WINTER sun can be hard to come by in the Mediterranean, but Sun Travel has found some very popular destinations that are still hot in November.
With travel time less than five hours, highs over 20C and flights for £19.99 or less – here are the places you should look to book for winter getaway.
Marrakech, Morocco
A flight to Marrakech takes up to four hours and is well worth it thanks to the November temperatures of 22C.
The city is known for its souks, historic palaces and bustling medina – so there’s plenty to do on your break even if its not by the beach.
Lisa Minot, Head of Sun Travel, filled us in on her recent trip to the Moroccan city. She said: “I’ve just returned from a wonderful long weekend in Marrakech and the city is as exciting as ever.
“We were sunbathing on the roof of our riad in the Medina in glorious 22 degree temperatures – and I loved the amazing desert landscapes just 40 minutes from the hustle and bustle of the souks.
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“Tourism is booming in the city and while the streets are as colourful and chaotic as ever, the influx of visitors has brought some gorgeous new bars, restaurants and stunning hotels.”
Lisa explored the cuisine of Morocco three-hour food tour of the Medina with Get Your Guide for just £35 per person.
Just an hour outside of the city is the Agafay Desert where you can zoom over sand dunes in buggies and see camels.
Not only are temperatures mild, but Marrakech gets around seven hours of sunshine per day and little rainfall.
In November you can fly from Birmingham, Manchester and London Stansted with Ryanair for £14.99.
Valletta, Malta
The capital of Malta, Valletta, is three and a half hours away; it’s known for its pretty Baroque architecture and the Grand Harbour.
While Valletta doesn’t have beaches per se, it does have great waterfront views, and you can enjoy them in weather that reaches highs of 21C in November.
SEO Editor Nuria Cremer-Vazquez revealed more about the island on her recent trip to Malta, she said: “This tiny Mediterranean country is smaller than the Isle of Wight, which goes some way in explaining why its food goes under many people’s radars; the limited land area means Maltese produce is barely exported, so you have to try it at source.
“One dinner, we could taste the different cultures that have called Malta home over the centuries — Italian in the ricotta parcels and focaccia, Arabian in the date-based sweets and bigilla (a hummus-like dip made from beans), Spanish in the bread rubbed with tomato and drizzled in olive oil.“
Nuria also enjoyed €4 Aperol spritzes and explore the city’s hidden underground tunnels.
Flights from Birmingham start from £14.99 during November with Ryanair.
Brits can also fly directly from Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Norwich, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Nottingham, Bristol and Leeds.
Paphos, Cyprus
While it might not technically be the hottest place in Cyprus during November, it’s much cheaper to get to Paphos than its neighbours Larnaca and Limassol.
Paphos is on the southwest coast of the island of Cyprus and throughout the year has plenty of sunshine – even in November.
It sees around seven hours of sunshine per day with daytime temperatures averaging around 22C, so it’s even warm enough to go sea swimming.
One writer who visited Paphos revealed that the city will really appeal to Brits, he said: “Here, everyone drives on the left and even the cabbies obey the speed limit.
“It’s things like that, along with 300 days of glorious sunshine a year and no real language barrier (and even the fact Cyprus uses the UK three-pin plug!), that make the island so popular with us Brits.
“Paphos’s bars and boutiques are worth checking out but make sure you eat at the fantastic Agora Tavern, a family-owned place on a hill overlooking the sea.
“There are just two things on the menu, the small meze and the large one. Choose your size and enjoy this fabulous array of local delicacies all chosen for you.”
Flights to Paphos start from £14.99 if travelling from Manchester and London Stansted in November and takes around four hours 30 minutes.
Seville, Spain
Seville is the capital and largest city of Andalusia and known for its historic buildings, busy streets full of cafes and ice cream parlours.
There are thousands of street-planted bitter orange trees and you don’t have to walk far to see some authentic flamenco dancing and great tapas.
In November, Seville has average high temperatures of 20C and averages out at having just five days of rainfall.
Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey who recently went to the city, revealed how to get free tickets to attractions around the city. She said: “The Royal Alcázar of Seville, a palace dating back 1,000 years, offers limited free tickets on Mondays between 6pm and 7pm.
“Or for Seville Cathedral, there are 100 free tickets a day between 2pm and 3pm.”
Flights from Edinburgh to Seville with Ryanair start from £16 in November – and it’s just a two hour 45 minutes journey.
Palermo, Italy
In just over three hours, you can ditch the dingy UK for the beautiful island of Sicily which has highs of 20C in November.
Palermo is the capital of the Italian island of Sicily and thanks to its seaside location, has the best of both worlds – city and beach break.
One woman who lives in Palermo described the city as the “beating heart of Sicily” and revealed more spots to explore.
She told us: “The capital city still remains authentically Sicilian – only 30 per cent of people there speak English.
“Head to the Via Maqueda where new and exciting cocktail bars sprout up on a daily basis.
“Walk along Via Vittorio Emanuele (the main pedestrian street) until you’ve reached the beautiful Cathedral.
“The entire street has some of the coziest aperitivo spots in the city – whether you like seafood, pizza, or pasta, there’s a bit of something for everyone.”
If you’re after a beach holiday, then head to the village of Mondello or the town of San Vito Lo Capo.
Flights from London Stansted to Palermo in Italy start from £19.99 with Ryanair and takes around three hours.
Funchal, Madeira
Described as the “Hawaii of Europe”, Madeira is a must-visit. It has incredible views, fab beaches and it’s under four hours away from the UK.
The capital of the archipelago is Funchal which is on the main island’s south coast – and where you can fly directly to from the UK.
In November, Funchal has high temperatures of 23C, so it’s pleasant for walking or exploring the beaches.
You won’t get any soft golden sands here though, it’ll be black thanks to its volcanic surroundings – Funchal has a few small beaches, including Praia Formosa and Praia de São Tiago.
For fun, tourists can hike up to the village of Monte, and then take a toboggan down to the city centre.
If you don’t fancy the walk or the toboggan, take the cable car where you’ll get incredible views over Funchal.
When you get into the city, make sure to explore the old town and busy Lavradores market.
Flights from London Stansted to Funchal in November start from £14.99 with Ryanair.
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Heading to Tenerife may take a little longer on the plane, around four and a half hours, but you’re likely to get warm weather and plenty of sun.
Temperatures in Tenerife can be as high as 24C in November.
The Canary Islands are generally hot year-round because of their location – it’s on the same latitude as the Sahara Desert.
The most popular places in Tenerife its beaches, when Sun Travel chatted to some locals, they revealed the spot where the locals hang out.
Rick Cosgrove who lives and works on the island said: “La Tejita, near the airport in the south of the island, is the largest sandy beach in Tenerife and used mainly by locals (also one of the island’s windiest, it is popular with windsurfers).
“Two of the favourite black sand beaches among locals are Playa san Juan, up the coast from Costa Adeje, and Las Galletas beach, not far from Los Cristianos.”
Here are lots more ways to enjoy the island from cheap bars serving €2 pints to the ultimate hidden gems.
Flights starts from £14.99 from Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Bournemouth and Manchester.
For more inspiration, check out this hidden winter sun island that feels like stepping back to the 1990s – with £1 beers and free moped rides.
Plus, this is one of the hottest islands in Europe with highs of 27C this month… and flights from £25.