The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Chasing winter sun is easier than you might think
Yes, getting some much needed sun in winter is possible if you get the location right. Robin reveals his favourite hotspots
It’s that time of year again when the warmth and promise of summer fades as autumn takes hold. With a long slide into winter and the cold dark days not relenting until well into the New Year, it’s no surprise this is a time when many Scots turn their attention to searching for winter sun. As a travel writer I’m lucky enough to be able to jet off on a few trips that offer respite from a Scottish winter. I’ve learned over the years what works and what doesn’t and I’d like to share that knowledge with you now so that you can find your very own winter sun escape.
Let’s start with a bit of honesty here. Despite what some travel agents, and indeed some travel writers, might tell you there is no such thing as guaranteed fine weather on mainland Europe in winter. Saying that, there are pockets of the continent where you do have a much better chance of balmy winter weather.
Algarve
The shining star for me is the Algarve. I try to head down to this corner of Portugal every year and it usually hits the spot.
Temperatures in the Algarve tend to be that bit higher than those further north in the likes of Spain’s Costa Brava or Costa Blanca.
The main resorts such as Albufeira and Vilamoura are quieter in winter so there are some great deals for those. The Atlantic waters may not tempt as much as they do in summer, but the beaches are still great for a stroll.
French Riviera
Further north you are often struggling to keep the mercury at a tempting level.
That is where the French Riviera comes into its own. I love this glorious coast, which Somerset Maugham famously described as a “sunny place for shady people”. The key factor is that, as well as beaches, it has so much more to do when the sun doesn’t shine.
The southern Mediterranean coast of France is alive with great towns and cities, stretching from the buzzing city of Marseille, through to historic Antibes and the upcoming city of Nice.
All of these are still alive in winter with museums, restaurants, busy bars and, of course, pavement cafes. Then there are the art galleries. They are a testament to the beauty of the local light. Artistic luminaries such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse were drawn here, and their work adorns the local galleries.
Cyprus
I’m a big fan of Cyprus, an island nation with plenty of resorts and even the choice of a few lively cities. The climate tends to be fairly mild, at least in the first few months of winter.
Cyprus can be unbearably hot in summer so I enjoy hiking in the hills and exploring the wild beaches of the Akamas Peninsula in winter. I love wandering around against a backdrop of thundering surf looking out for the turtles who call the beaches here home. Cyprus does have a proper winter, but it’s usually confined to the higher ground – spend a morning on the beach before an afternoon skiing in the Troodos Mountains.
Canary Islands
Spanish islands are wonderfully exotic. These seven gems boast epic beaches, UNESCO World Heritage sites, soaring mountains and the second largest carnival in the world after Rio. They were also the last place that Christopher Columbus saw when he set sail for the Americas.
This magical string of the Canary Islands has it all and although I’ve been
to more than 100 countries I return here time and time again. They are great value for money too despite the strength of the Euro as sales tax is lower here than mainland Spain.
Of the seven main islands, Tenerife is the one I head back to every year. I’m a huge fan, as are my wife and two wee girls. For us there are two of the best family friendly attractions in the world – Loro Parque, with its killer whales, white tigers and penguins, and Siam Park, the best water park I’ve ever been to.
But there is so much more to Tenerife than family attractions and my wife and I have been here as a couple too.
We love trekking in the subtropical mountains of the vertiginous Anaga, and staying overnight at the refugio near the summit of Mount Teide so we can catch the world’s biggest shadow at sunset on this 3,718m high monster, the highest mountain in Spain.
We adore the seafood – Tajao and Los Abrigos serve boat-fresh seafood you seldom find in the resorts. Then there is the historic former capital of Garachico, a charmer by the ocean, and La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage listed city overflowing with graceful old stone buildings that sport elegant wooden hanging balconies.
Pushing on to the other Canary Islands my favourite resort is Corralejo on the island of Fuerteventura. It has it all for me. It may be a tourist resort, with a cheesy touristy “strip”, but it is also still a genuine Canario town, there is a strong surf community and Spaniards from the mainland flock here.
Corralejo boasts a sprinkling of gorgeous sandy beaches in its own right, but it also sits next to the Corralejo Dunes Natural Park, home to some of Europe’s best beaches. The rest of Fuerteventura offers a slew of starched white sand beaches and also striking volcanoes to climb, the superb fish restaurants of El Cotillo and some fascinating remote villages.
The last Canary Island I want to share with you for some great winter sun is Lanzarote, just across the water from Corralejo, which veteran travel writer Michael Palin once unfairly dismissed it as “Lanzagrotty”.
Today this deeply dramatic island has blossomed, which is in no small part to the groundwork laid by visionary local architect Cesar Manrique. He sculpted much of how the island looks today, from viewpoints to lidos. He also fought (successfully) to stop the building of massive high rise hotels.
Lanzarote these days is increasingly renowned for its superb wine, Malvasia. Uniquely some of it is cultivated in volcanic craters, giving it a deeply distinctive flavour.
If you make it out here you can savour a glass and raise a toast to discovering a genuine slice of European winter sun.