5 Unforgettable Travel Destinations For People With Sun-Sensitive Skin

If baking on beaches and topping up the tan are not your idea of the perfect holiday, then don't worry — you're not alone. While the sun-loving crowds flock to warm and wonderful destinations in Asia to escape winter weather, or seek out the European capital cities that receive the most sun year-round, there are plenty of folks who prefer cloudy skies to blue ones, and darkness to endless vitamin D.

This guide is for them. It's the product of research across a whole string of forum posts and Reddit threads, combined with over a decade of global travel knowledge from yours truly. (You'll find more information on our methodology at the end.) Its aim? To offer up a handful of destinations that are not only unforgettable but generally considered a good bet for anyone with sun-sensitive skin.

Of course, trip planning is key here — travel outside of the peak summer might be required to dodge sunshine in even the places listed below. What's more, weather is an unpredictable beast, so you can never guarantee a total escape from the rays. However, these destinations come recommended by past travelers and tend to enjoy milder climates that mean less sunshine compared to the sunniest parts of the globe.

The region of Scandinavia got more mentions than just about any corner of the planet across the Reddit threads and travel forums we perused for inspiration on destinations for sun-sensitive globetrotters. And, among its trio of constituent nations, it was Norway that got perhaps the most gushing reviews of all.

The climate data certainly stacks up: This nook of Europe is firmly within the low-risk zone on the global UV map of the non-profit environmental organization GRID-Arendal. On top of that, there are parts of northern Norway where the folks go months on end without even seeing the sun. Yep, it's dark, but there are still wonderful phases of the day known as the "blue hours," when atmospheric light reflects off the ice and sea to make everything glow.

One commentor on Reddit even offers tips on what part of the country to visit first, recommending "Norway esp Tromso, which is awesome." People call Tromso the Arctic capital, since it sits firmly within the Arctic Circle and sees zero sunrises from December through January. So, you won't have to worry about the blazing rays in the middle of winter, which also happens to be high time to see the northern lights in Tromso, not to mention great for a stop at the Pust Sauna, which you'll find floating in the harbor.

People call Iceland the "Land of Fire and Ice" — certainly not the land of endless sunshine! In fact, according to statistics from Climate.top, this island nation set out in the North Atlantic gets an average of 1,258 hours of sun each year, while under 29% of all daylight hours are categorized as "sunny." To put it another way: You might want to look elsewhere for sunbathing sessions and tan topping. It's just not that sort of place.

What it is: A land of extremes. Glaciers roll across the mountaintops, some of Europe's most active volcanoes belch smoke into the sky, and tectonic plates meet in the middle of it all. Where else on the planet can you go scuba diving in the crack between two continents? (Head up to the great fissure of Silfra in the Thingvellir region if that sounds like your sort of thing!)

A great way to appreciate the whole place in one fell swoop is to take the famous Icelandic Ring Road, called "Europe's best road trip" by Rick Steves. It goes for 825 miles in all, so it can occupy an entire vacation. Along the way, you'll whiz past thermal rivers where you can bathe in Mother Nature, the huge cave waterfall of Seljalandsfoss, and viewpoints over glaciers. Talk about unforgettable experiences!

Reddit threads asking for sunless destination recommendations are awash with mentions of one particular American metropolis: San Francisco. That might come as a bit of a surprise, since California has a reputation for sun-soaked beach living. Truth is, this is the U.S. state with the mildest climate, offering comfy summers and dry weather. What's more, San Francisco is tucked up in Northern California, where the weather is notably cooler.

There's even a saying: "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." It's sometimes apocryphally accredited to the writer Mark Twain but is now repeated by Redditors when highlighting just how good San Francisco can be for sun-weary travelers during the warmer months. It's also worth remembering that this bay-side town is nicknamed "Fog City" for a reason. It sits under two hours' drive from America's foggiest destination at Point Reyes and sees the height of foggy conditions in the month of August, which some locals even call "Fogust."

When it comes to attractions and things to do, San Francisco hardly needs any introduction. The city itself is primed with artisan sourdough bakeries, the biggest Chinatown in the USA, and the boho-arty area of Sausalito. Break away from the center and there's oodles of nature to explore in close proximity, whether you head over the Golden Gate Bridge to see the huge coast redwood stands of the Muir Woods, or go south to the beaches and chilled coastal towns along Highway 1.

Poland can be a fantastic sun-sensitive destination choice, provided you avoid the peak of the summer. That's according to multiple Redditors on various threads, with one particular commentor on the r/travel subreddit summing up this corner of Europe like this: "Lots of great mountainous areas and very affordable and easy to get around."

Weather-wise, Poland has a combination of maritime and continental climates, typically showcasing uber-cold winters and rather balmy summers. I've been traveling here for years and years, and there are two places that I'd highlight as especially unforgettable. They can each offer more in the way of snow, cold air, and cloud coverage than endless sunshine from morning until night, so long as you time your trip right. The first is the town of Zakopane in the far south of the country. It's known as the "winter capital of Poland," which is a nickname that should pique the interest of any sun-sensitive traveler out there. Zakopane is nothing short of a festive wonderland in the colder months, when loads of the white stuff covers the mountains, the ski resorts open, and you can stay in spa hotels under the Tatra Mountains. Farther north is the Baltic coast, where Poland's flag carrier airline, LOT, recommends going for an autumn trip — think days of wandering deserted beaches and a UV index of 3 by October (that's on the lower end of moderate risk).

Wales pokes out of the western side of the United Kingdom in a rugged show of rocky mountains, wave-blasted bays, and castle-topped hills shrouded in Celtic myth and legend. Thing is, the weather can leave a lot to be desired — the nation is famous for its rainfall, and its capital, Cardiff, is the second rainiest city in the U.K.! Sunshine is also at a premium. The U.K. Met Office points out that Wales' topography and closeness to the Atlantic Ocean make cloud cover more likely. It also says that even the sunniest parts of the country get just 1,700 hours of rays each year.

All that should be music to the ears (or should we say a tingle to the skin?) of travelers who aren't so keen on being bathed in vitamin D . You might very well get wet, but you should also find plenty of time to explore all that Wales is known for without stepping into the sunshine.

So, what is Wales known for? Hiking has to be close to the top of the list. This is the home of the 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail, a long-distance shoreline path that can be done in 15 stages, going through quaint fishing villages and along shimmering golden beaches alike. Farther north, the Eryri National Park has the highest peaks in the country, along with swim holes in gurgling waterfalls and super-starry skies at night (the whole place is an International Dark Sky Reserve).

This selection of five unforgettable destinations for the sun-sensitive traveler is the product of research across multiple Reddit threads and travel forums, combined with personal travel experience throughout both peak and low seasons on five continents. We trawled comments on relevant posts to get recommendations for places in a variety of destinations, from the U.S. to Europe and beyond. We then whittled that down by cross-checking each place against climate data to ensure there were relatively low annual levels of sunshine in each. Finally, we used our own in-depth travel experience to prioritize the most bucket-list destinations of all.