Top 5 winter destinations in Europe

Published on March 07, 2020 by IBMT

Top destinations in Europe

Booking vacations come with details, many times it starts with where will you go and when. Another consideration is the price point, finding the right vacation to fit your budget can be a challenge. The travel business is cyclical and if you travel during peak times, you pay premium prices, that is a given, but you can plan your vacation in off-peak times and you can save money. A winter vacation in Europe can be just that kind of outstanding vacation. Think about, amazing tours to Spain or escorted tours to Italy or tours of Greece can be enjoyed in the months of November, December, January, and February for a fraction of the cost of summer vacation. At IBMT Tours, we can get you to the right place at the right time on a budget that will produce a vacation experience like no other. Our network of travel consultants throughout the Continent is extensive and we take all the worries and details out of the vacation you have been dreaming of. 

European travel, its time

There are many dazzling destinations to visit in Europe in the winter and you can have the best of all worlds when you see the Continent in the winter. A great train transportation network will allow travelers to see many countries in a short amount of time covering little distance. That adds to the excitement of your vacation when you can take a quick day trip to European capital or world-class museum.

  • If the winter and Christmas are part of what you had in mind for your winter holiday, Rovaniemi, Finland is the place for you to visit. The festive season is alight in Rovaniemi and you can visit Santa Claus’ residence – an Arctic Circle grotto that has been home to everybody’s favorite bearded man for eons. Finland will be cold so pack warm clothes and be ready to tour some great museums and experience local folklore in the country.
  • When you have decided that Athens, Greece is a place where you want to spend your winter vacation, you will be pleased to know the hustle and bustle of travel will be at a much slower pace. In the winter you can see the Parthenon, the Acropolis and a whole host of other ancient shrines to civilization without fighting the crowds to a get a look at these stunning sites. What you should know about Greece is that the temperatures will be in line with fall temperatures in Canada – meaning the days will be comfortable for walking tours.
  • For a different experience, Budapest, Hungary offers a unique winter vacation experience. One of the main activities for locals and visitors alike is trip to Varosligeti Mujegpalya – the famous park in Budapest that rivals New York City’s Central Park, for a quick spin on the ice with rental skates. After your skating trip, you can take to one of the many thermal baths for a quick warm-up. The baths have been ornately designed and offer a glimpse into the art that is prevalent in the country.
  • Switching gears and temperatures, a trip to Andalusia, Spain, will offer a respite to the winter temperatures that you may be escaping. Some areas in Andalusia are further south than some African nations and that means hot, hot, hot providing trips to the beach to cool off. The accommodations across the region are inexpensive, so if pocketbook concerns are part of your vacation odyssey; Andalusia is the place to settle in for rest and relaxation. You can take in sights like Granada’s Alhambra or the great cathedral of Seville as part of your stay. Part of the allure of the region is the nightlife that pulsates and vibrates from the minute the sun goes down and doesn’t stop until the sun rises so revelers are warned!
  • When you want to see Italy in the winter, there is no better place than Venice in February. Carnevale runs through the month and there are many activities to keep tourists occupied that are fun and can be a little quirky. The festival is like a giant costume party and people wear masks and costumes throughout the festival and there are many spectacles that take place during Carnevale. Dancing, singing, dramatic portrayals of famous events will entertain the tourist and you will be enthralled by what you see and experience. One thing though, Carnevale draws huge crowds, so be prepared for the epic event of a lifetime.

Amazing tours of Spain, escorted tours of Italy and tours of Greece are bucket list vacations and who better to assure your vacation experience is a great one than us at IBMT Tours. We have catered to travelers for over 30-years creating the kind of memories that are warmly remembered and happily recalled. Our travel consultants have a wealth of experience and know just what you need when you discuss your travel plans with us. To obtain a personal consultation to start building your vacation plan, call our office at IBMT Tours today at 1.877.977.4268, and start packing!
 

TestimonialsTestimonials

Still traveling but wanted to thank you for planning a marvelous trip.  It is truly a trip of a lifetime.

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Susan Lachtman

 

The IBMT Bar Mitzvah tour was fantastic! It was the perfect blend of family time and peer group time, of sites with religious/historic significance and just plain fun. The guide was personable and informative, and even the bus driver was great. All the details were attended to and you didn’t have to concern yourself with or worry about a thing. It was a true vacation. We would highly recommend it to anyone. If you are going to Eilat, Petra is a must!

We went on a church group to the Holyland with IBMT Tours and had a great trip, everything was planned for us perfectly. There was over 123 people in four different bus groups and things went smoothly, I thought it was going to be hectic with that many people in the group but IBMT did a wonderful job and made sure the buses did not go convoy, every bus had its own time table and itinerary for the day, our guide Dani was so knowledgeable and loving. We love you IBMT and we will recommend you guys. Thanks for everything you have done for us.

We just returned from Israel on an IBMT Bar Mitzvah Tour for our three grandsons.  We had enough family members to warrant our own bus.  After checking out many tour companies we went with IBMT and all of us were glad we did.  The hotels were fabulous and the rooms allotted even more so.  From the INBAL in Jerusalem, KFAR BLUM in the Galilee, the SHERATON in Tel Aviv, to the ROYAL BEACH in Eilat we couldn’t have asked for more.  Our meals were equally excellent.  Beginning with a welcome reception at the INBAL to the closing dinner at the CANAAN restaurant in Tel Aviv one and all loved them.

It was a busy tour made even more so by my husband who was determined the grandchildren see “everything”.  Fortunately for us, we had the best guide when Ornan (from IBMT) gave us GADI.  All of the groups loved their guides but Gadi was  special.  He was able to reach the kids (ages 7-13) as well as the adults.  His knowledge, willingness to adjust the schedule, and good nature gave him a soft spot in all of our hearts.  He filled in at Yad Vashem when the guide droned on a bit too much for some of us.  He searched out a cemetery where a father, grandfather and great grandfather was buried and proceeded to enlighten us on the rituals and customs of a military cemetery.  He adjusted our times to include those little extras.  When weather precluded the camels, we visited Qumran.  After the Bar Mitzvahs, some wanted to walk down Masada - again, no problem. 

We loved everything.  Friday night dinner with an Israeli family (coincidentally the husband was from Toronto), meeting the soldiers on the kibbutz, the Druze lunch, sampling different foods at the shuk, the bullet factory and on and on.  Although the weather was precarious in December, it didn’t stop us and we were able to celebrate Chanukah in Israel...menorahs  everywhere, sufganiyot of every kind, celebrations in the street galore.

Would we recommend this tour...without a moments hesitation.  We had a family trip of a lifetime.  Thank you also to our bus driver Louie, whom we all loved and who got us around safely. 

“Gadi” - what else can we say ... g double o - d, j-o-b. Good job, good job.  V-e-r-y-n-i-c-e, very nice, very nice.💕

 

 

I cannot imagine a better, more organized, more perfect experience! IBMT went above and beyond all expectations!

Loved the trip! The itinerary was fantastic and really kept us moving. We were able to see and do so much. Best of all was our tour guide Natalie. She was very kind, patient and extremely knowledgeable on every aspect of Israel.

5/5

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