Europe Directory of Tips, Stories, and Advice

Pros and Cons of Visiting Northern Europe in the Winter

While many travelers like to visit Europe in the summer months (and oh is it busy), we’re starting to travel more and more in the winter months.

Part of this is to enjoy winter activities like seeing the northern lights or other outdoor activities (snowshoeing, skiing, etc.). But another part is because Europe in the winter is often much quieter (apart from select destinations) and gives us a chance to go slower and enjoy a different style than what we were used to in the summer months.

In a way, visiting northern Europe in the winter is like a double-sided coin. On one side, we have perks for traveling in a slower season. On the other side, there is an associated drawback because of the winter season. So while we do love visiting northern Europe in the winter, there are many pros and cons to consider!

Note: We should reiterate that this article focuses on northern Europe in particular over the Mediterranean. Some of these cases may apply further south, but we’re looking at places that are cold, dark, and, depending on the temperature, snowy here!

Timberyard in Edinburgh is a Michelin-starred restaurant with creative cuisine emphasizing local and regional ingredients. Set in a 19th-century warehouse, the atmosphere has a farmhouse or Scandinavian vibe with old wooden floorboards and high ceilings with original wooden beams.

As might not be a surprise, given its Michelin status, Timberyard offers tasting menus and optional drink pairings. The full tasting menu has around eight courses, but there is a shorter (and cheaper) four-course option. Both options are available as vegetarian, too. All menus can be paired with either alcoholic or non-alcoholic options; we chose the full regular tasting course with the alcoholic drink pairings.

We instantly noticed how amazing the service was here and how incredibly friendly and helpful all the staff were- everyone from the host to the sommelier to all of the servers. Our experience from the moment we walked in really set the tone for the wonderful evening ahead.

When we booked our trip to Alsace, we admit that we were visiting the wineries first and foremost. But given that our visit coincided with the holiday season, we planned to spend a great deal of time at the Christmas markets as the region is home to some of the most famous markets in the world.

With the popularity comes the crowds, and Alsace was busy!

So after exploring the Alsatian Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Colmar, we wanted to take a look at the two famous cities and share advice on what to consider when choosing which to make your base during a trip.

While we personally trend to Colmar, as you’ll read about below, there are pros and cons for each that we’ll discuss!

During our road trip around Scotland, we wanted to make sure to visit a good number of distilleries. Although we did not visit all of the popular distillery areas (like Islay), we did hit eleven great distilleries between Edinburgh, the west coast, and Speyside to name a few.

So in this one, we wanted to share our thoughts on the distilleries that we’ve been able to visit in Scotland so far!

We hope to return to Scotland to add more to this list soon!

Pros and Cons of Visiting Northern Europe in the Winter

Timberyard Review – Exceptional Fine Dining in Edinburgh

Where to Stay for Christmas Markets – Colmar vs Strasbourg

11 Distilleries to Visit on Your Scotland Road Trip