Condé Nast Traveler, a major American travel magazine, has listed the Estonian capital, Tallinn, as one of the European cities that “are even better in the winter”.
“There are warm-weather devotees among us too quick to pass on a visit to Europe in winter, instead waiting for the sunkissed summer season. But we’re for embracing the colder weather and making the most of the chillier months. A 20-degree-Fahrenheit day in Europe can be, dare we say, blissful – and certainly beautiful,” the magazine says in its article, titled “21 European Cities That Are Even Better in Winter”.
“Some cities, beyond the Christmas market rush, are refreshingly crowd-free and inexpensive during the colder months, and they offer cozy experiences well worth traveling for.”
The magazine acknowledges that international travel plans are on hold during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but it says the photos of the 21 cities it included in the list “have us preparing for 2021”.
The Traveler says “Tallinn practically overflows with charm, thanks to its turreted castles and a lovely location on the Baltic Sea. The city has one of the best-preserved historical centers in Europe, with many of its medieval churches and merchant houses falling under UNESCO protection.”
The views of Tallinn make the winter bearable
“The views of the city center from Toompea Castle are beautiful no matter the season, but they pop even more under a layer of snow – in fact, they make those cold, Baltic winters downright bearable.”
Other cities in the magazine’s list are: Vienna, Austria; Bergen, Norway; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Hallstätt, Austria; Bruges, Belgium; Paris, France; Budapest, Hungary; Prague, the Czech Republic; Edinburgh, the UK; Copenhagen, Denmark; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Dublin, Ireland; Berlin, Germany; Lucerne, Switzerland; Venice, Italy; St. Petersburg, Russia; Bath, the UK; Stockholm, Sweden; Reykjavik, Iceland; and Strasbourg, France.
The Traveler has previously listed the Tallinn Christmas market as one of the most charming in Europe – twice, in fact. In 2020, it listed the Rummu Prison in Estonia as one of the abandoned places around the world that are eerily beautiful.
Condé Nast Traveler is a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by Condé Nast, an American media company that also prints magazines like the New Yorker and Vanity Fair.
Cover: A view to the Tallinn’s Old Town in winter. Photo by Kaupo Kalda.
