Destinations to Visit During the Winter

Some may not realize,  but winter is a great season for traveling. If you can bear the cold, then you can explore various winter destinations and many of the winter activities. If not, you can still head south for the places unaffected by the cold. This week we will introduce winter destinations for people who love the winter!

Winter Destination 1 – Iceland

The best time to travel to Iceland is from January to March. The winter in Iceland is snowy and the days get shorter in Iceland with less light because of the country’s high latitude. Fortunately, the latitude is a good thing for Iceland, as it is one of the best places to view the aurora or the “Northern Lights” in all its glory. This terrestrial wonder delivers a stunning eerie yet beautiful spectacle in the sky. With the right weather, you can find the Northern Lights easier on clear nights of autumn, winter, and spring. You can book a bus tour if you would be interested to feast your eyes this year.

When the weather is good in Iceland, there are many outdoor activities waiting for you to experience.

The most famous spot in Iceland is the Ice Cave, which is known for its incredibly turquoise blue colors.  One thing tourists should note is that tours to natural ice caves are operated from November to March when temperatures have been low for long enough to make them stable and safe.  Take time before to be prepared and ensure no disappointment.

Iceland is not as convenient as other traveling countries, you may have to drive for 4-5 hours to arrive to the next spot, but the long distance of driving is totally worth it!  You may never know what gems you may find along the way.

Winter Destination 2 – Turkey Cappadocia

Cappadocia in winter is extremely cold but beautiful! Many have said Cappadocia is magical when seen under snow. There are fewer tourists in winter, so it’s easier for you to slow down your pace and pay better attention to its finer details.

Cappadocia goers have said their journey to Cappadocia was like going to scenes in fantasy movies (for example, Star Wars).  A tagline from website Differ Planet wrote: “It looks like Mars, but it is in Turkey!” We don’t have the ability to travel to Mars yet, but we can always book a trip for Cappadocia.

One thing to see in Cappadocia is the “underground cities.” Those underground cities were used by the first inhabitants of Cappadocia to escape the harsh winter and wild animals. Those underground cities remained historically and became special scenery in Turkey.

Winter destinations 3 – Japan Sapporo

Due to Sapporo’s annual snow festival, the city is synonymous with winter.  Lots of people gather together in Sapporo to celebrate the snow festival which is held in February every year for 7 days.  In the festival, the art of snow and ice created by the citizens of Sapporo will be presented in Odori Park; also, you can experience snow slides and snow rafting at Tsudome.

Here, we highlight the winter foods unique to Hokkaido that you may want to try.  Only during winter hunting season, you can enjoy Sika deer meat, which is low in fat and high in protein, is known for its robust red meat flavor.  Besides, because Hokkaido is covered in snow in winter and their vegetable can’t grow easily, preserved food is important for them. Tsukemono or pickled dishes, both made from fish and vegetables, is their traditional preserved food eaten in the winter.  Give it a try!

I hoped you enjoyed it, and please don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to be up to date with all our content.  Next week, TourMega will share sunny winter destinations with you!

About TourMega

TourMega is the first and largest platform in the world dedicated to tours and activities. From Tokyo to San Francisco, passing by Paris, TourMega features on its website more than 300,000 tours, activities, museums, restaurants and transportation services. In just a few clicks, travelers can book unique experiences from their computers and mobile devices. For more information please visit www.tourmega.com or contact us at [email protected].

By Ning and Susan