ALTERNATIVE WINTER EXPERIENCES

From ice skating and cross-country skiing to snowy train rides and cosy cabins stays, there are many memorable ways to make the most of the European winter

- OLIVER SMITH

1. Snowshoe in Romania

There’s no better time to sink your teeth into Transylvania than winter. One of Europe’s wildest corners becomes a smidgen wilder in the colder months: meadows are buried under drifts, bears snooze in woodland burrows, church towers and castle battlements are strung with icicles. Exodus offers a winter hiking tour of the Romanian region, using either boots or snowshoes, depending on the depth of snow. Participants poke their noses into bat caves, look for wolf prints on mountain plateaus and stop in traditional villages and farms to taste plum brandy. The tour ends with a visit to Bran Castle, traditionally, if not accurately, known as the home of Dracula. Eight days from £1,299 per person. 

2. Spot wildlife in Scotland

Mull is among the most stately of the Hebridean islands, with a convoluted coastline carved up by inlets and an interior crowned by brooding Ben More. Up close, it’s equally captivating, particularly if you happen to be snooping on its animal residents through binoculars. Join a week-long winter wildlife safari with Naturetrek to see Mull during this most majestic season, when snow dusts the hills and the vegetation has thinned out, making it easier to spot herds of red deer. Birds of prey are busy at this time — look out for both golden eagles and white-tailed eagles riding the thermals, as well as otters swimming in the sea lochs below. Seven days from £1,795 per person. 

3. Take a train through the Alps