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Travelling in January? Few people do, probably because of the end of the year celebrations that call for many trips – especially to gather with family and your loved ones. Yet, this can be arguably one of the most convenient periods for tripping around. Uncrowded, tourist sites readjust their fares, hotels offer rooms at lower prices… However, on the other hand, the sun and good weather are harder to find in January. But fear not, our fellow traveller, some cities have many sunny days in January, too. Here’s our guide for chasing the sun in Europe in January.
Nice, Valletta and Monaco, ideal destinations in January
According to Current Results, over the period of thirty years between 1988-2018, it is Nice that tops the list of sunniest cities in January, with nearly 158 hours of sunshine. The pearl of the French Riviera shares the first step of the podium with Monaco and Valletta, the capital of Malta (for which you can find must-see recommendations in our guide).
Some other sunny destinations in Europe in January
In addition to the above-mentioned destination, the authors of Destination(s) Europe, also fell in love with Seville in January. The Andalusian capital offers beautiful days in the beginning of the year, sometimes exceeding 20 degrees Celsius, giving locals and tourists a foretaste of spring.
Here are some other ideas for a getaway in Europe if you can’t wait for spring to arrive:
- Barcelona in Spain (149 hours of sunshine in January)
- Madrid in Spain (148 hours)
- Marseille in France (145 hours)
- Lisbon in Portugal (144 hours)
- Athens in Greece (129 hours)
- Podgorica in Montenegro (121 hours)
Which destinations have the least sun in Europe in January?
If you are looking for sunny destinations for the start of the year, there are some cities in Europe that might not be for you. Thus, if you were thinking about going to the northeast of the continent, maybe put off your trip to later in the year. Saint Petersburg (Russia) and Tallinn (Estonia) have less than 25 hours of sunshine in January.
The other two Baltic capitals of Vilnius (Lithuania) and Riga (Latvia) are not much better off. Both only have just around thirty hours of sun, all in all, during this period.