Where to travel in winter 2023

Wisecars
4 min readJan 11, 2023

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An ultimate destination guide for winter.

Wisecars’s travel experts joined with our travel enthusiast customers and put together a list of trending travel destinations for the 2023 winter. Wisecars sent out a survey to approximately 100,000 people. To help travelers figure out their perfect destination, we categorized the locations and wrote a little about the top choices.

Which country is the best winter travel destination in Europe?

Italy

Italy is the top tourist destination all throughout the year. Wintertime does get a bit less busy, making it a perfect time to avoid the tourist season.

During the winter, the Italian northern mountains region covers with snow, making it a perfect destination for skiing, taking photos, or visiting traditional European Christmas markets. As a very religious country, Italians take celebrating Christmas seriously, meaning there are plenty of events and beautiful Christmas lights all around. An ancient spa town Saturnia even has naturally occurring thermal springs.

Southern Italy, Sardinia, and Sicily never get too cold, giving visitors the perfect opportunity to enjoy mild weather and avoid the high travel season queues.

Also mentioned: Switzerland, Norway, Austria, France

Which state is the best winter travel destination in the United States?

Colorado

Colorado is perfect for the classic winter fun — skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and even hot springs. The Rocky Mountains get covered by gorgeous white snow making it a winter wonderland. The huts and yurts make it a perfect destination for a get-away vacation but for the social spirit, there is a myriad of events and festivals meaning. Adventurers can also try out ice fishing and ice climbing.

Also mentioned: Florida, Utah, Wyoming, Minnesota

Which is the best travel hot winter travel destination?

The Bahamas

The Bahamian winter feels like late spring for travelers from northern countries. The islands have always had a reputation as the ultimate vacation destination as the tropical climate, blend of European and African cultures and picturesque beaches attract countless tourists from mid-December to mid-April. There are many mega-resorts such as Atlantis and Paradise island but also pristine protected areas, private islands, and enough beaches to accommodate the millions of visitors every year. There are even a couple of world-famous pink sand beaches caused by microscopic animals called Foraminifera that produce a red pigment on the coral reefs.

Also mentioned: Hawaii, Florida, Dubai, Canary Islands

Which is the best cold travel winter travel destination?

Canada

Canada is the obvious choice for winter travel. Snow-covered nature, world-class ski resort festivals, and plenty of fun activities such as skating on the frozen lakes, staying in an igloo, ice climbing, or hockey make Canada a great place to visit during the winter. You might even get the chance to see northern lights or a polar bear if you play your cards right. And of course, one of the most beautiful attractions is the frozen Niagara falls.

Also mentioned: Switzerland, Utah, France, Italy

What is the best cheap winter travel destination?

Portugal

During the winter time, Portugal is abandoned by most travelers making it a perfect time to experience the more authentic side of the country. The weather makes it a bit more difficult to plan your Portugal winter journey but the cheap prices make it worth the time. We recommend of course visiting Lisbon but taking day trips to nearby towns and nature.

Also mentioned: Vietnam, Colombia, Thailand, Egypt

What is the best winter travel destination for the whole family?

Florida

Orlando is a city in central Florida also known as the Sunshine state. Orlando’s legendary for its theme parks, ecotourism, and outdoor fun. It does not get very cold during winter as well. This is why Orlando is one of the best places in the USA to travel to with your family.

The top sightseeing attraction in Orlando is Walt Disney World, a resort known for parks like the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. If you’re a true theme park fan you’ve also heard of Universal studios and Islands of Adventure, famous for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Orlando also has Legoland, an awesome aquarium, and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

There’s so much to see and explore so we just listed the main ones.

Also mentioned: Italy, Canada, France, Florida

What is the best winter travel destination for couples?

Hawaii

The average daytime temperature in Hawaii is 78° (25.6° C) during the winter. The tropical weather has made Hawaii one of the most popular destinations for winter vacation. Before Christmas, Honolulu gets filled with colorful Christmas lights. There are many Christmas celebrations all around the islands. But during all this, you can still go swimming and enjoy surfing as well. If you want to make your trip extra romantic we recommend a stargazing tour.

Also mentioned: Greece, France, Dubai, The Bahamas

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