The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Time to become a solar explorer
northern tip, is one of the accommodation hubs, home to a splendid beach that gazes at the neighbouring islet of Lobos. But there is rugged scenery too, not least the protected expanse of the Parque Rural de Betancuria.
on Fuerteventura: telegraph.co.uk/tt-hotels-fuerteventura
Reader offer: A five-night stay at Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real, set close to the dunes of the Parque Natural Corralejo on the east coast, costs from £649 per person via Inspired Luxury Escapes (03300 372 769; telegraph.co.uk/tt-ilebahia).
Cape Town
South Africa may seem a far-flung choice on any quest for accessible winter sun, but Cape Town earns convenience points for the lack of time difference (GMT+2) to the UK, and its refusal to dip below 20C during the European winter. Throw in its beauty, Table Mountain rising along with the prettiness of the Cape Peninsula (the beaches of Camps Bay, oceanside towns like Muizenberg and Fish Hoek) and you have a winning hand.
telegraph.co.uk/ tt-hotels-capetown A 12-night South Africa tour that ticks off Cape Town and the Garden Route before venturing north to Victoria Falls costs from£3,295 per person via Africa Travel (03301 340 994; telegraph.co.uk/tt-afcape).
Orlando
The concept of “starting to look a lot like Christmas” takes a twist in Florida, where Santa has to steer his sleigh through heat that rarely drops below 20C. And the festive season takes a particular spin in Orlando, where the main theme parks, not least Disney World and Universal Orlando, do their best to impersonate a “real” winter through a carnival of artificial snow.
The best hotels in Florida: telegraph.co.uk/tt-hotels-florida
Reader offer: A seven-night self-catering pre-Christmas break at the Reunion Resort Orlando costs from £1,609 per person via James Villas (03332 221 616; telegraph.co. uk/tt-jvreunion).
Melbourne
If you’re prepared to make the journey, Melbourne proves to be a glorious haven of summer. Temperatures hover at around 24C. The city has plenty of attractions but also excels as a launchpad for a road trip, whether out into the winelands of the Yarra Valley, or along the Great Ocean Road.
The best hotels in Melbourne: telegraph.co.uk/tt-hotels-melbourne
Reader offer: A 19-night “Discover Australia” tour that visits Perth, Sydney and Uluru (Ayers Rock), before enjoying three nights in Melbourne, costs from £4,895 per person via APT (03300 295 028; telegraph.co.uk/tt-aptmel).