With its glittering frosts, Christmas markets and snow-dusted medieval cities, Europe makes for a magical winter destination. From tobogganing in Norway to husky rides in Lapland and exploring ice caves in Iceland, we bring you 15 of the best winter destinations in Europe.

With its winding cobbled streets, enchanting spires and ice cream coloured buildings, Tallinn’s medieval Old Town is magical. Add a sprinkling of snow and you’ll feel like you’ve wandered into a fairy tale. From mid November until early January you can explore the Christmas market set around the vast sparkling Christmas tree in the Town Hall Square. Warm up with gingerbread and mulled wine or get stuck into a hot chocolate at Kehrwieder Chocolaterie.

Take a brisk walk around the vast city walls, connected by 20 fairy tale towers, then get your blood pumping with a snow tubing session at the Song Festival Grounds. From December to April you can also skate on a pop up ice rink next to historic St. Nicholas Church in the centre of Tallinn Old Town. Stay at the St Petersbourg which is the oldest hotel in Tallinn and a stone’s throw from Town Hall Square.

Copenhagen’s colourful buildings, canals and cobbled streets make for an idyllic winter retreat. For a fuzzy dose of festive fun, head to Tivoli, the world’s second-oldest amusement park and probably the most charming. Amidst the many rides you’ll find carousels, vintage cars, roller coasters and a Ferris wheel. There are more than 40 food stalls and restaurants, offering everything from honey cake hearts to roasted almonds and freshly baked doughnuts.

A canal trip is a great way to get your bearings in Copenhagen although you’ll need to layer up. The city is packed with cosy cafés serving pastries, pancakes and open sandwiches, but it’s well worth paying a trip to Hviids Vinstue which has been serving locals for nearly 300 years. The glögg, Scandinavian mulled wine, is legendary. If you’re feeling flush, stay at Nimb Hotel which has romantic open fires, freestanding baths and direct access to Tivoli Gardens.

With its sparkling, snow muffled forests and vast icy lakes, Lapland has to be the ultimate European winter destination. This is the home of Father Christmas after all. Saariselkä, a small village in the heart of Lapland, is a great base for exploring. Immerse yourself in the snowy stillness with a ride on reindeer-pulled sledge or get your adrenaline pumping with a speedier husky safari. You’ll learn to drive the sledges and make a furry friend or two.

Fly past frozen lakes and through the wilderness on a snowmobile safari, looking out for herds of reindeer and elk along the way. Some excursions also offer the chance to try your hand at ice fishing too. For a romantic way to see the northern lights, stay at Muotka Igloos – each cottage has a glass-domed roof and private sauna.

Bergen, the gateway to Norway’s fjords, is just a two-hour flight from the UK. From here, fjord cruises run all year round. Spend a day on a modern catamaran, exploring the Osterfjord then squeezing through the narrow Mostraumen strait flanked by towering mountains. You’ll pass cascading waterfalls and if you’re lucky, see seals and even eagles.

Buy a sledge then jump onto the city’s Fløibanen funicular for the eight-minute ride to the top of Mount Fløyen. From there you can admire the snow drenched city, then toboggan down floodlit paths back into town. Afterwards, tuck into a traditional sausage at the Trekroneren sausage stand and wash it down with aquavit, a Scandinavian spirit infused with caraway. Stay in the family owned Hotel Park Bergen just 15 minutes from the harbour area.

Plitvice National Park is home to 16 stunning lakes interconnected by hundreds of cascading waterfalls. During the coldest of winter months, the turquoise waters and thundering cascades freeze into spectacular curtains of ice, bringing an eerie quiet. Visiting between January and March will cost just £6.50 ($8.50) for a day pass.

Once you're in the park you've got free use of the electric boat and panoramic sightseeing train to transport yourself around. Double-check all the facilities are running when you visit, but you can always hike the lakes via a series of wooden walkways. Look out for deer, wolves and wild boar who roam the park. Stay in Green Lakes House guesthouse for easy access to the National Park and amazing value.

With its picturesque canals and cobbled streets oozing with more than 40 chocolate shops, Bruges makes for an atmospheric winter break. Get your city bearings from a horse-drawn carriage while draped in a woollen blanket to stave off the chill. Admire the frosty city skyline and pastel buildings from the Belfry. You have to climb 366 steps to get to the top but it’s well worth it.

For a snowy ride in style, get your city bearings with a horse-drawn carriage ride draped in a woollen blanket to stave off the chill. Kids and Disney fans will love the Ice Sculpture Festival which has a vast palace made from ice along with spectacular sculptures of our best-loved Disney characters, for a reasonable £10.50 ($13.60) ticket price. Stay near the Belfry and Market Square at the Hotel Acacia which has cosy rooms and an open fireplace.

In December, Amsterdam’s canals turn into a glittering art gallery thanks to the city’s annual Festival of Light. Take a boat trip and admire the myriad LED installations and sculptures. Afterwards, stop at a street stall and feast on freshly made oliebollen (sugar-dusted dumplings) or stroopwafel (waffles with sweet syrup).

Visit the Royal Palace and admire the towering Christmas tree outside, twinkling with over two miles of fairy lights. For a jaw dropping experience, book a ticket for the World Christmas Circus which features 25 horses and breathtaking trapeze artists amongst its world-class performers. Stay at Hotel Dwars near Rembrandt Square.

Set against the backdrop of the snow-capped Făgăraş mountains, Sibiu’s winding maze of narrow cobbled streets, towering city walls and picturesque squares make for a romantic winter break. Visit the Bridge of Lies – legend dictates that if you tell an untruth, it’ll start to move (luckily it’s still standing). Admire the canopy of twinkling lights in the main square and watch The Nutcracker at Sibiu Ballet Theatre.

Take an overnight trip to the quirky Balea Ice Hotel, an hour outside Sibiu in the Făgăraş Mountains. Reached via cable car, it’s built every winter by local craftsmen using blocks of ice from Balea Lake. The walls, beds and even the glasses at the bar are hand carved but you’ll be given reindeer furs and thermal blankets to stave off the chill.

With its fairy tale medieval castle perched high above a glassy Alpine lake, Bled offers picture-perfect views, thermal pools and boundless opportunities for romance. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride, bathe at one of the town’s three geothermal spas and indulge in delicate kremna rezina, a traditional Slovenian cream cake at a lakeside café. Climb up to the castle for an breathtaking view.

If the lake isn’t frozen, you can rent a boat and row across to its tiny island. From there, 99 steps will take you to a pretty 15th-century church. Legend has it that if the groom carries his bride up the steps, they’ll live a life of happiness. Ring the wishing bell and it’s said your dreams will come true. Base yourself at Villa Istra hotel right by the lake.

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With its imposing castle, warming pubs and exuberant Hogmanay celebrations, Edinburgh is at its most atmospheric in winter. Take a spin on the ice rink nestled beneath the castle, enjoy a dram (or two) of fiery whisky, walk the Royal Mile with its cobbled closes and winding stairways, and listen out for the bagpipes.

Join the thousands of revellers who hit the streets for Hogmanay, a three-day party to welcome the New Year. The city comes alive with candlelit concerts, fireworks and torchlight processions. Ceilidh under the castle or head to Princes Street where you’ll find acrobats, fire eaters and top bands performing across three stages (make sure you book tickets in advance). Stay at the Royal Mile Suites, a five minute walk from the castle. 

Iceland offers a myriad of wintry adventures but it’s hard to beat the ice caves in Vatnajökull glacier. They form every winter when the glacial waters freeze and you’ll be mesmerised as you explore their glassy blue interior. Take a guided tour because conditions are unpredictable and the caves can collapse if they start to melt.

After a morning hiking the glacier, soothe aching muscles in Hoffell Hot Tubs where you’ll find five pools to plunge into and spectacular views. Stay in nearby Glacier World Guesthouse and keep watch for the Northern Lights – if you’re lucky, you’ll see them dance across the snow encrusted landscape.

With its snow dusted red roofs, cobbled streets and hearty stews, The City of Spires makes a magical winter destination. Explore the Old Town festooned with sparkling lights, catch a classical concert and get stuck into the Christmas market - one of the best in Europe. Enjoy the sugary aroma of trdelníks, flaky cinnamon pastries, cooked on an open fire. The streets are peppered with stalls which will bake them as you wait.

When you’ve had your fill of Christmas markets, take a day trip to Bohemian Switzerland. Here, plunging ravines and pine-clad hills become even more spectacular when blanketed by snow. Hike to Pravčická brána, a vast natural stone bridge where scenes from the Chronicles of Narnia were filmed. Stay at Hotel Schwaiger in Prague, a boutique hotel with 1920s décor.

With its imperial palaces, charming Christmas markets and café culture, Vienna oozes wintry appeal. Fittingly, it’s here that the snow globe was invented in 1900. Admire the city’s twinkling lights from the giant Ferris wheel, enjoy a rich hot chocolate at one of the elegant coffee houses then visit the snow globe museum and pick up a souvenir. Save cash and time by buying a Vienna Pass which gives you fast track access to some of the city's most popular attractions.

Take a romantic ride in a horse-drawn carriage or head to the city during carnival season (January-March) when Vienna is awash with over 400 elegant balls. You don’t need to be a local to get stuck in – as long as you have a ticket, a posh frock or tux and an ability to shuffle a waltz, you shall go to the ball. Base yourself at the Hilton Vienna on the banks of the Danube.

Beautiful Budapest is spectacular at any time of year but winter brings an extra magic to the city with the added bonus that it’s less crowded. Beat the chill and soak up the romantic atmosphere from one of the city’s many magnificent thermal baths. Spend a day wallowing in the maze of pools at the ornate Széchenyi Spa – you’ll find 21 mineral infused baths ranging from a steaming 40°C to a more bracing 18°C.

When the cold gets too much, there are 221 museums to duck into. After dark, head to Városligeti Tó (City Park Lake) which transforms into a skating rink in winter. Glide across the ice against the backdrop of Vajdahunyad Castle. Walk the streets, swathed in thousands of sparkling Christmas lights, then warm up with a shot of pálinka, a fiery Hungarian fruit brandy. Stay at the Prestige Hotel which is just 350 yards from the city’s spectacular suspension bridge. If you liked this, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more travel inspiration.

In winter, St Petersburg’s elegant bridges traverse frozen canals whilst the city’s splendid palaces are drenched in sparkling snow. Temperatures may be sub-zero, but Russia’s Imperial capital turns into a glittering wonderland. Visit St Isaac’s Cathedral with its famous golden dome and the Hermitage Museum which has a spectacular art collection.

Take a troika ride around Pavlovsk Park or go tobogganing in Victory Park then watch locals ice fishing on Neva River. Tuck into a warming bowl of borscht (beetroot soup) washed down with a shot of vodka. Stay at the Saint-Petersburg Hotel where you’ll enjoy views over the Neva River. 

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