Christmas 2011: Winter sun holiday ideas

With much of the UK under a festive blanket of sub-zero snow last Christmas for days on end, you may be keen to avoid the possibility of another foot-numbing Noel. If so, here is our guide to great overseas places for a burst of winter warmth.

Christmas breaks abroad

Although prices for flights and accommodation do tend to soar in the week leading up to Christmas, travelling on Christmas Day itself can be slightly cheaper. If the cost of a long-haul holiday is out of reach, our list of beach destinations includes four places in southern Europe where you can ditch the scarf and gloves during the yuletide season and beyond.

For each destination, we show minimum-maximum average temperatures and the average number of days with more than 0.1mm of rain during December, and the average flight time from the UK.

Hot winter holidays

If you’re after a climate suitable for sunbathing, be prepared to pay more and to travel as far as Africa, Asia or the Caribbean.

Canary Islands

6°-22°C, 12 rainy days (Tenerife)
Flights: 4hr 20 min

The seas stay warm in winter at this clutch of Spanish islands off the African coast, and more than a million Brits headed there last winter. Tourists mostly flock to Tenerife and Gran Canaria for the fun-packed beach resorts, but natural attractions include Mount Teide on Tenerife and other volcanic scenery and vineyards on Lanzarote.
For more information, see the Canary Islands Tourist Board.

Cuba

19°-26°C, 6 rainy days (Havana)
Flights: 9hr 55min

The largest Caribbean island is known for its cigars, Hispanic time-warp towns and a lack of US branding. But its many beach resorts are big business – particularly in Varadero which has more than six miles of beach. Apply for a tourist card in advance from the Cuban Consulate in London.
For more information, see Cuba Tourist Board

Dubai

15°-26°C, 2 rainy days
Flights: 7hr

The city has bearable temperatures in December compared to its oven-like summers. Luxury hotels line the eight-mile stretch of Jumeirah Beach, while the city of landmark skyscrapers also offers cosmopolitan shopping, water sports and desert safaris. British citizens get a free 30-day visa on arrival but passports need to be valid for at least six months after your stay.    

For more information, see Dubai Tourism

Florida

17°-24°C, 7 rainy days (Miami)
Flights: 10hr

Orlando is the prime target for British families to Florida, thanks to its wide array of theme parks including Universal Studios with its ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter'. For a more relaxing stay, the west and east coasts have appealing resorts such as at Miami’s South Beach, complete with colourful Art Deco buildings.
For more information, see Florida Tourism 

Goa, India

21°-32°C, 0 rainy days
Flights: 9hr 30min

Goa is the Indian beach destination most visited by Brits, with long, palm-fringed stretches of sand. Varied attractions include Portuguese colonial heritage, waterfalls, spice plantations and turtle-nesting sites. Malaria prevention is strongly recommended in Goa.
For more information, see Goa Tourism

Winter warmth in Europe

If you’re after somewhere cheaper to go to escape the UK cold, and guaranteed tanning conditions aren’t essential, then consider these frost-free destinations closer to home.

Costa Blanca

8°-17°C, 7 rainy days (Valencia)
Flights: 2hr 30min

High-rise Benidorm is the main winter package resort in this Spanish region, although some of its theme parks are shut at this time. Seaside Alicante has cultural heritage, Elche has its World Heritage palm groves, and further north, there’s the historic port city of Valencia.
For more information, see Costa Blanca Tourist Board

Cyprus

9°-19°C, 10 rainy days (Paphos)
Flights: 4hr 25min

Roman mosaics and the Tomb of the Kings are on show in Paphos, a resort featured widely in winter sun brochures, along with the Limassol area. Inland, the Troodos mountains have village vineyards and even a skiing base at the top of Mount Olympus. You can cross into the north of Cyprus from the south at several checkpoints, but insurance for cars rented in the south may not be valid over the border.
For more information, see Cyprus Tourism

French Riviera

6°-14°C, 6 rainy days (Nice)
Flights: 2hr

The winter choice of accommodation along the Côte d’Azur is more limited than in summer, but many places in chic Nice stay open. In France’s fifth largest city, a castle perches above the 18th-century buildings and narrow lanes of the old town, and its many boutiques and fine art galleries.
For more information, see Nice Tourism

Madeira

14°-19°C, 7 rainy days (Funchal)
Flights: 3hr 45min

This Portuguese island has steep mountains, cliffs and lush, subtropical gardens. Most winter package hotels – often converted quintas (manor houses) – are just outside the capital, Funchal. Others are offered near the village of Caniço on the south-east coast. Walking the levadas (ancient irrigation channels) is popular, but can be challenging for novices, so choose carefully.
For more information, see Madeira Tourism

More on this...

• More winter sun suggestions in Which? Travel magazine
• Travel insurance for winter trips
• Christmas travel rights