Where is hot in Europe in December?

December in brief in Europe

Gran Canaria leads the table with 21°C by day and 17°C at night, a 21°C sea and 5 rainy days (4 h 24 min from London). La Gomera leads with 21°C by day and 18°C at night, a 21°C sea and 5 rainy days (4 h 24 min from London). Tenerife leads with 21°C by day and 16°C at night, a 21°C sea and 6 rainy days (4 h 24 min from London). Fuerteventura leads with 20°C by day and 17°C at night, a 20°C sea and 3 rainy days (4 h 12 min from London). Lanzarote leads with 20°C by day and 17°C at night, a 20°C sea and 4 rainy days (4 h 6 min from London).

Warm rather than hot (20-25°C): Gran Canaria 21°C, La Gomera 21°C, Tenerife 21°C, Fuerteventura 20°C. For scale, London averages 8°C in December.

Warmest spot in each European country in December

• Spain: Gran Canaria 21°C, sea 21°C (20 places tracked)
• Portugal: Madeira 18°C, sea 20°C (5 places tracked)
• Cyprus: Ayia Napa 17°C, sea 19°C (3 places tracked)
• Malta: Valletta 16°C, sea 18°C
• Greece: Rhodes 16°C, sea 19°C (16 places tracked)
• Italy: Sicily 15°C, sea 17°C (13 places tracked)
• Turkey: Fethiye 15°C, sea 20°C (7 places tracked)
• Albania: Saranda 13°C, sea 17°C
• France: Nice 12°C, sea 16°C (2 places tracked)
• Croatia: Dubrovnik 12°C, sea 16°C (3 places tracked)
• Montenegro: Budva 12°C, sea 16°C
• Bulgaria: Sunny Beach 8°C, sea 10°C
• Netherlands: Amsterdam 6°C, sea 6°C
• Slovenia: Bled 5°C
• Czechia: Prague 4°C
• Hungary: Budapest 4°C
• Poland: Krakow 2°C

By region

• Europe: 78 destinations, warmest Gran Canaria (21°C)

Choose the Canaries for the best balance of warmth and rain

Gran Canaria and La Gomera make the strongest case if warmth and fewer rainy days are your priorities: both reach 21°C, with 4 rainy days and sea temperatures of 21°C. Tenerife matches that daytime and sea warmth but has 6 rainy days, so it offers no temperature advantage over them. Fuerteventura trades a little warmth for the lowest rain count here: 20°C by day, 3 rainy days and a flight of 4 h 12 min. Lanzarote also reaches 20°C, with 4 rainy days and a slightly shorter flight of 4 h 6 min. These suit travellers happy with mild afternoons rather than intense heat. Bring an evening layer, and treat the sea as an option for cooler-water swimmers rather than a reliably warm swim.

Madeira and Cyprus mean accepting cooler or wetter weather

Madeira suits travellers who value a shorter flight over maximum warmth and can keep outdoor plans flexible. Its flight takes 3 h 48 min, but daytime temperatures of 18°C come with 11 rainy days. La Palma offers the same daytime temperature with 6 rainy days and a warmer sea at 21°C, though the flight takes 4 h 24 min. Cyprus is a weaker choice if weather is the deciding factor: Ayia Napa and Limassol reach 17°C with 8 rainy days, while Paphos has 10. Flights are also longer than Madeira's. Limassol's 20°C sea is slightly warmer than the 19°C around Ayia Napa and Paphos, but none promises the warmth most travellers want for a swimming-led holiday.

Pick southern Spain or the Algarve to cut flight time

Costa de la Luz and Albufeira suit a mild-weather break where keeping the journey shorter matters more than finding the highest temperature. Both have flights of 2 h 54 min and daytime highs of 16°C, so they offer a gentler change from home than the Canaries. The catch is that both have 8 rainy days and nights of 10°C: pack a waterproof and warmer evening clothes, not just summer outfits. Sea temperatures of 16°C on the Costa de la Luz and 17°C in Albufeira make them poor choices if comfortable sea swimming is central to your plans. Choose them for time outdoors in milder air, with indoor alternatives when rain arrives.