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A Mediterranean harbour, an Alpine village after snow and a small boat on an Amazon river

Plan your winter holiday

Go when it gets good.

Winter sun, ski weeks and short breaks, with advice on where to go, when to book and what the trip will cost.

Featured guide Skiing on a budget: where to save this winter

Winter 2026/27

Where to go for winter sun

Compare the weather, the flight and the sort of holiday you want before picking a hotel.

A sheltered bay and volcanic coast on Fuerteventura

Start here

The Canaries or Cape Verde?

A shorter flight and more choice, or warmer midwinter averages? Here is what to weigh up.

January weather

Where is warm in January?

Compare daytime warmth, rain and sea temperatures.

Read the guide →

Choose your island

Which Canary island in January?

Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura compared.

Read the guide →

Winter 2026/27

Plan your ski season

A cheaper first ski trip, a January week or an early start before Christmas: find the guide that fits.

An Alpine ski resort in winter

Start here

Skiing on a budget

La Norma, Val Cenis and Les Menuires, with published pass prices and the costs people forget.

January 2027

When to ski after New Year

Compare 9–16 January in Val Gardena, Tignes and Les Menuires.

Read the guide →

Early season

Where to ski before Christmas

Opening dates and the limits of an early ski week.

Read the guide →
CourchevelWhich village, hotel or chalet?Read the guide →

The Field Note

Travel ideas for the season ahead.

Travel ideas and practical advice for your next break.

This week’s pick Skiing on a budget: where to save this winter Read the guide

The year at a glance

A place is only half the decision.

Weather, opening dates, school holidays, routes and price move at different speeds. Our job is to notice when they line up.

20 guides and counting

Latest travel guides

New guides and ideas for trips further ahead.

New · 14 October 2026

Madeira in November: is it a good time to go?

Mild afternoons in Funchal, a walk when the weather allows and time to explore the old town.

Read the guide →

New · 14 October 2026

Malta in November: is it worth a short break?

Valletta, a day in Mdina and museums for a rainy afternoon: a three- or four-night November break.

Read the guide →
Travellers walking beside an unbranded sleeper train at a European station in blue-hour winter light

Sleeper trains

Christmas markets by night train: Vienna or Prague?

Two sleepers from Brussels, one useful December frame and a split-ticket risk worth understanding before the romance takes over.

January skiing

Skiing after New Year: which January week gives the best value?

Three Alpine bases compared11 min

Choosing your Lapland dates

Lapland: December or March?

2.5 hours of daylight13 min
Six villages, one ski area Courchevel: which village, hotel or chalet, and which week? Read the guide January winter sun Where is actually warm in January? Read the guide Choosing a Canary Island Which Canary island works in January? Read the guide Northern lights Northern lights: Tromsø or Abisko, and which week? Read the guide Patagonia by ferry or flight Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales: ferry or flight? Read the guide The season ends on a Sunday The Stockholm archipelago by public ferry Read the guide Visiting the Azores Azores: São Miguel or island-hop? Read the guide Winter sun Winter sun: Canaries or Cape Verde? Read the guide Snow at the right time Where can you ski before Christmas without wasting a week? Read the guide Also on the desk Greek island hopping: June or September? Read the guide Planning a safari Great Migration: Kenya or Tanzania, and when? Read the guide One more journey The Amazon decision: Manaus, Iquitos or the river itself? Read the guide

Find your next trip

Browse short breaks, seasonal holidays and longer journeys.

01 / Escape

Easy escapes

Islands, cities and shorter breaks where timing changes the price, pace or weather.

 02 / Season

Natural windows

Snow, wildlife, blossom, northern lights and other trips that only work at the right moment.

 03 / Journey

Journeys worth planning

Cruises, island hops, rail routes, safaris and overland trips where the shape of the journey matters.

About the guides

Travel guides with sources you can check.

Each guide includes its sources and the date it was last checked.

20
Travel guides
251
Cited source links
03
Collections
Latest source check

Method Source total counts external links in the source sections of 20 published guides. Latest source check refers to the newest check, not a full-site review.

How the work is done

How we put the guides together

We use weather records, official timetables and local information to compare trips. Each guide says when it was checked and whether it includes first-hand experience.

  1. Choose a useful questionWhere to stay, when to go or which route to take.
  2. Check the sourcesWeather records, operators, official openings and current travel advice.
  3. Work out the journeyCheck openings and transfers, with enough time for connections.
  4. Show the datesPrices and opening dates show when they were checked. Updates are recorded in the guide.