You won't find balmy beach temperatures in Europe during the winter, but there are certainly several places that have milder weather. Let's look at some of the warmest places in Europe in winter: Portugal, Crete, Andalusia, Balearic Islands, Sicily, Malta, Southern Turkey, and the Canary Islands.
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Canary Islands: The absolute best place in Europe for winter sun, these islands are off the coast of Morocco and so far south that they have warm weather year-round.
Andalusia, Spain: If you're looking to travel to Spain in winter, this is the warmest place. Balearic Islands: These islands off the coast of Spain have something for everyone. Malta: This tiny island in the Mediterranean is home to warm weather, colorful streets, and centuries-old ruins.
Thanks to its inclusion of the Mediterranean coast, plenty of European countries experience warm winter weather. However, Spain tends to be Europe's hottest country in summer and winter due to its southern location.
Both countries are very hot during summer, but Greece is some degrees hotter than Spain. The difference between the Spanish and Greek summer weather is that the months of July and August in Greece present some moderate wind.
1. Seville, Andalusia. Seville has the (disputed) historical record high of 50C (122F), though this dates back to 1881. Another Andalusian town, Montoro, holds the official record for highest temperature.
With an average high of 72°F (22°C), Gran Canaria is the hottest part of Spain in December. This island features a striking mix of black and white sand beaches, popular for both swimming and surfing. In fact, winter marks the high season for surfing.
Life expectancy by countryThe country with the highest life expectancy at birth is Spain, with an average of 83.3 years, followed by Sweden (83.1 years), Luxembourg, and Italy (both 82.7 years). The lowest lifespan is predicted in Bulgaria (71.4 years), Romania (72.8 years), and Latvia (73.1 years).
Spain is getting 'hotter, drier and more flammable' due to climate change, Greenpeace warns. For every degree of global warming, Spain's climate warms by 1.5?.
However, over the last few years summer temperatures have been so high so often that ordinary life in Spain is becoming, well, unliveable. In 2022, during an intense heatwave, a scientist at Spain's National Research Council (CSIC) stated that that year's summer would be “one of the coolest for the rest of our lives”.
While there are definitely far more beautiful places to see in Portugal, from Óbidos to the Berlengas Islands to Monsanto and beyond, there's no doubt that you can cover a bigger percentage of Portugal's top destinations in one trip than you can Spain's.
The Costa del Sol and the Cabo de Gata in Andalusia, the Canary Islands, and the Costa Blanca are all destinations where you'll find a climate of eternal springtime practically all year round. You'll find it perfectly possible to take a dip at the beach and then relax in the sun.
The top 3 sunniest cities in EuropeUnsurprisingly, Spain and Italy take the top spots. Topping the list, the city of Alicante in Spain has an average of 349 hours of sunshine per month and an average yearly temperature of 19°C. An ideal climate for enjoying the beautiful beaches of Costa Blanca!