Flying from Stansted in January

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

• Winter sun
• Dunes
• Hiking

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

• Winter sun
• Volcano
• Whale watching

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

• Winter sun
• Volcanic landscapes
• Beaches

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

• Beaches
• Dunes
• Windsurfing

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

• Hiking
• Gardens
• Mild all year

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

• Souks
• Riads
• Culture

A breezy, walled fishing port on the Atlantic, popular for kitesurfing and its laid-back medina.

• Medina
• Kitesurfing
• Beach

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

• Volcano
• Food
• Baroque

Morocco's calm capital, with a clifftop kasbah, the Hassan Tower and a walkable medina.

• Culture
• History
• Coast

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

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

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

• Beaches
• Golf
• Families

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

• City break
• Food
• Beach

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

• Algarve coast
• Old town
• Golf

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

• City break
• History
• Flamenco

A port city on the Strait of Gibraltar with a hilltop kasbah and a long literary history.

• Culture
• Medina
• Coast

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

• History
• Diving
• Island hopping

The world's largest car-free urban area: the ancient medina of Fes el Bali and its tanneries.

• Medina
• Culture
• History

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

• Beaches
• Mountains
• Palma city break

The airport for the Costa del Azahar, with beaches at Benicàssim and Peñíscola's castle town.

• Beaches
• Castle
• Quiet

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

• City break
• Food
• Coast

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

• Food
• History
• Beach

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

• Beach
• Old town
• All-inclusive

Sardinia's capital, with a hilltop old quarter, the long Poetto beach and flamingos on the lagoons.

• Beaches
• Old town
• Food

The airport for Calabria and the clifftop town of Tropea above clear blue water.

• Beaches
• Coast
• Food

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

• City break
• Architecture
• Beach

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

• City break
• Wine
• Old town

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

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

• Food
• History
• Islands

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

• History
• Food
• City break

The airport for Puglia's Salento, with Baroque Lecce and the beaches of the heel of Italy.

• Puglia
• Beaches
• Food

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

• Beaches
• Food
• Coast

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

• City break
• History
• Mountains

A maze-like old town on the sea, and the gateway to Puglia's trulli houses and Polignano a Mare.

• Old town
• Food
• Puglia

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

• History
• Food
• City break

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 end of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim routes, at its great cathedral.

• Pilgrimage
• Old town
• Food

A surf town with belle époque villas and beaches, close to the Spanish border.

• Surfing
• Beaches
• Food

A huge medieval old town of narrow lanes, a famous aquarium and the Cinque Terre down the coast.

• Food
• Old town
• Coast

France's oldest city: the Old Port, the hilltop basilica, and the limestone inlets of the Calanques.

• Coast
• Food
• City break

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

• Tuscany
• History
• Food

A major pilgrimage town at the foot of the Pyrenees, close to the Pic du Midi.

• Pilgrimage
• Mountains
• Skiing

Montenegro's capital, close to Lake Skadar and the mountains of the north.

• Lakes
• Mountains
• Quiet

The baroque Basílica del Pilar, the Moorish Aljafería palace and tapas in El Tubo.

• City break
• History
• Food

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

• Food
• History
• Beaches

A beach city on the Adriatic, close to the mountains of the Abruzzo national parks.

• Beach
• Mountains
• Food

A port city on the Adriatic and the gateway to the Marche region's hill towns and the Conero coast.

• Coast
• Hill towns
• Food

A hilltop university city in Umbria, close to Assisi and famous for its chocolate festival.

• Hill towns
• Food
• History

A fairytale fortified city with 52 towers and a double ring of medieval walls.

• Castle
• History
• Wine

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

The Machines of the Isle of Nantes, including a giant mechanical elephant, and a castle of the Dukes of Brittany.

• City break
• Quirky
• Food

Cornwall's surf capital, with Fistral beach and coastal walks in every direction.

• Surfing
• Beaches
• Short hop

A grand Habsburg port city on the edge of Italy, famous for its coffee houses.

• Coffee
• City break
• Coast

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

• West of Ireland
• Cliffs
• Castles

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

• Pubs
• Live music
• 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 airport for the Ring of Kerry, Killarney National Park and the Dingle Peninsula.

• Scenery
• Walking
• West of Ireland

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

• Food
• Coast
• Short hop

A historic town of Romanesque churches, close to the Futuroscope theme park.

• History
• Theme park
• Quiet

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

• City break
• Museums
• Food

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

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

• West of Ireland
• Walking
• Coast

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

• City break
• Museums
• Food

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

• City break
• Canals
• Art

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

• History
• City break
• Festivals

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

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

• History
• Opera
• Lakes

Porticoed streets, Europe's oldest university and the food capital of Italy: mortadella, tortellini and ragù.

• Food
• City break
• History

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

• City break
• Live music
• Museums

A porcelain city in the heart of rural France, close to the Dordogne and the Limousin countryside.

• Countryside
• Porcelain
• Quiet

A city ringed by mountains, and the airport for the French Alps ski resorts.

• Skiing
• Mountains
• City break

Home of Parmesan and Parma ham, with a Romanesque cathedral and an opera tradition.

• Food
• Opera
• City break

A small Alpine airport serving the ski resorts of the Tarentaise valley.

• Skiing
• Mountains
• Lakes

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

• City break
• Museums
• Cycling

A design city, home of Dutch Design Week, with Amsterdam and Rotterdam reachable by train.

• Design
• City break
• Cycling

A Gothic cathedral beside the Rhine, chocolate and beer museums, and one of Germany's biggest carnivals.

• City break
• Christmas markets
• Beer

One of Europe's oldest cities, with a Roman theatre still in use and a cobbled old town.

• History
• Old town
• City break

A small airport for the spa town of Baden-Baden and the Black Forest.

• Spa
• Black Forest
• Christmas markets

A university city of cyclists, with a rebuilt medieval market street and a historic town hall.

• Cycling
• Old town
• Christmas markets

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

• Lake
• Skiing
• City break

One airport, three countries: it serves Basel in Switzerland, Mulhouse in France and Freiburg in Germany.

• Art
• Rhine
• Christmas markets

An Austro-Hungarian upper town, the Museum of Broken Relationships and lively cafés.

• City break
• Christmas markets
• Quirky

A medieval market square with a UNESCO-listed town hall and the Town Musicians statue.

• Old town
• City break
• Christmas markets

A huge port, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the warehouse district and the St Pauli nightlife.

• City break
• Music
• Nightlife

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

• City break
• Music
• Christmas markets

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

• City break
• Beer
• Old town

A mountain city with ski areas you can reach by funicular from the centre.

• Skiing
• Mountains
• Christmas markets

Frankfurt Hahn airport, in the Hunsrück hills, about two hours from Frankfurt and close to the Moselle valley.

• Moselle
• Wine
• Budget

A fortress city on a gorge, with walks along the old ramparts and free public transport.

• City break
• History
• Short break

A Hanseatic old town on an island, entered through the Holstentor gate, and famous for marzipan.

• Old town
• Christmas markets
• History

Denmark's second city, with the ARoS art museum's rainbow walkway and Den Gamle By open-air museum.

• City break
• Art
• Design

A walled medieval city, one of Germany's most famous Christmas markets and its own little sausages.

• Christmas markets
• History
• Food

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

• City break
• History
• Mountains

A lakeside city with an old town on both banks of the river and the Alps within easy reach.

• Lake
• Mountains
• City break

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

• City break
• Design
• Food

Mozart's birthplace, a clifftop fortress, and the setting of The Sound of Music.

• Music
• Old town
• Christmas markets

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

• History
• Nightlife
• City break

A compact old town under a hilltop castle, an hour from Vienna along the Danube.

• City break
• Castle
• Danube

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

• Thermal baths
• City break
• Nightlife

Sweden's second city, with canals, seafood and car-free archipelago islands.

• City break
• Seafood
• Islands

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

• City break
• History
• Nightlife

A port city in north-western Poland with wide boulevards, a castle and the Chrobry Embankment.

• City break
• History
• Quiet

One of Europe's grandest market squares, and hundreds of small bronze dwarf statues hidden around the old town.

• Market square
• Dwarf statues
• City break

A relaxed Swedish city of parks and beaches, across the Øresund Bridge from Copenhagen.

• City break
• Beaches
• Design

A small Bavarian airport about an hour from Munich, close to the Alps and Neuschwanstein Castle.

• Alps
• Castles
• Budget

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

• Old town
• City break
• Food

The Czech Republic's second city, with the Villa Tugendhat, an underground ossuary and lively bars.

• City break
• Architecture
• Beer

A post-industrial city with striking modern architecture, an hour from Kraków.

• City break
• Architecture
• Budget

A rebuilt Hanseatic old town of tall merchants' houses, amber shops and the Baltic beaches at Sopot.

• Old town
• History
• Baltic coast

A former steel city with a huge industrial heritage site, Dolní Vítkovice, and lively bars on Stodolní street.

• Industrial heritage
• Nightlife
• Budget

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

• Old town
• History
• Salt mine

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

• City break
• Architecture
• Street art

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

• City break
• River
• Quiet

Lithuania's seaside resort, with a long pier, sandy beaches and an amber museum.

• Beaches
• Seaside
• Quiet

Oslo Torp airport, about two hours south of Oslo, close to the coastal towns of Vestfold.

• Coast
• Oslo by bus