I am exploring taking a winter vacation in Europe to get rid of the winter blues where I live.

My husband wants to go to key west , southern Florida, yes, we know the wheather is sunny there, and beach time is great here Januray through may, but I would like to experience something similar in europe.

Any suggestions from anyone would be most helpfull.

You can't get Florida weather (or weater or wheater) in a European winter.

Nowhere - not Crete, not southern Spain - is warm enough to sit on a beach. People who want to do so go to Florida, the West Indies, The Gambia, Egypt, Dubai or Goa.

Southern Egypt would be my suggestion. It's not really warm in January, (cold nights esp.) but from mid- February swimming is nice. Flights and rooms are VERY inexpensive at that time. I paid 300€ for a week all inclusive, nice hotel (food and flight) this January.

oops, no it was 300€ for 2 weeks

Hi M,

You might wish to take a look at a globe or a world atlas.

The Canary Islands are warm in the winter, but even there the maximum in January is only about 21C, and can be as cool as 13C daytime. February is a bit warmer, March warmer still.
If you want real heat though you will have to stick to Florida or head for Africa.

Well, I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but it does get cold in Florida. Freezing temps in mid to north Florida are not uncommon in Jan/Feb. I've seen low 30s in Miami (with SNOW, 1977) and the low 40s in the Keys.

Yep, nothing is better than a nice, rainy day, winds about 20 knots and temps in the mid-40s in Key West.

dave

Hello,

While Italy is warmer in the winter than Finland, it is still in the northern hemisphere and will be chilly.

You could look at Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia for warm weather because the Southern Hemisphere's seasons are opposite of North America's seasons. Of course, it is usually warm and lovely in Mexico - Puerto Vallarta can be 80-85 degrees in January and Los Cabos' average temp is also 75-85 degrees. Most places in Mexico are comfortably warm to get away from snow and cold.

Best Regards,
Julia

I spent a month in Souther Spain and Portugal 2 years ago..It was not beach weather..I did not care for it.....

You simply can't experience that in Europe - just doesn't exist. (and asdaveesl says you can't even count on it in Florida)

If you want "summer in the winter" you really need to go where your winter months are their summer - like somewhere in the southern hemisphere.

Although it's not great beach time in Europe it certainly is a heck of a lot warmer than where we live. We, too, love going to Europe to escape the cold. We even go to the UK in winter - so much more pleasant and warmer than here.

It is hard for me to fathom that Europeans call that season "winter" (weatherwise at least).

Buenos Aires. You'll think you're in Europe.

>We even go to the UK in winter - so much more pleasant and warmer than here.

OMG. Where do you live? Baffin Island?

Northern Canada - even colder than Siberia. The UK in winter literally is balmy - we wear just light sweaters and cannot believe the gorgeous weather!!

Europe is a temperate climate - not a tropical or even semi-tropical one. You can have all the beach weather you want in the summer. In the winter the weather will range from Toronto to approximately the Carolinas (at best).

For summer beach weather in winter you need to go to the Carib or Asia.

but, even if it's cold - you're in Europe!

Yes - I'd rather be slightly "chilly" in Europe than be buried under snow for seven months having to plug our cars in, let them run twenty minutes, and go out into -40 Celsius weather for weeks and weeks on end in Canada, that's for sure!

Travel2live
I lived in Montreal (it's pretty cold) and I've lived in Sweden. The only difference isn't much. Maybe it didn't snow as much as Montreal but it's still below -30/-40 degrees (remember -40 degrees is indentical for C vs F). I lived both places for ten years so I'm fairly informed.

But I would to state Helsinki is colding than a miner's back bracket in December/January. Another place which is pretty cold and snowy too is Vienna.

Naples has a lattitude about the same as New York, so don't go swimming at Christmas. In Cadiz, in Spain, I've eaten Christmas meal at 25 degrees C but I certainly I wouldn't swim.

The poster mars000210 should prepared for winter temps. It's still lovely in the winter. But, you're going to need some decently clothes.

Blackduff

Montreal is pretty cold - you're right. Still nothing like here but it's getting closer!

And you are right about typical beach weather. Our idea of beach weather is once it hits 15C after a long winter but most would find that very cold. We also stroll beaches in November and have swum in the Med in November but that would probably be our limit, too.

How about Croatia? Won't be your typical beach weather but should still be warm.