Where is hot in Europe in January?

January in brief in Europe

Gran Canaria leads the table with 20°C by day and 16°C at night, a 20°C sea and 3 rainy days (4 h 24 min from London). La Gomera leads with 20°C by day and 17°C at night, a 20°C sea and 3 rainy days (4 h 24 min from London). Tenerife leads with 20°C by day and 15°C at night, a 20°C sea and 4 rainy days (4 h 24 min from London). Fuerteventura leads with 19°C by day and 16°C at night, a 19°C sea and 2 rainy days (4 h 12 min from London). Lanzarote leads with 18°C by day and 16°C at night, a 19°C sea and 3 rainy days (4 h 6 min from London).

Warm rather than hot (20-25°C): Gran Canaria 20°C, La Gomera 20°C. For scale, London averages 7°C in January.

Warmest spot in each European country in January

• Spain: Gran Canaria 20°C, sea 20°C (20 places tracked)
• Portugal: Madeira 17°C, sea 19°C (5 places tracked)
• Cyprus: Ayia Napa 15°C, sea 17°C (3 places tracked)
• Malta: Valletta 15°C, sea 16°C
• Greece: Crete 14°C, sea 16°C (16 places tracked)
• Italy: Sicily 14°C, sea 15°C (13 places tracked)
• Turkey: Marmaris 14°C, sea 18°C (7 places tracked)
• Albania: Saranda 12°C, sea 15°C
• France: Nice 12°C, sea 14°C (2 places tracked)
• Croatia: Dubrovnik 11°C, sea 14°C (3 places tracked)
• Montenegro: Budva 11°C, sea 14°C
• Bulgaria: Sunny Beach 7°C, sea 7°C
• Netherlands: Amsterdam 6°C, sea 5°C
• Slovenia: Bled 4°C
• Hungary: Budapest 3°C
• Czechia: Prague 3°C
• Poland: Krakow 1°C

By region

• Europe: 78 destinations, warmest Gran Canaria (20°C)

For the warmest weather, start with Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is the clearest choice if warmth and avoiding rain matter most. Its 20°C daytime high comes with just 2 rainy days, making it a better bet for outdoor plans than equally warm Tenerife, with 4. La Gomera sits between them with 3 rainy days and has the mildest nights at 17°C, compared with 16°C in Gran Canaria and 15°C in Tenerife. All have a listed flight time of 4 h 24 min, so there is no flight-time saving to weigh against those differences. Pack a light layer for evenings rather than expecting round-the-clock heat. Their shared sea temperature of 20°C is also a reason to treat swimming as a preference, not a promise of warm water.

For low rainfall, consider Fuerteventura or Lanzarote

Fuerteventura suits travellers who would trade a little daytime warmth for a slightly shorter flight while keeping rain exposure low. At 19°C, it is just below the warmest options, with the same 2 rainy days as Gran Canaria and a flight time of 4 h 12 min. Lanzarote trims the journey to 4 h 6 min, but daytime highs fall to 18°C and rain rises to 3 days. Both have nights of 16°C and sea temperatures of 19°C. These are sensible choices for spending time outdoors in mild weather, rather than trips built around lingering in the sea. Bring an evening layer, and do not choose Lanzarote over Gran Canaria expecting more heat.

For shorter flights, accept cooler weather and more rain

Albufeira offers a useful compromise if flight time matters: 2 h 54 min brings daytime highs of 16°C, though nights fall to 8°C and there are 7 rainy days. Costa de la Luz has the same flight time and temperatures but 8 rainy days, so it has no weather advantage on those measures. Seville cuts the flight to 2 h 42 min, with 15°C days, 6°C nights and 6 rainy days; choose it for mild daytime exploring, not warm evenings. Madeira suits travellers who value milder nights over the shortest journey. Its 17°C days and 14°C nights come with a 3 h 48 min flight, but 8 rainy days mean you should leave room for wet-weather changes.