The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
The hot list: 20 bright ideas for winter sun
It’s cold outside – so take your pick of the best breaks to see you through the season, says Sarah Marshall
It happens every year, but when daylight hours shrink and any remaining sun is suffocated by thick clouds, moods easily plummet. A dose of vitamin D is never more needed than during our winter months.
Fortunately, you don’t need to travel far for holiday weather. Although the UK feels dark and gloomy, other parts of Europe are still basking in sunshine. In fact, in many places – like Madeira and the Algarve – temperatures are far more comfortable than the unbearable heat of summer, especially if you’re hankering after a hiking break. Foodies will be pleased by the variety of seasonal fruits available in places like Cyprus; pomegranates, persimmons, limes and oranges all ripen during this period, proof the winter larder doesn’t have to be bare.
Anyone keen to spend time on the beach can’t go wrong with a trip to the Canaries, officially part of Europe but closer in climate to North Africa. A firm favourite with British families, the islands top the list of most popular winter-sun destinations for both Skyscanner and TripAdvisor.
Tenerife and Lanzarote are top selections, although Chris Webber, head of holidays and deals at TravelSupermarket, recommends choosing Fuerteventura for cheaper prices. “The average price we’ve seen this month for an all-inclusive week in Tenerife in December is £895pp,” he says. “The average for Fuerteventura is £715pp.”
Warmer waters are guaranteed in Egypt’s Red Sea, made even more accessible by Tui’s new flight from Gatwick to Marsa Alam – a beach resort destination with excellent dive sites. A two-hour time difference reduces any risk of jet lag. Similarly, Morocco, Cape Verde and Senegal each promise sunshine without messing up your body clock.
If you want temperatures guaranteed to be over 20C, you may have to journey further afield. A hot pick for long-haul is Sri Lanka, with experts predicting a boom in bookings following a year of turmoil. “With visitor numbers down, the economy is still recovering, so prices are lower than they should be,” advises Richard Sinclair of SNO Holidays. “Gorgeous sunshine can reach 30 degrees in December, so you can pack light and spend light.”
But even popular long-haul holiday resorts in the Caribbean, Mauritius or South Africa can be affordable if you’re prepared to hunt around for deals and be flexible with the destination and dates. TripAdvisor has crunched data to find January 15 as the best value week for winter-sun travel in 2024. Turquoise Holidays suggest a last-minute pre-Christmas getaway is the best way to bag a bargain, while The Ultimate Travel Company say prices are good for off-season safari spots such as Botswana and Namibia – which are still much warmer than the UK.
For inspiration, we’ve picked some of the best options – depending on how far you are willing to travel. With a decent amount of sunshine hours, all are guaranteed to be beneficial for your physical and mental health.
Beat the crowds Algarve, Portugal
Average winter temperature: 17C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 6
Myths abound in Sagres, the most south-westerly point of continental Europe. Prince Henry, a key figure in the era of new world explorations, supposedly built a navigational school in the low-key surf town once considered the edge of the earth. Details are hazy but one fact remains: the Algarve’s dramatic, cliff-fringed harbour town is a jumping off point for discovery. Beyond the wind-whipped cape, sheltered beaches range from hidden coves to broad stretches of sand. Although peak sunbathing months have passed, so too have the crowds – while temperatures remain mild enough to leave thick jumpers at home.
A seven-night trip with Sunvil (020 8568 4499; sunvil.co.uk) costs from £1,102pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation at Pousada de Sagres, transfers and flights
Go off-grid Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Average winter temperature: 20C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Closer to Africa than Europe, the Canary Islands bathe in a generous amount of sunshine – enough, in fact, to power an eco-village retreat. Running entirely on renewable energy generated by solar panels and wind turbines, Finca de Arrieta is an off-grid escape on the east coast of Lanzarote where the aim is to literally switch off. Choose between a farmhouse, cottages and Mongolian-style yurts set in gardens sprouting with succulents and exotic fruits. Eggs and vegetables can be collected from the farmhouse for home-grown lunches. A family-friendly beach, with calm waters and an on-duty lifeguard, is only a few minutes’ walk away.
A family yurt for four with Lanzarote Retreats (0034 928 826720; lanzaroteretreats.com) costs from £64 per night. Excludes flights
Escape to the Med Northern Cyprus
Average winter temperature: 18C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Like the many citrus fruits ripening in village orchards at this time of year, winter days spent exploring Northern Cyprus are zingy and refreshing. Although lacking the glitzy, big brand resorts of the south, the island’s Turkish sector has a similarly beautiful coastline. Prices are much cheaper, too. Visit the Roman ruins of Salamis in Famagusta and get up to date with modern history in the ghost city of Varosha, abandoned after the Turkish invasion in 1974. Lighten the mood with a lazy meander through sleepy village of Bellapais, where Lawrence Durrell penned his book Bitter Lemons – a title no doubt inspired by that timeless tangy scent.
A seven-night holiday with Newmarket Holidays (0330 341 1927; newmarketholidays.co.uk) costs from £756pp, including half-board accommodation, tours, transfers and return flights. Departures in January and February
Skip the winter blues
Northern Morocco
Average winter temperature: 19C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Winter blues are far from depressing in one of North Africa’s most culturally captivating countries. From cerulean skies to cobalt seas, Morocco is washed with warm, inviting shades. Even the streets and houses of the Blue City, Chefchaouen, have adopted the nation’s trademark hue. Visit as part of a tour exploring the less-visited north, taking Africa’s first bullet train from Casablanca to Tangier and eventually winding up in the 1,200-year-old medina of Fez. Reel in hauls with local fishermen at Larache, make cheese with a family in the Rif Mountains and visit the secret tropical gardens of Rohuna – an Italian horticulturalist’s passion project.
An eight-day trip with Inclusive Morocco (00212 699 560 297; inclusivemorocco.com) costs from £3,935pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation, some meals, driver, tours and transfers. Excludes flights
Bag a bargain Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Average winter temperature: 19C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 7
The closest of the Canaries to North Africa has a stark, arid landscape and climate similar to the sun-beaten continent. Slowly shifting across the Parque Natural de Corralejo, soft dunes resemble the Sahara and warm winds stretch a summer feeling to 365 days of the year. Set along a coast of crashing waves at the northern tip of the island, against a backdrop of ancient volcanic peaks, the Origo Mare Holiday Village has a sprawling water park filled with slides and pools perfect for safe family swimming. Alternatively, you can embrace the strong ocean winds by learning to kitesurf or surf with the Yolo Riders surf school.
Seven nights’ self-catering at Origo Mare Holiday Village with Pierre & Vacances (0870 0267 145; pierreetvacances.co.uk) costs from £523 (£87pp based on six sharing). Excludes flights
Reset your body and mind Marathasa Valley, Cyprus
Average winter temperature: 18C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Favoured by pilgrims and members of royalty, the natural sulphur spring waters of the mountain village of Kalopanayiotis promise a healing mind and body reset for the new year ahead. Built by an entrepreneur to bring life back to his beloved hometown, Casale Panayiotis is a spa village set amongst revived orchards, vineyards and stone buildings on the slopes of the Troodos Mountains. Relax in the hydrotherapy pool or book a range of rose-petal bathing and Mediterranean oil massage treatments. Close by is an 11th-century Byzantine monastery, which is open to guests. Rock climbing, mountain biking and hikes in the surrounding Marathasa Valley can also be arranged.
Seven nights’ B&B with Health and Fitness Travel (0203 397 8891; healthandfitnesstravel.com) costs from £1,305pp (two sharing), including transfers and a wellness programme. Excludes flights
Save your waistline Tenerife, Canary Islands
Average winter temperature: 21C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 6
Traditionally, this is the time of year when it’s acceptable to pile on the pounds. Rather than waste calories on scoffing stodgy roasts and mince pies around a fire, dine out on great meals i Beat the chill: winter days in Cyprus are zingy and refreshing with a sea view. Those with a culinary compass should set their dial for Royal Hideaway Corales Beach in Tenerife’s upscale south, home to two Michelin-starred restaurants. Try Japanese and Peruvian fusion at San Hô or sample the gastronomic expertise of the Padrón Brothers at El Rincón de Juan Carlos. Digest by lounging in a heated rooftop infinity pool, gazing out towards the ocean.
Seven nights at Royal Hideaway Corales Beach with Jet2holidays (0800 408 6264; jet2holidays.com) costs from £2,008pp (two sharing) B&B, including flights
Take an off-season hike Madeira, Portugal
Average winter temperature: 18C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 5
Scorching heat has made it difficult to enjoy Mediterranean Europe during the height of summer. But milder weather makes the off-season ideal for sunbathed hikes. Once used as irrigation channels, Madeira’s levadas form a network of walking trails connecting remote areas of the wild island. Inaccessible for many years, the cliff-backed section of pathways in Calheta is still less visited and remains gloriously untouched. Follow fairytale woodland
trails on the Levada do Alecrim and climb to Cabo Girão, the second-highest sea cliffs in the world. A former summer residence converted into a year-round lodge, 17th-century, family-owned Quinta das Vinhas is an atmospheric base surrounded by vines.
A seven-night self-guided trip with Inn Travel (01653 617000; inntravel.co.uk) costs from £870pp (based on two people sharing) including B&B accommodation, some meals, car hire, walking route notes and maps. Excludes fights