Journey of Europe in March

Whether you’re after a balmy beach holiday or a snowy alpine ski break, Europe has a lot to offer in March, when temperatures are generally mild, crowds have thinned out, and hotel rates dip as the continent slips into shoulder season. Below, eight destinations that are prepped to impress every type of traveler, from foodies to culture vultures to outdoor enthusiasts.

The Cotswolds, England

Welcome to the Cotswolds, a very special, very wonderful place. A short break or even an extended holiday in the Cotswolds will leave you wanting more and you’ll be booking your next Cotswolds holiday as soon as you return home!

The Cotswolds covers a huge area – almost 800 square miles – and runs through five counties (Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire). One of the delights of visiting the Cotswolds is exploring the different areas, each with its own identity, yet all with those defining Cotswold features: golden stone and rolling hills, the ‘wolds’.

Explore quintessentially English villages of honey-coloured stone; take in splendid, lively market towns; visit some of the country’s greatest palaces, castles and country houses; marvel at the natural world in acclaimed reserves and at some of the most famous arboretas in Britain; walk through breath-taking landscapes along historic trails; or make a splash in our lake-land area with its own inland beach.

There’s a vibrant buzz in places like Cheltenham, Cirencester, Tewkesbury, Stroud and Witney. There are many exciting thing to do for all the family. And an arty heartbeat too – which extends to the wealth of festivals and events that are testimony to the creative vibe of the region.

The Cotswolds is also richly rural: more than 3,000 miles of footpaths and bridleways to explore; ancient woodlands and wildflower meadows; 4,000 miles of historic Cotswold stone walls dividing up the landscape.

Unsurprisingly this landscape provides a rich harvest of food and drink with local cheeses, meats and drinks appearing prominently on the menus of the gastro pubs, old inns, colourful cafes and fine dining restaurants scattered generously across the region.

The accomodation is just as wide ranging and welcoming: enjoy the finest of country house hotels, go chic and boutique, take a spa break, snuggle up in a charming B&B, put up a tent at a beautifully located campsite. Or opt for a place of your own: there’s a striking range of cottages and manor houses to rent.

Attraction

• Corinium Museum
• Prinknash Abbey
• Lechlade Riverside Park
• A visit to Stanton
• Shopping in Tetbury

Innsbruck, Austria

Innsbruck is a mix of modern and historical. Magnificent structures like Hofkirche and Ambras Castle give you a glimpse of the past while modern marvels like Bergisel Ski Jump lure you to explore the city’s splendid outdoors.

There are many places to visit in Innsbruck and our list attempts to point you to some of the best. Check out what to see in Innsbruck the next time you holiday here. From the iconic Old Town to Bergisel Ski Jump and natural sites like Natterer See, Innsbruck has attractions for every kind of traveler.

Attraction

• The Hofkirche
• Swarovski Crystal Worlds
• Old Town Innsbruck
• Ambras Castle
• Hofgarten
• Tyrol Panorama Museum
• Glockengiesserei Grassmayr
• Natterer See
• Audioversum
• Bergisel Ski Jump
• The Hofberg
• Nordkettenbahnen
• Tyrolean State Museums
• Maria-Theresien State
• Seefeld

San Sebastián, Spain

San Sebastián has a justly deserved reputation as one of the world’s great dining destinations. This is a city that celebrates the art of eating well in all its many forms – whether snacking on fresh oysters and txakoli (a lightly sparkling white wine) at a seaside cafe or lingering over a decadent, multi-course feast in a Michelin-starred dining room. Pintxos (Basque tapas) bars litter the streets of San Sebastián, and showcase first-rate ingredients from the surrounding coast and countryside combined with the culinary creativity of Basque chefs. When it comes to cooking, no other city quite compares.

Seaside Setting

Spain’s culinary capital is also blessed with an alluring coastline. The long Playa de la Concha is the city’s great backyard, a picturesque sweep of sandy beach that fronts gently lapping seas. Surfers head one beach over to the powerful waves that roll in off of Playa de la Zurriola, just behind the hipster enclave of Gros. Just offshore of the old town lies Isla de Santa Clara, a small hilly island that makes a fine getaway on a steamy afternoon. The city has some fine vantage points to gaze over its coastline, including the hilltop heights of Monte Urgull and Monte Igueldo.

Captivating Culture

For a city of its size, San Sebastian has a staggering array of festivals and cultural events. The International Film Festival, which happens in September, brings European and Hollywood stars to town, while the Semana Grande in August features a week of street parties and revelry. There’s also music festivals, massive culinary fairs and folk fests that celebrate Basque culture in its myriad forms. Big events aside, there’s always something happening in San Sebastián, with performances at the cutting-edge Kursaal, the belle époque Teatro Victoria Eugenia or the Tabakalera – the city’s newest arts space.

A Grand Design

Once a favourite destination for Spanish royalty, San Sebastián has lost none of its lustre over the years. Elegant art nouveau buildings, ornate bridges and beautifully manicured parks and plazas create a captivating backdrop to this seaside city. Far from being mere set pieces, the grand architecture remains an integral part of San Sebastián, from the lavish Hotel Maria Cristina to the belle époque spa perched over the shoreline. Meanwhile, the old buildings lining the cobblestone streets of the Parte Vieja have been given new life with charming guesthouses, colourful boutiques and buzzing pintxos bars all part of the great and vibrant mix that is San Sebastián.

Attraction

• Beach of La Concha
• Urgull
• Miramar Palace
• San Telmo Museum
• Good Shepherd of San Sebastián Cathedral
• Kursaal
• Playa de La Zurriola

County Donegal, Ireland

Donegal’s rugged interior, with its remote mountain passes and shimmering lakes, is only marginally outdone by the long and labyrinthine coastline with windswept peninsulas and isolated pubs. In recent years the local food scene has been flourishing, and delicious fresh seafood is never far away. Proudly independent, one-third of Donegal is official Gaeltacht territory, with Irish the lingua franca.

After its northern start in Derry, the Wild Atlantic Way really begins to strut its stuff here as the county’s untamed craggy coastline truly puts the wild into the way.

Attraction

• SLIABH LIAG CLIFFS
• GLENVEAGH NATIONAL PARK
• TORY ISLAND
• DONEGAL TWEED
• BEACH TIME
• SUNSET OVER GRIANÁN OF ÁILEACH