Winter breaks

up the mountain for spectacular views taking in the city, harbour and sea in all its glory.

en.visitbergen.com

A succession of cobbled streets, medieval facades and jagged spires, the capital of the Czech Republic is laced in a Gothic, fairy tale aesthetic that fits with winter like a warm leather glove.

The stag parties and hen dos have long since departed, and the stews and

Gothic beauty of Charles Bridge soups that dominate Czech cuisine were born to be slurped by an open fire.

Charles Bridge looks especially magical when lamp-lit and snow-flecked, the black-brick Old Town looks delightfully eerie beneath darkened skies, and Czech beer is a worldrenowned winner at any time of year.

prague.eu/en

Like Seville, winter in lovely Lisbon feels like everybody else’s spring. In darkest February the city is positively balmy with averages of nine to 15 degrees, and Portugal boasts an extra two hours

In summer, Iceland is not the chilly land its name suggests instead visitors are met with acres of green pasture and temperatures in the teens.

Only in winter does it earn its branding. A snowball’s throw from soaring glaciers, jagged ice caves and bubbling geysers, best seen by dog sled or snowmobile, the capital Reykjavik becomes the base for the polar playground of your dreams, despite lying just outside the Arctic Circle.

Bathe in geothermal pools and watch the night skies for that tantalising glimpse of the Northern Lights.

And cosy cafés and bars in the city centre offer the perfect place to discuss the day’s sightseeing.

inspiredbyiceland.com of daylight over Northern Europe. You’ll be glad of the leftover light: The Portuguese capital comes complete with contemporary art collections, scrumptious seafood, a terrific castle and fine views from the city’s seven scenic hills. And tramping around those hills means you’ve earned a pastel de nata custard tart and ginjinha sour cherry liqueur. visitlisboa.com/en

You’d be barmy to miss balmy Lisbon