My best winters in Europe weren’t in a coastal town. They were in Tirana, walking around the Artificial Lake in the morning, working in a cafe, cooking lunch from the market and joining the whole city for the evening stroll.
This guide is for spending a month or more somewhere milder, to work remotely or simply to escape a northern winter. It covers where it’s genuinely warm, where it’s merely mild, and what I’d check before you book.
In short: For real warmth, fly to the Canaries, Madeira or Malta. For a cheap winter of getting work done, head to Albania or the Croatian coast.
My take: Mild isn’t the same as warm. The Mediterranean coast is lovely in winter, but only if your apartment has heating.
The Warmest Winter Sun in Europe
If warmth is the whole point, these are the obvious ones. They were on my list for years, but I never got round to them. They’re popular for a reason. They’re far warmer than anywhere else in this guide, often warm enough for the beach. The catch is that you have to fly, which was never my preference. I had my car with me most of the time, so I tended to drive south instead.
1. Canary Islands, Spain
Best for: guaranteed warmth and a big long-stay community
The Canaries sit off the coast of Africa and usually hover around 20°C through winter. Las Palmas on Gran Canaria and the towns of northern Tenerife have plenty of apartments and coworking spaces for long stays, while Lanzarote suits you better if you’d rather have volcanic landscapes and quiet villages.
2. Madeira, Portugal
Best for: hiking and a slower pace
Madeira is a little cooler than the Canaries but still mild all winter. Base yourself in Funchal and spend your days off walking the levadas, the old irrigation channels that run along the island’s mountainsides.
3. Malta
Best for: history, English and short hops to Gozo
Malta is the smallest and easiest of the three. English is an official language, Valletta is packed with history, and the ferry to Gozo makes a quiet escape when you need one. It’s cooler than the Atlantic islands, so expect jumper weather in the evenings.
Mild Winter Stays on the Mediterranean Coast
The mainland coast won’t be beach weather, but it’s mild, quiet and much cheaper than summer. It’s also where you’ll learn the hard way about unheated apartments.
4. Costa Brava, Spain
Best for: getting a lot of work done
Many small resort towns on the Costa Brava mostly close down for winter except for a few long-term residents. You can often find great deals on apartments over winter as these would otherwise be empty. I did this one February, and it was incredibly peaceful.
It was also freezing. Our apartment had no heating, because it was built for summer visitors, and in the end it was too cold and we cut the stay short.
Only one or two cafes and restaurants stayed open, and there was nowhere to work outside the apartment. That’s fine if you want to get your head down. The best part was walking along the beach every morning and every evening, before and after work.
On weekends, the coast path from Llafranc to Calella de Palafrugell is beautiful, and inland Girona had stunning blue skies when I was there in the middle of winter. Further north, the wild coastline at Cap de Creus reminded me of Western Australia’s south coast.
5. Montpellier and the Languedoc Coast, France
Best for: a real city with sunny winter days
I lived in Montpellier, and it’s one of the sunniest cities in France. Unlike a resort town, it doesn’t shut down for winter. It’s a university city with cafes, markets and a busy old town all year round.
The beaches at Palavas and Carnon are a short tram and bus ride away. Don’t expect too much from them compared with Australian beaches, but on a sunny winter day a walk along the sand is hard to beat.
France’s southern coast has some peaceful winter sun destinations, especially along the southwest coast from Perpignan to Montpellier. There are opportunities for winter hiking or sunny beach walks if it’s not too windy while you’re there. From Perpignan, you could take a day trip to medieval Carcassonne, an incredible walled city, or cross the border into Spain to visit the Dali Museum in Figueres or the coastal town Cadaques.
My guide to the best beaches in Montpellier.
6. Marseille, France
Best for: big-city energy by the sea
Marseille is one of those cities with crisp, cool winter air and sunny skies practically all winter long. It’s an interesting port city with a unique blend of cultures, reflected in the delicious Marseillaise cuisine. The city is reachable on the high-speed TGV train from the north of France. When I was there, I spent a lot of time sitting near Le Pharo watching the boats come and go from the Vieux Port. Walk up to Notre-Dame de la Garde too. It’s steep, but the view over the city is worth it.
Cheap Winter Long Stays in the Balkans
This is where I spent most of my winters. It’s cheaper than anywhere in Western Europe, the coast is mild and empty, and Albania and Montenegro sit outside the Schengen area, which matters a lot if you’re staying for months (more on that below).
7. Tirana, Albania
Best for: a cheap, lively base for working remotely
Tirana is absolutely full of low-cost apartments for rent. The city is lively all year round, even in winter, and is warmer than most capitals in the Balkans. It’s a great long-stay destination where I’ve spent several winters. Winter there is mild, but grey and wet. I never found it particularly cold, although it can be.
My routine was simple. I’d walk around the Artificial Lake, then find a cafe where I could get my laptop out. There are plenty in central Tirana. For lunch I’d buy food at the Pazari i Ri market and cook at home, then work through the afternoon and head out for xhiro, the evening stroll when the whole city seems to be out walking.
Even after five visits, I still don’t quite know what to make of Tirana. That’s part of why I kept going back.
Things to do in Tirana in winter.
8. Saranda, Albania
Best for: the Albanian Riviera without the summer crowds
Saranda is ideal if you want to bring in the New Year somewhere lively but not too wild. The coastal city in southern Albania gets into the party spirit along the waterfront and in the old town. For the rest of winter it’s quiet, cheap and right on the sea, with the ruins at Butrint and the beaches at Ksamil a short drive away.
Don’t miss these day trips from Saranda.
9. Kotor, Montenegro
Best for: dramatic scenery and empty streets
If you prefer to get off the beaten path, Kotor has one of the most stunning natural landscapes in the Balkans and during December, you’ll be one of the few tourists to experience the city. Its location on the beautiful Bay of Kotor protects this historic city from the weather. Make sure you walk up to the fortress for sunrise or sunset.
I’d driven through Kotor many times before I finally made the climb. Winter is the time to do it, when you won’t be sharing the steps with cruise ship crowds.
What you could see in just one day in Kotor.
10. Split, Croatia
Best for: a coastal city that doesn’t hibernate
Split is Croatia’s most vibrant coastal city and you’ll find plenty of activities going on in January and throughout winter. Take long walks along the Riva promenade and visit the famous Diocletian’s Palace. I really like Split, as long as you stick to the old town and Marjan Hill and stay away from the concrete suburbs.
Take a day trip to Trogir.
11. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Best for: seeing the old town without the crowds
Dubrovnik has some of the cleanest, freshest air in the Mediterranean. The city is extremely quiet in the off-season, but you can still experience the Winter Festival and other regional events. The Dalmatian coast is so peaceful in winter, I highly recommend it. The last time I visited, the old town was too crowded to enjoy. Winter is when I’d go back for a longer stay.
These photos of Dubrovnik might tempt you to visit.
12. Zadar, Croatia
Best for: sunsets and a slow, local winter
The small coastal city of Zadar is known for its sunsets and musical water organ. It’s not the easiest place to get to as there are no trains from Zagreb, only the bus, but that means most people in Zadar during winter are locals or a few slow-travelling tourists. The upside is the food is amazing, the sunsets are incredible, and it’s a cheap winter destination.
You won’t be disappointed with the food in Zadar.
How to Plan a Long Winter Stay in the Sun
If you have plenty of free time and the budget to go with it or are location-independent, then you have the luxury of travelling slowly and choosing a long stay winter holiday. A few things I learned along the way:
Book a few nights first, then negotiate
I never commit to a month upfront. I book an Airbnb for a few days, see if I like it, then ask the owner for a deal on a longer stay. You get a good price without being locked into a place you don’t like.
Ask about heating before you book
Holiday apartments on the Mediterranean are built for summer. Many have no heating at all, and tiled floors and stone walls get very cold in January. Ask the owner directly, and don’t assume air conditioning means heating.
Choose a city or a resort town on purpose
Resort towns go almost completely quiet in winter. That’s ideal if you work from home and want no distractions, but there won’t be cafes, libraries or coworking spaces to work from. If you want somewhere to work outside your apartment, pick a city like Tirana, Split or Montpellier.
Count your Schengen days
Most of this guide sits inside the Schengen area, including the Canaries, Madeira, Malta, France and Croatia. If you’re Australian, British or from another visa-exempt country, you get 90 days in any 180 across the whole zone, and the EU’s Entry/Exit System now records your entries and exits automatically, so there’s no fudging it.
Albania and Montenegro aren’t in Schengen, and I used Albania several times to wait out my days until they reset. Check the visa-free allowance for your own passport, because it varies.
One warning if you’re driving. I once left my car in Albania for longer than the temporary import period without registering it. At the Montenegrin border I was given a choice: drive back to Shkodër and pay the registration plus a fine, or pay a fine “directly” to the Albanian and Montenegrin border officers to share between themselves. I’ll let you guess which was cheaper. Register your car if you’re staying a while.
Working while you travel? These are my picks for the best cities in Europe for digital nomads, and if you’d rather do a few nights somewhere colder, try one of these winter city breaks.
Whichever you choose, pack a jumper. Even in the south, you’ll need it.
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Recommendations are independently chosen based on personal travel experiences and extensive research.
