Europe in Winter - 5 Love & Hates about Traveling Europe in Winter
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- From Amazing Christmas Markets & The Short Lines at Major Sights to the Wet Dark Weather & Limited Day Light & Shop Hours. 5 Things You Will Love & Hate about Visiting Europe in Winter, whether it is Christmas in Germany, Valentine's Day in Paris
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I love how you talk about the BAD things about travel because most other Travel Shows/Channels only talk about the good stuff. Very informative.
Time4aKiss your name and picture are really creepy.
winter in Scandinavia: oh shit it's pitch black out. what time is it? oh would you look at that it's already 2 o clock
I chuckled when he suggested getting up early to maximise daylight... Welcome to Finland, where even on the southern coast the sun doesn't rise till 10 a.m. around Christmas. And of course it starts setting around 3 p.m.
The "fifth love" is on point and very true! Alot of turists say "oh i love it here, this is a place i could move to" during summer and not thinking about the winters. But if you really wanna get to know the people and culture, winter time is the best time. The winters can be quite rough up here in the north (Sweden) and peoples moods and personalities changes with the seasons. Keep traveling and keep the videos coming Mark! =)
I think European cities in winter have a unique beauty. It's different from the beauty you experience in the summer.
Totally agree. That + the charm of the christmas markets make the travel even more enjoyable than in summer in many cases.
My favourite ‘winter in Europe’ moment was when my plane flew down through the clouds above Estonia’s, Tallinn airport, and all I could see for miles was snow covered forest. Some European countries are made to be visited in winter.
One great thing about living in Canada is that pretty anywhere I travel is warmer than where I am. 1c is t-shirt weather XD
Awesome :)
agree
+Christian B Yeah but right now here in Quebec we don't even have snow :(
+Lexi lol in Toronto we are in same situation . lol :)
It will be a shitty Christmas -_-
A few other things Wolters didn't mention ( from a Dutch perspective ) :
- For nature lovers who would love to see the famous tulip fields and other blossoming flowers/plants in Europe - FORGET about that, because you're not going to see any of that in winter. Barren trees and more barren trees, that's what you'll get.
- For people from other continents such as Asia who would love to taste European fruits such as all the types of fresh produce berries and dishes based upon these seasonal fruits : forget about that too. You might find a few of them, in cans/preserved in bottles in a supermarket, but they'll taste bad and you'll pay absurd prices for them.
- For the selfie lovers : prepare to try looking good in winterjacket. For most people that means the same winterjacket. Girls can forget about looking good in the picture in their summerdress too. And oh yeah....you might or might not find your own red nose charming on camera.
- For people from warm subtropical continents: take into account that your body is going to have to work harder to stay warm. You are not used to this weather even with winterclothes. Ergo; you will get tired a bit quicker within the timespan of the average European winter day. Good thing about it is, you might burn a few more calories.
I hope a lot of people dont go to Europe in winter. I will br going soon, and I dislike crowds.
My first trip to Europe started in January. I fit everything in a backpack. I spent close to a year. I had a great time.
Nancy Benefiel this may be late but im thinking of going in january too , any advice?
Living in Québec where winters are very cold and not being a skier, going to Europe in January is one of the best ways I found to beat the winter blues. A tip, January is one of the best time to shop in Europe. It is sales month in a few countries including France.
I really have to congratulate you, Mark: your videos are great. My wife (who's Canadian) and I (English) have lived in Florence, Italy, for 30 years, and we see many "lost" tourists. Your advice to visitors is excellent. Also, your videos are a lot of fun to watch. You and your family seem like lovely people.
As a European, let me just say you're absolutely right. Come here in the less nice weather months to experience the real Europe.
1°c is "chilly" to you?!?! I live in North QLD in Australia and I nearly spit out my drink when you said that! 20°c is chilly for us, anything below 13°c (which is rare) is "freezing" to us!
I'm a new subscriber too, I just found your channel and I love your family and your travels, its great to watch :)
hahaha
1ºC is not that cold. It gets down to -5ºC where I live.
13°c feels freezing in summer time too. Bad weather this year :(
It’s the muddle of summer here in the UK and today’s high is 14 degrees C (granted I do think this is an early bout of autumn).
In Poland 1c means warm winter. Normally it is -5c to -15c. :D
Guys I live in Russia, it's October and it's -8 right now and it's not even winter.
record warmth this year in the usa so far
C or F?
pretty sure he meant Celsius. -8 Fahrenheit is like -22 C which is highly unlikely lol
Karen Mik russia are not european russia is hell
Russia is Ethnically Euro and has the most land of any European or Asian country on bot continents
If you travel in the winter in a western European country that uses the central European time zone such as Spain, France, Belgium and Netherlands, the sun will not set that early and of course the trick is to travel later in the winter (February-March) when days are practically as long as nights since it's pretty close to the spring equinox. Also in late winter, temperatures can be significantly warmer in western and southern Europe. Some spring flowers will already be out.
Coming from Minnesota in the winter means no extra anything. We just wear our coats, boots hats and gloves there. No big deal. We are planning our second winter trip for Christma markets, we enjoyed the first one so much. And yup, walked right up to the Mona Lisa. :) No tourists.
I loved going to Paris in January. It was so empty, no waiting in lines at the sights whatsoever. It was just awesome.
Wolter...I can't tell you how much I love your videos bro... ;0)
Thank you! It is much appreciated! Great travels to you!
His name is Mark. 🙄
I love the snow! Some cities are not the same without snow! Part of the magic of Austria is the snow :)
In winter you also are more likely to find more transports : trains, buses since they are primarily made for working people, so they definitely have to be there. In the summer, it can be not that good.
A few years ago we had so much snow that we did not know where to put it, as the houses are built quite close together in small Norwegian towns. My neighbor considered to start carrying it inside and melt it in the bathtub......... But finally the spring came. In june.
+Kari H Norwegian creativity at its best.
The only thing you have to pack extra is hoodies and jeans. When you arrive, you're gonna need your wintercoat. That means that you have to wear it on your way there. Same thing goes for boots etc. Just wear it. Ok, it's extra clothes on the plane but you just put your hat and gloves in your personal item, your coat underneath the chair in front of you and your boots and preferbly the biggest hoody you'll be wearing anyway.
To add, just last week I traveled from L.A. (where I live) to Melbourne. I went from summer to winter in 16 hours. In Melbourne, it's a mild winter, but for someone who likes to walk around to see the sites, cooler weather is the best. Walking around in L.A., especially in the San Fernando Valley, can be the march of death during July and August. Way too hot. You'll be sweating up a storm. During winter, you can walk and walk, see more sites, and not die from the heat.
Wolter should be the official ambassador of the EU.
I live in Athens and its great in the winter. It will be cool and at times wet but not freezing. Many tourist attractions are still open here in the winter and of course much less people than in the summer when the population of this country triples. In Greece the islands (as you mentioned) are pretty dead and things close but Athens and Thessaloniki are great to visit in the winter.
Good luck in Moscow winter at -25c
You should visit Poland, especially Krakow. Summer, winter, anytime of the year. Fall (Autumn) is really beautiful.
Two things that you neglected to mention is there are more chances to have your flights cancelled or delayed due to inclement weather, although on the plus side you have a better chance of getting on other flights that do fly and often getting free upgrades
such as being bumped up to first class, or if the flight is delayed long enough a free
hotel room for the night, and often at 5 star hotels.
The other thing is although you correctly mentioned that the days get darker much earlier, you said that to compensate for that you need to get an earlier start in the day,
but you failed to mention that sunrise is much later in the day, so you can potentially get up when it is still pitch black outside.
Also, many tourist attractions open up much later in the winter time, and that even
can include many restaurants which may open an hour or two later in the wintertime.
After all how many businesses want to bring in staff earlier in the day in the wintertime
when there are no customers to serve early in the morning during off season times.
Also, there are less frequent departures and arrivals during off season periods.
Do you really want to get stuck in Europe for a week or more if you are caught in a blinding and non ceasing snowfall that keeps the airports closed.
Just think of Chicago, New York City, Boston, Portland ME and the weather that hits these locations in the wintertime. Northern Europe is really no different.
+Michael Friedman Holiday makers get up late. Even up here in Scotland its light enough to do things before 10. By the time you've had breakfast, planned your day, packed your bag and got the bus somewhere it's nowhere near as much of an issue as the fact that it starts to look gloomy at 3 and is pitch black by 5.
Also blinding snow and airports closed for weeks on end? Where? In Russia or Northern Scandinavia perhaps.
+Michael Friedman Snowfall rarely closes airports in Europe. Baltic and Scandinavian never close because of snow because it's not a surprise if it happens almost every year. British airports do.
Hi Mark, I've had the absolute pleasure of traveling Europe many times during winter and mid/late autumn. Regarding clothing... true, while you definitely need to pack, thicker, heavier clothing (over coats, sweaters, long trousers & layers), I feel it can be a trade off because, in Europe's frigid conditions, you don't sweat as much and can therefore get by on a little less. Just my two cents... continued safe and happy travels!
Another problem of winter travel are transport disruptions due to bad weather- flights are often cancelled/delayed because of fog or snowfall. Trains can be similarly affected.
Every winter in Moscow is -30.
and dark
We did Tuscany in November and it was great. Florence on a sunny Saturday was still *packed* with tourists -- mostly Italians or other Europeans, but still packed. No wait at the Uffizi on a weekday afternoon. Italian buildings aren't heated like North America, so even though we had lovely daytime temps of 18 degrees C, inside the buildings it felt freezing. So sweaters and layers! The food we were served was also v different from summer, so nice to taste what real Italians eat at different times of the year.
This past December we were in Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Germany. Our winter gear took up a lot of room, so we packed fewer outfits, and didn't worry as much about looking fashionable. No one cared. We wore our boots on the plane so we didn't have to carry them.The Christmas markets were fabulous, and we got to check off the bucket list item of skiing in the Alps. Neuschwanstein Castle was still very busy -- on a Monday in mid-December tours inside the castle were sold out around noon. It was magical in the snow. Switzerland does a fabulous job of keeping the roads clear, so driving was fine even when it snowed. (BTW: "not cold like Canada" -- I live in Vancouver. It's warmer in winter than a lot of the US and Europe)
This European winter will be the best yet.
Your videos always help me to take better decisions about traveling. 🙏
The only problem with winter in Europe is that sometimes you don't see the sun for weeks at a time!! Other than that I quite enjoy winter especially in Germany and Austria!!
It's true what you say about the darkness. Even here in the UK, which ties for southernmost Northern European country with Ireland, Denmark and the Baltic states, the sun rises on the winter Solstice in Lerwick at 9:10am and sets at 2:55pm. Of course, in summer the reverse is true, with the day lasting from 3:35am till 10:35pm!
Totally agree about the first 5 hate points and that’s the reason I can not decide where to go for Christmas 5 days holiday this year❄️😔
great advice.....took a three week trip through Europe toward the end of February to March and would not trade it for anything. If you pack smart you can travel pretty light and still be comfortable.
I often go to Europe looking for puppet theatres. (I'm working on a documentary.) I find the off season is the on season for theatre. And puppet theatre is universal. Anyone can enjoy it. Summer is just too crowded, touristy and nowadays hot! Thanks Mark.
You make excellent videos and your baby is adorable! I'm traveling this winter and your videos seem to be extremely helpful! Keep doing what you're doing!
We had our honeymoon in December 2001 (and yes, the year is unfortunately relevant) in Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan. There weren't a lot of tourists. Absolutely fantastic holiday.
One thing is funny though. In March (2024), just before Easter, we went for a week to Barcelona. Again, one of the best holidays ever. One thing to know about Barcelona is that you get really excellent food, for very reasonable prices. At least, I'm used to Maltese prices, so I find Barcelona cheap.
We were in this cosy little restaurant close to our hotel, and we complimented the waitress on the food. We chatted a bit, and the waitress pointed out that the people on that table over there had complained about the food. She seemed upset about it.
I asked: 'Were they German?'
Waitress: 'Yes.'
I made a gesture and a sound meaning 'well that explains it then', and she laughed and actually hugged me. 😃
As I said, a really great holiday, despite the sometimes inclement weather.
I visited Copenhagen in late november 2011. The weather was bad, cold and damp, but the Christmas Market at the tivoli was great. The "Ströget" main pedestrian shopping street was packed with both locals and tourists. Copenhagen is very expensive though.
I'm surprised that you didn't mention the beauty of winter in for example Scandinavia where if you stay for a while or already have friends it really gets amazing in the more northern parts of Sweden and Norway
Great points! I’ve only travelled to Europe in the winter mainly because it’s cheaper. I also live in Florida where it’s always hot. So I love the cold weather!
I love traveling From Mid-October to Mid November! Awesome time to go to Europe.
If you don't won't to have a set schedule and you just like to drive and stop when something catches your eye, reservations are not needed. It is fun to explore. I found many interesting towns and villages in the winter that I returned to to visit.
Come visit my country, Germany. Winter in Germany is special. No tourists, no long lines and the best part is Christmas Markt. Town squares decorated magic and winter sports. The weather here is like the US Minesota or Michigen
I really enjoy the Christmas markets and don't mind the weather at all. I do miss the wonderful gardens in the winter months.
You might do an episode on the best off-season times to visit various regions, countries and cities in Europe. I know when I rambled Europe via Eurail, I liked the smaller, off-season crowds, but found myself moving further and further south to get away from the cold. When even Greece seemed chilly in December, I jumped the Med for Israel.
Love your videos. 😃 I find Europe in the winter is fun. Like you said Christmas can’t be beat. Wonderful. Paris is wonderful with the ice skating on the Eiffel Tower. Zurich and Vienna are awesome at Christmas too. Love your videos and have shared them with family to get them to know things.
I’m an ex flight attendant from United. Europe is wonderful year long with different cool stuff in each season 😃🤗
I lived in the US for 5 years. I haven't met many fellow Americans who dress nicely in the winter like you man
The release of this video was perfectly timed: I'm visiting family in Tucson, and remarkably . . . it SNOWED today! And just as none of us were really dressed for it!
So believe me, I sympathize.
My wife is German and we visit every winter.. If it rains or not everything is always wet.. I asked if there are people who wake up early and cover every surface with water.. its crazy.. So your point about shoes is critical.. not only comfortable but water proof. Thanks dude.
+Phillip Glass The days are short and the sun is weak at that time of year so there's not much time for evaporation.
We lived in Italy for 3 years and from November to April they get fog where you can't see past the front of the car. Soldiers who came from Belgium owned cars that had a brake light beneath their bumper only half a foot off the ground. They said the fog gets so bad that that's the only way you can see the car in front of you. I found October and April-May to be the best times to visit much of Italy. Not many tourists and no thunderstorms from hell like June-September.
Frosty days! One “love” to add to the list for me would be frosty days. They are so nice! I love cycling and walking in frosty days.
Truly gorgeous. I used to love when the first wet snows would cone to Lithuania and the snow would stand a few inches high on the branches. Just gorgeous.
I love to travel by train when everything is covered with snow. The window view is incredible.
That is a gorgeous view.
Thanks for the pictures of Prague in winter; I've only been there in the summer but it looks beautiful with snow! :)
Recently returned from New York, came home the day before the Macy's parade though sadly, was absolutely amazing though😊
One of the coolest things I've ever done was go to Hogmanay in Edinburgh! They have a German Christmas market open until New Years with a huge ferris wheel and an ice skating rink and everything. Would totally recommend new years in scotland!
I love Europe in spring and autumn 🍂. Good time to go in May and October.
I love the cold weather! Packing heavy! I live in a hot sunny country (Brazil) and cold is paradise!
Here's a tip: if you don't like cold, wet, dark cities don't vacation in northern places in the winter.
I always go to Paris in the winter it seems to sparkle at that time of year.
"love"n.5 is a very good point,
cheers from Rome
In the European capitals there is not winter. Cold winter only in Moscow.
some years there are
other years there isn't
Coldest megacity
LKJHF S yes.
anonymous not true
I HAVE BEEN IN NAPOLI in Jan / Feb when it felt like it was spring time
Don't travel North during Winter. Trust me I am an european. Leave destinations like Helsinki, Moscow, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo for the spring. It gets very cold and even if you wanted a winter magic feeling, destinations like Prague, Strasbourg are better and a bit warmer.
stockholm and copenhagen arent cold lol. denmark in general is never really cold. stockholm is average. helsinki is cold af tho.
Cosmo Aero V2 haha I'm going to Moscow in December with layover in Helsinki so yeahhhh.....
yup basically but I hope it's worth it:)
Cosmo Aero V2 Wait, isn't Prague colder than Copenhagen?
I'll be in Denmark and Sweden in November. I have been to Iceland in December. I can't wait! It will be fine! :) I can appreciate them in any weather!
In London, it's been mild this winter so far, 14°C to 16°C
Same way where I live state of Pennsylvania
Global warming perhaps because in London in January you would expect at day time 7 to 8 c and at night 1 to 4 c
Walter, you have a gorgeous wife, beautiful children, and you travel the world. You are a very lucky man, appreciate it, life moves too fast. Regards Steve
I know. The pictures in this video are of my 9 year old when he was 3 and 4 years old. It was a heart string pulling editing this video. Thanks for all the support.
I also love the cheap domestic flights in Europe! I booked a flight from Budapest to Brussels for 30 Euros roundtrip in November
Just visited Copenhagen. Tivoli, Christmas Markets, Nyhavn... Amazing! Thanks for the video.
As a native Californian (Northern California-Bay Area) I would *LOVE* to have snow
+JoninhoFIFA i would love to go to california because it is hot and the uk is just cold and rainy all year around
Sealand it depends on where you go. California can be split up into about 4 parts. extreme northern california is close to Oregon and it actually snows there and they get a lot of rain. Northern California (Bay Area -where I live) is about 70 degrees year round (21 degrees celsius) except in the months of July and August. Even right now in San Francisco it is around 21 degrees celsius. The valley and inland empire is very hot and during the summer months it can reach temperatures of about 32 degrees celsius and basically the same thing can be said about Los Angeles and San Diego. Just know that not all of California is hot!
+JoninhoFIFA You can have ours. Last year we had 18 feet. Love to see Californy cope with that, & the cold that keeps it from melting. Y'all 30 some million of you would Califreak, declare a state of emergency & call out the National Guard. People would be wailing in the streets 'cept they couldn't GET to the streets.
TimeAndChance wtf are you talking about and what state are you from
It says 'I wd LOVE to have snow.' That's what I'm responding to. Snow is hideous. I'm not from a state: Canada. I like the idea of Calif. weather. Mine's horrid in winter.
Coming from the Pacific northwest, the rain doesn't scare me
I went to London during Christmas and it's so Beautiful 😍😍😍
Oh...but Christmas season in Madrid is magical! Chilly for sure but not awful. A pair of cuddle duds and some wool socks with waterproof shoes was sufficient.
My wife and I love your family videos. Thanks for the great information.
I really agree on the Christmas markets! However there are a lot of people there. I also partly agree on the weather. It can get really cold and it limits what you can and will do. (Like going in parks for example)
Waterproof high top men's Converse tennis shoes are a must. Best $65 you will ever spend.
Woltersworld, if you want a mild winter come to San Diego! It's usually between 60 - 70 degrees here and we have LegoLand!
alpens are amazing in winter
alpes
yes they are :) its like a winter wonderland
Wolters World haha true
Wolters World well the last Years there is less snow.
and they are hilly during the summer
absolutly agree on the points about the fewer tourists
Great video for budget travelers like myself! Time to bundle up for some cold adventures. . .
I never saw the sun in Paris when i was there in November
And did you mention in winter you can take really beautiful pictures just as you've shown to us:)
Going to one of the big cyclocross races in the Low countries, Europe's other winter sport aparat from alpine skiing and far more accessible as a fan. Thousands of people lining a compact course for a circuit race (and paying about €5 for it), thrills and spills of the racing, huge festival atmosphere, and beer, music, and food tents in the event village - with multiple races over the course of the day and really friendly crowds it's a great way to meet locals and absorb their passion for a sport in a family friendly environment - some of the friendliest crowds out their, and even if you don't understand the sport, you will know everything you need to withing 5 minutes of speaking to a local
We went to Venice last November and we could easily book a hotel in the heart of Venice just a minute away from Piazza San Marco. They also "advertised" their summer rates for the room 400 € in winter 60 €. And it was sunny and cold. As cold as in north Germany where I normally live.
In Rome, we had to wait for 1/2 hour to get into the Vatican. In November. However, in Summer it definitely takes more than an hour. Also we arrived at noon (don't do that all tourists are there at noon. We knew that, still too lazy ;-). Anyway it took us 6 hours in the Vatican to see half of all artifacts and statues. So if you really want to understand the pieces you are looking at and the history/story behind it, come early.
Thanks Mark. Great video. I am going to Zurich in December 15th ., I can not wait to for the Christmas markets !
Haha 3:20 - he said: "Europe is a walking city" - What an American thing to say!
Tristan de Sade: In Hate #4, he did say "...a walking continent", so when he later said "city", he obviously misspoke (as he is, afterall, HUMAN). Of course, you must be the typical assuming smug european.
Tristan de Sade haha what a European thing to assume!
Tristan de Sade wow who gives a shit...he travels all around europe we will mess up no point in slinging shit at everyone cause you need to be better
Tristan de Sade I can assure you that no American thinks that Europe is a city, especially one whose career revolves around travel. Have fun with your false sense of superiority.
You know what he means and he's right. Most European cities are more compact and easier to get around than American cities, which tend to be more spread out and car focused. Many European cities are based around old town squares (nearly all beautiful) and they grew from there, which led to these close-knit and 'WALKABLE' cities.
I love watching your Denmark videos. I'm from Denmark and just moved to Copenhagen, so it's always fun to hear what foreigners think of our country. But I am surprised that you found Tivoli closed. I was there just last week for the Christmas marked, and we were told that it was open all of December, and even the rides were running still.
It is opened for christmas but outside christmas time in winter it's sadly not. Just bad timing on my part. Still a wonderful place. Thanks fur the support! Great travels to You!
Wolter I love your videos b/c i may not go everywhere you have but I can see it through you! thank you
What about people that like cloudy, rainy and snowy weather? But it is good to know to check what will be open. Use the new thin long underwear which are no longer bulky. 😀
u forgot to ,mention that there are places where winter is the main seson like bavaria , austria , switz for ski
or the canarie´s were its in the summer to hot
Wolter , you are DA' Man !!!!! Great journeys you have been on !!!!! Keep traveling hard !!!
Thanks Mark. Big shout out to you buddy!
Look out for some Christmas Markets outside the big citys like Berlin, Nuremburg, Dresden or Stuttgart.
I can say Ludwigsburg, Esslingen or Bad Wimpfen are really nice.
Do you know if they have any Christmas markets around Düsseldorf, or even close to that region? I'm doing a two month exchange there and I really would love to go to a Weihnachtsmarkt.
Yes they have, look out on Google for "weihnachtsmärkte 2016 nrw"
nrw means North Rhine Westphalen :-)
Next post Isent a Link, hope its not spam.
Here is the Link:
www.deutsche-weihnachtsmaerkte.de/Weihnachtsmarkt-in-Nordrhein-Westfalen_10.html
+Michael Fridrich danke schön :) that's super helpful
Michael Fridrich: Thank you. I also I saw that the Basel, Switzerland Christmas Markets are beautiful too.
3:18 Europe is a walking city.
Would you do an 'Atlantic Canada in Winter' video? Yup, involving you visiting & filming AC in the excessive SNOW season. Love to hear you come up with 5 things you'd like about visiting there at that time.
That would be an interesting one. My wife would kill me which might be a love for some people ;)
Just think of that fantastic multi-level tunnel snow fort you could build for the kids outside when you have a 12 foot high snowbank to work with.
You could always visit Antarctica's 'pole of cold' during that area's winter. Snow is not exactly the problem. Wonder both what you'd say & what your wife would do to you? ;)
love the video, thanks for taking time to show the two sides!
If you plan on going to any concert halls they are closed in the summer.
have to say...u have a beautiful family and ur kids are adorable :)
Thank you!
Shorter lines in winter, ROFL, come to Zermatt! ..and what I like in winter, skiing ;)
For ciry sights not for skiing locations. I think that one is a bit obvious.
It gets pitch black in winter (Nov, Dec, Jan) very early, like 4 PM or 5 PM is night outside here in Central Europe