If summers in Europe are for beach-hopping and eating soft gelato by the Mediterranean, winters are for romantic strolls down cobbled streets that look frozen in time––if not literally, considering the low temperatures––and that bewitching Old World charm.
Lucky for Americans, 4 of the continent’s most beautiful medieval cities are only one nonstop flight away: in only 7 hours, you can swap the gloomy skies in that sprawling, suffocating suburbia and KFC dinners for fairytale castles and cozy Christmas markets.
It starts with Edinburgh, a Gothic marvel of Scotland and one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals:
Edinburgh, Scotland
With a castle perched atop a dormant volcano and an eerie-looking, picturesque-all-the-same Old Town dotted with spires, left virtually untouched since its first stone was laid in the Middle Ages, Edinburgh is the real-life version of your favorite bedtime storybook as a kid.
Be it at the medieval Royal Mile, an idyllic Dean Village, where timbered buildings and centuries-old churches line a winding river, or the Georgian-era New Town, filled with stately 18th-century palaces and lush gardens, chances are you’ll leave behind a piece of your heart.
Particularly enchanting in December, Edinburgh is backed by snow-dusted mountains, and the festive fun knows no bounds in a stall-filled Christmas Market in Princes Street Gardens––if you love funfair rides, you’re in for a big thrill!
To our fellow foodies out there who are looking for that hearty meal to make it through a chilly winter day, Oink by Canongate is where you’ll get the most delicious hog roast rolls (with plenty of sauce, and if you really want to take it up notches, ask for some of their crunchy pork skin).
Fly Nonstop To Edinburgh (EDI) From:
- Newark (EWR)
1 flight per day with United Airlines
- Washington-Dulles (IAD)
1 flight per day with United Airlines
- Chicago-O’Hare (ORD)
1 flight per day with United Airlines
- Boston (BOS)
1 flight per day with Delta Air Lines
- Atlanta (ATL)
1 flight per day with Delta Air Lines
- New York (JFK)
1 flight every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with Delta Air Lines or JetBlue
- Orlando (MCO)
1 flight every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with Virgin Atlantic
Prague, Czechia
Tucked away in Central Europe, Prague is a 15th-century painting come to life: picture a scenic riverfront spanned by a stone bridge, belfries rising high above the otherwise-even, red-roofed cityscape, and of course, a majestic castle sitting on a prominent hill.
Tourists usually avoid it in winter due to the freezing temps, but we’d argue there’s no better time to soak up all its History: it’s when local pubs look their liveliest, as the nightlife moves underground, the hearty Czech food feels like a warm hug, and the city borders on ethereal.
There’s that picture-perfect medieval center, littered with Baroque churches and straddling a scenic Vltava River, seven-hundred, gas-lit lampposts that cast a golden glow on the broken cobbles, making up for the absent sunlight, all silhouettes amidst the atmospheric fog.
Did that make your little heart flutter? Wait until you hear about Stredoveka Krcma, the oldest tavern in Prague, open in 1375, where you can eat medieval nosh under the empty gaze of actual human skulls––what can we say? They just do winters differently in this part of the world.
Fly Nonstop To Prague (PRG) From:
- New York (JFK)
1 flight per day with Delta Air Lines
Limerick
Forget Dublin: located on the west side of Ireland, where the native culture is yet to be fully diluted amidst the rapid globalization, and prices aren’t anywhere near the capital’s prohibitiveness, Limerick is a charming, smaller riverside city with a medieval flair.
The Old Town is famous for its high concentration of centuries-old pubs, where you can get a pint of Guinness for as cheap as $5.30––incredibly cheap for Ireland––towering St Mary’s Cathedral, a gem of the Middle Ages, and most notably, King John’s Castle:
One of Ireland’s best-known forts, this 13th-century landmark has walls straddling the fast-flowing River Shannon, and it was ordered built by King John of England upon his conquest of the then-largely-Celtic Irish countryside.
Limerick is also a great starting point for exploring the wider region: nearby, Bunratty Castle is yet another fairytale spot you shouldn’t miss, and if you love nature, a drive up the Wild Atlantic Way, with its impressive sea cliffs, is perfect for a day trip.
Fly Nonstop To Shannon Airport (SNN) From:
- New York (JFK)
1 flight per day with Delta Air Lines or AerLingus
- Newark (EWR)
1 flight per day with United Airlines
- Chicago-O’Hare (ORD)
1 flight per day with United Airlines
- Boston (BOS)
1 flight per day with Aer Lingus
Limerick is located a short half-hour drive from Shannon Airport.
Copenhagen, Denmark
The beautiful capital of Denmark, Copenhagen makes up for its gloomy weather and freezing winter temperatures with a colorful, perfectly-preserved medieval townscape, a museum-packed center, and unique cultural experiences.
Your trip to Copenhagen is likely to start at Nyhavn, the postcard-ready waterfront with 17th-century facades, and a visit to the nearest Espresso House for the best warm chokolade you’ll taste in your life (no joke), but don’t forget to swing by:
Christiania, a hippy, undeveloped district oozing character, full of brightly-painted political murals, quirky pawn shops, and laid-back cafes, or the equally-cool Superkilen Park, a vibrant urban space with psychedelic floor patterns.
Over in Cisternerne, you’ll find an art gallery housed in a cistern, hosting a wide range of events throughout the year, and for old-fashioned fun, Tivoli Gardens is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, with antique roller coasters that are as thrilling as they were back in the 1800s.
Fly Nonstop To Copenhagen (CPH) From:
- Philadelphia (PHL)
1 flight per day with Scandinavian Airlines
- Los Angeles (LAX)
1 flight per day with Scandinavian Airlines
- San Francisco (SFO)
1 flight every Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with Scandinavian Airlines
- New York (JFK)
1 flight every day with Scandinavian Airlines
- Boston (BOS)
1 flight per day with Scandinavian Airlines
- New York (JFK)
1 flight per day with Delta Air Lines or Scandinavian Airlines
- Washington-Dulles (IAD)
1 flight every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with Scandinavian Airlines
- Atlanta (ATL)
1 flight every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with Scandinavian Airlines
- Chicago (ORD)
1 flight every Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with Scandinavian Airlines
- Miami (MIA)
1 flight every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday with Scandinavian Airlines
- Minnesotta (MSP)
1 flight every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday with Scandinavian Airlines
- Seattle (SEA)
1 flight every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with Scandinavian Airlines
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