Best European county to visit in December/January?
August 14, 2025
I’m looking to travel to Europe in December or January. I’d like a warmer climate with some winter sun, ideally at a resort with a beach. Any recommendations?
16 comments
If you want warmer temperatures, you should just look at all the Mediterranean countries and pick one that interests you the most. Greece, Spain, Italy, they’re classic vacation spots for a reason. If you’re feeling a bit more exotic, maybe something like Croatia or Malta.
The Canaries are my pick for an Xmas vacation. Plenty of resorts and opportunities for late afternoon jumper beach walks
I would choose Spain. If you really want to enjoy some nice weather, try Tenerife. It gets pretty cold even in Mediterranean countries during the winter.
Athens is amazing in January. Sunny, warm and most importantly dry. Not many cities (if any) have all three. The city feels absolutely amazing at this time of year, very little tourists and also quite affordable. An Airbnb for 4 people for 3 nights was only 200 euros.
Madeira. Amazing hikes, amazing food and not expensive. with some luck you will have a good beach day.
Why do people here ask for travel advice and yet not say where they are travelling from as it is very relevant! I’d hope someone from the US would not be asking about beach spots in Europe in Jan when there are obviously better options closer to home for that time of year.
If you want beach tourism in January, the Canary islands is the only place in “Europe” that can provide that
Greece, Malta, Spain (in the coast), South Italy, Portugal, Cyprus, Albania, Croatia
Portugal. Fantastic and not too many other tourists around in winter.
I see many suggestions for Croatia. As someone that lives here, would not recommend the coast in Dec/Jan. I spend a few months at the coast, and it is until Sep/Oct, as after that it gets too cold, bleak, dreary, with very short days… Also it is completely dead, no people about. Locals all holed up at home, avoiding bora and/or rain.
Resort with beach would probably restrict you to the Canary Islands and Madeira, which are to Spain and Portugal what Hawaii is to the US. Then you’re technically in Europe, but I’m not sure if that’s what you had in mind with a trip to Europe.
I might be weird, but in my opinion there is a unique, raw beauty in Baltic See in winter. So I would say Norhern Poland, for example Gdańsk.
Guaranteed sun and beach weather in Europe doesn’t exist,outside of the Canary Islands maybe (and even that is not 100%). I’ve been to Cadiz (Andalusia, Southern Spain) in January and it was nice weather, but certainly not beach weather.
Any reason in particular you want to stay in Europe? Because there are other destinations with beach resorts where you’d have a better chance of good weather.
Warmer climate in europe during winter is hard to find. Southern Spain would be my pick, but expect chilly evenings when the sun sets.
Does Turkey count as Europe? Otherwise, just go south, you may/may not have warm weather. I’d recommend Mallorca; have had really good luck on winter trips there. It may be rainy but it won’t be freezing cold.
In January you *may* be lucky and find warm and sunny weather in a given week in January if you travel to Southern Portugal or other places in the Mediterranean. However, on average in most places average daytime temps at sea level will be somewhere around 15°C; Mediterranean climate also means that it can rain a lot between November and March.
16 comments
If you want warmer temperatures, you should just look at all the Mediterranean countries and pick one that interests you the most. Greece, Spain, Italy, they’re classic vacation spots for a reason. If you’re feeling a bit more exotic, maybe something like Croatia or Malta.
The Canaries are my pick for an Xmas vacation. Plenty of resorts and opportunities for late afternoon jumper beach walks
I would choose Spain. If you really want to enjoy some nice weather, try Tenerife. It gets pretty cold even in Mediterranean countries during the winter.
Athens is amazing in January. Sunny, warm and most importantly dry. Not many cities (if any) have all three. The city feels absolutely amazing at this time of year, very little tourists and also quite affordable. An Airbnb for 4 people for 3 nights was only 200 euros.
Madeira. Amazing hikes, amazing food and not expensive. with some luck you will have a good beach day.
Why do people here ask for travel advice and yet not say where they are travelling from as it is very relevant! I’d hope someone from the US would not be asking about beach spots in Europe in Jan when there are obviously better options closer to home for that time of year.
If you want beach tourism in January, the Canary islands is the only place in “Europe” that can provide that
Greece, Malta, Spain (in the coast), South Italy, Portugal, Cyprus, Albania, Croatia
Portugal. Fantastic and not too many other tourists around in winter.
I see many suggestions for Croatia. As someone that lives here, would not recommend the coast in Dec/Jan. I spend a few months at the coast, and it is until Sep/Oct, as after that it gets too cold, bleak, dreary, with very short days… Also it is completely dead, no people about. Locals all holed up at home, avoiding bora and/or rain.
Resort with beach would probably restrict you to the Canary Islands and Madeira, which are to Spain and Portugal what Hawaii is to the US. Then you’re technically in Europe, but I’m not sure if that’s what you had in mind with a trip to Europe.
I might be weird, but in my opinion there is a unique, raw beauty in Baltic See in winter. So I would say Norhern Poland, for example Gdańsk.
Guaranteed sun and beach weather in Europe doesn’t exist,outside of the Canary Islands maybe (and even that is not 100%). I’ve been to Cadiz (Andalusia, Southern Spain) in January and it was nice weather, but certainly not beach weather.
Any reason in particular you want to stay in Europe? Because there are other destinations with beach resorts where you’d have a better chance of good weather.
Warmer climate in europe during winter is hard to find. Southern Spain would be my pick, but expect chilly evenings when the sun sets.
Does Turkey count as Europe? Otherwise, just go south, you may/may not have warm weather. I’d recommend Mallorca; have had really good luck on winter trips there. It may be rainy but it won’t be freezing cold.
In January you *may* be lucky and find warm and sunny weather in a given week in January if you travel to Southern Portugal or other places in the Mediterranean. However, on average in most places average daytime temps at sea level will be somewhere around 15°C; Mediterranean climate also means that it can rain a lot between November and March.