Customers looking for alternatives beyond the usual favourites? Explore our top 5 easy alternatives for easy-to-sell winter sun options that feel fresh and experience-led.

Puglia, Italy

Winter feel: Mild (approx. 10-16°C)

Whitewashed towns, baroque cities such as Lecce, and olive grove landscapes make it ideal for relaxed touring itineraries.

Key selling points:

✅ Clifftop towns and crystal-clear waters

✅ Fairytale trulli houses of Alberobello

✅ Lecce’s golden Baroque architecture

✅  Centuries-old olive groves and dry-stone walls

Recommended Itinerary: Just You Discover Puglia, 8 days from £1,849pp

Crete, Greece

Winter feel: Mild (approx. 14-20°C)

Works well year-round. Chania and Heraklion provide culture, harbour towns, and access to inland villages and walking routes.

Key selling points:

✅ Ancient Minoan civilisation at the Palace of Knossos

✅ Venetian harbour towns such as Chania and Rethymno

✅ Fortezza Fortress and historic hilltop landmarks

✅  White Mountains (Lefka Ori) with traditional villages

Recommended Itinerary: Travelsphere Chania & The White Mountains, 8 days from £2,099pp

Costa del Sol, Spain

Winter feel: Mild to warm (approx. 14-20°C)

A dependable base for winter sun, the gateway to Andalusia’s cities and where white villages add depth to traditional coastal stays.

Key selling points:

✅ Year-round sunshine & stunning beaches

✅ Gateway to Andalusia’s cultural cities: Seville, Granada and Córdoba

✅ Traditional whitewashed villages (pueblos blancos) in the hills

✅  Strong flamenco, tapas and Moorish heritage influence

Recommended Itinerary: Riviera Travel Grand Tour of Spain’s Andalucia, from £2,459pp

Essaouira, Morocco

Winter feel: Mild (approx. 18-22°C)

A laid-back coastal alternative to Marrakech, offering a more relaxed pace with a historic medina, ocean views, and a strong artistic culture.

Key selling points:

✅ UNESCO-listed coastal medina with souks

✅ Easy twin-centre with Marrakech

✅ Beautiful beaches perfect for surfing & camel rides

✅  Historic seafront ramparts with cannons

Hot Tip: Ideal for clients who want to experience Morocco without the intensity of Marrakech, paired with beautiful, windswept beaches.

The Azores, Portugal

Winter feel: Mild (approx. 14-18°C)

A volcanic archipelago in the mid-Atlantic, a nature-led alternative with beaches, crater lakes, geothermal springs, and dramatic landscapes.

Key selling points:

✅ Europe’s answer to Hawaii

✅ Perfect for whale and dolphin watching

✅ With geothermal pools and volcanic crater lakes

✅  Star-gazing while soaking in natural hot springs

Hot Tip: Perfect for the adventurous - expect travel via Lisbon, but clients will be rewarded with space, scenery and year-round outdoor experiences.

Why This Sells

Close proximity to the UK

Explore without the crowds

Something new and different

Easy to package and sell

Strong cultural and sightseeing appeal

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