AS the Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor, I’ve racked up the air miles over the years – travelling to over 55 countries and more than 100 cities.
So when it comes to winter sun, I can of course wax lyrical about the beauty of Hawaii or the stunning beaches of St Kitts. But I’ve also found some of the biggest winter sun bargains, where you needn’t go too far.
By that, I mean nothing more than seven hours, which edges the flight into the long-haul category, although some are less than three hours away.
So I’ve done the hard work for you, and found seven places under seven hours away, where you can find everything from cheap hotels and affordable wine to bargain packages and beautiful beaches.
Faro, Portugal
Flight time to Faro – 2hr35
The Algarve is one of the most popular destinations to visit when seeking some European sun in winter.
And while most Brits fly into Faro and then leave for the coastal resorts, I think the city is worth a cheap winter break on its own.
It’s around 16C in December, so you can get away with a t-shirt.
And there are a group of tiny islands that barely any tourists know about, that are a quick boat trip from the mainland.
You can get to the ‘Caribbean of Portugal’ called Ilha Deserta in just 20 minutes.
Not only are the beaches empty on the island, but it has just one restaurant, Estamine, where you can get a fresh fish tasting menu for €25 (£21.77) for two.
And Portugal is known for its extremely affordable restaurants and bars.
Adega Amável is where you’ll find the locals, and it’s a bit of a squeeze but worth it when beers and glasses of wine are less than €3 (£2.61).
Budget hotels can be found for £30, although I loved 3HB, Faro’s first five-star hotel (starting from £415pp, for four nights with flights with easyJet holidays in November).
Loveholidays has seven-night stays in Faro in November for £199pp with return flights.
Seville, Spain
Flight time to Seville – 2hr45
One of the closest places for some winter sun from the UK is Seville, which is one of the warmest places on the Spanish mainland.
It’s one of my favourite Spanish cities to visit and you can expect temperatures around 17C in December – so definitely t-shirt weather.
If you want to eat where the locals go, try and squeeze into Bar Alfalfa.
You can get an authentic tostada con tomate (toast with tomatoes) and a coffee for just €2.60 (£2.26), or a tinto de verano (red wine and lemonade) for €1.50 (£1.31).
If you don’t want to splash out for an expensive flamenco show, you can catch some live performances in many of Seville’s parks as well.
El Rinconcillo is Seville’s oldest bar, and you can get a large glass of wine for just €3.20 (£2.80).
There are ways to get free tickets for some of the city’s top attractions, too.
The Royal Alcazar Palace has free tickets on Mondays for the last hour, which can be found on the website.
And the Cathedral de Sevilla – the world’s biggest Gothic cathedral – also has free tickets from 2pm to 3pm on Mondays.
EasyJet has package holidays for £166pp, when staying three nights on January 5 at the Illunion Alcora Sevilla.
Or you can do three nights at the Hotel Vertice Alijarafe on January 21 with Loveholidays for £139pp, with return flights.
Agadir, Morocco
Flight time to Agadir – 3hr50
Morocco is one of the nearest places to the UK for reliable winter sun.
While I love Marrakech and Casablanca, one of my favourites is Agadir, which was also named the cheapest package holiday destination by Which? last year.
The coastal town is often twinned with Taghazout, a surfer village with a huge beach.
Not only is it warm, but it is a great place to stock up on Christmas presents for a bargain.
You can head to Souk El Had, the biggest souk in Morocco, which is pretty chaotic, and you can find literally everything.
But I loved the Complexe Artisanal, a more manageable market, with wicker lights, hand-painted vases and authentic wooden sculptures, all for a bargain.
I managed to buy candles for under £5, where I picked my own essential oil to go in them, which looked identical to the ones in Oliver Bonas that cost £20.
A hand-glazed sugar jar set me back just £12, and looked just like ones from the trendy brand HK Living, which retail at £35.
TUI has seven-night holidays to Agadir from £310 each when travelling in November.
El Gouna, Egypt
Flight time to El Gouna – 5hr25
Just outside of Hurghada, El Gouna is a lesser-known area of Egypt that has some amazingly affordable holiday resorts.
The gated manmade island feels extremely safe, and it’s still 24C in December, so you can make the most of the pools and beaches.
It’s a place for luxury on a budget – I stayed at the Cooks Club Hotel, which was a four-star hotel for around £80 a night, but felt like a five-star.
But if you want a real five-star, you can find stays at ones like Movenpick for as little as £130 a night.
You can head to Downtown Abu Tig Marina for some cheap eats and beach clubs, as well as happy hours where you get a second cocktail free.
Most of the time, you will spend your time relaxing at the hotel pool, as it is more of a fly and flop destination.
But there are some great, affordable day trips if you do want a day out, including quad biking in the desert for under £10 with Get Your Guide.
Loveholidays has seven-night holidays in December for £399pp at a number of four-star hotels, which include your breakfast and flights.
Boa Vista, Cape Verde
Flight time to Cape Verde – 6hr15
One of the closest African islands to get to, Cape Verde, is now easier to reach thanks to new easyJet flights from the UK.
Most people head to the busier Sal, but I recommend going to the quieter Boa Vista.
It has 27C highs in winter, there is just one hour’s time difference, and you won’t see many crowds even in the busy season.
The quiet beaches – in particular Santa Monica – felt more like a private island in the Maldives, with soft white sands and barely a soul in sight.
One of my fave shops was Olaria di Rabli, a tiny ceramic store where you can pick up some souvenirs for just a few pounds.
Morabeza Beach Bar had more Bali vibes, with Reggae nights and sunset parties with DJs.
It’s also where you can find a cheap beer, with a local bottle of Strella around €2 (£1.74), or a glass of wine for €3 (£2.61). Even a cocktail of a mojito or an Aperol spritz was just €5 (£4.35).
Otherwise, it is a great, affordable fly and flop destination where you can while away the days making the most of the all-inclusive buffet, without spending a penny extra.
Loveholidays has seven-night holidays in Boa Vista from £459pp in November.
Or, TUI has all-inclusive seven-night holidays from £686pp.
Pointe Sarene, Senegal
Flight time to Senegal – 6hr15
If you want the feel of the Caribbean on a budget, then a Senegal holiday resort is where you will want to head.
Not only is there no jet lag with just one hour’s time difference, but Senegal remains above 26C all year round, with highs of 30C in winter.
It has seen a boom in popularity since 2022, when TUI launched the only direct flights from the UK.
Pointe Serene is where you will find most of the beach resorts, and most are fairly affordable when it comes to all-inclusive packages.
I stayed at the Riu Baobab, which had it all – swimming pool, bars, all your food and drink included and an on-site water slide complex.
You can also book day trips, including Goree Island or half-day safaris for less than £60 each.
TUI has seven-night all-inclusive Senegal holidays from £901pp when travelling in November.
Doha, Qatar
Flight time to Doha – 6hr50
If you want the glamour of Dubai on a bit of a budget, I’d recommend heading to Doha.
I flew there as a stopover when heading to Sri Lanka, but was left stunned by the affordable glitz.
I stayed at five-star The Ned, an incredibly fancy outpost of the Soho House-owned hotel, housed in the Ministry of Interior building.
Giving celebrity member clubs vibes, rooms start from £170 a night – it might sound expensive, but it’s much cheaper than the Ned London, where prices soar past £300.
Stay for three nights and you get 20 per cent off the price as well.
But if you want even more of a budget, there are basic hotels for just £25, such as the Plaza Inn hotel or the Palm Inn Hotel.
Want some beach time? Doha Beach Club is free to visit on Tuesdays for women, or you can pay £6 off-peak peak which gets you a towel and umbrella.
If you don’t want to spend a whole trip in Doha, Qatar Airways has its Qatar Stopover if you are connecting in the city.
Say you are heading to somewhere like Thailand or Australia via Doha with the airline, you can stay in the city for up to 96 hours, and pay as little as £11 a night at a hotel before hopping on your connecting flight.
British Airways has seven-night holidays from £663pp when travelling in February.