Best winter sun destinations that are less than six hours from the UK

SOMETIMES you conscionable privation to beryllium determination hotter than the UK without having to hop connected a long-haul flight.

Thankfully, determination are immoderate large destinations that aren't excessively acold away, and besides won't outgo excessively overmuch adjacent if booking past minute.

Using our galore years of vacation experience, the Sun Travel Team has revealed their favourite winter prima destinations that are affordable - and each little than six hours from the UK.

Cape Verde - 5hr45 formation time

Cape Verde was my archetypal overseas vacation aft the dreaded 2021 winter lockdown. As soon arsenic restrictions lifted, my past three-year-old, fellow and I jumped connected a TUI level for immoderate much-needed sunshine.

At conscionable nether six hours, the formation clip was astir apt the longest I'd
do with a pre-schooler but capable to find guaranteed wintertime sunshine - and Cape Verde beauteous overmuch guarantees sunshine.

Even successful bleak midwinter, 25C is the mean maximum somesthesia and the prima is strong, though you ne'er get excessively blistery due to the fact that it's besides windy.

It's besides conscionable 1 hr down the UK, truthful determination was nary pitchy lag to contend with.

We stayed astatine the all-inclusive Riu Palace Santa Maria, connected the south
west seashore of the land of Sal.

The adjacent seaside municipality of Santa Maria had a portion of lively bars and
cafes and a fig of seafood restaurants offering the catch of the
day, arsenic good arsenic a large formation barroom wherever you could bask excellent
cocktails with your feet successful the soil for conscionable £2.50.

Attractions are reasonably sparse connected Sal, but determination was much than enough
to support america engaged for a week.

We paddled with babe sharks, took a catamaran cruise and explored the land connected dune buggies, but determination were plentifulness of watersports for the much adventurous too.

- Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel

Marrakech - 3hr35 formation time

A spot guaranteed to beryllium lukewarm successful wintertime is Marrakech with temperatures supra 20C - and it’s 1 of the astir affordable to.

A sojourn to Marrakech comes with beauteous riad hotels, lined with multicoloured tiles and ornate decor and adjacent pools successful the mediate - and tin beryllium recovered for conscionable £35 a night.

Sure, the Moroccan coastline mightiness temp you distant for a wintertime formation break.

But the bustling metropolis is the champion to spell pre-Christmas to banal up 1 immoderate inexpensive presents.

Go bare suitcased and you’ll find manus blown solid cups, embroidered cushions and leather handbags often spotted connected the UK precocious thoroughfare successful places similar Anthropology and Accessorize but for truthful overmuch less.

And with £16.49 flights acknowledgment to easyJet, it's cheaper than a bid into London.

- Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Lanzarote - 4hr formation time

I connected my archetypal wintertime prima vacation earlier this twelvemonth and adjacent though I’m precocious to the party, I’m a full person aft falling successful emotion with Lanzarote.

I stepped disconnected the level successful January and was met by a 20C vigor - the perfect January prime maine up, particularly erstwhile flights are arsenic small arsenic £16.

And I was adjacent happier erstwhile I went for a dip astatine the heated infinity pool astatine my hotel, the newly-opened Barcelo Playa Blanca.

The 180m-long main pool was besides heated, which meant I could get my lengths successful without getting chilly. 

The somesthesia was cleanable for excursions excessively with four-hour vessel cruises astir the island, stopping adjacent Playa de Papagayo, a aureate sandy formation earlier a dip successful the dip successful the h2o and caller paella.

Topped disconnected off with evening drinks connected a balcony looking retired towards Fuerteventura, I didn't erstwhile person to instrumentality retired my large wintertime overgarment - which was precisely the plan.

- Hope Brotherton, Travel Reporter