The best places to go for winter in the UK

Best for: city strolls

If there’s one place that does winter right, it’s the capital of Scotland. There are festive markets, ice skating beneath gothic architecture, and winding cobbled streets leading to cosy pubs – plenty to get you in the mood (although the icy temperatures will do that itself). With all of Edinburgh’s hills, the city is often best enjoyed from above. You’ll get some great vistas up the well-trodden paths of Carlton Hill and Arthur’s Seat. A scenic loop around Arthur’s Seat pairs perfectly with a roast dinner at The Sheep Heid Inn, which is thought to be the oldest surviving pub in Scotland.

💡 Editor’s tip: To get away from tourists, I recommend the walk up Blackford Hill. It’s peaceful, uncrowded and offers a unique perspective over the city and Arthur’s Seat.

Best for: cosy-loving foodies

Plenty of places in Kent are magical in winter (we’re looking at you, Whitstable and Margate), but for a proper cosy little getaway, there’s nowhere better than Deal. Stay at foodie boutique hotel the Rose for the weekend, do a tour of its cute pubs and check out newly-opened bistro Cherub’s on the seafront, serving up cosy French classics.

💡 Editor’s tip: Get a thick coat on and do the walk from Deal to Sandwich Bay, which is a pretty easy scenic 9km walk that’ll take you about two hours.

Best for: Brontë stans

Leeds was an amazing place to be a student, don’t get me wrong, but when we needed a cheeky hit of wholesome and a Sunday away from the city, my friends and I would pile into someone’s hatchback (for just an hour’s drive) and head to Haworth for the afternoon. It’s beautiful there, and with the handful of pubs adorned year-round with little lights, shops selling hand-decorated chocolates and a whole space full of antique clocks, it was a much needed breath of fresh Yorkshire air away from the student metropolis. Though it’s lovely when the sun is out, Haworth has something undeniably wintery about it – it’s proximity to the Moors which inspired Wuthering Heights, perhaps. 

💡 Editor’s tip: I’d recommended heading to Haworth for the afternoon – get some knick-knack shopping done, be sure to pay a visit to the Brontë Parsonage Museum (where the family actually lived) before absorbing the moody views with a pint at The Fleece Inn.

Best for: museum nerds

The Yorkshire marvel is a fantastic city all year round, and the brilliant roster of museums, restaurants and experiences make it a top-notch spot during winter. The National Railway Museum is arguably the best travel-centric museum in the country, while York’s Viking history is most alive at this time of year. Hit up the Jorvik Viking Centre and learn about those brutal times, before heading on an evening ghost tour of this most fascinating city.

Best for: a romantic pitstop

Bath is one of the most architecturally delightful cities in England, but there is something about a thin layer of snow that brings new characters out of the many constructions here. The Somerset stunner embraces the festive period like few other places, with a packed calendar of events and more romance than you can shake your fist at. Bath is plenty romantic all year round, but the feeling is taken to a new level during winter. The Christmas Market in Bath opens on November 27 and runs until December 14, so don’t miss that.

Best for: peaceful roaming

Ponies racing over crackling leaves and snow-covered ground will never not be a gorgeous image, and New Forest National Park is the place to go for such scenes. You’ll have to find the ponies first, of course, and treat them with the utmost respect, but there is plenty more to entice when the temperature is low. The park is at its quietest during the winter months, with fewer cars and general traffic, making for beautiful strolls and some of the finest sunsets the UK has to offer. 

Best for: ‘gram-worthy weekends

Make plans for a Cornwall road trip this winter, and your heart will almost certainly grow in size. Not literally, that would be dangerous, but the procession of quaint fishing villages and sweeping walks are the stuff winter dreams are made of. Indulge in all the Rick Stein food you can find in Padstow before falling head over heels in love with St Ives, Mousehole and the rest.

💡 Editor’s tip: The Eden Project plays host to massive ice rink throughout the winter, which this year will be open from November 4 until February 22, 2026.

Best for: blustery beachy strolls

You can get festive anywhere in the UK, but in my opinion, you need a few things to make a winter trip really pop. That’s 1) a long, chilly beach stroll. 2) a nice pub to warm up in afterwards (which must serve chips). And 3) some  lovely independent boutique shops to get ahead on Christmas presents. And hey, here’s something: Southwold, in Suffolk, ticks every single box (and then some).

💡 Editor’s tip: Stay at the delightful Swan hotel in Southwold town, and have dinner in their very smart (but not stuck up) restaurant.

Best for: buzzy, wholesome atmosphere

It always feels somewhat dangerous to throw such accolades around, but Norwich might be the most underrated city in the UK. A fabulous collection of bars and restaurants accentuate a long history and an atmosphere that is all of its own. It also makes a great base for exploring the Norfolk coast, where seals come to rest in winter. Blakeney Point Nature Reserve (a 40-minute drive from Norwich) is the place to see those beauties.

Best for: pubs and tunes

The best music scene in the UK? Many cities will put their hands up with that one, but Glasgow might just pip them all to the prize. The gigs ramp up during the colder months as music fans across the city head for the warmth of the venues in search of the next Mogwai, Primal Scream or Belle & Sebastian. Hardy souls with excellent hats and scarves can take advantage of the idyllic green spaces, and the Glasgow Botanic Gardens are a celebration of flora that rival anything across the country.

Best for: active holiday-goers

One way to keep warm during the winter months is to get the adrenaline flowing, and there are plenty of opportunities to do just that. North Wales offers a cavalcade of the things, from underground zip-lining in Llechwedd to rugged mountain biking in the wilds of Snowdonia National Park. The northern coast is gorgeous during the winter months, and towns like Conwy, Wrexham and Bangor come alive with frenzied conversation and plenty of pints.

Best for: escaping to the wilderness

The epic nature of the Giant’s Causeway shouldn’t lend itself to a simple experience, right? Visit Northern Ireland’s legendary interlocking columns when the air is crisp, the winds high and the temperature low, and put yourself in the boots of a hardy warrior from years gone by. Watch your step, obviously, and visit safe knowing that the warmth of the Bushmills distillery is only a couple of miles down the road.

Best for: glimpsing some good old fashioned aurora borealis

Of course, there is no guarantee when it comes to seeing the Northern Lights, but you still need to put yourself in the best position to see the phenomenon. In the UK, that means a trip to the stunning Orkney Islands, where the lights are referred to as the Merry Dancers. The aurora borealis is a fixture on many a bucket list, so head north during the colder months and hope the space particles are moving in your favour. Even if the colourful sky doesn’t materialise, the peace and tranquillity of Orkney is something to behold.

Best for: beach fiends

No, you won’t find scorching winter temperatures anywhere during the winter here, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid the beach. Something is soothing about a beach during winter, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Pembrokeshire. This region in West Wales is all quaint villages and sweeping views, with brilliant walks and cosy pubs all over the place. If you’ve ever wanted to have an entire beach to yourself, Pembrokeshire in winter offers just that.

Best for: Christmassy creatures

Is there an animal more tied to winter than the magnificent reindeer? Santa’s faithful chauffeurs can be seen in several places across the UK, but Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park is the only place where they run free as nature intended. You can see the handsome beasts all year round, but, come on, reindeer and Christmas are a match made in heaven. The national park is a stunner in its own right. Be sure to read Nan Shepherd’s ‘The Living Mountain’ before you go to amp up the excitement.

📍 Check out the most beautiful national parks in the UK

Best for: a chill out

Peace, tranquillity, serenity. Yes, they all essentially mean the same thing, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be seeking them out at every turn. Northern Ireland’s Ards Peninsula is a hub of quietude in winter, with a wide range of beautiful walking spots that reward the hardy ambler with stunning views and all the romance one could need. Just wear a decent windbreaker because the winds get pretty rambunctious in these parts. 

Best for: book worms!

Book lovers have long known that Hay-on-Wye is the place to be, but even literary cynics will find plenty to sink their teeth into here during winter. The Hay Festival Winter Weekend takes place at the end of November (26-30 November this year), and the entire extravaganza is a celebration of storytelling that will breathe new life into sceptical souls. The festival coincides with turning on the Christmas lights in town, which is always a cheerful occasion. 

Best for: being at the heart of Burns

Burns Night is a big deal, but where is the best place to celebrate it? Right in the heart of Burns Country, of course. Robert Burns was born in the village of Alloway, and the nearby town of Ayr is a hive of activity when the Scottish poet’s night comes along. That is January 25, for the record. Ayr is a medium-sized town with fewer than 50,000 people, but the appreciation of Burns here is second to none. You might as well make the pilgrimage to Alloway for the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum while in the area.