Three European holiday hotspots that are more magical in winter

Head to Venice, Barcelona or Dubrovnik in the coming weeks and you’ll find half-price hotels and famous attractions without the crowds

Winter brings with it the chance to explore Europe’s most overcrowded cities in relative peace. But there are other reasons – beyond a lack of queues and chaos – to visit the likes of Venice, Barcelona and Dubrovnik in the colder months. You’ll pay less, for starters, with hotel rates and flight prices typically falling by half in the off season. Cultural programmes are usually just as packed – the annual Venice Carnivale, for example, takes place in February. And you’re likely to be rubbing shoulders with locals, rather than other tourists, adding a veneer of authenticity to your weekend away.  

Here three of our destination experts explain why their city is just as magical – if not more – during winter. 

Does Venice have an off-season? With the possible exception of some mid-week days in early January you’re unlikely to have this watery dreamscape to yourself. But winter does bring relative calm, providing the chance to explore a more echoing and mysterious version of Venice. If, on the other hand, you prefer your cities to be bustling, there are also cold-weather festivities to enjoy. 

For any winter visit you’ll need to wrap up warm: icy winds whip down from the Dolomites. But if you’re lucky you’ll also catch brilliant blue skies which magnify the city’s colours. You may also get the chance to experience the novelty of acqua alta, most likely to occur between November and March. The city’s famous annual flooding is in fact a tide: it rises and falls swiftly, and large areas of the city are rarely affected.