As sunset creeps closer to the end of the working day plenty of Brits are dreaming of a dose of vitamin D to top up the tan and start the new year with a healthy glow.
While long-haul winter bargains seem to be a thing of the past as flight prices surge, a rise in mid-length flights – under six hours long – hold the promise of trading winter blues for turquoise oceans on holidays that don’t require journeys to far-flung destinations halfway across the world.
From active holidays on mountainous Madeira to beach bathing on Egypt’s sandy shores, there are plenty of inviting climates to make a beeline for during the post-Christmas slump, and they aren’t necessarily going to break the bank.
With direct flights linking the often-dreary UK to north African hotspots and tried and tested Spanish islands, here are the sun-drenched destinations to escape to this winter.
Read more: The winter sun destination bouncing back with stunning beaches and no jet lag
Hurghada, Egypt
Flight time: 5h 30m
Egypt’s year-round balmy climate with highs of 22C in December and seven sunshine hours make it the place to go for a warm winter holiday. Head to Hurghada, a hotspot for tourists in the eastern Sahara desert, for family-friendly resorts with shallow sea shelves teeming with underwater treasures. And it’s a less-than-six-hour flight away from the UK – that’s not even three reruns of The Little Mermaid…
How to get there
EasyJet offers an all-inclusive five-night stay at Labranda Royal Makadi from £651pp, including return flights from Bristol, 23kg of luggage per person and airport transfers. The five-star resort features a private beach, three pools and seven restaurants for buffet meals and international a la carte dining.
Departs 7 January 2025
Read more: Why Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh is the ultimate winter sun holiday
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Flight time: 4h 30m
With a rep for being the cheap and cheerful star of the Canaries archipelago, Tenerife welcomes 23C beach days and eight hours of sunshine well into winter (and it’s quicker to reach than a Cornwall…
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