Beat the crowds: 3 popular summer destinations that are more fun to visit during the Winter months

Rome is easily one of summer’s top destinations, with crowds pouring in from all over the world to experience the sunny dolce vita. And while sunset walks along the forum and aperol spritz’s make for wonderful travel memories, there’s something magical about winter in the Eternal City. Firstly, because Italians take Christmas seriously, and so does the Vatican (for fairly obvious reasons). You’ll be shocked at the extravagant decor, scale of nativity scenes and sheer beauty of the lights that make the city twinkle. With the city relatively empty of many visitors, now is the perfect time to wander around all the well known sites, including the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.

While you may not think so, Mexico City truly comes to life during the Winter. The downtown part of the city lights up at Christmas time and truly puts all other festive decorations to shame, and you can’t miss the epic Christmas tree on the iconic Zocalo Square. We also highly recommend you hit up Coyoacan Market for any purchases you wish to make, whether that’s Christmas presents, or just souvenirs from your trip. And you can’t leave Mexico City without having tried some of these delicious winter treats: Romeritos, torta de bacalao and tamales. We can also strongly recommend ponche y atole, a mouth-watering warm cup of goodness.

To put it simply, Athens sparkles in the winter. With its streets widely deserted from foreign visitors, it comes to life with festivities for Christmas. If you’re lucky, you might even see a snow-covered Acropolis Hill, giving the familiar site an entirely new look. For the best views of the city, go up Philopappos Hill before heading to the Acropolis Museum to get your culture fix. Why not warm up with a delightful cup of specialty coffee? Our favourite spots around the city include Harvest Coffee & Wine, Anana and Philos.