Sigh-inducing cityscapes lightly dusted with snow. Shimmering Christmas lights illuminating traditional markets. Imposing historical monuments standing proud, bathed in colour. In winter, Europe’s cities transform into striking, fairy tale locations that seemingly belong on the pages of a dusty tome. If you thought Europe was a dream in summer, these 15 incredible photographs will make you want to visit Europe in winter.
Berlin
The morning sun glistens on a powdery white snowfall that dapples the ground in front of Berlin’s historic Brandenburg Gate.
Krakow
What a square and what a tree! Krakow’s grand main market is dominated by a giant, sparkling Christmas tree that towers over visitors and market stalls.
LondonÂ
The snow-kissed Jubilee Garden’s on London’s Southbank look like something out of a romantic movie. A ride on the dizzying London Eye as the flakes tumble down completes the Christmas mood.
Madrid
Each winter, vivid, colourful lights illuminate Madrid’s imposing City Hall on Cibeles Square, bathing its Gothic ramparts in brilliant hues.
Reykjavik
The best Christmas lights in the world? Probably. The Aurora Borealis dances across the sky above a twinkling Reykjavik in Iceland – a country where it almost always feels like winter.
Rome
Where’s the sun?! Rome’s Colosseum is virtually unrecognisable under a generous sprinkling of snow, like icing sugar on a wedding cake.
Prague
Impressive Gothic rooftops burst through the snowfall creating a fairy tale city.
Bergen
How cosy do these cabins look along Bergen waterfront in Norway? Log fire, blanket and a cup of tea: bliss.
Paris
Now you can see how it earned its nickname, the City of Love – what could be more romantic than the view of the Eiffel Tower emerging from the snow-blanketed rooftops of Paris?
Budapest
Frequently voted the most beautiful building in Europe, the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest looks grander than ever as it sits on the banks of the frozen River Danube.
Stockholm
Stockholm’s iconic, colourful merchant homes glow resplendently, lit by Christmas market cabins.
Vienna
Regal, opulent and even more show-stopping bathed in golden floodlight. Vienna’s Neo-Gothic Rathaus simply stuns in winter.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s snow-carpeted spires and Regency buildings are straight from the pages of a Dickensian novel.
Amsterdam
Beautifully reflected in the canals, Amsterdam’s pretty lights look especially Christmassy in winter.
Frankfurt
Now that’s what we call a Christmas market! Held in the picturesque Römerberg, Frankfurt’s is one of Germany’s largest and certainly most beautiful.
We travel to all these destinations. If you’re inspired to visit Europe in winter, take a look here. Where’s your favourite European city in winter? We’d love to know!
Sign up to receive inspiring travel articles, offers & news
"*" indicates required fields
This website uses cookies. We use cookies to analyze our traffic, enhance our website’s functionality and performance, and a better experience for our users. If you require more information please view our Cookie policy.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.