A European winter on a budget: The chicest and cheapest escapes for Indian tours
Travel firm Cox and Kings has affirmatively declared a flat 40-percent drop in travel costs to Europe between November to February with a Business Standard report asserting this to be a particularly lucrative window for Indian travelers. Now global perspectives may be in flux and it’s all about going local right now, but the aspirational status Europe holds as the ultimate globe trotters paradise, will always be hard to topple.A European Chrmas? Sign us up! (Photo: Go Skippy)We know you’re already dreaming up your European winter. Let travel blogger Helene (of Helene in Between), let you plan a winter trot that could change your life.Lake Como, ItalyA hot favourite for summer jaunts ending in ‘I dos’, Lake Como is just as cool a spot for the winter, though windy waters and heat-sealing jumpers isn’t really the aesthetic Instagram would have you associate with it. If you can get past that, it’s actually one of the warmer spots across the European nexus and is perfect for some tepid wine sipping. Helene suggest near towns Bellagio and Varenna for a quick visit followed the light show held from mid-December to early-January.Zermatt, SwitzerlandIf mountain-gazing is all your wintery soul yearns for once the temperatures start dropping and you want to feel the joy of being boxed into your hoard of blankets during the day only to step out for a brief bit in the evening for a winter activity or two, Zermatt in Switzerland is calling out for you. And catching sight of the Matterhorn through the blanket of fog? Mesmerising.The Austrian Alps, AustriaThere’s nothing more majestic than the snowcapped alps, coupled with the tolling bells of the churches at the foot of the hills. If a winter hike excites you and you want to fill up your lungs with fresh mountain air, the Austrian Alps is it for you. Helene calls the Wilder Kaiser area her absolute favourite among the Alp towns, followed Zöll, Ellmau, Going, and Kitzbuehel.Transylvania, RomaniaGreat for hory buffs, aspiring vampire hunters and fans of truly wholesome winter meals, Transylvania is inf act as mystical as the Sony franchise paints it out to be! Helene inss that you try and catch a Romanian wedding while here — you may even get invited considering how friendly the locals are, though between the countryside and castles your hands will be full. Sibiu, Sighişoara, and Braşov come highly recommended.The Black Forest, GermanyCity lights always shine bright but the woods, as Robert Frost said, are truly lovely, dark and deep. If the wilderness excites you, the Black Forest in Germany promises to have you witness the kind of vastness and natural beauty that inspire age-old lore and tales. And if you ever happen to second guess your commitment to the wild, little Sasbachwalden is always open for some coffee and cake assures Helene.Chrmas specialRovaniemi, FinlandSanta’s lap will get a new meaning once you find yourself in Finland’s far-off Rovaniemi. Located in the Arctic Circle and housing the official address for Mr. and Mrs. Claus, the lore is enough to keep you going. It is bitingly cold but then again, what’s a warm Chrmas anyway!Strasbourg, FranceStrasbourg in France is a living, breathing light show as Chrmas season begins to set in. Helene asserts you’ll hardly find a single building, let alone crevice, that isn’t done up like a bride. All those childhood Chrmas tales that have fed your wondrous wanderlust appetite come to life here as you take in the timber houses and bustling markets. This happens to be one of the OG spots to spend Chrmas in if you want it to look like a tale as old as time.Mood-boarding your European winter yet?
