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For many of us, December means cold weather and Christmas lights. But be aware that in Europe, it is also possible to find beautiful sunny days which will (sometimes) make you take your coat off. Escape the greyness and the rain in the cities that will follow. Just remember to bring your sunglasses. So, where are the sunniest destinations in Europe in December? We will answer this question below!
✒️ Methodology point: to determine the sunniest destinations in Europe in December, we used the sunshine times compiled on the Current Results website.
Valletta and Lisbon, sun guaranteed!
When it comes to sunshine in December, two cities in Europe win, hands down: Valletta in Malta and Lisbon in Portugal.
At the end of the year, the Maltese capital benefits from 155 hours of sunshine throughout the month, which is a record for a big city in Europe. It is a blessing because the city and the whole island of Malta is full of activities for good weather. You can also read our tips for Medina and Rabat.
Lisbon, for its part, has nothing to be ashamed of with 142 beautiful hours of sunshine in December, on average. The Portuguese capital, between its bars, restaurants with generous cuisine, and active cultural life, will therefore be an ideal holiday destination for those who want to travel far from the usual Christmas traditions – that is, cold and hot chocolate.
To this leading duo, Seville can be added. The capital of Andalusia offers generous sunshine all year round, and in December it is not uncommon for it to be over 20 degrees – don’t miss our list of the best hotels there.
Some other sunny destinations in Europe in December
Traveling friends, you can find sunshine in December at the following destinations:
- Monaco (139 hours)
- Nice in France (139 hours)
- Barcelona in Spain (138 hours)
- Marseille in France (135 hours)
- Athens in Greece (127 hours)
- Madrid in Spain (124 hours)
- Andorra (109 hours)
- Podgorica in Montenegro (107 hours)
- Naples in Italy (105 hours)
Which destinations have the least sun in Europe in December?
Of course, if you’re looking to bask in the sun in December, not all of Europe is for you. There are destinations where you won’t see the sun much, even if it doesn’t necessarily guarantee a successful trip.
Among the least sunny destinations on the continent at this time of year, there is Reykjavík in Iceland, Saint-Petersburg in Russia, or Tallinn in Estonia (📝 read our guide). All of these cities have less than 20 hours of full sun on average per month, but they have other advantages!
