Flying from Birmingham in October

Red Sea resort known for coral reefs, snorkelling and diving, with warm sun through the winter.

• Winter sun
• Diving
• All-inclusive

Red Sea reefs in Ras Mohammed National Park and reliable winter sunshine.

• Winter sun
• Diving
• All-inclusive

The souks and the Jemaa el-Fnaa square of the medina, riad courtyards, and the Atlas Mountains on the horizon.

• Souks
• Riads
• Culture

A palm-lined seafront, the church of Saint Lazarus, and pink flamingos on the salt lake in winter.

• Winter sun
• Beach
• History

A Roman-walled old harbour town backed by the Taurus Mountains, with long beaches either side of the city.

• Beach
• Old town
• All-inclusive

Black lava fields and red volcanic cones in Timanfaya National Park, with low whitewashed villages in between.

• Winter sun
• Volcanic landscapes
• Beaches

Roman mosaics, the Tombs of the Kings, and Aphrodite's Rock along the coast road. One of the warmest places on this list.

• History
• Winter sun
• Beaches

A baroque city of black lava stone at the foot of Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano.

• Volcano
• Food
• Baroque

The airport for Turkey's Lycian coast: Dalyan's rock tombs, Ölüdeniz lagoon and the marinas of Fethiye and Göcek.

• Beaches
• Boat trips
• All-inclusive

The biggest Canary Island, with Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak, above the resorts of the sunny south coast.

• Winter sun
• Volcano
• Whale watching

Long, empty beaches and the sand dunes of Corralejo. Quieter and windier than its Canary neighbours.

• Beaches
• Dunes
• Windsurfing

A crusader castle above a busy marina, white houses on the hills and boat trips around the peninsula.

• Beaches
• Nightlife
• Boat trips

The Maspalomas sand dunes in the south, mountain villages in the middle and year-round warmth.

• Winter sun
• Dunes
• Hiking

The Alcázar palace, a vast Gothic cathedral, and flamenco in the lanes of Triana and Santa Cruz.

• City break
• History
• Flamenco

A long sandy bay with year-round sun, a rebuilt kasbah on the hill and the Souk El Had market.

• Winter sun
• Beach
• Surfing

The airport for the Mar Menor lagoon and the Costa Cálida, with plenty of golf resorts nearby.

• Beaches
• Golf
• Families

The home of sherry and Andalusian horse shows, close to Cádiz and the Costa de la Luz.

• Sherry
• Flamenco
• Beaches

Flat and easy for cycling, with the Asklepion ruins, long beaches and boats to nearby islands.

• Beaches
• Cycling
• Greek island

A medieval walled old town, one of the best preserved in Europe, and the clifftop village of Lindos with its acropolis.

• History
• Beaches
• Old town

Enfidha airport serves Tunisia's resort coast, from Hammamet's beaches to Sousse's walled medina.

• Beaches
• All-inclusive
• Medina

Valletta's honey-coloured fortress city, prehistoric temples and clear water for diving and boat trips to Gozo and Comino.

• History
• Diving
• Island hopping

Funchal's flower markets, levada walks along old irrigation channels and dramatic sea cliffs.

• Hiking
• Gardens
• Mild all year

A palm-lined seafront under the hilltop Santa Bárbara castle, with long city beaches and an old quarter of narrow streets.

• Beach
• Old town
• Mild winters

The futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, the home of paella, and city beaches along the Mediterranean.

• City break
• Food
• Beach

Turkey's third city, close to the ancient city of Ephesus and the beach resorts of Çeşme.

• History
• Beaches
• City break

A Moorish Alcazaba, desert landscapes where spaghetti westerns were filmed, and the Cabo de Gata nature park.

• Beaches
• History
• Nature

The Acropolis above the city, the Plaka's tavernas, and ferries from Piraeus to the islands.

• History
• Food
• City break

Picasso's home town: a Moorish fortress above the port, tapas bars below, and a city beach a short walk from the centre.

• City break
• Tapas
• Museums
• Mild winters

The airport for the Peloponnese: olive groves, the Mani peninsula and the ancient sites of Messene.

• Beaches
• History
• Olives

Street food markets, Arab-Norman churches and the beach at Mondello.

• Food
• History
• Beach

Famous for its clubs, but also a UNESCO-listed old town, Dalt Vila, and quiet coves in the north.

• Nightlife
• Beaches
• Old town

The largest Balearic island: Palma's Gothic cathedral, the Serra de Tramuntana mountains and hundreds of coves.

• Beaches
• Mountains
• Palma city break

A green, mountainous island, the birthplace of Pythagoras, with its own sweet wine.

• Greek island
• Beaches
• Wine

A Venetian harbour and lighthouse, the Samaria Gorge walk, and the pink-sand beach at Elafonisi.

• Old town
• Hiking
• Beaches

A walled old town beside the Ria Formosa lagoon, and the gateway to the Algarve's cliffs and coves.

• Algarve coast
• Old town
• Golf

Brightly painted buildings, the Bunk'Art museums in Cold War bunkers, and the cable car up Dajti mountain.

• City break
• History
• Mountains

Venetian-built Corfu Town, olive-covered hills and turquoise bays on the north-west coast.

• Beaches
• Old town
• Greek island

The airport for Sardinia's Costa Smeralda and the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago.

• Beaches
• Boat trips
• Coast

Crete's capital, five kilometres from the Minoan palace of Knossos, with beaches east and west.

• History
• Beaches
• Greek island

Navagio Bay's shipwreck beach and loggerhead turtles nesting on the south coast.

• Beaches
• Boat trips
• Nightlife

The home of pizza, with Pompeii, Vesuvius and boats to Capri all within reach.

• Food
• History
• Islands

The airport for the Costa Dorada: the beaches of Salou, PortAventura theme park and Roman Tarragona.

• Beaches
• Theme park
• Families

The Colosseum, the Pantheon, Vatican City and trattorias down every side street.

• History
• Food
• City break

Seven hills of tiled houses, the historic trams, custard tarts in Belém and the beaches of Cascais along the coast.

• City break
• Food
• Coast

White villages on the rim of a flooded volcanic caldera, with famous sunsets at Oia.

• Sunsets
• Views
• Greek island

Quieter than its Balearic neighbours, with a coast of small coves and a whole island that's a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

• Coves
• Families
• Quiet

The Rock, with its Barbary macaques, cable car and Great Siege Tunnels. British, with Spain across the border.

• History
• Monkeys
• Short break

A medieval old town with a Jewish quarter and riverside houses, and the airport for the Costa Brava's beaches.

• Old town
• Costa Brava
• Food

Gaudí's Sagrada Família and Park Güell, the Gothic Quarter's lanes and a city beach at Barceloneta.

• City break
• Architecture
• Beach

A lively waterfront with the White Tower, Byzantine churches, and the beaches of Halkidiki to the south.

• Food
• History
• Beaches

The airport for Lefkada and Parga on Greece's west coast, known for very clear turquoise water.

• Beaches
• Coast
• Islands

The Leaning Tower and the Field of Miracles, and the easiest airport for Florence and Lucca.

• Tuscany
• History
• Food

Walk the full circuit of the medieval city walls above the Adriatic, then take a boat to Lokrum island.

• Old town
• City walls
• Coast

The Promenade des Anglais along the bay, the old town's market, and the Riviera villages of Èze and Monaco nearby.

• Riviera
• Beach
• Old town

Port wine lodges across the river, tiled churches, and the double-decker Dom Luís I bridge.

• City break
• Wine
• Old town

A city built inside the walls of a Roman emperor's palace, with ferries to Hvar and Brač.

• History
• Islands
• Coast

Elegant sandy bays, the Magdalena Palace and Spain's green north coast.

• Beaches
• Food
• Coast

The Prado, the Retiro park, late dinners and tapas bars that stay busy past midnight.

• City break
• Art
• Food

The 'Pink City' of terracotta brick, home of Airbus, with the Canal du Midi running through it.

• City break
• Aviation
• Food

A riverside city of grand eighteenth-century stone, at the heart of one of the world's great wine regions.

• Wine
• City break
• Food

A small canal town and the second airport for Venice, about 30km from the city.

• Venice by bus
• Prosecco
• Old town

A Roman arena that still hosts opera, Juliet's balcony, and Lake Garda about half an hour away.

• History
• Opera
• Lakes

The Duomo and its rooftop terraces, Leonardo's Last Supper and the shops of the Quadrilatero. Lake Como is an hour away by train.

• City break
• Shopping
• Art

Canals instead of streets, St Mark's Square, and the islands of Murano and Burano by water bus.

• City break
• Canals
• Art

The airport for the Bay of Kotor, with its walled town of Kotor and mountain-backed fjord-like coast.

• Coast
• Old town
• Mountains

A walled hilltop old town reached by funicular, close to Lake Como and Lake Iseo. Many fly here for Milan.

• Old town
• Lakes
• City break

Baroque arcades, the Egyptian Museum and the Alps on the skyline. The birthplace of Fiat and of chocolate hazelnut spread.

• City break
• Museums
• Food

The Palace of the Parliament, one of the largest buildings in the world, and the lanes of the old town.

• City break
• History
• Nightlife

The gold-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Roman ruins in the metro and Vitosha mountain above the city.

• City break
• History
• Mountains

The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre, with cafés on every corner and Disneyland Paris east of the city.

• City break
• Museums
• Food

Steaming outdoor thermal baths, the Parliament on the Danube, and ruin bars in old courtyards.

• Thermal baths
• City break
• Nightlife

Paris Beauvais airport, about 85km north of Paris, with a coach link to the city. Beauvais itself has the tallest Gothic choir in the world.

• Paris by coach
• Cathedral
• Budget

The lakeside Jet d'Eau, a compact old town, and the Alps close by for skiing in winter.

• Lake
• Skiing
• City break

The largest Channel Island: sandy bays, the Jersey War Tunnels and Mont Orgueil castle. No passport needed from the UK.

• Beaches
• History
• Short hop

Imperial palaces, the opera house and coffee houses that have served cake since the 1800s.

• City break
• Music
• Christmas markets

Seventeenth-century canals, the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, and a city best seen by bike.

• City break
• Museums
• Cycling

The Charles Bridge, a castle complex above the river, and a beer culture that goes back centuries.

• City break
• Beer
• Old town

Georgian squares, the bridges over the Liffey, Trinity College and a pub on nearly every corner.

• Pubs
• Live music
• City break

The airport for Limerick, the Cliffs of Moher and the limestone landscape of the Burren.

• West of Ireland
• Cliffs
• Castles

Wawel Castle above the Vistula, one of Europe's largest medieval market squares, and the Wieliczka salt mine nearby.

• Old town
• History
• Salt mine

The Brandenburg Gate, the remaining stretches of the Wall, Museum Island and a famous club scene.

• History
• Nightlife
• City break

An Edwardian city hall, the shipyard where Titanic was built, and the pubs and live music of the Cathedral Quarter.

• City break
• History
• Short hop

The only completely intact walled city in Ireland, with the Peace Bridge across the Foyle.

• History
• City walls
• Short hop

The castle on its volcanic rock, the Royal Mile running down to Holyrood, and Arthur's Seat to climb.

• History
• City break
• Festivals

Ireland's second city, with the English Market, Blarney Castle nearby and the coast of West Cork.

• Food
• Coast
• Short hop

A colourful market square where two mechanical goats butt heads from the town hall clock every noon.

• Old town
• City break
• Food

Vast restored textile mills, now shops, galleries and hotels, and Poland's longest high street.

• City break
• Architecture
• Street art

Ireland West Airport opens up Mayo: Westport, Clew Bay and the climb up Croagh Patrick.

• West of Ireland
• Walking
• Coast

Victorian architecture, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, free museums and one of the UK's best live music scenes.

• City break
• Live music
• Museums

A carefully rebuilt old town, the Chopin museum and Łazienki park, and a fast-growing food scene.

• City break
• History
• Food

The capital of the Highlands, on the doorstep of Loch Ness and the Culloden battlefield.

• Highlands
• Lochs
• History

A riverside city in northern Poland with old granaries on the Brda river and an island park.

• City break
• River
• Quiet

The colourful harbourfront at Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens and a city where everyone cycles.

• City break
• Design
• Food

A capital built across 14 islands, with a medieval old town and the Vasa warship museum.

• City break
• Islands
• Museums

The base for the Golden Circle, the Blue Lagoon and, in winter, the chance of the Northern Lights.

• Northern Lights
• Hot springs
• Nature

The official home town of Santa Claus, on the Arctic Circle, with husky rides and Northern Lights.

• Santa
• Northern Lights
• Snow