Weather abroad · December

Where's hot in December?

Hot places in our list17 of 63

Quickest flight to 25°C+Barbados, 8h 45m

HottestTanzania, 28°C

December splits into Christmas markets (cold, festive) and winter sun (Canaries, Egypt, Dubai, Caribbean). Prices spike around Christmas and New Year, so book early.

Hot within 5 hours

Nowhere within 5 hours averages 21°C this month. These come closest, and afternoons are 4 to 6°C warmer.

Canary IslandsTenerife19°C4hQuiet
MaltaValletta16°C3hQuiet
SpainMálaga14°C2h 30mQuiet
PortugalFaro14°C2h 30mQuiet

Long-haul heat

Average 25°C or more. Shortest flights first.

BarbadosBridgetown27°C8h 45mBusy and pricier
Dominican RepublicPunta Cana26°C9hBusy and pricier
TanzaniaZanzibar28°C9h 30mBusy and pricier
JamaicaMontego Bay26°C9h 45mBusy and pricier
MexicoCancún25°C10h 15mBusy and pricier
SeychellesMahé27°C10h 30mBest value
MaldivesMalé27°C11hBusy and pricier
Sri LankaColombo26°C11h 15mBusy and pricier
BrazilRio de Janeiro25°C11h 45mBusy and pricier
ThailandBangkok25°C12h 15mBusy and pricier
MauritiusMauritius26°C12h 30mBusy and pricier
CambodiaPhnom Penh27°C12h 45mBusy and pricier

Pleasant city breaks

12 to 20°C and under 4 hours away: good for walking all day.

MaltaValletta16°C3hQuiet
SpainMálaga14°C2h 30mQuiet
PortugalFaro14°C2h 30mQuiet

Cold-weather breaks

2°C or colder on average and under 5 hours away: Christmas markets, snow and northern lights.

NorwayOslo-5°C2hBest value
CzechiaPrague-1°C1h 45mBusy and pricier
IcelandReykjavík0°C2h 45mBest value
FinlandHelsinki0°C2h 45mBest value
SwitzerlandZurich0°C1h 30mBusy and pricier
AustriaVienna0°C2hBusy and pricier
HungaryBudapest0°C2h 15mBusy and pricier
PolandKraków0°C2h 15mBest value

Temperatures are 24-hour monthly averages for one city in each place. Flight times are straight-line estimates from Heathrow. Season labels show our when-to-go rating for December.

Book December sun

Compare hotels in the warmest short-haul picks.

Canary Islands hotels Malta hotels Spain hotels

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Questions people ask

Where is hot in December within 5 hours of the UK?

Nowhere in our list averages 21°C or more within 5 hours this month. Look at long-haul options.

Where is good for a city break in December?

Malta (16°C), Spain (14°C), Portugal (14°C) are all under 4 hours away and pleasant for walking all day.

Where is the hottest place to go in December?

Of the places we track, Tanzania is hottest, averaging 28°C in Zanzibar.

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Waymark summarises official UK government (FCDO) travel advice and other public sources to help you plan. It is not a substitute for that advice, which can change at short notice. Always read the latest FCDO page for your destination and check your insurance before you book. Content last checked 22 October 2026.