by I feel your doubt. The idea that you can enjoy a break in the sun this winter without flying is certainly not possible unless you are willing to embark on an epic journey. But that doesn’t have to be the case. While it’s obviously not going to be as quick as hopping on a plane, if you plan things carefully – and maybe consider a stopover or two – it could be doable.
After all, that’s what many wealthy British people did in the 19th century. It is true that they lived a more leisurely life, so a long train journey was offset by a longer wait at the destination. Also – and this is an important point – they didn’t have the same expectations as we might when it came out. Nice – their favorite destination – provided warmth and light rather than tropical sunshine.
So I’ve picked out six suggestions for sunny winter getaways that don’t involve schlepping through an airport – broken down by the amount of time required for each trip, and the temperatures you can expect when you arrive.
1. Ferry to Santander then train to Alicante
Forecast: 16-17C, 5 hours of sun
Travel time: 34.5 hours
Of course, you could reach any Spanish destination via the Portsmouth-Santander ferry, but I chose Alicante for this route, because there is a direct rail connection throughout the country (with an average of three services per day) and because it’s winter climate is extremely mild and sunny. Smaller nearby centers include Javea and Denia. You’ll probably have to break the trip overnight in Santander, as the ferry arrives in the evening, but that’s easy to do positive. It is a very beautiful resort port with some excellent hotels and restaurants.
The trip: Brittany Ferries’ Portsmouth-Santander ferry takes 27 hours overnight, then 7 hours 30 minutes by direct train. It would take about the same amount of time to build and drive your own car.
The cost: The return ferry fare costs from around £331 (foot passenger), £814 by car (brittanyferries.co.uk). For rail travel, Spain’s Interrail one-country pass probably offers the best value: from £136 (£159 first class) for any three days in one month (myinterrail.co.uk).
2. Train to Nice
Forecast: 11C, 5 hours of free sun,
Travel time: 9 times
I admit, the climate statistics for Nice in January and February were not as positive as I had hoped. But I know from experience that it feels much hotter than the 11C daily maximum suggests. And of course, the days are longer and much sunnier than in the UK. Although you may not want to lie on the beach, you can eat comfortably outside at lunchtime, for example. And, along with Marseilles, it’s the easiest and fastest way to reach the Mediterranean by train from the UK. If it’s a bit warmer for you, you could always wait until March – which is Queen Victoria’s favorite time to visit.
The trip: Nine hours, via Paris. For my perfect trip I would plan to include a two or three hour lunch break and spend it at the wonderful Belle Epoque restaurant Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon (le-train-bleu.com).
The cost: Around £200 (eurostar.com)
3. Train to Malaga
Forecast: 14-16C, 5-6 hours of sun
Travel time: 23 hours
Traveling to southern Spain by train is the fastest way to get to a properly warm winter climate without flying. Admittedly, around 23 hours with the fastest connections, it’s a marathon journey, through Paris, Barcelona and Madrid, and there are no sleeper trains to help. My solution would be to conquer necessity and plan one or two night stops along the way – maybe Paris and Barcelona. That way you make the trip part of the holiday: you can plan a few special meals or museum visits during your stops, and simply enjoy the pleasures of travel in a more leisurely way.
The trip: About 23 hours, through Paris, Barcelona and Madrid.
The cost: Eurostar to Paris from around £100 return (eurostar.com), plus a four-day Interrail pass: €258 (£222).
4. Train to Seville
Forecast: 16-17C, 5-6 hours of sun
Travel time: 23 hours
This is a very similar journey and travel time to the Malaga itinerary above, but the high speed line splits at Cordoba and goes inland rather than down to Grenada and the coast. Although you miss out on sea views, you get slightly warmer weather than the Costa del Sol and, for a winter cultural holiday, few cities are more attractive than Seville. Again, breaking up the trip at, say, Paris and Barcelona would make the trip much more enjoyable.
The trip: Around 23 hours via Paris, Barcelona and Madrid.
The cost: Eurostar to Paris from around £100 return, Interrail four-day pass: €258 (£222).
5. Cruise to the Canary Islands
Forecast: 18C, 5-6 hours of sunshine (Tenerife)
Travel time: 3 days (to Madeira)
This two-week Spain, Portugal and Canary Islands cruise with P&O departs from Southampton in mid-January and probably offers the best value no-fly winter sun of all. With fares starting at £1,269 with all meals included, the ship, Iona, takes around three days to steam into warmer waters, arriving in Madeira in the early morning of January 17. Over the next four days there are stops in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote before the return journey, including visits to Cadiz and Lisbon. It won’t be personal – Iona carries up to 5,200 passengers – but you get a lot of sun and plenty of variety for your money.
The trip: He will leave Southampton on January 13th, and return on January 27th.
The cost: Inside cabin from £1,269 all-inclusive (pocruises.com)
6. Cruise to the Caribbean
Forecast: 29C, 7 hours of sun (Cozumel)
Travel time: 10 days (to Bermuda)
This option – another P&O cruise departing from Southampton – only works for those with plenty of time to spare, but with prices starting at less than £70 per day, it also offers great value. You must commit to 35 days on board and you will not arrive in Bermuda until the 10th, but after that the 3,000 fathom Ventura continues a long voyage around the coasts of South Central America USA, with stops at Freeport (The Bahamas) , Cozumel (Mexico), Honduras, Belize, New Orleans, Miami and Port Canaveral before returning to the UK via Ponta Delgada in Portugal.
The trip: He will leave Southampton on February 11th, returning on March 17th.
The cost: The 35-night Caribbean & USA cruise costs from £2,399 per person, all-inclusive in an inside cabin.
The total journey times given above are indicative and the fastest realistic connections from London by train, or from the port of departure by ship. Prices are based on return fares per person, traveling in the third week of January unless otherwise stated, second class, with overnight travel in a seat (cabins available at extra cost). They are subject to change and in some cases a reservation/booking fee will also apply. The temperatures given are for January-February and are the average daily maximum and the average number of hours of sunshine per day.
