Europe · Things to do
The warmest places in Europe in winter, ranked
Tenerife is the warmest place in Europe in winter, with an average daily high of about 22°C from December to February, just ahead of Gran Canaria. Madeira follows at about 20°C, then Cyprus, Málaga and Alicante at about 18°C. The ranking uses official 1991 to 2020 averages from national weather services.
What to do, in order
- 1
Alicante, Spain
About 18°C by day in winter and the driest place on the list, with rain on about one winter day in ten. Santa Bárbara Castle on Mount Benacantil looks over the bay. Nights fall to about 7°C, so bring a layer. Below the castle are a long city beach and a palm-lined waterfront promenade, the Explanada, for evening walks. Alicante is reported to get more than three thousand hours of sun a year. The sea is cool in winter, around 15°C, so this is a city and walking break rather than a swimming one. The airport is close to the centre, which makes it an easy long weekend.
- 2
Málaga, Spain
About 18°C by day and around 9°C at night, milder after dark than inland Spain. Founded by the Phoenicians around 700 BC, it has the Alcazaba fortress above the port and is the birthplace of Picasso. The cathedral is nicknamed La Manquita, the one-armed lady, because one of its towers was never finished. Málaga is also the gateway to the Costa del Sol, with towns along the coast reachable by train or bus. Rain falls on about one winter day in six. The sea is around 16°C, so plan for walking, museums and food rather than swimming.
- 3
Cyprus
The south coast around Paphos and Limassol averages about 18°C, with nights near 12°C. It is the wettest place on the list, with showers about one day in three. Inland, Mount Olympus in the Troodos range often has snow from January to March. That makes it warmer than anywhere on the Spanish or Portuguese mainland. The Paphos archaeological park, famous for its Roman mosaics, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. Mount Olympus rises to nearly 1,950 metres about an hour inland, so in winter you can see snow-capped mountains and a mild coast on the same day.
- 4
Madeira, Portugal
Funchal averages about 20°C by day and 15°C at night, with a sea near 19°C. The island is known for its levada walking paths. The mountains are often in cloud, so pack for both warm coast and cool peaks. The levadas are centuries-old irrigation channels turned into walking paths through forest and along cliffs. At Pico do Arieiro, 1,818 metres above the sea, you can stand above the clouds at sunrise. Some rain falls on roughly one winter day in four, because the island sits out in the Atlantic. Funchal is compact and easy to explore on foot.
- 5
Gran Canaria, Spain
About 22°C by day, with nights near 16°C and a sea around 20°C. The Maspalomas dunes cover about 400 hectares beside the Atlantic and have been a protected nature reserve since 1987. The capital, Las Palmas, is a real city with a long city beach and a busy port, so you can combine a city break and a beach holiday on one island. Inland, the mountains rise steeply into deep green valleys and mountain villages. Winter is also the peak season, when many northern Europeans arrive, so book flights and rooms early.
- 6
Tenerife, Spain
The warmest of all, by about a tenth of a degree, with nights near 16°C. Mount Teide, 3,715 metres and the highest peak in Spain, sometimes has snow on its summit while the coast stays warm. In other winters there is no snow at all, so do not count on it. The coast has black volcanic beaches, banana plantations and dramatic cliffs, and the interior around Teide is a stark landscape of lava and pine forest. If the only goal is the warmest place you can fly to in Europe in winter, Tenerife wins, but expect it to be busy.
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Plan it
- Best time
- December to February is the winter these figures describe. The Atlantic islands stay warm all season; the mainland cities have cooler evenings.
- How long
- A week on one island, or a few days in a city. The Canary Islands pair well with each other by ferry.
- Getting around
- Rent a car on the islands. Málaga and Alicante are easy to explore on foot and by local bus.
Good to know
- Book the Canary Islands early: winter is their busiest season.
- Only Madeira and the Canaries are warm enough for most people to swim in winter.
- Rome and Athens, often called warm winter escapes, average only about 13 to 14°C.
Frequently asked
Where is the warmest place in Europe in winter? +
Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands, with an average daily high of about 22°C from December to February, narrowly ahead of Gran Canaria. Both are off the coast of north-west Africa, which keeps them warm all year.
Is Madeira warm in winter? +
Yes. Funchal averages about 20°C by day and 15°C at night in winter, and the sea stays near 19°C. Expect some rain, and cooler, cloudier weather in the mountains.
Is southern Spain warm enough in winter? +
For walking and sightseeing, yes. Málaga and Alicante average about 18°C by day, but nights drop to 7 to 9°C and the sea is around 15 to 16°C, so it is not beach weather.
Are Rome and Athens warm in winter? +
Not really. By official averages, Athens has a winter high of about 14°C and Rome about 13°C, with cold nights. That is pleasant for sightseeing but far from beach weather, which is why neither makes the list of Europe's warmest winter places.
