Winter sun escapes
Winter in the UK really drags.
For me, the worst part is in the new year, when all the hype and magic and bright lights of Christmas have gone and you’re just left with the cold, grey, dreary weather. Days, even weeks can go by without seeing blue skies. And everyone is just trudging along waiting for winter to be over and for the first signs of Spring.
To help break up these long months I usually like to book a short getaway to somewhere warm (at least warmer than home). Flights around Europe during January and Feburary are usually quite cheap if you book with budget airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 and WizzAir. If you head to destinations further south you can find places for cheap where temperatures will at the very least be in the double digits and you’ll have a greater chance of catching some vitamin D.
A great trick to find which destinations have cheap flights is to use the Google Flights ‘explore destinations’ tab. I’ve written a separate entry about the best ways to use Google Flights.
From my own trips and travel experiences here are my top winter sun destinations:
My top winter sun destinations
For each destination, I will give the low - high range temperatures, chance of sunny dats, and number of rain days for January and February. I will also provide approximate flight prices from airports across the UK including London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham (London is usually cheaper than other airports) and where these flights fly into.
The Canary Islands
Temperatures: 12°C - 20°C
Sunlight: 70% chance of a sunny day
Rain: 1-2 days
Flight prices: £30 - £150 return, with no additional luggage
Flight paths: Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Palma
Always a winner, The Canary Islands can easily please all. They have beaches, interesting landscapes, plenty of outdoor activities, and are well-catered to tourism. You can choose to have a relaxed and chilled holiday lounging on beaches, strolling through artisan markets, eating Spanish food and drinking wine. Or you could choose to have an action-filled holiday, hiking volcanos, partaking in water-sports, and riding through deserts and sand dunes. Each island is a little different, with different natural attractions to discover. Broadly speaking they will all have deserts, volcanos, and coasts, but the nature or each of these attractions (how tall, how challenging, the colour of the sand, the roughness of the sea) will be different.
7 main islands form the archipelago; Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, alongside many smaller islands and islets. The first four islands I listed are the more popular destinations and you will be able to find flights to them quite easily for low prices.
Tenerife: Great for hiking, mountains, and getting above the clouds. A lot of the terrain here is volcanic so expect to see black or dark brown beaches and volcanic rock formations around the island.
Fuerteventura: With fewer and smaller mountains and volcanoes, Fuerteventura is best for getting near the water. Inland, the landscape is sandy, rocky, and vast, sort of like you’re on another planet.
Gran Canaria: This is the most populated island and so a little more built up. It has a great range of accommodation and food, and really good for history and culture.
Lanzarote: Come here for the scenery, with rocks and terrain of varying colours (red, white, black, pink) Lanzarote is beautiful.
La Palma: Much less popular with the tourists, La Palma is great if you want a quieter trip surrounded nature. Compared to the other islands listed above, La Palma is quite luscious and green.
Depending on which island you visit, public transport isn’t always great for exploring the islands and this may limit where you can go as a budget traveler. You will be able to visit the main towns and tourist destinations, but if you are looking to explore more rural or less touristy areas you may need to rent a car.
Read more about Fuerteventura in my Fuerteventura Travel Guide.
Cyprus
Temperatures: 8°C - 18°C
Sunlight: 66% chance of a sunny day
Rain: 8-10 days
Flight prices: £30 - £180 return, with no additional luggage
Flight paths: Paphos, Larnaca, Northern Cyprus
Cyprus is an island located south of Turkey with both Greek and Turkish populations. It has amazing nature and beaches, and in the winter months you could go from hiking the snow topped Troodos Mountains to lying on warm sunny beaches in just a couple hours. There are plenty of great hikes around the island, from coastal cliff-tops, to deep gorges, and stunning natural attractions, like the sea caves.
Cyprus is also great if you want to explore history and culture. Archaeological Paphos is an open air museum of Roman ruins and well preserved mosaics. All around Paphos you will find a number of ruins seemingly at one with the modern infrastructure. There are also Byzantine churches, monasteries, cathedrals, temples and castles all telling tales of previous settlers and occupations.
The food does not disappoint, with Cypriot cuisine taking inspiration from Greek and Middle Eastern food. I loved eating in Cyprus! There are also many wineries in the region, from larger establishments to small family-run vineyards. During the winter months you will usually need to call ahead before visiting a winery to make sure someone’s in, but most will be willing to welcome you.
Getting around Cyrpus is easy with a car, most destinations are no more than 2-3 hours drive away. Inter-city transport buses are very good, run frequently and can get you to larger towns and cities in half a day. Public transport buses within each town/city are also good, but during the winter/off-season months they don’t run as regularly or as late.
Read more in my Cyprus Travel Guide.
Sicily
Temperatures: 7°C - 15°C
Sunlight: 50% chance of a sunny day
Rain: 7-8 days
Flight prices: £30 - £150 return, with no additional luggage
Flight paths: Palermo, Catania
Sicily is an Italian island just off the Southern coast of Italy. Known for it’s excellent cuisine Sicily is a great winter escape if you want to enjoy some sun and good food.
Sicily also has some stunning architecture, many of which are classified as UNESCO Heritage Sites, and show examples of past populations and occupations from Ancient Greece to Baroque and Arab-Norman influences. Walking around the city of Palermo was just breath-taking (and great for Instagram). I’d recommend a walking tour, whichever city you end up in, to learn about the history and architecture, many which will include some history about the Mafia.
You’ll have to exit the main cities to reach the quieter-paced beach towns, but that is simple enough to do by bus or car. In the winter the coastal areas are quiet, but many markets and eateries were still open and you get to enjoy all the pleasures of a sunny seaside without the crowds. Even moving out of the city, the architecture remains gorgeous. If you have a car, exploring the Sicilian countryside and quieter coastal towns can be a really nice way to explore the island. If you’re looking for adventure and a challenge, have a go at climbing Mount Etna, an active volcano. It is possible to do this in the winter months so long as you have the right equipment (snow shoes and poles).
Sicilian food is different to Italian. In my opinion it is richer and a little heavier as Sicilian food has influences from Spanish, Greek and Arab cuisines. For example, Italian pizza has a thin base and few simple toppings, Sicilian pizza has a thick doughy crust with more substantial toppings (generous sauce, cured meats, vegetables, cheese). Sicilian street food is a must and typical foods include arancini, cannoli, sfincione (Sicilian pizza) and lemon granita.
In the major cities, public transport is easy to coordinate and buses will be able to take you out of major cities to smaller towns and beaches. If you are looking to travel between cities/larger towns, there are trains you can take across Sicily which are pretty quick.
Other winter sun destinations which I haven’t visited
Southern Spain
Temperatures: 6°C - 18°C
Sunlight: 60% chance of a sunny day
Rain: 1-7 days
Flight prices: £25 - £50 return, with no additional luggage
Flight paths: Málaga, Alicante
There are other warm destinations in Southern Spain including Gibraltar, Marbella, and Almería, but flights mostly only reach Malaga during the Winter months. An additional drive it required once in Malaga to reach these other destinations. Southern Spain towns are all coastal, so expect to enjoy some chill beach time, tapas and sangrias, alongside the attractions of a ‘city break’.
Balearic Islands
Temperatures: 7°C - 15°C
Sunlight: 55% chance of a sunny day
Rain: 4-5 days
Flight prices: £35 - £160 return, with no additional luggage
Flight paths: Ibiza, Majorca
These Spanish islands are located off the Eastern coast of Spain and set in the Mediterranean sea. These are very popular destinations in the Summer and are often busy catering to party-goers, families and big group holidays. Coming in the Winter months will allow you to experience these islands in a much calmer setting and really take advantage of the food and scenery without the crowds and queues.
Malta
Temperatures: 9°C - 16°C
Sunlight: 60% chance of a sunny day
Rain: 7-8 days
Flight prices: £35 - £100 return, with no additional luggage
Flight paths: Malta
Malta is a country that sits between Sicily and Northern Africa. It is a Mediterranean island and like it’s neighbours, can boast clear crystal-blue waters and warm stone brick architecture. It has excellent diving, walled cities, and historic temples. Malta provides a perfect mix of strolling stone streets exploring the city, and lazy days by the water discovering hidden coves.
Morocco
Temperatures: 6°C - 21°C
Sunlight: 65 - 70% chance of a sunny day
Rain: 3-9 days
Flight prices: £35 - £250 return, with no additional luggage
Flight paths: Tangier, Agadir, Marrakesh, Casablanca, Essaouira
Morocco is a North African country that sits very close to Spain. Apart from Marrakesh, all the other flight destinations are based along the coast of Morocco and you get the benefits of both sunny beaches and the culture of a city. I’ve heard from some female travellers that Morocco wasn’t the most comfortable country to travel solo due to unwanted male attention and quite persistent touters. I’d encourage you to read other people’s travel blogs to understand their experiences if this is something you are worried about.
Marrakesh is rich in culture and architecture, with plenty of options for a luxury boutique stay to affordable hostels. Tangier, at the very North of the country, has a unique culture with Spanish influences. Essaouira is a coastal city known for its calmer pace and great surf - a good alternative if you’re looking to avoid the chaos of Marrakesh. Casablanca is a major port city in Morocco and a big economic hub. Agadir is a popular resort destination for golf and beaches.
Lebanon, Israel, Jordan
At the time of writing both Lebanon and Israel are advised against travel by the FCDO due to ongoing conflicts/war. Travel to Jordan is still allowed, but caution should be exercised given the conflict in neighbouring Israel and Palestine. Travelling against FCDO advise will often nullify your travel insurance unless you have bought specific insurance that covers you against FCDO advice. To check travel restrictions if travelling from the UK / as a UK citizen, check the FCDO website.