Best winter holiday escapes: Cities
The great thing about cities is their all-weather readiness. Be it escaping to the northern summer or embracing the southern winter, a holiday in one of these 10 metropolises offers abundant out-and-about opportunities alongside cosy or cooling relaxation and respite.
Embrace winter in windy Wellington, New Zealand
The New Zealand capital is a city of wonderful attractions that meld seamlessly with buzzy local life. The “windy” thing is real, though, so pack accordingly, and explore Wellington top to bottom, from the 360-degree panoramas atop Mount Victoria to the remarkable Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa at the harbourfront. Don’t miss the night experience at Zealandia to see Kiwis foraging. And Tolkien fans need not be reminded that this is the place for all things Lord of the Rings with many of Sir Peter Jackson’s film locations dotted about including tours of the Kiwi auteur’s studios, Weta Workshop. Wellington’s food and bar scene is world-class and hotels, like Naumi Wellington, reflect the city’s creative heart. See newzealand.com
Turn up the heat in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Buu Long Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City.Credit: iStock
Chilly, anyone? How about chilli, anyone? Pull up a stool at a street pho vendor – there is nothing quite like the spice hit of Vietnamese food in Vietnam to make you forget about the winter doldrums back home. Do the tourist attractions but keep in mind that Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City is a place to immerse yourself – and not just your tastebuds. Take time to wander the streets, drink coffee with locals, browse the boutiques with the young and fashionable, and linger at the sophisticated bars and nightspots that tell of a smart, upwardly mobile city. Stay in the heart of things at the super cool Fusion Original Saigon Centre. See vietnam.travel
Forget that cold can actually exist in Brisbane, Queensland
Winter, if you could call it that in the riverside Queensland capital, is when Brisbane really lives up to that “beautiful one day, perfect the next” line. It’s so comparatively warm for many southerners, it might as well be summer, or at least spring, though be prepared for some surprisingly chilly mornings and nights. Spend time amid greenery in the city’s expansive outdoor spaces such as South Bank Parklands, Brisbane City Botanic Gardens or scenic Mount Coot-tha, which forms the natural backdrop to the city. Sip coffee, wine, or a brew alfresco on James Street, home to one of the 2032 Olympic city’s hippest boutique digs, The Calile, other fashionable hoods such as the Fish Lane arts precinct, West End, or Howard Smith Wharves. Time your visit with “The Ekka” (or more formally, The Royal Queensland Show), in August. See queensland.com visit.brisbane.qld.au
Warm to the wet season in Bangkok, Thailand
Chatujak secondhand market, Bangkok , Thailand.Credit: iStock
It’s the wet season in Thailand – so come to terms with frizzy hair and keep cool and dry as you get around on the blessedly air-conditioned MRT train. Head to indoor attractions such as the Jim Thompson House Museum or undercover places like Chatuchak Weekend Market. Bangkok is known for its rooftop and terrace bars – but for rainy days, there are some beautiful, enclosed spaces that still offer corker views: The Loft, Lennon’s and Penthouse Bar + Grill just to name a few. For cooling down, stay at a hotel with a great pool, such as The Athenee – the dining is excellent so if it’s teeming out, you need not leave. See amazingthailand.com.au
Celebrate the colder months in cool Dunedin, New Zealand
The Otago Region’s capital loves winter and throws plenty of festivals and festivities in honour of it. Once New Zealand’s biggest city, this vibrant university town features grand Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Arts and fashion thrive here. Perambulate The Octagon – Dunedin’s unusually configured city square – for boutiques, galleries and eateries. The Warehouse Precinct has great architecture which houses hip bars and cafes. Explore local history at the Tuhura Otago Museum. Rug up and roam: the South Island harbour city has 25 glorious beaches, beautiful gardens and nearby mountain trails beckoning for blow-away-the-cobwebs walks. After, take a thawing shower at the Kiwi-owned hotel, Distinction Dunedin. See newzealand.com
Sling-shot yourself to steamy Singapore
Singapore is hot, and not just climate-wise. The city state is South-East Asia’s most vibrant for openings of hotels, bars and restaurants, so much so, you need never go anywhere less than new. Do visit the classics, though – a Singapore Sling at Raffles is a must-do (albeit overpriced). But there’s so much else as well: Gardens by the Bay, the Singapore Zoo, Marina Bay Sands, the legendary hawker centres and atmospheric neighbourhoods that explode with colour, culture, taste and warm welcome. After all that, you’ll need a good night’s sleep – the Mondrian Singapore Duxton is the newest of the new. See visitsingapore.com
Meander the marvels of Melbourne, Victoria
A city that shines in winter: Southbank, Melbourne.
The myriad winter delights of Melbourne defy the often dreary weather. Or rather, they embrace it, just as the well-kitted out locals do. Put on your best black outer garments and traipse the street art-filled laneways in search of warming good times or join the merry throng streaming to the MCG for a blockbuster AFL match. Melbourne also turns on cracking winter festivals and, of course, it’s next-level great restaurants, bars, coffee, galleries, theatre, museums, architecture, neighbourhoods, shopping and those famously verdant gardens do the holiday or staycation talking for themselves. See visitvictoria.com
Go full fashionista in Auckland, New Zealand
With milder winters than South Island cities (though wet, so bring the brolly) Auckland is a great city for a short shopping break. Be guided by the neighbourhoods such as Ponsonby for classy boutiques and eateries or Karangahape “K” Road for vintage finds. Discover the flagship stores of acclaimed Kiwi designers in Britomart before dinner at Boda in the Movenpick Auckland for Asian fusion cuisine and views of Waitemata Harbour. Take the ferry to the wineries of wondrous Waiheke Island’s wineries and make time for the many unique museums in the city. Stay like a rockstar at the fashion inspired SO/Auckland. See newzealand.com
Bring your best beanie to Bendigo, Victoria
It’s got winter wine festivals, a beer festival, even an annual wool show, for cosy’s sake. Bendigo also has toasty fireplaces galore in its Gold Rush-era buildings turned over to eating and imbibing. It simply feels made for winter, especially for foodies. Explore the great restaurants and bars in grand streets and even grander buildings and don’t miss cute Chancery Lane which is Bendigo’s boutique answer to Melbourne’s laneway life. Venture out of town for tastings at the region’s fine wineries. And schedule plenty of time for the brilliant Bendigo Regional Gallery, known for its blockbuster exhibitions. Stay just down the road at the gorgeous boutique Hotel Ernest. See bendigoregion.com.au
Dabble in the dark side in Hobart, Tasmania
Winter Feast, Dark Mofo, Hobart.
Has any city, at least in this hemisphere, turned winter into an art form more comprehensively? It stands to reason that the citizens of a city built in a landscape that directly faces Antarctica would embrace the darkest and wildest season. Do the winter festival, Dark Mofo though, sorry, you’ve just missed this year’s instalment so shoot for 2024. Drink mulled wine at the Salamanca Market which takes over Salamanca Place. Visit a gallery – MONA is always top of the list – a distillery, a cooking school, or a marvellous restaurant. Walk bracing Mount Wellington and listen to the rain as you snuggle up in a beautiful hotel such as The Tasman. See discovertasmania.com.au
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