Mild, sunny days near 20°C while the north is cold.
Marrakech
Morocco
Sunny days around 20°C and cool nights, with the snow-capped High Atlas on the horizon. The summer heat is long gone.
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Funchal
Portugal
Madeira's capital stays mild in winter, with days close to 20°C, and its New Year's Eve fireworks over the bay once set a world record.
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Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Spain
Spring-like weather all winter, and in February its famous Carnival takes over the streets.
See hotelsFar away and in season
Where these months are the best of the year: summer in the southern hemisphere, the dry season in the tropics.
Cape Town
South Africa
December to February is summer here: long sunny days for Table Mountain, the beaches and the Cape Winelands.
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Mexico City
Mexico
It's the dry season: mild, mostly clear days, posadas in the run-up to Christmas and rosca de reyes on 6 January.
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Chiang Mai
Thailand
The cool, dry season: warm days, fresh mornings and mostly clear skies, before the hazy months of March and April.
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