2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Liv Clarke)
With cold weather creeping up on us and days growing increasingly shorter, this time of year can get a bit depressing - Christmas cheer aside, that is. But a winter sun holiday can offer an escape from the bleak days you get in the coming months. There’s lots of options to choose from when it comes to a sunny getaway over the winter period, from Morocco to the Middle East.
But perhaps one of the closest destinations, and a firm favourite among British holidaymakers, is the Canary Islands . Thanks to its location off the north-west coast of Africa, this Spanish archipelago offers glorious weather all year round, reaching highs of up to 22C in December and January. With a flight time of around four and a half hours from the UK, it’s much more manageable than a trip to the Caribbean or Dubai if you’re after some much-needed vitamin D.
READ MORE: The hidden gem Christmas market named one of the best in Europe a flight from Manchester Airport Despite their popularity, there are plenty of undiscovered holiday spots across islands to discover. In fact, Puerto de Mogán, a small resort and fishing village on the southwest coast of Gran Canaria, was recently named the best holiday resort in the Canary Islands in a new survey by consumer group Which? , beating other popular resorts including Los Cristianos in Tenerife and Playa del Ingles in Gran Canaria. The village is full of picturesque white-washed buildings (Image: Getty Images) The village has a gorgeous marina, beautiful white-washed buildings and a sheltered beach which is perfect for swimming.
It’s a lot quieter than traditional tourist resorts, and a world away from the bustling bars and strips of Los Cristianos. Puerto de Mogán is nestled at the mouth of a steep-sided valley in the municipality of Mogán. Passing through the centre of the village is a canal leading from the harbour and going inland, which has helped it earn the nickname ‘Little Venice’ thanks to the scenic bridges that cross over it.
Puerto de Mogan features a picturesque harbour (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) One visitor described it as a ‘quaint harbour’ on Tripadvisor. Reviewer UKmerge wrote: “Lovely place to visit”. Another visitor, Linda T, called it a “little gem”.
She wrote: “Wonderful little resort...
beautiful sandy beach, few nice shops and lots and lots of nice restaurants.” Meanwhile reviewer Satch66 said it was “somewhere different to visit.” Flights to Gran Canaria don’t have to break the bank either, Skyscanner shows tickets from Manchester Airport starting from £26 one way in December, with returns available for a similar price.
Fares also start from £26 in January, although be aware that this may not include seat allocation and baggage allowance. Puerto de Mogán is around an hour’s drive from Las Palmas Airport. For more of the latest What's On news, click here.
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