Where to go in January: Best last minute holiday ideas

It’s not too late to plan a holiday for the first month of the New Year – but where you go depends on your mood as “Blue Monday” approaches. That could mean a much needed dose of winter sun, a week of fun in the snow-covered Alps, or a relaxing break in the British countryside. Here are some of the best last-minute choices for those craving an escape in this dark and chilly winter’s month.

Cape Verde

Long stretches of soft sandy beach greet you when you arrive in Boa Vista, the easternmost of Cape Verde’s islands off the west coast of Africa. Stay at the five-star Iberostar Club Boa Vista and you can stroll straight on to Praia de Chaves. Carry on further south to discover the wilderness of Morro de Areia Nature Reserve. Cape Verde Experience has a week’s all-inclusive at the Iberostar Club Boa Vista, which has two swimming pools and a spa, from £1,144pp, saving £185pp. The price includes flights, transfers and all-inclusive accommodation, departing 13 January.

Samoëns, France

There’s been some good snow in the Alps recently, and once the Christmas and New Year’s crowds have gone home, you can enjoy January’s relatively quiet slopes. Combine classic Savoyard charm with the huge expanse of the Grand Massif ski domain when you stay in Samoëns, one of France’s prettiest ski resorts. In the centre of the village is La Résidence Club Samoëns Village, a new self-catering residence with an indoor pool, spa and zones specifically for teens. Booked through Peak Retreats, it costs from £1,251 for a week’s self-catering from 14 January in a one-bedroom apartment, which includes a FlexiPlus Eurotunnel crossing. Save 10 per cent if you book before 5 January.

Barbados

With nine hours a day of sunlight and January temperatures in the high 20s, Barbados is the place for the sun-starved holidaymaker who wants to take things slowly for a while. Stay at the Mango Bay Hotel in Holetown and chill out on the beaches of the Gold Coast, when you’re not lying by the pool or trying out the spa. Away Holidays has a week’s all-inclusive at Mango Bay from £1,965pp for departures throughout January, and the price includes flights.

Norfolk

North Norfolk’s vast sandy beaches and nature reserves are within walking distance of the Roost, a traditional flint-and-brick cottage in the tiny village of Titchwell. Clear the cobwebs with…