How travel can change your mindset about the winter months
When the autumn equinox comes around, it feels like the brakes have been taken off and we’re about to pick up momentum as we begin to career into the winter months. Indeed, no matter how lovely an Indian summer you may be experiencing, the changing of the season is in motion, and in a mere six weeks, the clocks will be going back.
This means the nights will slowly begin to draw in whilst the days get shorter. For some, this can bring on feelings of anxiety as they dread the thought of a long winter season ahead that still has to play out. There's no shame in feeling this way and you can certainly understand why this would be the case given that in what seems like the blink of an eye, memories of an unforgettable summer that consisted of swimming in the warm waters of the Mediterranean and enjoying lazy suppers in a picturesque piazza seem to be memories from another lifetime.
It is, of course, completely natural to long for summer but instead of wishing time away, a healthier option could be to embrace autumn and winter. Yes, you’ll no longer see your favourite low-cost airlines advertising affordable getaways to idyllic Mediterranean islands but instead, they will be enticing you to some of the continent's most cultured capitals. My advice is that you should take them up on that.
Indeed, a walk along the Seine in the autumn will breathe life into you and transform the way you feel about the chill. In fact, that crispness that the fall brings goes hand in hand with a few days in Paris. You will be able to draw inspiration from a stroll down the Champs-Élysées as you admire the vibrant colours of the changing trees. The russet and gold leaves will serve as a stirring reminder of how the world we live in is ever-changing and instead of shunning the thought, we should relish the chance to be able to witness it.
The best things to do in Paris this fall https://t.co/ZQp1CHtAXr #MyParis pic.twitter.com/epGnfozCNE
— Condé Nast Traveler (@CNTraveler) October 31, 2016
These autumn nights in Paris are also famous for the playing of the Champions League which is Europe's most prestigious club football competition. Paris Saint-Germain, the local team, is full of the game's best players who will always put on a world-class show for anyone who goes to watch them. As an example of how formidable this team really is, you just have to look at the latest football betting for Ligue 1 to see that they are at 1/25 to win their national title.
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— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) September 22, 2021
Treat yourself to a game and when it's over, you will be able to walk past thousands of Parisians enjoying the celebrated late-night cafe culture. There is something extremely reassuring about seeing this as it reminds you that this incredible continent does not stop or cower away from the change of seasons, but rather, meets it head-on.
The same feeling can be found when witnessing Londoners take to Regent Street to admire the exquisite Christmas lights display that brings a sense of togetherness and goodwill.
Who joined us for the magical Christmas lights switch-on evening last night?? #TheSpiritOfChristmas pic.twitter.com/u6xmYjfxF1
— Regent Street (@RegentStreetW1) November 16, 2018
Or perhaps you will find comfort whilst sipping a gluhwein on the banks of the Danube as you make your way to a festive Christmas market in Vienna.
Yes, the darker months are coming and the icy winter winds will begin to arrive from across the Atlantic and the North Sea, but there is hope and life to be found on the continent of Europe as it prepares to do what it does best.