Every winter, we face the same challenge: Where can we go to escape the darkest, coldest months of the year? We know we need to leave our little village in Ontario where we’ve made a home for the past few years. During the warmer months, the village is lively and full of locals and tourists enjoying the farmer’s market, Sunday concerts, and a slate of annual events. Once winter rolls in, life here becomes so quiet that I have to head to the grocery store if I want to see another human being.
For us, winter is a time to pack up ourselves, our two dogs, and head off for another season of slow travel. However, we’re not content to return to the same place every year; instead, we like to challenge ourselves by finding new corners of the world to discover. The trouble is that the more we travel, the harder it becomes to find those new corners that can sustain a three- to four-month stay during the critical December to March timeframe.
We can admit that our list of wants, needs, and must haves for a winter getaway has now ballooned past the point of being practical. We’re looking for countries or regions with enough experiences and attractions to keep our interest over many weeks. We like vibrant neighbourhoods in mid-sized cities with excellent rental apartments on offer and lots of green space for our thrice daily dog walks. Bonus points for historic charm. Ideally there are great restaurants down the street and easy access to nature for bigger excursions. While we’re at it, let’s throw in a gym around the corner and a world-class museum or two.
Most importantly, there’s the weather, which can make or break any winter getaway. This has become our non-negotiable whenever we research a new destination. We’re looking for balmy temperatures between 20 and 25 °C (68 to 77 °F). It should be warm enough to forget all about the deep freeze in Ontario but not so hot that we need to hide out in air conditioning during the best hours of the day.
I’ll acknowledge that this long list of criteria moves us from achievable into the realm of fantasy. I honestly can’t recall a single destination from our world travels that checked every box. However, the quest for the ideal winter getaway continues.
Destinations that didn’t make the cut
The runner ups from this year’s search included Cyprus, yet again. This is a destination we’ve considered many times for a winter stay but always hesitated for the same reasons. First, we’ve struggled to find a neighbourhood that appealed to us enough to call it home for a month or longer. The other issue is the weather; while warm, sunny days are possible, it’s just as likely to be dark and rainy.
Argentina was a stronger contender. For avid hikers like ourselves, this is a premier destination for bucket list hikes, whether looking at day hikes out of El Chaltén or hopping over the border to Chile for the world-famous W in Patagonia. The only challenge for us is that the best hikes are all in national parks, where dogs are strictly not allowed. While it’s possible to park our dogs with a sitter while we head off into the wilds, the research and logistics involved were a little daunting. Also, the number of internal flights required was no small consideration; any place we wanted to visit required yet another flight.
Finally, there was Taiwan. On paper, there is much to love about a winter stay in Taiwan. While Taipei might be rainy, the rest of the country is warm and sunny. More than half the country is forested with abundant hiking routes. Vegetarian restaurants are more common than in many other Asian countries. More generally, Taiwan offers a rich, interesting culture and history to explore.
However, our review of rental apartments on Airbnb quickly revealed that options were both quirky and expensive. Once we zeroed in on dog-friendly accommodations, the options became even quirkier while the prices skyrocketed. And while Taiwan might be covered with forests, the city streets seem a little hectic for walking our dogs multiple times a day. Finally, we weren’t quite ready to subject our pups to the length of flight required to get from Toronto to Taipei.
A different kind of winter escape
That brings us to the destination that we ultimately chose. This year, we thought, why not go somewhere where we can speak the language? I have a smattering of French and Gillian is fluent. After briefly considering a French Caribbean island (a little too hot for our taste), we settled on southern France, the warmest and sunniest part of the country.
We’re starting with a week in Toulouse, just in time to sample roasted chestnuts and mulled wine at the Christmas market. Next we’ll be in Montpellier for a month, staying in an art deco apartment overlooking the Place de la Comédie. Finally we have a month in Nice, where we’ll enjoy long walks with the dogs on the seafront Promenade des Anglais.
Let’s be clear: we are not fully escaping the winter. For this trip, we decided to forgo our most important rule. Instead of choosing a destination with t-shirt weather, we can expect a chilly 10°C (51°F) daytime high in Montpellier in January and 16°C (61°F) in Nice in February. Coats and scarves will be in effect, particularly in the evening. But we think the trade off will be worth it for everything that southern France offers: history, culture, beautiful architecture, lovely apartments, and, of course, so much incredible food.
Of course, our time in France will cover just two months of the winter. For our final month of slow travel, we looked at a map and realized that Tunisia is less than a two hour flight away. Having never been there before, a North African stay adds an element of discovery and adventure to our winter. We’ll be based in the heart of La Marsa, an upscale neighbourhood of Tunis with good access to museums, archaeological sites and some of the best restaurants in the city.
There you have it. This winter, we’ve said yes to the attractions of southern France, plus a sampling of Tunisia, and are hoping that our joie de vivre carries us through any particularly grey days. If we have any regrets while wandering the chilly streets of Montpellier in January, all we need to do is check on the weather back home for an instant mood boost.
See you on the road,
Stephanie & Gillian
Sounds lovely, enjoy! We love Cape Town for winters and our pups have fun on the beach. Mild, sunny days with plenty of countries and other cultures to explore on the vast continent.
The euro and the temps are just a bit out of range for us for a winter get away of 3-4 months in Europe. 🍾🥂