11 Best European Cities for Warm Winters

Oran, Algeria leads Europe's warmest-winter cities with a coldest-month low of 55°F (13°C). Within Europe, that puts Oran in rare company. The 11 cities here represent the continent's clearest answer to the question of where to be when the rest of Europe is cold and grey.

6 countries are represented, but the geography is concentrated. 11 of the 11 entries cluster around the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coasts of Iberia, which reflects the underlying reason: proximity to large bodies of water keeps coastal temperatures from dropping far in winter. The sea absorbs summer heat and releases it slowly through the colder months, compressing the temperature range of any city in its path.

One thing worth knowing before arriving for winter: these cities trade cold for rain. Mediterranean climates concentrate their rainfall in the cooler months, so January and February bring overcast skies and periodic showers rather than frost. The days when it is clear are excellent. The monthly weather breakdown on each city page shows what that pattern looks like across the full year.