Snowy escapes for a magical winter holiday

Not everyone dreams of escaping the cold during the winter months. Whether lounging in luxury in Finland, snowshoeing through the Austrian Alps, or exploring Antarctica’s remote wilderness, our list of snowy winter breaks is perfect for champions of chilly weather.

Helsinki, Finland

While the Nordic capital is the perfect place to experience Finnish charm, the city has been “stymied by a lack of suitable places to stay”, said James Stewart in The Times. With the opening of Hotel Maria last year, however, the city is opening its arms to visitors. The military quarters-turned-five-star hotel, is “what happens when 19th-century architecture meets pared-back design”. The hotel is home to an “array of pools” as well as steam rooms and saunas. Head to the lobby for a meeting with the resident “experience concierge”, who will advise you to try that “Finnish essential: a harbour ice dip and sauna”.

Lech, Austria

“Few places can beat Austria for snowy landscapes, and there is plenty of Tirolean countryside to explore away from the busy ski resorts”, said Annabelle Thorpe in The Guardian. Free from the dangers of skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing offers “opportunities to access pristine sections unreachable in normal walking boots”. Ramble Worldwide’s week-long guided snowshoeing walk is the perfect way to get the most out of what the Austrian Alps have to offer. The tour provides Austrian lunches in “traditional mountain Hütten” and a “torchlit evening walk, with plenty of warming Glühwein”. After long days on the icy slopes, guests return to the “charming” Hotel Grüner Baum in the mountain town of Bach im Lechtal.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Colorado, US

There are few “things in the world more fun than a frosty white Christmas in the Rockies”, said Judy Koutsky in Condé Nast Traveler. Spread over 6,500 “pristine” acres of “untamed wilderness” sits Devil’s Thumb Ranch, the perfect eco-luxe ranch to ring in the New Year. Situated in Colorado’s stretch of the Rocky Mountains, Devil’s Thumb Ranch offers a variety of activities from sleigh rides and ice skating to “breakfast with Santa, Christmas karaoke and holiday feasts”.

Bled, Slovenia

While Slovenia’s Lake Bled is beautiful in every season, the “fairy-tale destination” is well worth the stop during the winter months, said Roshina Jowaheer in Red magazine. The area has plenty of opportunities for ice skating and skiing, and a walk up to Bled Castle brings “fantastic views of the snowy scenery”. It is also well worth taking a stroll around the lake to marvel at the “pretty island” in the middle: this is about as “romantic as snowy escapes get”.

Antarctica

While Antarctica “isn’t for the faint of heart”, the continent is an unforgettable destination for those who have had their “fill of society and its attendant niceties”, said Sean Santiago in Elle Decor. A host of winter cruises set sail toward the South Pole each winter, and if you aren’t ready to leave behind home comforts try staying at Whichaway Camp – a “nest of ‘polar pods’” that offers fine dining and a “sauna overlooking a glacier”.