January holidays are the best start to the new year
Have you ever thought that January seems the dullest time of year? The excitement of Christmas is over and there doesn’t seem to be much to look forward to until the Spring. Why not relieve the January blues with a city break or holiday in Europe? January holidays are a good way to start the new year and refresh yourself after the exertions of entertaining family and friends over the Christmas period.
January is a great time to visit Europe. It is quieter than during the Summer and you can walk the streets in relative peace avoiding the crowds common at the more popular locations during the Summer.
Doesn’t everything shut down during the winter?
With January holidays it is important to think carefully about where you want to go and what you want to do when you get there. If you choose to go somewhere that is primarily a beach resort then it is probable that many of the shops that normally cater for tourists will be closed outside the main tourist season. If you like the idea of spending your January holidays quietly away from all the crowds then this may be ideal for you. If holidays for you are more about shopping eating out and visiting popular tourist attractions then a city break in one of major European cities would be a better choice.
Isn’t January too cold for a holiday?
Unless you are a particularly hardy individual it isn’t likely that you will find the weather suitable for swimming or sunbathing anywhere in Europe during January. That doesn’t mean that you will have to face thick snow and blizzard conditions wherever you go. If you want to spend your holiday skiing then January is the ideal time to go but if you prefer to take in the sights in Spain or Italy or anywhere else in southern Europe you should find the weather conditions to be suitably mild.
Cities which make excellent destinations for winter holidays include Paris, Rome, Strasbourg, Barcelona or Madrid. All of these cities are big enough to have plenty to keep your family entertained for the length of your stay. They are also busy enough to ensure that everything you will want to visit will still be open throughout the winter. In all of them you will find parks and gardens to wander through historic churches art galleries and museums to enjoy.
Family January holidays in Europe can be about getting to know the city. You will come away with a much greater appreciation for the history and culture of your destination city but you don’t have to learn about the history in a museum! European cities are full of history. A short walk through any city will expose you to reminders of the past and you can uncover them while walking to the shops or stopping to enjoy a coffee at a street café. You don’t have to drag your children inside to read about history. History and culture surrounds you in any major European city. Which city you will choose to visit is the only choice you have to make before you book your holiday this January.
