Escaping the British winter for three months

[hypermark]

As I've become older the thought of the British winter is really getting me down. So, I thought about renting a place in southern Spain, Italy or Portugal for three months to escape the worst; maybe Dec, Jan and Feb. Anyone tried this? If so I'd be interested to hear of your experience, location, and what you spent the three months doing? Thanks in advance.

[Griffith4ever]

We escape mid Nov to Feb and go to Thailand almost exclusively.

Guaranteed weather, pretty much, cheaper than Europe by a huge margin, and you can move around as you feel fit. There is a good reason a LOT of Scandinavians do the same.

In Crete right now but I'd not be totally satisfied with the weather in the teens over winter. Saying that, we are looking at properties here....

[GT03ROB]

Much of the Med will not be as good weather wise as you think. better than the Uk, but not necessarily fabulous.

2 years back I rented a placed in Antigua for 4 months from November thru February. My wife spent most of the time bar a week there whilst I did around 8 weeks there. Perfect climate, not silly hot.

[Old Merc]

Cape Verde is warm all through the winter, mostly mid 20’s.
Santa Maria on Sal Island is the best place for long term rents.

[mjo1]

We have spent 6 to 8 weeks in southern Spain the last 5 years, mid January to mid March. I was keen but my wife took some persuasion (mould miss grandchildren) until we'd spent the first couple of weeks, when she then asked "when are we coming again"! We have rented apartment / ferry packages through Brittany Ferries and tried, Calahonda on the Costa del Sol, Valencia, Nerja and Cadiz. Next year we're back to the Costa del Sol. We treat it as a mix of normal living and holiday - exploring far and wide 3 or 4 days of the week and based closer to home on the other days / weekends . We're returning to the Costa del Sol because we've experienced the best weather there (sunny, dry and warm, high teens to low twenties by mid afternoon) and it provides the best base for exploring Andalusia. Hope this helps OP.

[ChocolateFrog]

I would think you'd want to go atleast as far as the Canary Islands if the weather is the main priority.

It's not going to be particularly warm on the Northern coasts of the med in Dec and Jan.

[t.boydy]

My parents escape the British winter from 1st November to 1st April every year.

Choice of destination is The Gambia.

They love it, cheap living too!

Tom

[Truckosaurus]

Also, Cyprus is outside of the Schengen zone so any time spent there won't count towards your 90 days in 180 day count for most of the rest of Europe.

[croyde]

Not 3 months, I wish, but I managed to persuade my boss to allow me 5 weeks paid hols mid Dec to Jan next year.

Tenerife so I can immerse myself, hopefully, in Spanish and use what I've learned in the past 1.5 years.

Staying in a Spanish town not in the touristy south.

Wish I was retired and had a good pension. Would love to completely escape the miserable grey, dark cold of the British Winter. As I've gotten older, I hate and dread it more and more.

[InformationSuperHighway]

Expensive but 90 days in the US (Florida?) is doable that time of year.

[smifffymoto]

Thailand has to be near the top of your list providing you want to travel long haul.

[Griffith4ever]

smifffymoto said:

Thailand has to be near the top of your list providing you want to travel long haul.

.. and it's not even a tough flight. Most stop at Amman, or Muscat etc. 8 hours then 6 hours. Nicely broken up half ish way through.

[nikaiyo2]

Thailand no question.

Chiang Mai or Hat Yai

[Register1]

ChocolateFrog said:

I would think you'd want to go atleast as far as the Canary Islands if the weather is the main priority.

It's not going to be particularly warm on the Northern coasts of the med in Dec and Jan.

Absolutely must go as far South as the Canary Islands.

[sagarich]

If I didn’t have kids, I would be doing this. Maybe when they’ve fled the nest…

[GT03ROB]

Griffith4ever said:

smifffymoto said:

Thailand has to be near the top of your list providing you want to travel long haul.

.. and it's not even a tough flight. Most stop at Amman, or Muscat etc. 8 hours then 6 hours. Nicely broken up half ish way through.

If you are going for 3 months distance is largely irrelevant

[InformationSuperHighway]

GT03ROB said:

Griffith4ever said:

smifffymoto said:

Thailand has to be near the top of your list providing you want to travel long haul.

.. and it's not even a tough flight. Most stop at Amman, or Muscat etc. 8 hours then 6 hours. Nicely broken up half ish way through.

If you are going for 3 months distance is largely irrelevant

Unless you feel you might need to get back quickly for some reason (Sick family member or something)

Bit easier from the Canaries vs Thailand.

[Chris Stott]

I live in southern Spain… JFM can have some warm days (20ish), but can also be cold… down to 4* earlier this year, which is properly cold with marble floors and no central heating. Last year it chucked it a down for 6 weeks across March and April.

I’d be off to Thailand for those months given chance.

[GT03ROB]

InformationSuperHighway said:

GT03ROB said:

Griffith4ever said:

smifffymoto said:

Thailand has to be near the top of your list providing you want to travel long haul.

.. and it's not even a tough flight. Most stop at Amman, or Muscat etc. 8 hours then 6 hours. Nicely broken up half ish way through.

If you are going for 3 months distance is largely irrelevant

Unless you feel you might need to get back quickly for some reason (Sick family member or something)

Bit easier from the Canaries vs Thailand.

yes it may be quicker from the Canaries over Thailand,, but in reality it is not as clear as may seem. If there is really a risk & its important you are back in the UK, I wouldn’t be travelling anyway,
I work most of the time in Europe, but it may take me longer to get hone than from say Antigua.

[Truckosaurus]

Also, if you are on an island somewhere in the Med or the Atlantic and flights are booked up for a couple of days, then the fact that it is closer to the UK is somewhat moot.

(At least if you were on the mainland you could hop in your car)