10 Warmest Places in Europe in Winter - December, January & February

Winter in Europe usually means low temperatures and snow, depending on the country that you're planning to visit.

However, if you're not a fan of snow and cold winter weather, there are still a few places in Europe where the temperatures are mild and the weather allows for visitors to enjoy some much-needed winter sun.

Winter sun in Europe: 10 hottest places and countries in Europe in winter

We know that some people, ourselves included, are desperately looking for a bit of warm winter weather somewhere in Europe. And if that place happens to be somewhere near the beach or the sea, that is even better!

There are a few places where you can travel if you want to find the best winter weather in Europe and we have several recommendations, depending on how you plan to spend your time: relaxing on the beach, hiking or sightseeing and discovering places full of history. 

So, this is our list of recommendations for the sunniest places in Europe in winter and also the best winter beaches in Europe, where you can sunbathe and even swim. Remember that UV protection is still necessary even when sunbathing in winter, so don’t forget about protecting your skin!

The Canary Islands - the hottest place to visit in Europe in winter, from December to February

The Canary Islands have one of the best climates in the world and here you can enjoy a day on the beach and a swim in the ocean at any time of the year. The Canary Islands are part of Spain, so you can travel here just as you would to any other part of Spain.

1. Tenerife, Canary Islands

If you haven't been visited any of Canaries and you don't have a favorite yet, we would recommend choosing Tenerife or Gran Canaria as the best places for a winter break.

The south of Tenerife is considerably hotter and sunnier than the north during the winter season, so for a warm holiday, we recommend staying around the areas of Los Cristianos, Playa de Las Americas, Costa Adeje up to Puerto Santiago and Los Gigantes.

Tenerife South has a warmer climate compared to the north of the island, which is why most of the tourist resorts are concentrated here. Temperatures still rise above 20°C on most days and you can see more photos of Tenerife in December, to get a better sense of how the weather usually is.

Tenerife in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December
• Least amount of rain: January
• Most hours of sunshine per day: February

2. Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are located very close to the coast of Morocco, with Fuerteventura being the closest island to the African continent.

Winters in Fuerteventura are hot enough to allow for sunbathing and swimming in the ocean, although some people might find the ocean a bit too cold.... that's why many places have heated pools during the winter months!

Corralejo and Caleta de Fuste are the most popular resorts in Fuerteventura, but the south part of the island has some incredible beaches and it sometimes gets a bit more sun during the winter months, so you could also consider booking a holiday to Costa Calma or Morro Jable.

Fuerteventura in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December
• Most amount of rain: December
• Most hours of sunshine per day: February
• Least amount of rain: January

2. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Winter is considered as high season in the Canary Islands, due to the fact that many people from the north of Europe and the UK come here to live for a few months between December and March or April, enjoying the winter sun and hot temperatures of the Canaries.

Except for the very north of Lanzarote and the higher areas like Haria, all of Lanzarote's resorts enjoy beautiful weather in winter, perfect for sunbathing most of the time. Playa Blanca would be our recommendation for winter as it gets less wind compared to the other resorts, but our all-time favorite resort in Lanzarote is Puerto del Carmen, due to the vibrant atmosphere and nightlife.

Lanzarote in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December
• Most amount of rain: December
• Most hours of sunshine per day: January & February

4. Gran Canaria, Canary Islands

If you want to know more about the weather in the archipelago, you can read our article about the warmest Canary Island, but keep in mind that all the islands enjoy great weather and the differences are not huge, so you should choose in accordance with what you'd like to do and see during your time spent there.

The south of Gran Canaria is definitely hotter than the north, so if winter sun is what's you're after, you should look for accommodation around the areas of Maspalomas and Puerto Rico, instead of Las Palmas and the mountainous regions. 

Gran Canaria in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December
• Least rainy days: January & February
• Most hours of sunshine per day: February

Although the Canary Islands are the hottest place to visit in Europe in winter, you can still get the odd rainy days or even a few days of calima, a phenomenon where hot sand dust comes from the Sahara Desert and stays suspended in the air (the days can be very hot during the calima and it can be hard to breathe, due to the sand in the air).

Depending on what activities you prefer during a holiday, you can look here and decide which Canary Island you should visit.

5. Malaga, Spain

The south of Spain enjoys sunny and beautiful weather all year round, with temperatures still reaching 18°C to 20°C in December in Malaga.

Although it may not be warm enough to lounge on the beach or swim, it's still warm enough to walk around without freezing to death, while still enjoying outdoor dining when the sun is out.

Visiting Malaga during winter means fewer tourists compared to the summer months, better prices for flights and accommodation and less crowded attractions. You could rent a car and do a tour of the region, hitting Seville, Cordoba, Cadiz, Ronda, and even Gibraltar.

Out of all the winter months in Malaga, February seems to be the best choice, with the highest average high temperature of 17.7°C (63.9 °F) and only 60 mm of rain, spread over the course of 5 days. However, there are no big differences in terms of temperatures, but December tends to get the most rain, up to 100 mm for the entire month.

Malaga in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December & February
• Most amount of rain: December
• Most hours of sunshine per day: January & February

6. Limassol, Cyprus

Cyprus has a subtropical climate, which means mild winters on the coast, although it is possible to see some snowfalls in the Troodos Mountains.

In the daytime, temperatures can still reach 19°C - 20°C in December and even in January and February, which means that you can leave your thick coat at home and just bring a light jacket for the evenings. 

Although Limassol is most popular in summer, you can still travel here for a winter break or to spend Christmas or New Year's Eve on the island. Cyprus is one of the hottest places in Europe during winter, with over 3200 annual hours of sunshine on the coast.

The most popular tourist destinations in Cyprus are Paphos, Limassol and Aya Napa.

Cyprus is a place full of culture and history, so there are lots to see if you want to go out and explore, or you could just book a nice hotel and soak up some winter sun by the pool.

In the spring there's also a nice carnival festival in Limassol, which is very popular in Cyprus.

Limassol in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December
• Most amount of rain: December
• Most hours of sunshine per day: February

7. Madeira, Portugal

Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago situated in the Atlantic Ocean, just 250 miles north of Tenerife.

Madeira has a Mediterranean climate, although the weather can differ from one island to another and even from one part of the island to the other, just like in the Canary Islands.

In the mountains of Madeira, you can expect snow during the winter months and also rain, which mostly falls between October and April.

Out of all the destinations in our article, Madeira is the one that gets the most rain in December, with around 13 wet days per month.

Even so, Madeira still is one of the best and warmest tourist destinations in Europe in winter, because temperatures still rise above 20°C  during the day (especially in December), which means you'll be able to walk around wearing just a T-shirt.

The best time to visit Madeira during winter is for New Year's Eve when the island hosts the largest fireworks show in the world, an event which you should see at least once in your lifetime.

Madeira in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December
• Most amount of rain: December
• Most hours of sunshine per day: February

8. Alicante, Spain

Alicante and the entire Costa Blanca region are already popular summer destinations in Spain, but the weather stays fairly mild and warm even in winter.

While the average high temperature in Alicante between December and February stays at around 17-18°C, the great thing about the climate here is that it rains a lot less compared to the other destinations on this list.

The amount of rain is similar only to the Canary Islands, but considerably less than in any other place on this list, which is why we consider Alicante to be a great warm winter destination during the European winter. Alicante is also among our recommendations as one of the best places to get some winter sun in Spain.

Alicante in winter -December, January, February

• Warmest month: December & February
• Most amount of rain: December
• Most hours of sunshine per day: January & February

9. Malta

Of course, we couldn't talk about warm weather in winter in Europe without mentioning the tiny island of Malta.

Malta enjoys a Mediterranean climate, which means mild winters, with temperatures around 15°C  to 19°C during the daytime, depending on the month. 

Although not as warm as some of the other destinations mentioned before, the weather is still warm enough to allow for city-breaks and visiting, as there are lots of cool places to see on the island.

There's more to Malta than being a beach destination and the winter season is a great time to explore its territory, without bumping into tourists at all times.

Malta has around 3000 hours of sun per year, which almost guarantees a sunny holiday, even though the temperatures may not be as high as in the previous destinations mentioned.

Malta in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December
• Most amount of rain: December
• Most hours of sunshine per day: January & February

10. Sicily, Italy

Sicily is a popular beach destination in summer, but for those interested in history and sightseeing, winter is still a great season to come for a visit. 

While the temperatures are the lowest on this list, you can still enjoy comfortable temperatures of around 16 - 18°C during the daytime, which is pretty good for the European winter.

Just come with moderate expectations in terms of sun hours, as the average is of 4 hours of sunshine per day, for December, January and February.

Sicily in winter - December, January, February

• Warmest month: December & February
• Most amount of rain: December
• Most hours of sunshine per day: very similar between all winter months

Warmest places in Europe in December: TENERIFE and GRAN CANARIA

If you're looking for warm places in Europe in December, then take a look at our list below. You should especially take Spain and Cyprus into consideration if you're searching for warm European countries in December.

Besides the Canary Islands, which form is an archipelago that is part of Spain, there aren't many good chances to find hot weather in December in Europe. Since these islands are located so close to the African continent, they enjoy a mild climate, considered by many as the best climate in the world. 

Info about the weather in December in the Canary Islands 

• Warmest weather vacations in December in Europe: Tenerife & Gran Canaria
• Least amount of rain in December: Fuerteventura
• Where to go in December in Europe for sun: All four Canary Islands & Limassol, Cyprus

Warmest place in Europe in January: TENERIFE

Most places in Europe are under heavy snow in the first month of the year, but not the ones we recommend to you. Here's a list of warm destinations in January in Europe.

Info about the weather in January in the Canary Islands 

• Where is hot in January in Europe: Tenerife
• Least amount of rain in January: Fuerteventura
• The sunniest place in Europe in January: Lanzarote

Warmest places in Europe in February: TENERIFE and FUERTEVENTURA

Thinking of spending Valentine’s Day in a warm destination? Generally speaking, you don't really have many options if you want to find a place with a warm climate in February in Europe. Just like in the previous months, the Canary Islands are your best bet to escape the winter boots and heavy coats. So if you want to stay within European borders, these are your best options for hot and nice weather in Europe in February.

Info about the weather in February in the Canary Islands

• Warm European places in February: Tenerife (and the rest of the Canaries)
• Least amount of rain in February: Fuerteventura
• Where is sunny in February in Europe: All 4 Canary Islands & Limassol, Cyprus

It's true that when most people think of visiting Europe in winter, they think of ski vacations, heavy snow, Christmas markets in Germany, the Swiss Alps and other similar images.

But as you can see, even in Europe you can find some places where you can escape the cold weather and the snow, without having to travel too far. The Canary Islands, although not geographically part of the European continent, is the most accessible hot destination for winter sun in Europe, and if it's your first time visiting the Canaries, we would recommend choosing one of the 4 larger islands: Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura or Lanzarote.