Best places to visit in Europe in December
In December, Europe's best-scoring destinations are Las Palmas (91), Courchevel (90) and St. Moritz (90): 25 of its 229 well-known places are at their seasonal best, mostly in Alps; Iceland & the Faroes averages 30/100.
Each place is scored at its seasonal best — beaches on beach weather, cities on walking weather, ski towns in snow season. Tap any place for the full December breakdown.
Classics at their best in Europe in December
15The places you already know, in the month the climate agrees with them. 25 of Europe's 229 well-known places are in one of their own top-three months.
- 1Las Palmas 🇪🇸 Spainnice, dry · best May91
- 2Courchevel 🇫🇷 Francefreezing, soaked, clean air · best January90
- 3St. Moritz 🇨🇭 Switzerlandfreezing, rainy, clean air · best March90
- 4Tenerife 🇪🇸 Spainnice, dry · best June90
- 5Livigno 🇮🇹 Italyfreezing, a little rain, clean air · best January89
- 6Val d'Isère 🇫🇷 Francefreezing, rainy, clean air · best January89
- 7Madonna di Campiglio 🇮🇹 Italyfreezing, a little rain, clean air · best January88
- 8Courmayeur 🇮🇹 Italyfreezing, soaked, clean air · best January86
- 9Davos 🇨🇭 Switzerlandfreezing, rainy, clean air · best January86
- 10Ischgl 🇦🇹 Austriacold, rainy, clean air · best January85
- 11Sölden 🇦🇹 Austriacold, rainy, clean air · best January85
- 12Zell am See 🇦🇹 Austriafreezing, rainy, clean air · best January85
- 13Cortina d'Ampezzo 🇮🇹 Italycold, rainy, clean air · best January84
- 14Fuerteventura 🇪🇸 Spainnice, dry · best June84
- 15Kranjska Gora 🇸🇮 Sloveniacold, rainy, clean air · best December84
Under the radar in Europe in December
5Less-visited places whose December weather outscores the classics above — the data's own suggestions.
- 16Cervinia 🇮🇹 Italyfreezing, rainy, clean air · best January87
- 17Hemsedal 🇳🇴 Norwayfreezing, rainy, clean air · best February87
- 18Jasná 🇸🇰 Slovakiafreezing, a little rain, clean air · best January87
- 19Laax 🇨🇭 Switzerlandfreezing, rainy, clean air · best January87
- 20Malbun Liechtensteinfreezing, rainy, clean air · best January87
Every region of Europe in December
22The best-known place in each part of Europe this month, even where the month is only fair.
- Las Palmas 🇪🇸 SpainAtlantic Islands · avg 81/100 over 6 · nice, dry91
- Courchevel 🇫🇷 FranceAlps · avg 73/100 over 32 · freezing, soaked, clean air90
- Catania 🇮🇹 ItalyCentral & Southern Italy · avg 66/100 over 19 · nice, a little rain, clean air82
- Barcelona 🇪🇸 SpainCatalonia, Valencia & the Balearics · avg 71/100 over 11 · cool, a little rain, clean air80
- Zakopane 🇵🇱 PolandCentral Europe · avg 49/100 over 20 · cold, a little rain, clean air80
- Ruka 🇫🇮 FinlandLapland & the Arctic · avg 42/100 over 6 · freezing, a little rain, clean air80
- Borovets 🇧🇬 BulgariaBalkans · avg 60/100 over 7 · cold, a little rain, clean air79
- Åre 🇸🇪 SwedenScandinavia · avg 47/100 over 5 · freezing, a little rain, clean air79
- Gibraltar GibraltarAndalusia & the Algarve · avg 68/100 over 14 · cool, rainy, clean air78
- Lisbon 🇵🇹 PortugalLisbon & Central Portugal · avg 68/100 over 6 · cool, a little rain, clean air75
- Athens 🇬🇷 GreeceGreece & Cyprus · avg 64/100 over 18 · cool, a little rain, clean air74
- Marseille 🇫🇷 FranceSouthern France · avg 63/100 over 10 · cool, a little rain, clean air72
- Split 🇭🇷 CroatiaAdriatic Coast · avg 51/100 over 7 · cool, rainy, clean air67
- Madrid 🇪🇸 SpainCentral Spain · avg 67/100 over 1 · cold, a little rain, muggy air67
- Aviemore 🇬🇧 United KingdomBritish Isles · avg 48/100 over 25 · cold, rainy, clean air65
- Bilbao 🇪🇸 SpainGreen Spain & Northern Portugal · avg 61/100 over 5 · cool, rainy, clean air64
- Genoa 🇮🇹 ItalyNorthern Italy · avg 58/100 over 10 · cool, rainy, clean air64
- Bordeaux 🇫🇷 FranceWestern Europe · avg 53/100 over 14 · cool, rainy, clean air63
- Geiranger 🇳🇴 NorwayNorwegian Fjords · avg 35/100 over 3 · cold, rainy, clean air48
- Tórshavn Faroe IslandsIceland & the Faroes · avg 30/100 over 4 · cold, rainy, clean air43
- Kaliningrad 🇷🇺 RussiaBaltics · avg 37/100 over 4 · freezing, a little rain, clean air41
- Moscow 🇷🇺 RussiaEastern Europe · avg 31/100 over 2 · freezing, a little rain, clean air31