Is southern Italy still worth visiting in winter?

My husband and I have two weeks in southern Italy in early January 2026. I’ve read that much of Sicily shuts down over the colder season, is it still worth going?
L. Nelson, Hamilton NSW

Sicily does not shut down completely over winter, but it’s quieter. Cafes, restaurants, shops and museums will all be operating, although hours might be shorter. Coastal towns such as Cefalu, Marzamemi and the Aeolian Islands will be lifeless but Taormina will still see plenty of visitors. Cultural highlights including the Valley of the Temples and the incredible Villa Romana del Casale stay open all the year.

On the upside, you can expect lively Christmas celebrations and religious pageants, especially those celebrated on January 6, the feast of the Epiphany. However, Sicily wears winter like an ill-fitting suit of clothes. Sicily and southern Italy are all about sunshine and warmth, lingering over affogatos in cafes, warm evenings that taper slowly into night, hustle and bustle on the waterfront and pyramids of figs and tomatoes in the markets. Despite the chill, Northern Italy, Switzerland and Austria are perfect in winter.

My daughter and soon to be son-in-law will be in Germany on their honeymoon, and they want to spend Christmas Day in a town within a short train ride of Frankfurt, perhaps Heidelberg or Rothenburg. Do you know of any hotels or restaurants that would provide this experience for a special couple?
C. Glen, Holgate NSW

In Heidelberg, my number one choice is Kulturbrauerei Heidelberg, a historic brewery and inn with a full-blooded German menu including roast goose, duck, venison, pork shoulder, red cabbage and dumplings, best sampled over the house-brewed beer. If they want a very traditional Germanic experience, alongside locals and probably not too much English spoken, this is perfect. Better still if they can overnight here, and there are rooms and apartments on the premises. Hotel Hackteufel is a friendly, family-run hotel and restaurant in Heidelberg’s Altstadt with rustic timber decor. The atmosphere is romantic, and the menu features a robust selection of German favourites. The location is close to the city’s Christmas market.

In Rothenburg, Gasthof Goldener Greifen has been an inn since the 15th century, known for its hearty Franconian menu, including marinated beef and roast pork in gravy with side serves of red kraut and potato dumplings. The front windows overlook the local Christmas market. For a more upmarket experience, Hotel Reichskuchenmeister Restaurant is a handsome, historic hotel serving a sophisticated version of local cuisine in a timber-panelled restaurant that goes all out with the Christmas decorations. Located in the middle of the well-preserved medieval town centre, the hotel’s guest rooms are a cut above – modern and stylish. The hotel has an international clientele and a lack of German language skills is no problem here. They need to book early, and some restaurants will only serve a set Christmas menu.

We’re celebrating our golden wedding anniversary next year with a month or two in Europe, probably September/October. We’d like to visit Scandinavia, especially the Norwegian fjords, and the World War II battlegrounds in France. Main interests are history and culture. Would appreciate your input.
A. Murray, Freshwater NSW

Congratulations on your upcoming golden wedding anniversary, that’s a significant milestone and celebrating it with a meaningful journey through Europe sounds perfect. A Hurtigruten cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes would be a great start, especially if you can spare an extra day to take a detour on the Flam railway between Oslo and Bergen.

After your cruise you’ll probably want to spend more time in Oslo and from there you could take a train to Stockholm, the fastest trains take about 5½ hours. Stay a few nights then take another train to Copenhagen to visit the National Museum, Nyhaven and the Royal Quarter, Tivoli Gardens, the Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg Palace, Stroget, world’s longest pedestrian shopping street and Freetown Christiania, the city’s alternative-lifestyle enclave. Spend three days at least. Fly from here to Paris then hire a car and drive to Normandy to take in the World War II battlefields.

Base yourselves in Bayeux, it’s within easy driving distance of all the major D-Day landing beaches. It’s also home to the Musee Memorial de la Bataille de Normandie and the Bayeux War Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth cemetery in France. From here plot a meandering southward journey through France, and my route would include the Loire Valley, the Dordogne and the Lot, Carcassonne and east along the coast, stopping at Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Cassis, Antibes and Nice. If you’re staying for two months you could continue into Italy, via Emilia- Romagna, Tuscany, the Cinque Terre, Umbria and even as far south as Puglia.

I have about a month to travel during October. I would like to sample as many Balkan countries as time will allow. Where do you recommend I start and finish my trip to maximise the number of rail journeys between countries?
W. Singleton, Newtown NSW

There are some sensational train rides in the Balkans although the mountainous terrain, the relatively undeveloped rail network and long-standing political grievances make it more challenging than train journeys in Western Europe. Start in Budapest, it’s a major international air hub with excellent rail connections with the Balkan countries. From here you could take a day trip to Pecs or Lake Balaton by train.

Take the train to Zagreb, the fastest train will take about 6½ hours. From here you could take a side trip to Split on the coast but while it’s scenic, it’s also slow, about seven hours. The next train ride will take you from Zagreb to Sarajevo, with a transfer to a Bosnian train at the border.

From Sarajevo take the train to Mostar, one of the most scenic rail journeys in Europe. Continue from Mostar to Capljina in Bosnia. Some sources say there are three trains per day for the 2½-hour journey.

From here you need to take a bus to Dubrovnik and another to Podgorica in Montenegro, or better still to Bar on the coast, from where you can take the Bar to Belgrade train, a classic ride through the mountains, crossing more than 400 bridges over deep gorges and through 200 tunnels. A train from Belgrade will take you to Skopje in North Macedonia and from there to Thessaloniki in Greece and finally Athens.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances