Winter sun

[Fernsrus]

I’m already so sick of the winter..

Where are the best places to go in Europe for winter sun? A beach isn’t essential, although nice, but a nice old town to explore would be lovely. We won’t be hiring a car and we wouldn’t like to be a long journey from an airport, unless there’s a reliable train or similar.

Where would you recommend?

Thanks.

The canaries are the only place in Europe I can think of with sun at this time of year.

Canaries or nothing. Europe is not guaranteed a sunny winter destination - let alone hot!

As others have said, the Canaries is your best bet but Malta is worth looking at too. But nowhere in Europe will actually be guaranteed sunshine and even on the Canaries it won't be hot.

Seville and Malaga are probably the sunniest places in winter in mainland Europe. It will be warmer than here but not hot. You can get lucky - there was a heatwave in Jan two years ago - or unlucky - we went in Feb half term and got rain!

A tad further but Egypt? Friends spent NYE there and it was 23-25c.

North Africa or Egypt.

I am in the canaries right now and the weather is beautiful, so much hotter than the forecast. I didn’t bring enough summer clothes or bikinis

Been to Málaga many a times in winter and even if there's a bit of rain it's always sunny. Not sunbathing sunny, but short sleeves during the day and a jacket at night weather. Málaga old town is lovely and great transport links to places further down the coast. It's only 6 km from the airport too.

Everywhere is 5 degrees hotter! Off season is now the best time to go to lots of places for a pleasant experience.

Aside from Canaries, there’s nowhere in Europe that is sunbathing level hot this time of year.

Thanks everyone. I know both Seville and Malaga but I was considering further afield because, as you say, they may still be cold in these months. I was considering the Canaries but there doesn’t seem to be anything suitable there, and I’m not a sunbathing beach person.

I'd be tempted with Muscat in Oman, but if you want Europe, your better bets are probably Malta or Cyprus. A friend went to Cyprus in late November and it was lovely temperatures, it looks more variable now but definitely warmer than the UK.

@Fernsrus Why not look at a cultural holiday that would be 40 degrees in the summer? So much more to choose from if you do that. North Africa opens up and South Africa is great as it’s overnight flights both ways. More expensive flights but you could look at Istanbul and Cairo which are much nearer.

Thank you both. I could but I’m an awful coward, and there would be some potential health risks for me in flying too far.

Cape Verde is warm too.

Canaries is your best bet for affordable sun. TBH it depends what you want - Sicily is bright and sunny in the day but properly nippy at night for example.

Re Canaries, it gets a bad name but if you hire a car and get out of the towns there’s loads to do and see.

@Fernsrus Well you cannot really get what you want then. It’s how the northern hemisphere climate works!

Perhaps Madeira. One of the Funchal hotels might be nice. I like the Royal Savoy but it can be rather pricey. A few minutes walk to the town with its array of restaurants, about 15 mins by taxi from the (very small and civilised) airport, cable car up to the botanical gardens, plus the hotel has an excursion office so you can get about a bit to some other sights without hiring a car.
It won’t be hot but usually bright and mild, good to top up the Vit D.

Thanks all. Madeira looks interesting.

What sort of temperatures are you getting?

Low 20s but felt warmer, fine to sunbathe and swim in. Home in the cold now unfortunately.

gambia is awesome, and similar in cost to egypt