![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_winter-sun-holiday.jpg\")
A third of people in Northern Ireland are planning a winter sun holiday<\/p>\nThere is no shortage of short-haul options for those seeking a healthy dose of Vitamin DA third of people in Northern Ireland are planning a winter sun holiday<\/p>\n
As the darker nights draw in and the mercury begins to drop, the most affordable destinations for Northern Ireland travellers to escape the cold and soak up some winter sun have been revealed.<\/p>\n
A new survey by travel insurance experts at CompareNI.com found that almost a third (30%) of people here are planning a winter sun getaway in 2025\/26. The poll, which gathered feedback from 700 NI holidaymakers<\/a>, also found that 50% of respondents believe value for money is the most important factor when choosing a destination.<\/p>\n From the lush Portuguese island of Madeira and the vibrant Spanish city of Seville to the rugged beauty of Cyprus and the stunning white sandy beaches of Sicily, there is no shortage of short-haul options for those seeking a healthy dose of Vitamin D.<\/p>\n READ MORE: The 12 most affordable and family-friendly city break destinations this autumn<\/a>READ MORE: The 10 common health conditions that could leave you vulnerable abroad<\/a><\/p>\n Online searches for \u2018where can you go on holiday in December\u2019 have doubled compared to last year as demand for winter sun breaks surge, with bookings for Tenerife up 767%.<\/p>\n A sun-drenched winter holiday <\/a>can not only provide a much-needed break from Northern Ireland\u2019s gloomy weather<\/a> and a welcome mental health <\/a>boost, but it also means better deals for those on a budget \u2013 with flights and accommodation starting at \u00a3575 for a one-week getaway.<\/p>\n CompareNI.com<\/a> took a look at the handiest destinations people from Northern Ireland<\/a> can fly to in Europe, based on several key factors such as hotel costs, the price of a meal for two, average temperature, daily sunshine hours, flight prices and flight duration.<\/p>\n Emerging as the number one destination overall was Madeira, which boasted both the cheapest flights (\u00a331) and the lowest meal prices at just \u00a335 for two people. With average temperatures for December hovering around 20 degrees and five hours of sunshine each day, it is little wonder this Portuguese hotspot is a top pick for UK tourists.<\/p>\n Taking the runner up spot was another Portuguese location, the stunning region of the Algarve with its dramatic coastline, iconic sandy beaches and charming capital city, Faro. At just 2hr 50mins, the Algarve has the shortest direct flight time, making it a convenient choice for a quick getaway.<\/p>\n In third place was Tenerife, undoubtedly the most popular destination when it comes to sheer visitor numbers. It is easy to see why the island remains a go-to for UK holidaymakers, enjoying some of the warmest winter temperatures in Europe at 22.2 degrees.<\/p>\n One potential downside is that – unlike many other European destinations – winter is still considered high season here, meaning accommodation prices tend to be higher, with an average hotel for a week in December setting travellers back \u00a3952.<\/p>\n Next up was Seville, the capital of the Spanish region of Andalusia. With flights coming in at as little as \u00a352 and a meal for two priced at just \u00a337, Seville is a great choice for budget-conscious travellers looking to enjoy a winter break without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n Cyprus, famed for its sun-drenched beaches, charming old towns and archaeological wonders, took fifth place. With pleasant temperatures of 18.7 degrees, six hours of daily sunshine and relatively affordable accommodation prices at \u00a3563 on average, this eastern Mediterranean paradise ticks plenty of boxes for an ideal winter getaway, whether it be relaxing by the sea or exploring the island\u2019s many ancient historical sites. However, it also has the longest direct flight time on the list at five hours.<\/p>\n Another Mediterranean gem boasting a rich history, stunning architecture and fabulous beaches is Malta. This breathtaking island had the cheapest accommodation costs overall at \u00a3494 for a week but also has the most expensive meal prices at \u00a370 for two people.<\/p>\n Making up the last four destinations are Crete, Sicily, the Turkish Riviera and Majorca. These have the lowest number of daily sunshine hours (four) and the lowest temperatures (between 16-17 degrees), and there are no direct flights from Belfast or Dublin in the winter months, meaning higher flight prices starting at \u00a3125.<\/p>\n Ian Wilson, travel insurance expert and Managing Director at CompareNI.com said: \u201cAs the weather in Northern Ireland becomes chillier, wetter and windier, many of us will be dreaming of an escape to warmer climes. The popularity of winter sun holidays is on the rise, with fewer crowds, more pleasant temperatures and cheaper prices making this a popular time of year to travel.<\/p>\n \u201cOur research is designed to help narrow down the choices, showing you the most affordable destinations as well as those blessed with the warmest and sunniest winter weather.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you do decide to book a winter getaway, remember not to overlook travel insurance, even if it\u2019s just for a mini break. Flight delays, disruptions and cancellations are increasingly regular, and pickpocketing is a common concern. Having the right cover in place will give you peace of mind that you are financially protected if your trip doesn\u2019t go as planned.\u201d<\/p>\n For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage<\/strong> here<\/a> and sign up to our daily newsletter<\/a> here.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There is no shortage of short-haul options for those seeking a healthy dose of Vitamin DA third of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":588510,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5011],"tags":[2406,218,1144,183,16,15,741],"class_list":{"0":"post-588509","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-northern-ireland","8":"tag-holidays","9":"tag-mental-health","10":"tag-northern-ireland","11":"tag-travel","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-weather"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115598400155989951","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/588509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=588509"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/588509\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/588510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=588509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=588509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=588509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_winter-sun.png\")
The most affordable destinations for Northern Ireland travellers to escape the cold and soak up some winter sun<\/p>\n