Where to find winter sun in Europe
When it's grey and cold at home, just a few hours' flight puts you in the sunshine at 20 °C.
Canary Islands
Tenerife and Gran Canaria are the warmest place in Europe in winter: daytime temperatures are usually around 20–23 °C. You can swim (the water is cool, about 19 °C), explore volcanoes and walk the beaches.
Tenerife ✈Madeira
The "island of eternal spring": around 19 °C during the day, with flowers blooming all year round. Perfect for hiking along the "levada" irrigation channels.
Funchal ✈Malta
Around 16 °C, few tourists and low accommodation prices. Valletta, Mdina and the island of Gozo are great to explore without the heat.
Malta →Cyprus
Around 17–19 °C during the day and plenty of sunny days. Paphos and Larnaca offer ancient ruins, the mountain villages of Troodos and seafront promenades lined with cafés.
Paphos ✈Málaga and Andalusia
Málaga is one of the warmest cities in mainland Europe in winter, around 17 °C. From there it's easy to reach Seville or Granada.
Algarve
Southern Portugal: cliffs, coves and empty beaches in winter, around 16 °C during the day. Faro is the most convenient airport.
Tip
Winter is low season almost everywhere in the south: flights and accommodation are cheaper than in summer. Look for weekday flights — they are often half the price of weekend ones.