Europe’s best winter getaways

From the Ardennes to the Alps, woodsy retreats with crackling fireplaces, steamy thermal baths with pine-scented steam rooms and wood-paneled inns where bubbling pots of fondue and shots of schnapps have long warmed locals and propelled many travelers to cross an ocean for a taste.

Still, the concept of a European winter getaway is changing. Seaside towns and off-season resort areas are seeing an uptick of visitors who come for digital detoxes and crowd-free retreats that can cost a quarter as much as a ski weekend.

Sagres, in Portugal, for instance, is experiencing an increase in visitors, namely golfers seeking a bit of cool January sun and surfers coming for the winter swells. Croatia’s Istrian coast, meanwhile, attracts flocks of Zagreb creative types thanks to the significant off-season savings at its seaside and design-forward hotels.

Find out why there’s no winter like a European winter — especially in these spots.

Tyrol, Austria

Not to be confused with South Tyrol in Italy, Austria’s Tyrol abuts its German-speaking Italian sibling, but offers a distinct flavor of skiing, eating and thermal bathing that includes 40 lifts and 200 miles of trails.

Längenfeld’s geothermal spring, established in the 16th century, features three levitating outdoor pools and moonlight bathing at the Aqua Dome on Fridays. The Tyrol region is infamous for après-ski parties, and the 78-room Hotel Zhero-Ischgl/Kappl obliges with penthouse suites with private butler service, velvet-and-leather-accented cigar rooms and an 8,073-square-foot spa with four saunas, an indoor pool, damfbad (steam room) and a state-of-the-art gym — not to mention a free shuttle to the lifts. — Adam H. Graham

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Åre, Sweden

The stylish Palomé Hotel has a crackling fireplace in the lobby, ski lockers and spartan rooms with leather loveseats, soft beds and mountain views. — Adam H. Graham

Aschau im Chiemgau, Germany

The remote and gorgeous town of Aschau im Chiemgau — an hour from Munich in Bavaria’s extreme southern corner on the border of Austria — is fast becoming a retreat for Central European urbanites in search of a digital detox.

There’s no Wi-Fi, phone or TV at the minimalist Berge, which reflects the tastes of owner and contemporary furniture designer Nils Holger Moormann. Instead, the sauna, views of medieval Hohenaschau Castle and access to a rarefied wilderness will set you at ease and remind you of what’s special about a visit to the mountains. — Adam H. Graham

Pamporovo, Bulgaria

While the karst formations, reservoirs, caves and gorges of Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains are spectacular, they attract only a handful of summertime adventurers. The area livens up come winter, when the Pamporovo ski resort buzzes with skiers here for 35 miles of pistes, 18 lifts and 23 miles of cross-country skiing trails set around scenic pine forests.

Villa Gella is a tasteful, modern villa with its own indoor pool, a gym, a steam room, a yoga corner and a resident chef. It’s 25 minutes from Pamporovo, Bulgaria’s largest ski area, and in day-trip proximity to four of Bulgaria’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites. — Adam H. Graham

Planning a getaway? Don’t miss Travel + Leisure’s guide to the World’s Best Hotels

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