Sun between Christmas and New Year

[radrado]

We normally go away but this year we’re staying (ageing relatives at Christmas and the teens want to see friends at New Year) So we have from 26th-31st inclusive for a quick trip. Can’t do after NY as I’m back at work. Where’s easy and a bit warm? South Spain? We’re in Scotland so there’s limited flight options.. Canaries not an option (too far and hated Lanzarote and husband refuses Tenerife)
Thanks!

Marrakesh or Valencia would be my recommendations

Thank you!!! I think Valencia would be lovely.

I do this every year

Can’t fly too far due to disabled DC but really feel the need for a mid-winter break from the gloom of the UK.

My winter range is anywhere on the Spanish coast starting from around Estepona and stopping just below Denia as I think it has the highest chance of being dry and warmish.

I’ve mostly had good luck with minimal rain and a mixture of cloudy and bright days. The last 2 years have had sun every day with highs of 20. Great weather for sight seeing and warm enough to eat outside during the day.

I have found Murcia and Valencia from Denia downwards to be less cloudy than Andalucia (not a very scientific test). I haven’t tried the Almeria coast, but in winter I can only fly to Malaga and Alicante from my local airport so tend to set my radius around that. Coast is much warmer than inland so I stay by the sea and sightsee inland.

If you don’t want to drive, both Malaga and Alicante are lovely destinations in themselves. Small, well maintained, city centres with history, nice buildings, good food. I prefer Malaga as a city, but Alicante has much the better beach.

Dubai is guaranteed goof weather

good*

Why does he refuse to go to tenerife?

I didn't like Tenerife either 😬It was windy and no that warm (even in July) and I absolutely hates the black vulcanic sand beaches

hated*

Unusual for tenerife to be windy and not warm in July but that's by the by. The OP didn't say her husband didn't like it, she said he refuses to go. The reason for that might rule out other places too.

@MangosteenSoda thank you!!! Yes I’ve bern tracking temperatures and was surprised to see Murcia was warmer than further south… do you have any recommendations got a Nerja type place near there. Town not city with a nice beach/walks. Not sky rise. We’re stuck with Alicante Malaga airports I think.

@BustaGrind he just really hated Lanzarote and doesn’t like the big resorts and the sound of Tenerife.

Dubai too far for the time available.

Plus if he doesn’t like big resorts he will almost certainly dislike Dubai.

Madeira ? We spent Xmas week there, daytime temp was 20-22.
It does rain, but I've been 3 times & showers are very short-lived .
That's why it's so green & beautiful.

Tenerife is not at all similar to Lanzarote and there are plenty of smaller resorts there. I agree he'll hate Dubai if he hates big resorts.

Marrakech is a good shout, we have been in mid December and it was sunny. Warm in the middle of the day.

You may find some hotels don’t let you check out on 31st

@radrado I didn’t love Murcia tbh. We stayed in a quiet little town on the inland side of the Mar Menor which was fine, but not very historic and I found it a bit lacking in charm. It had long sandy beaches that were empty in winter and a really long promenade that stretched to the next town so you could walk for ages. Easy day trips to Murcia City and Cartagena which we enjoyed.

I liked Altea which is about an hour’s drive north of Alicante. I experienced similar temps in both places. Altea is about 15/20 minutes north of Benidorm so in that part of the Costa Blanca that’s famously mild in winter. It’s got a well maintained, whitewashed old town with a pretty domed church on a hill just behind the beach/new town area. I think they have just finished renovating the sea front so it’s now a long fully pedestrianised promenade. There are lots of bars and restaurants in both parts of town and it’s a bit more buzzy without being OTT. I had been to Nerja the year before and was looking for something similar too. The beach runs from pebbly to shingly.

Just to stick up for Tenerife (I don’t know why - not like I live there) - there is a massive difference in weather between the North and the South West of the island. The South West is where you need to be, just avoid Playa De Las Americas if you don’t want noisy nightlife.

We spent new year pre COVID in Seville. Low 20's during the day although cooler at night. Sat in the park on NYD drinking wine in short sleeves. Loads to see.
Beautiful city. Far surpassed my expectations and would love to return.

Yes I like the sound of Seville. I have been to an area near Murcia. There are mud baths on the beach? It was OK but I’m sure there are nicer places. Very wary of being too close to Benidorm.

I’m sure Tenerife has some nice bits but we really don’t want to go after being robbed twice in Lanzarote! Hated the volcanic landscape too.

I think near Malaga might be best. Nerja seems a good option. Maybe a slight weather trade off to be somewhere we like

You got robbed twice in lanzarote? Wow

What happens if you get too close to Benidorm out of interest? 🤣

Yes apartment broken into and then they came back and tried again. We had to jam a chair under the door handle.

I think it’s just full of drunken Brits eating fry ups!

Benidorm that is

Break in was scary as we had our 3 little kids ages 5 and under