Where to go in December

Puerto de Mogán, Gran Canaria

Temperature: 21ºC

The west coast of Gran Canaria is sparsely populated, vertiginous and spectacular: the perfect winter break for those who want to get away from it all, with a bit of warmth thrown in.

As well as winter sunshine, Puerto de Mogán offers a pretty harbour of low-rise apartments with brightly painted window frames, picturesque bridges over the channels and flower-covered archways above the cobbled, car-free lanes. 

The beach is sandy and sheltered (it does get busy), and backed by half a dozen local restaurants. 

Read more: Best Canary Islands and Resorts

Puerto de Mogán, Gran Canaria
Average airfare	Average hotel rate	Accommodation	Food and drink	Peace and quiet	Value for money	Resort score
£191	£125					82%

Resort score combines overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.

Sydney, Australia

Temperature: 26ºC

Sydney in summer is a beach bum's paradise, with well over 100 stretches of sand, fringing bath-warm waters, to choose from, including world-famous Bondi and Manly beaches. 

You could spend your whole holiday on the showstopper of a harbour, but the slow ferry from Circular Quay to the beach suburb of Manly is the classic introduction. 

Or better still is a slow walk along the 6km Spit Bridge to Manly Beach trail for sea views, secluded coves, and 1,000-year-old Aboriginal rock engravings. 

Read more: Best long-haul city breaks

Sydney, Australia
Average airfare	Average hotel rate	Accommodation	Food and drink	Cultural attractions	Value for money	City score
£735	£116					87%

City score combines overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.

Bruges, Belgium 

Temperature: 7ºC

Bruges is picture perfect at the best of times, but especially so at Christmas when its Gothic gabled streets are draped in festive foliage and twinkly lights. 

Its photogenic market squares are filled with handmade gifts, pop-up ice rinks and the sweet smells of mulled wine and winter spices. 

For some of the best views, walk the Dijver Canal and watch the gables reflect off the water, or head to Sint-Janshuismolen windmill for rose-tinted sunsets.

Read more: Best city breaks in Europe

Bruges, Belgium
Average airfare	Average hotel rate	Accommodation	Food and drink	Cultural attractions	Value for money	City score
£135	£114					82%

City score combines overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.

Bath, UK

Temperature: 8ºC

If you’re the kind of person who wraps up presents beautifully and would never be seen sporting a cheesy Christmas jumper, Bath is the place for you. 

It does Christmas, and everything else, in style. Even the ice rink in beautiful Victoria Park and the city centre’s Christmas market seem elegant rather than kitsch. That’s probably thanks to the backdrop of honey-coloured Georgian townhouses, which sets the scene for visitors all year round.

Read more: Best city breaks in the UK

Bath, UK
Average hotel rate	Accommodation	Food and drink	Cultural attractions	Shopping	Value for money	City score
£126						80%

City score combines overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Temperature: 31ºC

Vietnam’s largest city is a whirl of constant commotion, filled with vast skyscrapers, swarms of motorbikes and history seeping from every temple and paint-cracked colonial villa. 

December is a good time to visit, after the rain and humidity have eased, and if it’s still too hot in the city, the Mekong Delta and the beautiful beach-lined Phu Quoc and Con Dao islands are within easy reach.

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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Average airfare	Average hotel rate	Accommodation	Food and drink	Cultural attractions	Value for money	City score
£526	£48					75%

City score combines overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.