Winter Holiday destinations by Mark Bartley

Favourite destinations for Europeans during the winter include long haul trips to Australia or Thailand and the beach resorts of the Florida coast. Closer to home are the temperate climates of the Canary Islands, Cyprus and Malta, while more recently the Middle-Eastern resorts of Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Abu Dhabi have found more takers.

The British winter can be a long drawn-out affair. As soon as the clocks change back from daylight saving the days seem much shorter and the evenings suddenly feel less welcoming and cooler. With less leisure time during the week to enjoy outdoor activities, the weekends become more important and unfortunately the British weather doesn't always play its part. Other alternatives include winter sun breaks to the African countries of Senegal and The Gambia. For those with sufficient finances there are other options like The Maldives, Thailand, Bali or the Caribbean Islands.

The island of Curacao is the destination of choice for many Dutch tourists and has a perfect climate for November and December visits. The daytime temperature there regularly sits between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius and the coolest daytime November temperature has never dropped below 20 degrees Celsius. The island is part of the group known as the ABC islands; Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao and is the largest of Netherlands Antilles group. Remote, private beaches are what people enjoy most on Curacao and there are plenty of those archetypal "desert island" vistas that one sess so often in travel brochures.

Of course a bright, breezy winter's day has its attractions and wrapping up warm for a walk in the countryside before retiring for a hearty lunch and a warming brew by the fire in a favourite pub would be perfect for many. However idyllic British winter days don't always materialise for various reasons. For many families the chores and routines of home life are difficult to break free from and only a trip abroad can supply the rest and relaxation many desire. Also sunny winter days are not as frequent as many would imagine. More typical are wet, rainy days or grey, cloudy skies that seem to blanket the countryside and dampen any enthusiasm to get out and about and have some fun.

That is why the run up to Christmas is a very busy time on the travel scene. Come mid-November many people have had enough of the dreary British weather and start to investigate the options for a winter sun break. The typical winter break is not usually an lengthy one. In most cases a week is the ideal duration, but the next choices to be made are about the cost and whether one opts for a winter sports holiday or a warmer climate offering higher temperatures, sunshine and minimal chance of rain.

To guarantee that summer feel, you really need to travel to a country that is in the middle of its own summer season and for the British traveller that normally means places like Australia, Africa or Mexico and or one of the tropical island choices.

For many, a trip to those places would require a substantial investment and merit a trip longer than just a week. That is why the European resorts of Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria and the desert resorts of Sharm and Dubai are much more popular.

The November weather in the Canaries is a much safer bet than somewhere like Southern Spain, Mallorca or Ibiza. Certainly those places do have their fair share of balmy winter days, but you could equally be unlucky enough to be landed with a week of rain and strong winds. For less risk head further east to somewhere like Crete or dive deeper south to Tenerife, Fuerteventura or Lanzarote. These islands are almost fully booked over the Christmas period with travellers seeking a warmer festive period, unaffected by the consumerism of the typical British Christmas.

Another option is one of the Greek islands that seem very busy during the height of the summer, yet take on a peaceful calm come Autumn time. Your choice of Greek island should be made very carefully though as some tend to shut down completely once the summer tourists have gone back home. That's the time when the restaurant and hotel owners take their own holidays. An island like Santorini with its beautiful hillside towns of pure white buildings can be difficult to enjoy when shared with hoards of other travellers, but in the relative calm of a warm Autumn day, the place takes on a tranquil atmosphere where even the most stressed visitors cannot fail to start relaxing.

About the Author

A spot of warm winter sun is something many spend their precious holidays searching for. The author offers some advice and recommendations like opting for one of the many cheap flights to Fuerteventura or any of the other Canary Islands.