Instant sunshine – without the faff

You don’t have to fly long-haul for those first rays of sun. Chris Leadbeater picks 10 test-free, no-hassle options for a March or Easter escape

This is the part of the year when we dream of simple pleasures. Specifically, the simple pleasures of a soft stretch of beach, ample hours of sunshine and the absolute essential that is a country which enjoys weather considerably better than whatever February is throwing at your window this morning. In an ideal world, this splendid destination should also dot the map a reasonably short flight from home. No more than four hours, you might insist; five at a push.

This, you might think, shouldn’t be too much to ask. And in ordinary times, it isn’t. But “ordinary” has been notable by its absence for the past two years, and as the pandemic continues to rattle the windows, it may remain a scarce commodity for a few months yet.

Unfortunately, this disclaimer still applies to travel – and to the search for a holiday in the golden weeks of spring and Easter. As recently as the autumn, Europe in particular seemed to be reopening its doors with minimal fuss. But the arrival of the omicron variant prompted a new wave of restrictions – including, frustratingly, in several of the countries we would normally consider for a blue-sky escape in March or April. At the time of writing, France, Italy, Greece and Morocco are all asking even fully vaccinated Britons to take a PCR or antigen test before boarding the plane.

This doesn’t mean you can’t visit these countries, or that these must-jump-through hoops will definitely still be there when the Good Friday airport rush begins. But, for now, it makes them more complicated propositions. If you want to book sooner rather than later, with the fewest possible obstacles in your path, you may need to look elsewhere.

Where exactly? Perhaps to Spain, Croatia, Turkey, Malta, Portugal or Egypt – which, at present, are the most hasslefree options for a short-haul suntan escape. However, even with this helpful half-dozen, there are issues if your party includes teenagers who are unvaccinated, or only partly so. To help you choose, we have given each destination a fafffree rating based on testing and entry requirements for both adults and children.

If you are looking at the rain and thinking you can’t wait any longer to set up a holiday, the time is now.