Off-Beat Couple's Travel Blog
Northern Lights. Herds of reindeer roaming the arctic tundra. Dog sledding through snowy woods. Fjord flopping. Wait… what? In this post you’ll find the exact itinerary for the life-changing Norway trip I took in January, plus alternative destinations if you want to switch things up. This massive 7 day itinerary includes everything you’ll need to plan an epic winter trip to Norway!
Visiting Norway in the winter was one of the most incredible trips of my life. From seeing the Northern Lights to jumping in an icy cold fjord to dog sledding in the mountains to herding reindeer with the indigenous Sami people to crashing a snowmobile in the Arctic Tundra (because it wouldn’t be me if there’s not at least ONE disaster, right?), here are 35 jaw-dropping photos of Norway in the winter!
Our favorite time of the year to travel in Europe is during the winter. As the weather gets colder, the Christmas markets come to life, snow begins to fall, and it’s the perfect time to throw on cozy sweaters, puffy coats, and winter boots and wander through cobblestoned back alleys. It’s developed into a bit of a habit, actually: after just a few trips, the idea of Christmas without Christmas Markets just feels empty, meaningless, and devoid of calories. But it can overwhelming to try and come up with a Europe itinerary when there are so many amazing places to visit! So we’ve created not one, but TWO detailed 2-week itineraries so you can make the most of your winter holidays in Europe. Just call us Santa Blogs! … Get it? The 2-week Northwestern Europe itinerary takes you from Copenhagen to Bremen to Amsterdam to Bruges to Brussels, and The Central Europe itinerary takes you from Vienna to Hallstatt to Cesky Krumlov to Prague. From Christmas Markets to castles, these itineraries have your winter holidays covered.
When we decided to visit Vienna, Austria for Christmas last year, we had one thing in mind: Christmas Markets! We wanted to eat and drink everything. And we did – but we also discovered so much more. We spent 3 full days exploring Vienna at Christmas, falling in love with the winding alleys in Old Town, the glamorous Coffee Cafes, the glittering palaces, and of course, the food! Soooo much food. Here’s your guide to everything you need to know about visiting Vienna at Christmas. Oh, and let us be the first to say: Frohe Weihnachten! That means “Merry Christmas.”
As resident Californians, other than watching nostalgic Christmas movies and inhaling peppermint bark the only way we can get a real (read: cold and snowy) Christmas is to travel! So for the past few years, we’ve been escaping to Europe in the winter seeking snow, cold, short days, and warm comfort food. After just a few trips, the idea of Christmas without Christmas Markets just feels empty, meaningless, and devoid of calories. The one problem with our Christmas in Europe habit is that it’s … er, not exactly cheap. So, we strap on our packs, book some hostels, and go backpacking! In this post we’re laying out all of our favorite, field-tested essentials for backpacking Europe in the winter, from gear to clothing. Here’s everything you need to stay warm, healthy, and happy on your trip, so you can spend less time stressing and more time drinking glühwein and stuffing your face with lebkuchen. Mmmm….
Hallstatt, Austria is a beautiful little village and UNESCO world heritage site nestled in the Austrian Alps. Hallstatt, Austria is a fairytale come to life. I’ve been dreaming of visiting this magical village ever since I first saw a picture of it, and I knew instantly that I wanted to visit in winter. I’m a mountains & snow girl, and there’s nothing more snowy and mountainy than a village on a lake in the Alps, right? We needed an excuse to share all of the stunning photos we took during our visit to Hallstatt in the winter, so we’ve compiled our favorites into one photo-heavy post – plus all the details you need to plan your own trip to Hallstatt, of course! Get ready for some drool-worthy winter wanderlust fuel. Also, swans.
