Traveling Europe During Mid-November to December

Upvote:2

A quick list of pros and cons based on my opinion:

November-December

Pros:

  • Not 'normally' too cold than Jan-Feb. But this can be subjective, and gets cold fast as your approach Dec

  • Prices are significantly cheaper than summer periods

  • Less crowds, especially Rome and Paris
  • Less 'smelly' and rubbish in cities
  • May get snow in France, Germany, Switzerland. This can be nice if you travel by rail too.
  • Christmas markets

Cons:

  • Prices could actually start to increase for some things (e.g. ski resorts etc)
  • Less daylight hours
  • Some small markets may be closed, but most will still be open
  • Not ideal for beaches e.g. Greece
  • Outdoor hikes will require more gear and preparation - could be a pro if you enjoy that sort of thing

April-May

Pros:

  • Generally warmer, milder version of summer (and gets warmer as you go towards May)
  • Not quite peak season, so less busy than summer
  • Longer daylight hours

Cons:

  • This year, April was exceptionally cold, and snowed in London
  • Usually more tourists/crowds than in Nov-Dec for the touristy destinations, especially Rome, Paris

Conclusion

I don't think its better to go during Spring, just different. Going in spring will certainly give you the more "traditional" experience.

Upvote:4

The answer to this question really depends on what part of Europe you're going to and what you plan to do. Southern Europe, such as France and Greece which you mention, is relatively mild in winter. As long as you're not planning to go hiking in the alps, then you should be fine. Museums and cathedrals and the like will all be open throughout winter. Remember, people actually live in these places!

Germany and Switzerland will be cold in winter and expect snow, but if you're okay with that then there is no reason why you could not visit. I spent half a winter in Denmark and it was fine apart from the very short days, and I was out and about every day. By the way, Christmas and New Years in Europe is a lot of fun! If you can, make friends with some locals and try to get yourself invited along to whatever they're doing.

I've been hiking in the Peaks district (yes, up a mountain) in the UK in the middle of winter in normal hiking clothes and it was exhilarating (so was warming up by the fire at the pub afterwards). You just need to think a little differently, and do some research before you get there!

The only real problem I can imagine is if you're unlucky enough to get blizzard conditions, which unfortunately are becoming more common with climate change. Extreme weather events can disrupt transport by cutting off roads, making airport runways unusable and so on. Keep an eye on the news while you're there.

And of course, if you like skiing, then winter is the perfect time! On the other hand, some outdoor activities will naturally be unavailable, and I think you just have to use common sense here. You can't do a river cruise if a river is frozen over! Do your research before you go, decide which countries you want to visit, and from there, narrow it down to specific towns/cities and attractions you like to see.

Once you have your list, Wikipedia is a good resource for typical climate indication, and if you want to visit specific attractions you can always check their website or give them a call. Also, I can't recommend Lonely Planet highly enough - let them do the hard work for you.

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