Ten Winter City Breaks: Chicago, Québec, Prague, Bern, Tromsø and More

Some cities are at their best when the temperature drops: skating rinks appear in the squares, markets glow in the early dark and old streets look freshly painted under snow. These ten winter city breaks run from Chicago and Montréal to Prague, Vienna, Vilnius and Tromsø, more than 300 km north of the Arctic Circle, with the seasonal highlights that make each one worth a cold-weather trip.

North America: Chicago, Montréal, Québec City and Banff

1. Chicago, USA

Chicago turns its lakefront parks into a winter playground. The Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon, a winding ice path twice the length of a lap around a normal rink, is open from November to early March, and the rink in Millennium Park runs from November to early February, weather permitting, with skate rental on site. There is sledding on a 220-foot slope at Soldier Field, outdoor curling on rooftop rinks, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at the Morton Arboretum. When the wind off Lake Michigan bites, the city’s museums and restaurants are close at hand.

2. Montréal, Canada

Montréal embraces winter with two big festivals: Igloofest, an outdoor dance party under the stars in late January, and Montréal en Lumière in late February, one of the largest winter festivals in the world. Skate on the Esplanade Tranquille rink, where you only pay for skate rental, ride the 60-metre Grande Roue, Canada’s biggest Ferris wheel, or follow 25 km of trails on Parc Jean-Drapeau, five minutes from downtown by metro. On the coldest days, the underground pedestrian network links shopping centres such as Centre Eaton and Place Ville Marie.

3. Québec City, Canada

Old Québec’s narrow lanes give the city an intimate winter atmosphere. Skaters circle the outdoor rink at Place D’Youville beside the illuminated Porte Saint-Jean, the Hôtel de Glace is one of the season’s signature attractions, and the Carnaval de Québec brings its winter parade to the streets. The Petit-Champlain quarter, with its steep stairs and small shopfronts, is a perfect place to slow down between warm cafés.

4. Banff, Canada

Banff is the mountain-town choice, set inside Banff National Park. Winter runs roughly from November to March, with temperatures from about 3°C to −14°C. Three ski resorts are within reach on free ski shuttles, visitors skate on frozen Lake Louise and join ice walks in Johnston Canyon, and the SnowDays festival runs from late January into February. Buy a national park pass before you arrive.

Central Europe: Prague, Vienna and Bern

5. Prague, Czech Republic

Snow on the Charles Bridge statues and the spires of the Old Town makes Prague look like an engraving. Start at the Powder Tower (Prašná brána), whose foundation stone was laid in 1475. The 65-metre tower got its name from storing gunpowder, and its gallery at 44 metres, reached by 186 stone steps, looks over the rooftops. Bohemian kings entered the town through this gate on their coronation processions, and it is still the start of the Royal Route to Prague Castle.

6. Vienna, Austria

Vienna’s Christmas markets fill its finest squares from mid-November until Christmas, and in winter a skating rink spreads across the square in front of City Hall. Winter is also ball season, a living part of the city’s waltz tradition, while the famous coffee houses offer warmth and an informal atmosphere at any hour.

7. Bern, Switzerland

Bern was founded in 1191 by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen on a hill almost encircled by the River Aare, and its Old City has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. In winter the 15th-century arcades keep the snow off, so you can walk the old streets under cover. Look for the Zytglogge clock tower, whose figures perform just before the hour, more than 100 public fountains, eleven with Renaissance statues, and the Münster, whose 100-metre tower is the tallest in Switzerland.

Northern Europe: Stockholm, Vilnius and Tromsø

8. Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm’s islands and waterways take on a new look in winter. Free outdoor rinks open in Kungsträdgården and Vasaparken, Hammarbybacken offers downhill skiing with city views, and Hellasgården and the Lida nature reserve have prepared cross-country tracks when snow allows. Locals swear by a winter swim followed by a sauna. For skating on natural ice, join a guided tour, and plan outdoor time around midday, when daylight is at its best.

9. Vilnius, Lithuania

The Old Town of Vilnius pairs beautifully in winter with indoor warmth: traditional Lithuanian bathhouses, a class baking šakotis, the tree-shaped festive cake, or an evening of local food and drink. Take in the views of Gediminas’ Tower from above the Old Town, and keep active on the free Leičių cross-country trail or, indoors, on climbing walls and a city surf wave.

10. Tromsø, Norway

At almost 70° north and more than 300 km beyond the Arctic Circle, Tromsø lies inside the auroral zone, and the northern lights can be seen from late August to early April whenever the sky is clear and dark. During the polar night, from late November to mid-January, the sun stays below the horizon. Days are for the Arctic Cathedral of 1965, the Polaria aquarium and the cable car up Storsteinen (420 m), with its panorama over the city; nights are for aurora hunting, ideally with a few clear evenings to choose from.

Tips for a winter city break

• Dress in layers and cover hands, feet and head; you will move between cold streets and warm interiors all day.
• Check seasonal dates: rinks, markets and festivals have set seasons that shift a little each year.
• Use daylight well in the north, putting outdoor sightseeing in the middle of the day.
• Stay off natural ice unless you are with a guide or local advice says it is safe.

For a Canadian skating trip, read our Rideau Canal Skateway guide, and for more snowy scenes see the winter-wonderland gallery. Tromsø’s skies also feature in our Horacio Llorens aurora-flight story.

Related reading

• Québec City at Christmas: Old Streets and the Wider Winter Season
• Banff Avenue: Mountain Views at Street Level
• Innsbruck: City Streets and Alpine Views in the Inn Valley
• Tromsø in Winter: Northern Lights, Arctic History and City Days
• Seven Days on Kungsleden: Adelina’s Northern Sweden Photo Journey

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