Jan & Feb 2024

The short days and long nights of January and February can make us all want to hunker down inside and wait out winter’s chill, but then you would miss some amazing travel events. RTT has the perfect assortment of special trips designed to beat the winter blues and entice you back outside to enjoy some very “cool” travel opportunities.  See some iconic European cities lit up by extravagant illuminated festivals that celebrate winter and provide the perfect opportunity to see amazing new places, or revisit favorite destinations, in a bright new way! 

This winter Amsterdam Illuminates into a technicolor rainbow, merging light and technology into twenty-four light displays that transform the city into a wondrous canvas of illuminated art.   The combination of artificial intelligence and digital light technology creates an enchanting wonderland that can be enjoyed on foot or by boat in the maze of canals.  Every three years the medieval city of Ghent comes alive and alight with a one-of-a-kind Festival of Lights dating back to medieval times.  The city center is set ablaze in light, illuminating the magnificent buildings and placid canals in a rainbow of brilliant colors.  During the last Flemish festival, St. Bavo Cathedral was adorned with a breathtaking display of over 50,000 LED lights, setting high expectations for the upcoming display. 

The Brussels Bright Festival is described as “not to be missed” and a perfect family outing, offering light installations and activities specially tailored to excite and delight the little ones. When evening arrives, 30 different displays that illuminate the capital city of Belgium in a magical winter glow.  In Switzerland the arrival of winter bring artists from all over the world to collaborate and create LILU, the “Light festival of Lucerne” a diverse and fascinating display of art.  The pristine alpine scenery coupled with the twinkling wizardry is guaranteed to put a glow in your heart.

New Year’s fresh start is the perfect chance to start early on some common resolutions; take better care of yourself, check some things off the bucket list, or do something special for the one you love.  Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and the perfect chance to swing for the romantic fences.  Escape for a weekend of delightful pampering at the Karlovy Vary Imperial Spa, sip some bubbles in the Champagne Region of France, shop the annual Wine Market of Strasbourg, or swoon your favorite foodie with a Swee & Savovory Valentines Day in Switzerland. Jack Frost brings a whole new adrenaline-pumping menu of activities for sports enthusiasts, from skiing in the Austrian Alps to dog sledding in the Arctic Circle and even a Northern Lights Safari.  For the perfect combination of northern thrills, cozy ease, and enchantment of winter, look no further than a cruising expedition to Norway and the Arctic Sea.

RTT invites you to embrace the chill and thrill of winter in Europe, kick cabin fever to the curb, and make good on those 2024 resolutions!