Travel Dispatch: A Vacation That’s Like a Warm Hug
Get inspired for a cozy getaway this winter.
Travel Dispatch
December 17, 2025

Mulled wine, saunas, twinkling holiday markets and long evenings in front of a fire pit: A cold-weather destination in December is an excuse to embrace all things warm and cozy.

A view over a European square in the daytime with several grand facades. A pedestrian bridge crosses a canal.

Matteo de Mayda for The New York Times

Embrace the fog and darkness of wintry Venice →

Four people in bathing suits stand inside a hut with wood and brick walls and ceiling with a stove filled with rocks and a plate glass window looking out onto a lake with waves.

Jenn Ackerman for The New York Times

Sauna-hop around a Great Lake →

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Clara Tuma for The New York Times

Have an Alpine adventure in Innsbruck, Austria →

A grand hotel lobby, dominated by a roaring fireplace set in pale stone, is decorated for the holidays, with a glittering Christmas tree, and wreath.

Pendry Natirar

Stay in one of these five festive hotels over a winter break →

The interior of an opulently decorated store, with blue floor tiles and intricate decor on the counters, walls, columns and ceiling.

Andreas Meichsner for The New York Times

Shop at a nearly 600-year-old Christmas market in Dresden, Germany →

A barrel-shaped wooden building with a glass door and a string of party lights in front of it stands on a patch of sand in front of water.

Steam and then cold-plunge in Ireland →

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