Brits are ditching the sunloungers this winter. Tripadvisor's latest Travel Index, based on UK searches made between August and October 2026 for trips from November through February, shows a clear turn towards frost rather than sun — Christmas market towns, Alpine villages and Arctic hideaways dominate the trending list for the 2026/27 season.
Strasbourg takes the number one spot, and it's easy to see why. The French city's famous Christmas market, all twinkling lights and wooden chalets, runs for four weeks from 27 November. When you've had your fill of mulled wine, the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg is worth the trip alone, with its stained glass and intricate astronomical clock.
Number two is a very different flavour of winter: Tromsø in Norway, base camp for Northern Lights hunters. The town sits well inside the Arctic Circle, and travellers can chase the aurora on minibus or boat excursions. Reindeer sledding and fjord fishing round out the itinerary. Finland's Saariselka, fourth on the list, offers similar Arctic thrills — snowmobiling, husky safaris and dedicated Northern Lights photography trips.
Belgium scores twice. Ghent, at number three, is a cultural heavyweight: the Castle of the Counts is Flanders' only surviving medieval castle with a moat and largely intact defences. Bruges, at seven, mixes its own festive charm with a canal cruise and chocolate tasting combo, a climb up the medieval Belfort bell tower and ice skating in Koning Albert I-park.
The rest of the top ten is a roll call of cosy winter classics. Chamonix in France is the gateway to Mont Blanc, with the Aiguille du Midi cable car, ski touring and a new Musée du Mont-Blanc. Poland's Zakopane tempts with thermal springs, the pedestrianised Krupówki Street and views from the Gubałówka funicular. Nuremberg hosts one of Germany's most storied Christmas markets, plus the Kaiserburg castle looming over the old town and snow hiking trails nearby. Salzburg pairs its Christmas market and Baroque cathedral with Winterfest in the Volksgarten, and Riga closes out the list with old town walking tours, canal boats and husky sledding.
Tripadvisor's research team puts it plainly: travellers this winter are leaning into the cold season rather than fleeing it. That's good news if you've been tempted by a proper winter break — demand is strong, but the variety on offer is wider than ever, from aurora safaris above the Arctic Circle to cinnamon-dusted market squares in France, Germany and Austria.
Who's this for? Anyone who'd rather wrap up warm than lie by a pool. The list skews towards shorter, city-break-sized trips (Ghent, Bruges, Strasbourg, Nuremberg) as well as longer wilderness stays (Saariselka, Tromsø), so it works whether you've got a weekend or a full week. Book Christmas market trips early — Strasbourg's four-week run from late November is its busiest stretch — and if the Northern Lights are the goal, aim for the darkest months of January and February.
