Awe-Inspiring Winter Scenes From Around the World

If you’re already bundled up in gloves and mittens, it definitely feels like winter. Despite the frigid temperatures throughout parts of the country, winter doesn’t officially start until December 21. Although the winter season gets a bad rap for correlating with flu season and dark, gray skies, there’s also something beautiful happening around the world, all the way from Wyoming to Switzerland. These photos may even inspire you to start planning a winter getaway when it’s safe to do so. If seeing the Northern Lights is on your bucket list, the bitter cold temperatures of winter might just be your best shot at catching a glimpse. So grab the hot chocolate, sit back and enjoy a virtual tour to these inspiring winter wonderlands.

A train passing through the Landwasser Viaduct in the Alpine village of Filisur, part of the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.

The Washington Monument overlooks the snowy National Mall in the nation's capital.

Traditional wood houses in the fishing village of Svolvaer surrounded by snowcapped mountains.

A polar bear in Kaktovik, a part of northern Alaska.

A church and castle on a rock above Lake Bled in Slovenia.

A group of horses running in the snow-covered hills of Shell, Wyoming.

Skiers enjoying the slopes at Les Gets, a resort between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc in France.

The historic tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center in New York.

A rare snowstorm covers Yoyogi Park in Tokyo.

The sun peeks through the snow-covered Schlossplatz, the largest square in Stuttgart-Mitte.

An empty Red Square in Moscow, with St. Basil's Cathedral in the background.

A tranquil winter evening in the idyllic Austrian village Hallstatt.

St. Stephen's Basilica and Zrinyi Street at dusk in Budapest.

Fresh snow on the rim of Crater Lake National Park, famous for its deep blue, clear water.

Spirit Island, a landmark in Jasper National Park. With a view of the Canadian Rockies, this island is only accessible by boat.

The Northern Lights on display at Kirkjufell mountain.

The Christmas Market and tree in front of the Tyn Church in Prague.

Skiing around the Dolomites, a mountain range in northeastern Italy.

A snowy owl perched in the sand at Jones Beach in Long Island.

A scenic view of snowcapped mountains in Baqueira Beret, a ski resort of the Pyrenees.

The Jinshandling section of The Great Wall, one of the best preserved and most hiked portions.

Reindeer roam around Abisko National Park in Lapland, Sweden.

Snow-covered bikes line the canal in Amsterdam.

The unique, blue glaciers at Torres del Paine National Park.

A herd of American bison in Yellowstone National Park.

A fresh coating of ice at Yosemite National Park.

The historic city center of Edinburgh, with the historic Dugald Stewart Monument in the foreground.

An iconic winter scene with the Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Mount Cook and Mount Tasman reflected in Lake Matheson at sunset.