If I wanted to plan a European vacation in November and my goal was to experience snow. What major cities can I visit that are safe and the locals speak English?
If I wanted to plan a European vacation in November and my goal was to experience snow. What major cities can I visit that are safe and the locals speak English?
Comments
northernmost part of norway is quite secure regarding experiencing snow. Tromsø might be your entry point/place. Maybe also an reasonable idea if you anytime want to visit norway. The norwegian currency is now as weak as it has been in memory of man. Norwegians are among the countries in europe with the highest fluency in english. On those latitudes you will also be able to see the northern lights at this time of year, which is quite spectacular. Tromsø has a nickname here in Norway as “Paris of the Nordic” and is the only mayor city in this northern parts of europe. Neither Finland nor Sweden have any city of this type in their northernmost parts. Though surely you can experience snow there as well if you pick the right spot. Rent a car and drive a bit around.. if you’re lucky you get to see Lofoten covered in snow.. or the northern lights above Tromsø
In November, if you want guaranteed snow in an urban setting you will need to go quite far north. In the sense that even Oslo, Stockholm and Helsinki cannot be guaranteed snow in November and would need to go further north even than those cities.
If you’re coming all the way from Australia for a Europe trip, I’d imagine you are more likely going to be in Central Europe? In that case a mountain trip to the Alps is probably the easiest thing to do. That way it doesn’t take as much out of your time as going to northern Scandinavia or Finland.
It depends, Umeå Sweden should have snow. Trondheim Norway Should have snow and Rovaniemi santa claus village in Finland should have snow.
Northern Scandinavia has guaranteed snow and the locals aren’t native English speakers, but English proficiency there is pretty high, every other place in Europe is hit or miss, Poland used to have “cinematic” winters 30 years ago, now we see snow for like up to 10 days in total yearly, unless we’re talking mountains.
Northern Sweden, northern Norway, northern Finland. Maybe also Iceland, not sure about snow in November there but I think that could work.
Either go very North or very high. Zugspitze on the German/Austrian border has snow year round and is a great visit. Thats the one I know but surely there are more similar peaks in the Alps in France, Switzerland and Italy too.
Northern Scandinavia is probably your best bet, at the very least in the areas of higher elevation.
If you go inland in northern europe you will very likely see snow in November, but even a plce like Tromsø can have rain in November if you get unlucky.
The language is no problem as everyone, especially those in the tourist sector speak english.
Do it like George Michael and go to Saas Fee in Switzerland (check out the music video for Last Christmas)
Fancier option: Zermatt
Make sure you have the right clothes and footwear (we can talk about it when you firmed up the plans)
Kitzsteinhorn glacier in Austria should have snow year round and is accessible by cable car year round. There might be more, but some close in November between summer and winter season. For Lower mountain peaks snow depends on weather and luck. Not many cable cars run in November though, because it’s decidedly non season. Mountain roads that high up tend to be closed in November, so you‘d have to hike, which is exhausting if you’re inexperienced and dangerous in winter. Choose a place with cable cars running.
You need to go pretty high up north. No major cities there – the major Scandinavian cities don’t reliably have snow in November. But smaller cities like Umeå or Luleå will have snow. Tromsø in Norway is a great option, it’s way up north and a proper arctic city. Keep in mind the sun disappears there entirely in the second half of November and can’t be seen for months.
Pretty much everyone in Scandinavia can speak English.
Snow is more common in December. In November it’s a bit touch and go and will not happen in most places in most years.
You will either have to goto a high mountain (2,000 metres +) or somewhere in the north of Scandinavia.
We also have glaciers in the alps. some are easily accessible by train and cable cars.
Usually when it rains in the valleys it snows on glaciers in november. but there is a low but not nonexistent chance you get one of these weird autumns with 25°C.
In Alps but chances are lower mountain chains will have it too
I would skip norvember plan and just go in february to nothern europe.
I was in Paris last November for Snow!! Also in the Pyrenees and there was no snow! So with climate change, it is definitely a tossup
Nowhere. There are no major cities with snow in November.
If you want snow, you need to go to northern Scandinavia. Sweden or Norway.
Northern as in north of the polar circle. No major cities there though but most everyone knows english. As a bonus you get to see the northern lights. That said, you’re from Australia, so you’ve probably seen the southern lights 🙂
I would go to Munich, Zürich or Geneva, maybe Torino or Innsbruck and go up into the mountains from there.
none! no major cities has guaranteed snow in november, go for smaller ones like Tromsö
Climate change has had quite the impact on it. You’ll have to go quite a lot north relative to 40 years ago. But I’d ask subs for Norway, Sweden or Finland.
Sweden. I would go to Norrland though to be sure to get snow you can watch the Northern Lights too.
Your best bet for snow that early in the year is Scandinavia. Finland for being farther east, so mot that affected by maritime climate, Norway for having mountains, the northern part of Sweden. Then there’s Iceland, of course. Most people there speak English good enough that tourists get along fine, an it’s very safe. However, it will be really dark in all these places with only a few hours of daylight. But you might see the Northern Lights.
If you are willing to handle a bit less certainty wrt English, the higher Alps, Switzerland, Austria or Italy.
Major cities, that might be a bit more difficult. Reykjavik will likely have snow, Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki maybe. If you are flexible in your travel, maybe plan for Stockholm and keep your options open to go further north. Or go for Zürich, Bern, or Innsbruck, and plan a tour into the mountains.
You are a bit too late, 20 years ago it would have been easier, 40 years ago you could have expected snow in Germany in November. Or too early, February is the month with the best expectation of snow. Also, more daylight!
The closer you get to the Arctic circle the more snow you will see. How’s this even a question?
Helsinki not likely but possible – Rovaniemi likely but not certain. November in Finnish is marraskuu, the death month 🙂
I spent part of November in Helsinki and Rovaniemi, Finland, and it snowed. We actually ended up with a 7h snow delay for a 30min flight to Tallinn, and it snowed a little bit while we were there, too.
Try Longyearbyen on Svalbard, part of Norway. Mean temperatures are <0°C from September on and it is quite international. Only downside is that it is quite far away from the rest of Europe.
Funny, how everyone is focused where to find snow in Europe in November.
As of safety, not many chances to die from criminally bent people, some chance to die from elements.
I wonder if English language prevalence is higher in snowy areas? I would have thought so. Except, maybe, French alps?
Late here, but I recommend “high” over “north” if you actually want to see anything. As several people have noted, the north is dark in November. Like, a few hours of gloom during the day, then it’s basically night. (In fact, March might be a better month for actually seeing snow there.)
In the Alps in November, you’ll actually be able to see a snowy landscape and it’s so beautiful.
You don’t. You come in February she winter’s actually underway.