Chasing The Sun – The Best Winter Sun Destinations In Europe

Winter in Europe has its own charm with all the Christmas joy and New Year’s celebrations, but sometimes it can be annoyingly long. Luckily, there are many warm-weather destinations that can help you escape the cold, dark, and dreary days. We suggest the following 5 European destinations. They are nearby, they have mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine, and can be easily reached with cheap flights.

The Algarve, Portugal

The beautiful Algarve region in the south of Portugal offers its visitors incredible landscapes, countless beaches, and picturesque coastal towns. The capital city is Faro which offers the region’s most important cultural attractions.

The region has over 100 kilometres of coastline with beaches that are characterized by their limestone cliffs, rock formations, and sea caves. With fewer crowds, peaceful hiking trails and cheap accommodation, there are plenty of reasons to visit the Algarve in winter. This season also brings the best conditions for surfing.

You can fly to Faro from Milan Malpensa or Milan Bergamo Airport. You can also choose Lisbon Airport, which is around 2.5-3 hours from the Algarve by car.

Cyprus

Winter is a fantastic time to explore all that this amazing island has to offer in its southern Greek part. You will never feel cold here, the scenery is truly stunning at this time of year, and many say it’s more pleasant to visit the tourist attractions when everywhere is less crowded and the weather is not so too hot.

Beyond the beautiful beaches, you can explore picturesque mountain villages, roam around ancient ruins, and enjoy excellent Cypriot cuisine.

If you will be lucky, you may also spot tens of thousands of pink flamingos on the salt lakes of Larnaca and Limassol.

You can fly to Larnaca International Airport from Rome Fiumicino Airport or Vienna Airport or to Paphos International Airport from Zagreb Airport.

Nice, France

The French Riviera has plenty to offer during the colder months too. You can come for a romantic weekend away, a family getaway or a week of discovery, far from the stress and crowds. Nice has more than 300 sunny days per year with an average annual temperature of 16 degrees. In winter, you can enjoy a radiant sun that offers you every evening a sunset full of brilliant colours and pleasant temperatures to explore the city.

February, for example, also marks the arrival of the famous Nice Carnival, a vibrant festival filled with parades, music, and spectacular costumes, adding a splash of festivity to the winter season.

You can fly to Nice from Venice Marco Polo, Rome Fiumicino Airport or from Vienna Airport.

Canary Islands, Spain

The Canary Islands with their pleasant temperatures, sandy beaches, and family-friendly resorts, provide an ideal mix of relaxation and activities. If you choose to visit the largest one of them, Tenerife, you have to get lost in the remarkable lunar landscapes of Mount Teide National Park and go hiking in its lush rainforest.

Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, or Lanzarote are of course also good options. You can explore volcanic landscapes, indulge in water sports, or simply bask in the sun – the Canaries have it all. You can find more reasons why now is the best time to visit Fuerteventura here.

You can fly to Tenerife from Milan Bergamo, Milan Malpensa, Bologna, Venice Treviso or Vienna Airport. You can reach Las Plamas (Gran Canaria) from Venice Treviso, Rome Fiumicino Airport, Milan Malpensa, Milan Bergamo or Vienna Airport and Fuerteventura also from Vienna Airport, Rome Fiumicino Airport, Milan Bergamo or Milan Malpensa Airport.

Marbella, Spain

It is the most beautiful city of Andalusia and one of the main destinations on the Costa del Sol. The sun shines for 320 days of the year and the southern city empties of tourists in winter, so you can look forward to quiet restaurants and having the pretty old town to yourself.

It’s the perfect place for all the sports lovers – there you will find tennis courts, magnificent golf courses and the enormous possibilities for all kinds of outdoor sports offered by the Sierra Blanca Mountain range.

One of the most iconic and famous places in the city is marina Puerto Banus, which attracts some of the largest and most luxurious yachts in the world every year.

You can fly to Malaga from Milan Malpensa, Milan Bergamo, Venice Treviso, Vienna or Zagreb Airport.

You just choose your dream destination and buy your flight ticket, and we'll make sure that you get to the airport smoothly. Book GoOpti to start your sunny winter break.