Warm up in Europe's winter sun
My daughters and I are thinking of travelling to somewhere in Europe for Christmas, departing December 21 for six or seven nights. We’d like somewhere warm with quaint streets, bistrostyle restaurants and some culture. Any suggestions?
Hmm, this is tricky, as Europe will be in deepest, darkest winter and you'll be hard pushed to find somewhere with the warm temperatures you’re after. Your best option is to head to the Canary Islands, which are one of Europe’s most popular winter sun destinations owing to their position off the coast of Morocco. They still have decent temperatures in December while the rest of Europe is piling on the layers.
You could base yourselves in Gran Canaria’s capital, Las Palmas. The city has plenty going on to keep you occupied, with an eclectic mix of restaurants, shops and bars. The district called Vegueta is the area that will have the most appeal, with ancient cobbled streets and fantastic architecture, including the imposing cathedral. There is also a decent beach, Playa de las Canteras. From Las Palmas you can easily reach the island’s mountainous interior, which is well worth exploring.
Accommodation-wise you could stay at Hotel Parque (hparque.com), which is in a good position and has triple rooms for €107 a night.
If you would rather stay somewhere smaller and more laid back, then Puerto de Mogan on the island’s south-west coast might be more up your street. It's a charming coastal village which hasn’t been overdeveloped like some of its garish counterparts in the east. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants, as well as some decent sleeping options such as la Venecia de Canaries (laveneciadecanarias.net), which has apartments starting at €70 a night. If you can pay a bit extra then the Hotel Club de Mar (clubdemar.com) would be a good choice. It is in a great location by the harbour and has an infinity pool and spa. Apartments from €105pn.
Temperatures around Christmas average 20°C and you should get sunny days. See grancanaria.com.
- Tom Hall
