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Europe's sunniest spring spots + what I'm loving right now
Published 5 months ago • 5 min read
Hello Reader
Last week I featured some amazing Caribbean islands, where sunshine is pretty much guaranteed at this time of year. However if you live in the UK or Europe, and are looking for somewhere warm that's a little closer to home, I have plenty more ideas.
Warmer weather arrives in Southern Europe around the end of February. It may not be sunbathing weather but the temperatures are perfect if you enjoy sightseeing or activities like hiking.
I've previously enjoyed early spring trips to the Canaries, Southern Spain, the Algarve in Portugal and Malta and loved being able to bask on a sunny cafe terrace or sightsee with the sun on my face.
I'm continuing to bring you any January travel deals that I spot and as always, thanks for booking through our links, which helps support this newsletter.
Wishing you warm and happy travels.
Heather x
PS. Read to the end to find out 'What I'm loving right now', including the fabulous Marie Antoinette style exhibition in London.
Enjoying February sunshine in Faro, Portugal
January Travel Deals
We make a small commission if you buy through these links, at no additional cost to you - thanks for your support!
Booking: At least 15% off your next stay with Early 2026 deals. Book now, stay any time until April 2026.
VRBO: Browse Early Booking Deals on holiday apartments and villas worldwide, when you book at least 60 days in advance.
Sykes Cottages: Search for special offers and discounts on holiday cottages around the UK.
Warner Hotels: Up to 20% off on adult only leisure breaks in Warner Holiday's own hotels.
Jet2 Holidays: Check out the £100 per person discount and an additional £100 off some 2026 holidays with code NOTHINGBEATS for sunshine holidays from the UK.
Where can I go that's warm in Europe?
Want to catch some early season sunshine in Europe? Here are a few places that are warming up in the next month or two.
Malta
The island of Malta has a wealth of history, with warm spring temperatures that are ideal for sightseeing.
Discover the top things to do in the Three Cities neighbourhood, with picturesque narrow streets, impressive palazzos and 16th century fortifications, overlooking the sparkling water.
Tenerife is a popular winter sun destination and its capital Santa Cruz has a little bit of everything, from historic quarter and charming parks to street art and world class architecture.
Santa Cruz also hosts a hugely popular carnival, with events and parades throughout February, when everyone dresses up for a non-stop street party.
Southern Spain is known for its sunny climate, and being inland and away from sea breezes, Seville warms up earlier than most.
One of the joys of Seville is its tapas culture, with atmospheric traditional bars serving small plates of food to enjoy with a drink. What better way to beat the February blues than a convivial tapas tour to discover the best eating spots?
The Algarve in Southern Portugal has its own microclimate for early season warm weather. But its not all about golf and the gateway city of Faro is a great place to visit!
From the old city walls, to the shimmering Ria Formosa and the Vila-Adentro or old town, there’s plenty to see.
Click to read about the best things to do in and around Faro, Portugal
Latest Article: A guide to the Athens Riviera
As I mentioned last week, there's a new article on the blog about the Athens Riviera, which we visited last September. If you're planning to visit Athens, this coastal strip is only half an hour away and is known for its beaches, seaside restaurants and luxury lifestyle.
My guide covers what to see, the best beaches, places to eat, where to stay and how to get around.
More travel trends: These Rome 2 Rio travel trends 2026 pick up many of the travel themes I mentioned in a previous newsletter. The things that chimed with me were 'surface first' travel favouring train / bus / ferry rather than flying for shorter trips, scenic train routes where the views are part of the travel experience and sleeper trains or night buses to cut hotel costs and maximise sightseeing time.
Loved this exhibition: Marie Antoinette Style at the V&A in London, with portraits, clothing and jewels owned by the ill-fated queen of France - her diamonds were impressive!
Marie Antoinette wearing a muslin 'chemise a la reine' dress that she made fashionable
We saw how the teenage princess, whose style was initially frilly and frothy, grew up to favour simple white muslin gowns that she wore to relax away from the gaze of the French court.
Marie-Antoinette's fashion influence has been picked up by so many films and fashion designers, with a whole section of contemporary gowns in the exhibition inspired by her style.
The exhibition runs until 22 March 2026. Unfortunately it's sold out, but if you visit London regularly it's worth becoming a V&A member to access this and other exhibitions for free.
Film costumes inspired by Marie Antoinette
Learned a lot from: The Better World Symposium from the British Guild of Travel Writers, of which I'm a member. I was inspired by this day of insightful discussion on the theme of sustainable travel.
The sessions ranged from how our travels can be more sensitive to local communities, to whether luxury travel can pioneer new sustainability approaches.
I've been more mindful of these kind of issues in the trips I choose and the way I travel during 2025 and plan to lean into them even more in 2026. I hope you'll join me on my sustainable travel journey!
Best quote from the event: "Science tells you what you need to do, but storytelling makes you want to do it". (from Pippa Ehrlich, co-director of My Octopus Teacher)
Travelling soon?
If you are travelling soon it really helps us if you use the booking links below.
We make a small commission at no additional cost to you, which helps keep this newsletter and blog free.
Hotels: I use Booking but Expedia is also good for flight + hotel packages.
Tours: For top end food tours, we recommend Devour Tours and small group tours with Take Walks. Both Get Your Guide and Viator are also great for tours and experiences.
Trains: For train bookings in Europe use Rail Europe. Byway Travel also offer great no-fly itineraries in Europe and beyond.
Car Hire: For car hire I use the car rental arm of Booking.com (but always check the scores and reviews of each provider).
Villas & Cottages: VRBOfor villas and holiday rentals worldwide and Sykes Cottages for UK cottages.
Printable resources to download
As a thank you for being part of the Heather on her travels community, I provide extra travel resources exclusively for subscribers (that's you!)
These FREE resources are easy to download, to print or save on your mobile as a handy reference - check them out below.
Authentic, sustainable travel with a little luxury
Join 1000+ subscribers for my weekly newsletter with travel tips and ideas for where to go next. It's for anyone looking for an authentic and sustainable travel experience with a little luxury, especially 50+ travellers. Come along with me to taste the food, explore the culture, go hiking or stay in a stylish boutique hotel. I feature exciting destinations in the UK and Europe, as well as further afield such as Canada & USA, Caribbean, India & Sri Lanka, Jordan and many more.
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