The 9 Best Winter Experiences To Travel For In Europe (Other Than Skiing)

When winter arrives in Europe, you'll find locals hauling their ski gear onto public transport and heading to one of the fabulous mountain ranges for a bit of winter fun. But even though skiing is extremely popular in the region — and surprisingly affordable compared to the U.S. — it's hardly the only enjoyable thing you can do on a snow-inspired trip to Europe. From the icy peaks and glaciers of the Alps to the pristinely blanketed forests of the Balkans, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to unique winter experiences — skis or no skis.

As a nature-loving traveler based in Barcelona, I love finding ways to get out and explore even when the temperatures turn frigid. Through a mix of personal experience and insights from industry contacts, I've assembled 10 trip ideas that are not about escaping the cold — though Europe has a few places where you can do that if you're looking for a sunny chaser to your wintry vacation. Instead, they center on embracing the wondrous snow-covered landscapes through new adventures and culinary experiences (and squeezing in some Christmas shopping if you go in December).

If you like spending time in the mountains but don't enjoy the breakneck pace of skiing and snowboarding — or the slog of cross-country skiing — snowshoeing is a fantastic way to slow down and explore. If you've never used snowshoes before, all you need to know is that they are essentially extra-long, wide accessories that you strap to your boots, preventing your feet from sinking into deep snow. You can find snowshoe rentals at many ski resorts in Europe, and there may even be designated snowshoe trails that you can follow on your own. Some of the most famous snowshoe trails include the Cinque Torri in the Italian Dolomites and the Korouoma Canyon in Finnish Lapland.

If you enjoy long-distance hiking and don't mind the cold, consider booking a multi-day snowshoeing trip with tour operators like Dolomite Mountains, which offers an epic five-day journey along the high route of the Dolomites. This includes overnight stays in mountaintop refuges for a truly immersive experience. For something unique, look beyond the Alps to the Carpathian Mountains, where you can book a more budget-friendly three-night trip in Romania. The elevations are a bit lower, and you'll stay in guesthouses along the way. If you're new to snowshoeing and mountaineering in general, you may want to get your practice on a day trip. Check the offerings near where you're going; you could find surprising options, like a beginner-friendly snowshoeing tour that leaves from Madrid.

Although some countries are more famous than others for having the best Christmas markets in Europe, this holiday tradition has become ubiquitous across the continent. If you are making the hop across the pond anytime before December 25, you can look for Christmas markets along your itinerary. Or you can go all out with one of Viking's themed river cruises, which travel from Christmas market to Christmas market along the continent's classic waterways — from the Rhine and the Moselle to the Danube. Cities along these routes include Paris, Prague, Budapest, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Vienna, all guaranteed to have plenty of lights to be dazzled by, hot mulled wine to drink, and gifts to buy.

Off the main rivers, you can find fabulous festivities in cities like Madrid, where plazas defined by traditional Spanish architecture are decorated with colorful lights, and Copenhagen, where some of the best light displays can be found at the city zoo — a picture-perfect activity if you're traveling with kids. Perhaps one of the best European cities to experience during Christmas is London, where uniquely British and cozy traditions abound. Book an afternoon tea at a luxury hotel like Claridge's, or catch a Christmas concert at iconic churches like Westminster Abbey. You can find more Christmas-themed performances at the Royal Albert Hall, and Harry Potter fans should head to the Hogwarts in the Snow studio tour experience outside London to see the movie sets dressed up for Christmas.

In European cities, you can find all the Christmassy comforts you have at home to complement the chilly weather. However, for a truly unique experience, you will have to set your sights toward the North Pole, where real reindeer roam. Not only is Finnish Lapland home to northern lights views at this time of year, but it is also the perfect occasion to embark on a reindeer safari or visit a reindeer farm.

Reindeer are native to the Arctic and are domesticated across Scandinavian countries and Finland. You can travel to the remote town of Rovaniemi, the gateway to Finnish Lapland, to visit Taava Reindeer Farm, a working farm with hundreds of reindeer. There, you can join a herder on their daily tasks while learning about the local culture and the tradition of reindeer herding in this part of the world, which relies on reindeer products like meat, hides, and antlers as a source of income.

Just like Santa Claus, you can even ride in a reindeer-drawn sleigh on a reindeer safari while you go out looking for the northern lights and other Arctic animals. With luck, you may even spot some of the wild reindeer. When you visit reindeer in their native lands, you'll learn much more about how these equally adorable and fascinating creatures are a vital part of the Arctic ecosystem and can travel up to 34 miles per day during migration.

Winter in Europe isn't always about bracing for the cold and snow. In fact, sometimes it's about turning up the heat. There's truly no better way to warm your bones after a long day out in the elements — or even a long day spent indoors — than a sauna session. And in many parts of Europe, saunas offer steam and spectacle all in one. 

Finland may be home to the world's "sauna capital," but you don't have to go all the way north to find gorgeous spas and saunas among snowy settings. For a truly luxe experience, you can head to the remote mountaintop hotel Cabane Tortin in Verbier, Switzerland. This luxury ski hut is only accessible by gondola or snowmobile and has incredible views over the Alps and the Tortin Glacier — and, naturally, a walnut-paneled sauna. Across the border in Austria, you can also find saunas with glass-window views, like Olympiabad Seefeld and the Penthouse-SPA on Lake Achensee.

If you don't have time to trek up to the mountains during your European winter experience, you'll find plenty of indoor sauna culture in cities like London, Zurich, Helsinki, Oslo, and Amsterdam. Nordic countries are experts in the sauna life, but in Amsterdam, you can sauna at a place like Badhus or join the Sauna Social Club in London to enjoy a sweat session set to the beats of a live DJ.

If you want the best chances of seeing the northern lights, you need to stay away from light pollution and anything that might block your view of the celestial display, i.e., you don't want to be surrounded by high mountains or dense tree cover. One easy solution to these obstacles? Hop aboard a boat. Not only will you be on the move — allowing your captain to navigate to the best locations for aurora viewing — but you'll also be far away from cities and towns where artificial lighting can diminish the effect of the phenomenon. Some cruise lines like Hurtigruten even promise that if you don't see the northern lights on their cruise, they'll give you a free cruise for a second chance.

From Tromsø, Norway, you can find affordable and short cruises that will take you on the water to see the northern lights, but investing more time and getting further out will lead to better results. To make sure the experience is truly unforgettable, you can set sail on SY Varg. This three-night trip organized by Norrona, an adventure tour company based in Tromsø, combines floating luxury — an onboard sauna and high-end Arctic Fusion culinary experiences — with natural wonder. Days are spent scouring the seas for humpback whales and orcas or hiking around the fjords, and nights are for staying up late, waiting for the lights to cast their colors across the starry sky.

Humans have been traveling by dog sled for thousands of years, a practice that is believed to have originated in Siberia but is also part of indigenous traditions from Scandinavia to Greenland and Alaska. In Nordic countries like Sweden, you can embark on dog sled tours that range from short experiences to multi-day trips, sometimes camping along the way. However, the fun of dog sledding has spread down to the Alps, and one of the top facilities is Husky Village in Italy. Alaskan huskies will pull you along an approximately 3-mile trail. Additionally, the site is a great place to learn about these impressive pups who are bred to happily pull cargo through the snow — seriously, you'll never see a dog more excited to run than a sled dog.

Of course, you can find sled dog tours all over the continent, usually wherever there is a lot of snow and a popular ski area nearby. Just make sure you don't forget about Iceland. It isn't a traditional activity in Icelandic culture, but Dogsledding Iceland makes trying this fun sport easy with short day tours that will pick you up and drop you off in the capital city of Reykjavík. Wherever you go, you'll have the best experience if there's a lot of snow on the ground — so typically in midwinter. Lots of snow is essential for a smooth ride, although many dog sled operators also offer summertime tours that use wheeled carriages instead of sleds.

If you do take a liking to the mushing lifestyle, consider planning your next trip to Girdwood, an Alaska town that has glacier views and dog sledding.

No doubt, the most comfortable and magical way to experience the snow-covered European landscapes is from the window seat of a train. It's truly a journey straight from the storybooks as you roll along the tracks through the snowy mountain landscapes. For the most dramatic views, look no further than Switzerland and its legendary Jungfraujoch line, also known as the "Top of Europe." You'll have remarkable views while traveling along the highest railway in Europe, a three-part journey that finishes at the 11,332-foot perch of Jungfraujoch railway station. It's a pricey ticket, but once you're at the top, you'll find plenty to do, like sledding or exploring the Ice Palace, a series of tunnels carved by mountaineers in the early 20th century. There are also two restaurants, a chocolate factory, and — because this is Switzerland, after all — a watch store.

The train operates year-round, even on Christmas and New Year's, but bear in mind you may have to change trains twice. The first leg will take you between Interlaken Ost and Grindelwald Terminal, and then to Eigergletscher, where the final ascent to the top is located. It's a great winter activity, but the good news for summertime travelers is that there is snow year-round! If you've never gone for a midsummer sleigh ride, this is the place to do it. Of course, Jungfraujoch may be the highest, but it's not the only railway where you will find wintry views outside the window. You can also cross the border from Switzerland into Italy on the Bernina Line or travel north from Oslo to Bergen in Norway.

Europe is a bastion of museums and iconic artwork, but if you're looking for something more ephemeral, no medium does it better than the art of ice sculpture. Frigid temperatures preserve the details of these temporary artworks for as long as possible in places like Switzerland and the Netherlands, where you will find two hubs of the craft.

The largest ice art exhibition can be found in Amsterdam at Art Below Zero, a winter tradition that features over a hundred mind-blowing ice sculptures. You'll wander through a chilled room of pure magic with multiple scenes that tell the story of the Dutch capital's history, carved by master ice sculptors from around the world. The exhibition is open year-round, so you don't have to go in the wintertime to experience it, but it does make it just a little bit more magical. Not to mention, you might be lucky enough to go ice skating on Amsterdam's canals, too, if the weather is cold enough — which it only is every few years.

For something you can only do in winter, Grindelwald hosts the annual World Snow Festival in January in the Eiger Village. Entry is free, so consider staying the whole week to see the artists' work take shape before the final judging. From there, you can also take a cable car to Jungfraujoch, where there is even more delightful ice architecture in the Ice Palace.

Winter wouldn't be the same without comfort food, and in Europe, you can find some of the best and cheesiest traditions in France and Switzerland. The Swiss are masters of fondue, which is served in rustic Alpine huts and elegant restaurants. You will find restaurants serving fondue all over the country, especially at ski resorts. In Zurich, you can take a cable car to a fondue dinner, or you might even find it as your provided nourishment during a high-flying paragliding tour in Davos. Fondue made with cheese is the tradition, but you'll also encounter chocolate on the dessert menu.

Claimed by both France and Switzerland, raclette is another cheesy tradition worth looking for in the winter season. Instead of being served in a giant dipping pot, this cheese is melted slowly and then poured all over a plate of potatoes, veggies, and charcuterie ingredients. According to Food & Wine, one of the best places to try both is at the Hotel Le Coucou Méribel in Courchevel, where the cheesy dishes are mastered and served in a cozy and sophisticated dining room. After a long day of adventuring, nothing hits the spot and refuels your spirit like these warm treats.

Each year, I find a way to see some snow up in the Pyrenees or maybe travel to another city to peruse the Christmas markets. Using a mix of my own experience and calling upon contacts in the tourism industry to share their favorite parts about European winter (sans skis) and new adventure tour offers, I pulled together this comprehensive list to provide the best mix of unique activities for all levels.

Whether you're keen to go wild camping, face the Nordic winds on a sailboat, or enjoy a cozy seat and tasty treat from a moving train, I believe this list showcases the best array of opportunities available for non-skiers in Europe or skiers who are looking for something else to do with their downtime while prioritizing the glorious winter views that are worth crossing the pond for.