Warmth in November without long flight - is this possible?

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

For various reasons we haven't had a holiday this year. We have to go to the States next month for a family occasion, but that won't be a holiday.

I'm desperate for a proper break. We could get a week off in early November so I'm looking at whether we can get to somewhere that's warm within a couple of hours flight, 3 hours max. We don't need blazing sunshine, but we don't want grey skies and drizzle.

I'm wondering about Italy - especially Pompeii - or possibly Spain. We like cities but would ideally get a villa where we can also chill out at times.

Any ideas or suggestions? I did consider Granada and Seville but think the flight is too long.

South of Spain is under 3 hours

What about Marrakech? Its about 3.5 hour flight so just over your max I guess but not much different to flying to Southern Europe. Beautiful city and I think is still fairly warm in Nov.

Granada and Seville are 2.5/3 hours depending where you’re flying from. I’m not sure about the weather, I’m in the algarve, so about 2 hours drive from Seville and November is usually the start of winter

Lanzarote is 4 hours, Marrakech is also a good suggestion. I'm not sure why 3 hours is ok and 3.5/4 isn't it's not much of a difference

I know slightly further but I'd say canaries. Even southern Spain end of October/ early November can be hit and miss and too cold to get into the pool/ sea.

Definitely the Canaries

The Canaries. We have been a couple of times in November. It gets dark early but stays warm.

I agree with other posters, the canaries are a good choice.

Thanks for the suggestions, we've been to Marrakesh before and wanted to try somewhere new.

The 3 hours isn't hard and fast, it's more just giving ourselves a limit, otherwise its easy to start thinking "oh, X is only 4 hours.. Y is only 5 hours...." . We've only got a week so don't want to lose 2 full days travelling

I hadn't thought about the Canaries - is there enough to do? We like museums, galleries, places of interest etc. But if you can still swim in the Canaries in November that would move it up the list!

For winter sun, the canaries are your best bet. If you like museums, interesting places to visit, I would recommend Lanzarote.

As an alternative, Madeira. If you like walking some of the walking tours are excellent. Get the cable car up to Madeira Monte Palace garden which is magical.

Thank you. Is it possible to swim in the sea in November in the Camaries or Madeira?

We went to Gran Canaria in December and DH swam in the sea on Christmas day.

Madeira has no beaches. You swim from the rocks. I'm not sure how warm the Atlantic is in November.

It's the Atlantic, it's never warm enough for me even in August but I'm a wuss and used to the Mediterranean.

You'll need a heated pool too wherever you go in Europe if you want to swim in it in November.

The sea temperature in Madeira in November is several degrees warmer than the sea in Cornwall in August. Whether that's warm enough for you I don't know! Funchal is a good base.

I went to Playa Blanca in Lanzarote last November and the sea was warm enough for me to swim in, unheated pools definitely weren’t though.

I don't think the sea is ever warm enough to swim in the canaries, especially not in winter. It also wouldn't be my choice for museums etc. either.

If I were you, I would fly to southern Spain (better weather for longer than the rest of southern Europe) visit a city there (Valencia, Malaga, Alicante etc) and book accommodation with a heated pool.

My friend went to Nice in November and it was still quite warm, only 2hrs flight

I went to Madeira for our honeymoon in early November, it’s warm but I didn’t swim in the pool. Botanical gardens are gorgeous just take a coat or sweater as the mountains was colder than town centre, we stayed in Funchal.

Not sure if Porto Santo might be a bit warmer?

Thanks for all.the suggestions. Swimming isnt enough of an incentive to fly further if there isn't the culture etc as well.

I've always wanted to go to Seville and Granada, so maybe we should aim there and book a hotel with a heated pool

I think you may find Granada a bit chilly due to being at high altitude . We have holidayed in Nerja a few times over the New Year and I can remember one year we visited Granada for the day and whereas in Nerja we had been in cropped jeans and T shirts, in Granada we needed boots and winter coats . First week in November should be a bit warmer but I would still be wary.

We have mostly had really nice weather when we've been on South Spain coast - have done October half term, end of December-January and Mid-February.

Malaga is a nice City, on the coast, and you could get the train to visit Seville.

Yes to Malaga. Lovely small coastal city with enough culture and pretty things to look at to keep you occupied. Easy to take a train to Seville for sightseeing.