Best Places to Visit in February

February is a great month.

I mean firstly, January is finished, which in itself is a great thing. But the best thing about February is when you get to the end of it it's practically spring. But don't let this month pass you by, it's out of season and a great time to travel if you want to grab some cheap flight deals, but it's also the shortest month, so be quick about it!

To help you along, we've outlined three great places to visit in February, have a look and see if you fancy a cheeky trip to one of them:

Venice

There aren’t many months of the year in which a trip to Venice wouldn’t be a good idea to be honest. With its unique geography, incredible history and even better food and drink, this Italian gem makes our list for February and for one very good reason.

February is the month of Venice’s most famous festival, The Carnival. Dating back to the 12th Century this ancient celebration began as a night of victorious dining after the Republic of Venice defeated Ulrich II of Aquileia, a wholly unpopular patriarch of Northern Italy. The Venetians took to San Marco Square and danced the night away, and so the carnival was born. Nowadays some 3 million people visit Venice during this festival which attracts visitors from all over the world. The Carnival culminates in the “la maschera più bella” which roughly translates as “the most beautiful mask” contest which sees renowned international designers compete for the coveted prize.

Whilst there are few times of the year where Venice would be more quiet, to sample one of the world’s oldest carnivals and immerse yourself in what it truly means to be Venetian February is the best time to visit. But if you want to escape the crowds you absolutely can. Head to one of the several islands surrounding the Venetian Lagoon, find a nice little trattoria have a calzone and a glass of Chianti and discuss overthrowing the renaissance age Papacy, just like the Venetians of old.

Ottawa

Now, I know this may sound strange initially, but just trust me. In the far east of the Canadian state of Ontario sits the country’s capital city, Ottawa. Now, every February there’s a little-known but utterly amazing festival called ‘Winterlude’, and it happens to occur in Ottawa. For the ice skating, hockey-loving, winter obsessive person, there’s no place better to go.

There are ice-sculpting competitions, live music, winter sports for people to try and not to mention the largest ice rink in the world. At an impressive 5.5 miles in the length, when the Ottawa canal freezes - it becomes an ice highway, free for people to grab their skates and take a leisurely (or in my case - very painful) skate around the block. It’s a spectacle not to be missed.

Paris

How could I not include Paris on this list for places to visit in February? With Valentine’s day dominating this short month, the city of Love has to be mentioned, I’m sorry it’s the law. As well as all the normal touristy things you can do in Paris any month of the year, February is a great time to go to, surprisingly, avoid a lot of the crowds.

One thing Paris is good for is views. There are a couple of obvious choices, the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur and the Notre Dame to name three of the most popular ones. But the best view of Paris I’ve found is definitely at the top of the Arc De Triomphe. (Also - full disclosure it has the fewest steps to climb, you’re welcome).

For people more interested in the culture of Paris rather than just the touristy spots, a leisurely stroll through the narrow back streets that weave in and out of view from La Seine (close to the Île de la Cité ) and a coffee and a slice of cake in any of the thousands of classic Parisian cafés will have you instantly feeling more relaxed. Paris does seem to have its own time-zone, if you’re lucky enough to escape the other tourists and immerse yourself in the daily lives of Parisians; you’ll see that everything just happens a beat slower. Don’t get me wrong, stuff gets done, but it’s more a question of “why do it now?” and for that, you have to just sit back and admire them for it, whilst angrily asking yourself why we can’t be like this too.

Wherever you end up on your travels, make sure you get breakdown cover. Take a look at our European Breakdown Cover or our Worldwide Car Hire Excess Insurance to see if we're right for you.