Winter Travel Mistakes Tourists Make in Europe

Name: Winter Travel Mistakes Tourists Make in Europe
Uploaded: 2026-09-17T11:10:23+00:00
Duration: 10 min 58 s
Channel: Wolters World

00:00Hey there, fellow travelers! Mark here with Walter's World. Today we're here in Paris in the winter, and today what

00:04we have for you are the don'ts of traveling Europe in the winter. And I want to tell you this

00:08one. Don't think that you're going to be cold from the snow when you travel Europe in winter, because you're

00:14going to be cold from the rain and the wind. That's what's really going to get you. So I want

00:19to tell you this. Don't forget to bring the right clothing. It's not puffer jackets and stuff, because those puffer

00:25jackets, they can keep you warm, but they might not keep you dry.

00:28So make sure you're bringing, maybe you have a hood or something like, have your umbrellas, but most importantly, make

00:33sure you have waterproof jackets so you don't get soaked through your clothes. Also, don't forget waterproof shoes when you're

00:39going around, because honestly, when you get wet, you don't ever dry off here in the wintertime. So make sure

00:44you are ready for that, alright? So maybe I'll go someplace not as wet and windy to film the rest

00:49of this, because I am freezing right now. And where you really see those clothes kind of things is also

00:54on those cheap airlines, the budget airlines. A lot of those only have summer

00:58seasonal flights. So if you're looking up and you say, Oh, wait, EasyJet goes there, it goes there. Well, make

01:04sure it's not just EasyJet June, July and August. Okay, so be aware of that, because a lot of reduction

01:09in those cheap flights happen in the winter. So if you're thinking to go, don't maybe go to the summery

01:15spots, go to some of the more city places like the Paris is the Rome's kind of things, because those

01:20have the flights all year round. So you're not worried about things being closed in those big cities. Also traveling

01:25winter, one of the best things about it,

01:26don't expect as long of lines or as much over tourism in the winter, as in the summer. So when

01:32you go to places like here in Paris, you want to go to Louvre, the lines are a lot shorter,

01:36you're not worried about not getting tickets into places. So that could be a really great thing. Also, don't think

01:41you're going to spend as much traveling in winter in Europe as you will in the summer or the spring,

01:46because so few tourists are coming here in January and February, that you get really great deals on accommodation,

01:52on flights. I mean, we come in January, because I'm saving like $500 a flight versus coming to other times

01:58of the year. So think about that when you're looking for affordable times to come. Now, obviously, like I said

02:03before, the weather is not the best. But honestly, don't expect good weather when you're here and you'll be okay,

02:07because you expect nice sunny skies in the wintertime in Europe. Now it's dark. And I want to tell you

02:12about this. Don't forget about the timing of the darkness here in wintertime, because Europe is a lot farther north

02:18and like the US is on the whole scheme of things. So there's a lot

02:21therefore it gets darker sooner, it stays dark longer. So do be aware of that. So if you want to

02:25do outside sites, get started in the morning, see those things, because it could be four o'clock in the

02:30afternoon, five o'clock in the afternoon, and it's already dark, it's you can't take those things in. So do

02:35make sure you're planning your schedule around that darkness. So you may be thinking, wait, lower prices, less crowds, I

02:41should go to Europe in the wintertime. Well, I also got to tell you this, don't think everything's going in

02:46wintertime in Europe, especially in a place like you want to go to the Greek islands, those kind of things.

02:51They're not really happening. You go to the south of Portugal. Oh, people go down there for a winter break.

02:56It's still chilly down there. And there's not a ton of people. So not everything is open. So you don't

03:00necessarily get to do everything in certain parts of Europe in the wintertime. So do be aware of that. So

03:05you're going to have Greece, Portugal, Spain, make sure you're checking to see if anything is actually closed during the

03:10winter. So you make sure you can see the right things because sadly, those Greek island hopping cruises not really

03:17going on, you know, in the wintertime. Also, those ferries really not going on.

03:21Not very often as well. So be aware of that.

03:23Another great don't I have for you when you're coming here in the winter is don't miss out on the

03:27winter foods and the holiday foods that pop up during the wintertime.

03:31Because here in Europe, there's foods that really only come out at certain times of the year. For example, if

03:35you're in Verona, Verona around Christmas time, they have pera, which is basically a bone marrow like gravy kind of

03:42thing.

03:42It's fantastic. Or maybe you've had Panettone at Christmas time back home. Yes, that's from Italy. Or maybe you want

03:48to have the Glühwein or the Vanchot, the hot wine, the hot mulled wine in Germany or here in France.

03:54I mean, you have so many great dishes that just pop up for the holidays. Buche Noël. I mean, you

03:59can really enjoy it. So when you are out, make sure you ask, hey, what are the holiday dishes you

04:03do have here?

04:03Because sometimes it might be like in Germany, they have ganza, they have goose, which is only available at Christmas

04:09time because that's a traditional Christmas meal.

04:11So make sure you're asking around where you're going to go because different places, different countries are going to have

04:15different, you know, holiday foods you should try.

04:17Winter foods you should try. And honestly, if you're out in the streets, one of my favorite things, it's not

04:21just at Christmas time, but throughout the winter are the roasted chestnuts.

04:25Yes, you can get those roasted chestnuts a lot of places. So, you know, you can really love the Christmas

04:29song all the time.

04:30Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire. So, yeah, I mean, that's one of the things I really love is

04:35just going and explore, having the different foods, meeting the people.

04:38It's just, it's a great time to come in winter, especially during the holidays. And even afterwards, there still are

04:43some of those good dishes that are just kind of a winter specialty.

04:46Now, probably the best part about coming to Europe in winter are the Christmas markets.

04:51And I want to tell you this, don't miss out on coming to the Christmas markets all over Europe.

04:55Probably Germany and Austria are the most famous ones. Like, when you go there, there'll be little market stalls with

05:00foods, candies, gifts, all kinds of really cool stuff.

05:03People outside drinking hot wine and like Van Chard here in France or Glühwein in Germany.

05:09And you really get out and it gets you a chance to really meet the locals when you're here.

05:13And it's probably for me, I found it's been the easiest time for me to actually meet locals is going

05:18to the Christmas markets.

05:19If you've got kids, they'll have like little rides that they can ride as well.

05:23I mean, it's just a really fun overall experience.

05:25You really get that Christmas vibe because Europe goes all in on Christmas with the lights and with the Christmas

05:31spirit and everything.

05:32And that's why you don't want to miss out.

05:33If you're wondering what it is, it usually starts the first weekend of Advent and then finishes like Christmas Day.

05:39Now, some cities are different, but it might be something to check out because coming in early December or anytime

05:44before Christmas in Europe is just wonderful for those Christmas markets.

05:47But I got to tell you, don't think that that Christmas spirit is going to last very much past the

05:5225th because places like in Germany, the smaller towns, even medium sized cities, they might close their Christmas markets on

05:58the 23rd of December and it's gone like it's over.

06:01Now, bigger cities like here in Paris, there were some that were still open through the first week of January,

06:05but you can see this stuff is gone.

06:07So all that light, all that outdoorsyness that you love and meaning locals really kind of disappears and it gets

06:12to be that dark, gloomy kind of winter vibe.

06:16So do be aware of that.

06:17But if you can come at Christmas time, before Christmas time, it is a magical time here in Europe.

06:22Now, I know I've talked a lot about like bad weather stuff.

06:24I want to tell you, don't think you're going to have bad weather the entire time you're in Europe in

06:28the winter, because honestly, you can have great weather when you are there.

06:31I've lived in Portugal for years, now you wear a coat like once in the winter time.

06:35I'm here in Paris now and it's a beautiful day.

06:37People are jogging, I mean, literally, people are jogging out in shorts.

06:40It's a little cool for me, but you know, you can have beautiful days like this as well.

06:44So don't think it's going to be freezing cold all the time.

06:47So now we're here in Torino, Italy, and my next dome for you is don't think you can cover the

06:51same amount of ground in the winter as you can in the summer when you come to Europe.

06:55Because, yes, if it's snowy and wet and icy and kind of stuff, just the physical, like, be careful you

07:01don't slip and fall on your buttness, that's going to be something.

07:04But just for the cold and the walking, you know, your 20,000 a day steps, you know, your summer

07:09thing might only be 10,000 steps or 12,000 steps in the winter time just because of the weather,

07:15just because of the physical limitations and logistics of getting around.

07:19And that's why it's really important to also think about logistics, and I know I mentioned fewer, you know, planes

07:24and stuff, and it's a little bit more difficult.

07:26But honestly, don't forget to check train schedules, because some places, like on Christmas or New Year's, sometimes there's no

07:32trains available in some places.

07:33So you do want to see that, because you may see, oh, it's every Tuesday, but this year, you know,

07:37there's a holiday that falls on that day.

07:39So just be aware of that.

07:40Now, another thing I think is really important when you're planning out your time, don't forget to look up indoor

07:45activities.

07:46Because when you're outside that much, eventually the cold does get to you, and so it's good to plan in,

07:51hey, you know what, we're going to be outside enjoying stuff during the morning, but I know by the afternoon

07:56we're going to be too cold, we're not going to be outside, kids are going to be complaining, let's figure

08:00out indoor activities so you can do that.

08:02So plan for those museums, see what's available in the afternoon, because one of the things you don't want to

08:06be like, I'm so cold, but now it's 4.30 and all the museums are closed, maybe do those during

08:11the day.

08:11And then the evening time, you do a stroll around the city when you've been warm up all day in

08:15the museums, okay?

08:17Now, I think another thing with the warm up, don't be afraid to stop and warm up.

08:22Like one of the things that kind of slows you down when you're traveling in wintertime is because you get

08:26cold, you got to warm up.

08:27So you might notice you stop into more cafes, or more pubs, or more restaurants, just to kind of get

08:33out of the cold, like you're here in Italy, maybe you hit up a cafe, or you go to aperitivo

08:37time instead of walking around.

08:39You know, I know for us when we were in Portugal, yes, sometimes it even gets cold in Portugal, we

08:43would just stop in to have a little bica, warm a bica, just a little coffee to kind of warm

08:47up for a bit, get the kids warmed up, have a little tosta mista, a little sandwich, and then get

08:51back out, back out.

08:51But we knew we needed to take that, because what happens is, if you're outside in the cold for so

08:56long, it's kind of like your core temperature gets cold.

08:58When your core temperature gets cold, it's a lot longer to get warmed up again, so it's good to make

09:03sure you take those breaks, and maybe it is just going to the mall, maybe it is to go shopping,

09:07maybe it is to stop in a cafe, but don't forget to stop and warm up, just for a safety's

09:11sake.

09:11And I know I'm talking about this cold, but you've noticed, like, I don't have my gloves on, like, I'm

09:15not really super freezing cold, because I want to tell you this.

09:19Don't think winter in Europe is Minnesota cold, like, when it's minus 40 degrees kind of stuff.

09:25No, it can happen, like, I live in Lithuania, I live in Finland, it could get very cold there, but

09:30it's much more of a temperate climate.

09:31I mean, when you look at Europe, most of it's, like, in Canada's latitude.

09:36However, the temperatures are more, like, lower Midwest, you know, than, like, Florida kind of stuff in certain parts, like,

09:42wait a minute, what's going on here?

09:43And I will say that, like, you can go outside longer here than you can in the U.S., just

09:48because it's not as cold, okay?

09:50So don't be thinking I need 1900 layers and I can't put my arms down kind of stuff, because it

09:56doesn't really get that cold when you are here.

09:57Unless, of course, you're, like, in northern Finland or sometimes in the Baltics, but that's a whole other thing.

10:01And I think just an overall, I think the important don't to mention about coming to Europe in the winter

10:05is don't think it's the same vibe as in the summer.

10:08I mean, you definitely get a much more, like, I, I live here, I'm part of the people vibe in

10:14the winter because there's so many fewer tourists,

10:16because things are, like, more, like, normal life going on versus tons of tour groups going by and all kinds

10:22of stuff like that.

10:23So do be ready for having a completely different feel if you're visiting Europe in the winter versus the summer,

10:29because it does have a completely different feel.

10:31That's why I come all different times of the year.

10:33And I know if I want to have the one where I know I'm going to get the best chance

10:36to meet the locals, I'm going to be totally relaxed, no one's bothering me,

10:39I'm not worried about the pickpockets and all those kind of things, that's when winter really helps for me when

10:43I travel.

10:44So what are some of the don'ts you have for people traveling Europe in the winter?

10:47Please put it in the comments below to help other travelers enjoy this beautiful continent with fantastic people, fantastic fun,

10:53and fantastic culture all around.

10:55Bye from here in Torino.

Winter Travel Mistakes Tourists Make in Europe

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