10 Best Places to See Snow Around the World

Winter doesn’t have to be the season where you cocoon yourself indoors, wrapped in layers, emerging only for emergency snack runs. Leaning into winter transforms it into nature’s quiet reset, a time when snow softens landscapes, the world becomes hushed, and simple pleasures suddenly become more meaningful. Cold air sharpens your senses. Light changes. Even silence feels intentional. And yes, this is the season where hot drinks stop being casual and start feeling essential.

For travelers, winter is also when familiar places transform into something entirely new. Mountains feel taller, forests feel deeper, and cities slow to a more human pace. Snow turns ordinary scenery into something cinematic, whether it’s falling gently through city streets or blanketing wild, untouched terrain. It invites movement—walking, skiing, wandering—and rewards you with moments that feel fleeting and rare.

If you’re craving the kind of winter that looks and feels real—the crunch under your boots, the glow of cold light, the beauty that only shows up when temperatures drop—these destinations deliver. Here are 10 extraordinary places where snow isn’t just weather but the main event, and winter reveals its most breathtaking side.

1. Austria

When you imagine snowy Austria, picture unique alpine towns, horse-drawn carriages, and air so frosty it makes your cheeks cute and pink. Skiing and sledding are obvious must-haves for a destination like this, but Austria also leans into the fun extras, like quirky snow activities, and cozy markets with so much hot wine, you won’t know whether to be happy or scared.