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Europe doesn’t normally strike people as a warm destination in winter. However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t find destinations in Europe, where you don’t need to wear an extra warm jacket and uggs. In this post, I wanted to share with you 7 amazing warm winter destinations in Europe for a nice Christmas break or just generally for a winter trip.
Let’s get some things straight first. Warm in Europe doesn’t mean tropical. Unfortunately, there are no tropical destinations in Europe, however, we do get some pretty hot summers around here. However, warm in Europe in winter would mean of 15+ degrees Celcius (that’s around 59 Fahrenheit), where you can still walk around wearing a light jacket or even a sweater.
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Without further ado, let’s get started with the …
Top 7 destinations for a warm winter break in Europe!
Malta
One of the best warm winter destinations in Europe is undoubtedly Malta. This gorgeous island country is located close to Africa, so the temperatures aren’t that low and it’s generally very sunny in Malta in winter. We went to Malta for Christmas for about 5 days and did a great road trip visiting Gozo (another island of Malta) and the Blue Lagoon. You can read my post about our 5-day itinerary for Malta here.
Bring a light jacket (I made a huge mistake and only brought a leather jacket and instantly regretted it in the evenings, so I had to buy a jacket in Malta), Timberland shoes and a warm scarf, however, don’t forget to bring some sweaters as well, as when the sun is out and there’s no wind, it can be pretty warm in Malta.
Seville and the South of Spain
Another amazing destination for a warm winter in Europe is Seville and overall, the South of Spain. I had a chance to experience winter in Seville myself and it was amazing! During my 2 days in Seville just after Christmas, it was about 19C and I was fine wearing just a dress with some tights. However, I did have a cardigan with me.
Seville in winter is really nice and sunny! Don’t forget to read my post about 2 days in Seville and why you should visit Seville on Monday here >>>
The Canary Islands – Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote
The Canary Islands are technically in Africa, however, they are part of Spain and it’s really cheap to fly there as well, especially with Ryanair. I visited the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria) in the middle of November and it was around 22 degrees, I could even wear shorts.
In winter, the Canary Islands are colder, but still very warm compared to most of continental Europe. Prepare to bring a couple of dresses, jeans, but also swimsuits if you’re staying in one of the hotels with heated swimming pools.
Read my post about our 4-day trip to Grand Canaria >>>
The French Riviera
The French Riviera or the Cote D’Azur is always amazing. I visited Marseille in January (read more about my experience here) and Nice, Cannes and Monaco in April (okay, that’s not winter, but still not a high season) and it was nice, sunny and not too cold. On a cloudy day in Marseille in January, it was about 13C. However, the next day was sunny and warm – about 18C, so there was no need to wear a jacket.
Visiting French Riviera in winter is also an amazing opportunity to explore the region without many tourists. You can hire a car and explore some of the most beautiful places in Cote D’Azur. In case you’re looking for inspiration, you can read my post about our road trip in the French Riviera >>>
Portugal
Another destination, that I visited in winter and absolutely loved was Portugal. Portugal is relatively warm in winter. Some days could be rainy and windy with the temperatures around 12C, but some days could be amazing – sunny, warm and reaching 20C.
Since I’ve spent 2 weeks in Portugal, I had plenty of warm days and plenty of colder days as well, but overall, I never needed anything warmer than a leather jacket with a scarf.
On some warm days, I was even wearing a T-shirt – which is somewhat rare for Europe in winter. I recommend visiting Lisbon, Sintra, Porto and a couple of beautiful towns and cities nearby. You can read more about my 2-week itinerary for Portugal here or check out this post about a weekend in Porto.
Sicily, Italy
Sicily is located in the South of Italy and it’s an island that is already close to Tunis in Africa. The temperatures in winter can fall below 12C, however, that’s still warm compared to most places in Europe. If you’re lucky, it could be as warm as 15-18 degrees in Sicily in winter, so you will have a proper warm winter break. Bring a couple of warm jackets, but also some sweaters and perhaps even a T-shirt.
Athens, Greece or Cyprus
Another place that you can visit in winter and it’s one of the warm winter destinations in Europe is Athens. The average temperatures in winter are around 13-15 degrees, but you can have warmer or colder days as well. Athens is a great city that has a lot of sightseeing spots and once you’re done with Athens, you can hop on a plane and fly to Cyprus, a separate country – a huge island, where the temperatures in winter are around 18-19 degrees and are perfect for exploring and sightseeing.
I hope you enjoyed this post about the top 7 warm winter destinations in Europe and the best warm Christmas breaks in Europe. Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
Check my post about the best destinations for a White Christmas in Europe and the best Christmas Markets in Europe.
If you’re open to warm places outside Europe, check my posts about Morocco, Oman, Miami, Mexico, Maldives and Seychelles.