Grab a hot chocolate, wrap up warm, and plan your next festive getaway with our seasonal travel inspo

Czech Republic

Iceland

Norway

Denmark

Sweden

Spain

Wales

As soon as December arrives, some of the Jack's Navigators kind of lose the plot. In particular, our Member Experience Lead, Jo, gets a little carried away with all the festivities, and this year, she decided to share Christmassy facts from around the world with the team.
In the spirit of the season of giving, I thought I'd gather all our fave nuggets of seasonal wisdom together in one place to share them with you. And where better to start than with the cute little&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inspirationswholesale.co.uk/blog/christmas/what-are-gonks-where-are-they-from/">gonks</a> that have been creeping into Christmas decor in recent years?
The eyeless infiltrators started life in Scandinavia as nisser, small spirits that live in a family&rsquo;s house or barn and secretly act as their guardian. All would go swimmingly if a nisse felt appreciated - they would protect the family and its animals from evil, and they might even do the farmyard chores.
You don&rsquo;t want to offend a nisse, though. One too many tea breaks or forgetting to leave out the obligatory <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-risengrod">bowl of porridge on Christmas Eve</a> is enough to get you in the bad books, and that&rsquo;s when the pranks start. Tying cows&rsquo; tails together and turning objects upside down sounds fairly silly and mostly harmless, but word has it they&rsquo;d also break things or even attack people.
These days, nisser are considered friendly Christmas spirits who might still pull a few pranks here and there (much more elf on the shelf). They became the bearers of gifts in Denmark in the 1840s, with Sweden and Norway following suit later in the 19th century. The <a href="https://backyardgoats.iamcountryside.com/ownership/julbock-swedens-legendary-yule-goat/">Yule Goat</a> had previously held the reins on Scandi Christmas, but now they occasionally show up to hand out gifts together.

Iceland does things a little differently, of course, with not one but thirteen J&oacute;lasveinar, aka <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-thirteen-yule-lads-icelands-own-mischievous-santa-clauses-180948162/">Yule Lads</a>, and their rather unorthodox family. The Yule Lads come down from their mountain home one by one on the nights leading up to Christmas to give gifts.
Much like the nisser, their mean and violent tendencies have been softened over the centuries, so now they&rsquo;re just seen as mischief-makers. Their appearance has also changed with time - the story goes that their mother, Gr&yacute;la, is a troll, so they used to resemble weirdly proportioned elves, but have been increasingly depicted as human over time.
Icelandic children traditionally leave a shoe on their windowsill each night from 12th December until Christmas Eve in the hopes of getting a gift from the Yule Lads. Naughty kids needn&rsquo;t bother, however - unless they really want to get a potato (sometimes raw, sometimes rotten). And that&rsquo;ll certainly be your fate if you forget to leave out a <a href="https://whydyoueatthat.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/day-1-laufabraud/">laufabrau&eth;</a> &nbsp;for them, too.

<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en">CC image</a> courtesy of <a href="https://flic.kr/p/2pRuJpS">Joe Slabotnik on flickr</a>
So here are the 13 lads you&rsquo;ll want to be looking out for over the next week. Thanks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nordicvisitor.com/blog/the-13-yule-lads-of-iceland/">nordicvisitor.com</a> for the clear explanation!
<ol type="1">
<li>Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod) on 12th December &ndash; He sneaks into barns to steal milk from sheep.</li>
<li>Giljagaur (Gully Gawk) on 13th December &ndash; This Yule Lad has a taste for cow&rsquo;s milk and he&rsquo;ll take it straight from the barn.</li>
<li>St&uacute;fur (Stubby) on 14th December &ndash; The shortest of the lads, he swipes leftover food from frying pans.</li>
<li>&THORN;v&ouml;rusleikir (Spoon Licker) on 15th December &ndash; He licks spoons, of course.</li>
<li>Pottasleikir (Pot Licker) on 16th December &ndash; This guy will steal unwashed pots from the kitchen so he can lick them clean.</li>
<li>Askasleikir (Bowl Licker) on 17th December &ndash; He snatches bowls out from under beds and gobbles up any morsels of food.</li>
<li>Hur&eth;askellir (Door Slammer) on 18th December &ndash; He slams doors, and he&rsquo;ll do this all night if he finds any open.</li>
<li>Skyrg&aacute;mur (Skyr Gobbler) on 19th December &ndash; He&rsquo;s ravenous for skyr, Icelandic yoghurt, and will pinch any that's up for grabs.</li>
<li>Bj&uacute;gnakr&aelig;kir (Sausage Swiper) on 20th December &ndash; Hide your sausages or this guy will eat them.</li>
<li>Gluggag&aelig;gir (Window Peeper) on 21st December &ndash; He&rsquo;ll peep through windows in the hope he can steal something.</li>
<li>G&aacute;tta&thorn;efur (Door Sniffer) on 22nd December &ndash; You&rsquo;ll find this large-nosed lad sniffing doorways in pursuit of baked goods.</li>
<li>Ketr&oacute;kur (Meat Hook) on 23rd December &ndash; He&rsquo;s hungry for meat, so lock up your lamb chops!</li>
<li>Kertasn&iacute;kir (Candle Beggar) on 24th December &ndash; Finally, the last of the Yule Lads is known for making off with candles.</li>
</ol>
We&rsquo;re sure we&rsquo;ve already spotted a few of these guys out at work Christmas parties&hellip; looking at you, Spoon Licker!
But that&rsquo;s not all - their evil troll mother is like the Icelandic Child Catcher, said to venture around Iceland looking for naughty children to whisk away in her sack. The only thing all the legends agree on is that she and her husband Leppal&uacute;&eth;i were cannibals, otherwise it&rsquo;s up to us to decide <a href="https://guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/gryla-and-leppaludi-the-parents-of-the-icelandic-yule-lads">how many tails</a> and how many children they each had.
But one thing we know for sure is that together they own the giant <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/each-christmas-icelands-yule-cat-takes-fashion-policing-extreme-180961420/"> J&oacute;lak&ouml;tturinn</a>, or Christmas Cat. She stalks the darkness on Christmas Eve, preying on anyone who didn&rsquo;t get new clothes as a gift this year&hellip;

<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en">CC image</a> courtesy of <a href="https://flic.kr/p/2knktqz">Vicious Bits on flickr</a>
The only thing better than Halloween is Christmas! The only thing better than that is an amalgamation of the two (Nightmare Before Christmas). A perfect mixture of weird and dark with sparkly joy. If this sounds like your kinda holiday, well then I have some good news for you: there's a Christmas tradition in&nbsp;Wales that's made to order!
The tradition of Mari Lwyd dates back to the end of the 18th century, but it&rsquo;s believed to have much older Pagan origins.&nbsp;A horse skull is mounted on a stick, decorated with ornaments and ribbons, and adorned with a large cloth to hide the person beneath. You'll find the former horse galloping door to door around Christmas, carried by a group of merry carollers, who also challenge the people inside with rhymes and riddles.
This ritual is known as&nbsp;pwnco, where the Mari Lwyd troupe tries to win entry to a household by outwitting its occupants in a battle of rhymes. You could call it some kind of ancient rap battle. If they succeed, the carollers are welcomed inside and treated to food and refreshments before moving on to the next house.
Mari Lwyd is considered good luck for every household it enters, so it&rsquo;s rarely defeated in a rhyme contest. Win or lose, most are happy to welcome them in!

The festive season in the Czech Republic is all about finding love for the new year and predicting marriage. If you're in the market and bored of Tinder, here are a few tips:
Shoe chucking:
Stand with your back to the door (any door will do) and chuck a shoe over your shoulder. If the toe lands pointed towards the door, then it is meant to signify that you will marry in the new year. If the toe points any other direction, better luck next time!
The elder tree shimmy:
Třesu třesu bez, pověz ty mi pes, kde můj mil&yacute; dnes! (Shake, shake, shake the elder tree, tell me, dog, where my love will be!) 
These are the words that single ladies may want to recite while standing under an Elder tree and giving it a good shake. Once you're done, stand quietly and listen out until you hear a dog barking. Whichever direction the sound comes from is the direction from which your future husband will appear.
Barborky a.k.a. cherry tree twigs:
On St. Barbara's Day, which lands on the 4th of December, cut a twig off a cherry tree and place it in a vessel of water. If the twig blooms before Christmas Eve, there's a good chance we'll be hearing wedding bells in the new year!
Water faces:
Head down to your closest body of water, like a pond, river, lake, or even a big puddle. Bend over the water and think seriously about marriage. After some time, you'll see the face of your future husband in the reflection of the water. We're unclear exactly how long 'some time' is, but that's the thing about superstitions &mdash; they're rarely very precise.

Ti&oacute; de Nadal (a.k.a. Caga Ti&oacute;, a.k.a. Poop Log) is a festive wooden log that appears in houses around Catalonia each Christmas. No Ti&oacute; is complete without little stick legs, a painted cheerful face, and a traditional Catalan&nbsp;barretina hat. Every family has their own unique log, some with a simple charcoal face while others are more intricately decorated.
Ti&oacute; de Nadal becomes part of the Christmas celebrations from the 8th of December (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) and stays till Christmas Eve, placed in his own special corner of the home. The kids in the house are responsible for keeping their festive friend covered with a blanket to stay warm, and for keeping him fed. Tangerines, cookies, nuts are ideal to 'prime' him for the big day. 
Every evening, the children gather around&nbsp;Ti&oacute; and sing him traditional songs while hitting him with a stick. It's all part of the process, honest! The better&nbsp;Ti&oacute; is treated by the children during his stay, the better their rewards come Christmas.
On either the night of the 24th or the morning of the 25th, Caga Ti&oacute; is taken from his corner and completely covered with his blanket, before being placed in the middle of the room. The kids then gently beat him with a stick one final time and lift the blanket to see what Ti&oacute; has "pooped" out for everyone. The little treasures usually range from sweets and small trinkets to toys and large presents.
Equal parts whimsy and delight, the&nbsp;Caga Ti&oacute; isn&rsquo;t just about making a cheery log &ldquo;poop&rdquo; gifts. It is designed to help children learn values like patience and generosity, while also enjoying the magic of Christmas.&nbsp;

We&rsquo;ll round off by heading back to Czechia for more seasonal superstitions. Christmas dinner is eaten on 24th December, and comes with an incredible plethora of food related customs and superstitions that need to be followed. It's quite the list and, if it were me, I would absolutely need to take notes and create a checklist. So, let's get stuck in:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">By chucking a piece of V&aacute;nočka (Christmas bread) into a well, your water will be good quality in the new year </li>
<li dir="ltr">To make sure your bees produce enough honey, you should also sprinkle a few V&aacute;nočka crumbs in front of the bee hive </li>
<li dir="ltr">Want your cows to be the best milk producers on the meadow? Feed precious Daisy a piece of bread on Christmas Eve! </li>
<li dir="ltr">Tired of evil lurking around every corner? Place honey on your Christmas table to protect your guests against bad luck and evil in the new year! </li>
<li dir="ltr">And if you don't place garlic&nbsp;under the table, are you even celebrating Christmas? These little cloves are believed to bring strength, and provide protection to everyone around the table. <img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/b64164ab45bafe9f989ed728b20e289b2ab6abd6" width="245" height="367" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> </li>
<li dir="ltr">Sweeter milk from your family goat? Give them a sweet treat on Christmas Eve! By sharing your apples with Sally, you'll be blessed with sweeter milk. </li>
<li dir="ltr">Traditionally, a meal called Kuba, made from onions, mushrooms, garlic, and barley, was served at Christmas dinner as part of the main course. Nowadays, it's often replaced by mushroom soup for supper. The mushroom portion of the meal is the important part, though, essential for providing strength and health in the new year! </li>
<li dir="ltr">On the 24th of Dec, dip a sheaf of grain into holy water (ideally not obtained by nefarious means) and sprinkle the water all over your house, both inside and out, to ensure that your home is safe from being burnt down over the next year! </li>
<li dir="ltr">Want enough eggs to feed an army? Heck yes, omelettes and the aforementioned sweetened goat milk cheese sounds delish. Well, in that case, you need to feed a variety of poppy seed, peas, wheat, and barley to your chooks on Christmas Eve to guarantee eggs for everyone!</li>
</ul>

What are your top festive facts from around the world? Drop 'em in the comments, or else Santa will bring you a lump of coal!

Jack's Festive Facts from Around the World

Italy

This article was originally published in The Detour in August 2024

A First-timer's Guide to Italy at Christmas

Q:&nbsp;&ldquo;So, I am planning a trip to Italy over Christmas holidays, specifically December 25 - January 1. I am not a world traveler. To be fair, I have only been to Mexico, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas out of state. I know&hellip;boring! But I so desperately want to see other places.&nbsp;
That being said, I need advice on where to go during the winter months. This is a Christmas gift to my 23 and 27-year-old kids and my husband and me. We do not want to ski and we are budget minded. My knowledge of traveling in other countries is limited so I have some anxiety about planning and maneuvering through different parts of Italy. I definitely want to experience the food and wine scene, but also want to visit Rome and the historical landmarks. There&rsquo;s so much information available that I am overwhelmed right now. Please help.&rdquo;

Hey, reader, I absolutely feel you &mdash; organising your first trip to Italy is definitely overwhelming&hellip; there&rsquo;s just so much to see!
For a 7-day trip, I&rsquo;d suggest two types of itinerary:

The Classic&nbsp;&mdash; Rome &amp; Tuscany
Why? Start with a bang with a deep-immersion into Rome&rsquo;s magic, and then get lost in Tuscany&rsquo;s hills for the rest of the trip.
How? Book a round trip ticket to Rome (unless you find some budget-friendly&nbsp;<a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/how-to-find-and-book-cheap-multi-city-flights?lid=rxr5x03eqyyj">multi-city trips</a>&nbsp;landing/taking off from Florence) and plan your first three days in the capital. This allows you plenty of time to walk through the main parts of the city, and to overindulge in&nbsp;<a href="https://italysegreta.com/20-foods-you-must-eat-in-rome/?lid=xnhi8gedygd3">carbonara and Roman artichokes.</a>

On your fourth day (or, the third evening) hop on a high-speed train up to Florence and spend a day ticking off the main sights in the birthplace of the Renaissance &mdash; Uffizi, David and Duomo Cathedral non-negotiable! Also, don&rsquo;t forget to stop for a&nbsp;<a href="https://italysegreta.com/11-best-panino-shops-in-florence/?lid=7cwhhbst6kht">lampredotto</a>&nbsp;for lunch.
Spend a night in Florence and kick off your last two days by renting a car and driving around the Tuscan countryside. The&nbsp;<a href="https://italysegreta.com/wild-boars-stolen-peaches-and-the-long-road-from-florence-to-siena/?lid=ko0mb0yppo55">picturesque hills and borghi</a>&nbsp;around Siena, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, and Orvieto will make you forget about the crowded spots you&rsquo;ve just been through. Plus, it&rsquo;s the kingdom of&nbsp;<a href="https://italysegreta.com/tuscan-farmhouses/?lid=99v4f1rgsobm">agriturismi </a>and vineyards, so good&nbsp;<a href="https://italysegreta.com/natural-wine-in-tuscany/?lid=miv1jjny4wnv">(natural!)</a>&nbsp;wine and food is guaranteed!
Hot Tip:&nbsp;You don&rsquo;t need to return the car in Florence, drive all the way down to Rome and leave the car at the airport before your flight :-)

The Hardcore&nbsp;&mdash; Venice, Florence &amp; Rome
Why?&nbsp;Personally, I believe these are the essentials for a first (short) trip to Italy. They&rsquo;re rich in history and culture, and all very different from each other.
Plus, they&rsquo;re conveniently connected by non-stop, high-speed trains (Trenitalia&rsquo;s&nbsp;Frecce), which will make the transport process easy and comfortable. Just remember to book your train in advance &mdash; the earlier, the better!
How?&nbsp;It&rsquo;s a more upbeat itinerary, which would be ideally planned with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/travel/flights/search?tfs=CBwQAhopEgoyMDI0LTEyLTI0ag0IAxIJL20vMDJfMjg2cgwIAxIIL20vMDdfcGYaKRIKMjAyNC0xMi0zMWoMCAMSCC9tLzA2YzYycg0IAxIJL20vMDJfMjg2QAFIAXABggELCP___________wGYAQM&amp;hl=en&amp;curr=USD&amp;lid=j2sj7u8nyu9h">multi-city trip like this one&nbsp;</a>(assuming you&rsquo;ll be flying from New York City).&nbsp;
You can start by landing in Venice (or Milan and then hop on a train to Venice, if that&rsquo;s more budget-friendly) and spend two days in Venice. This will give you enough time to check out the touristy attractions on the first day (like San Marco square, Rialto bridge, the Biennale, etc) and stroll around more local neighbourhoods (like&nbsp;<a href="https://lionsinthepiazza.com/cannaregio-venice-guide/?lid=2zvf153sjkfg">Cannaregio</a>&nbsp;&amp; Giudecca), or hop over to Murano, Burano, and Torcello during your second day.

Then, onto an evening (or early morning train ride) to Florence. The same 2-day plan applies here, to visit both the upper and lower Arno neighbourhoods, and fill your belly with Chianti classico and fiorentina. I shared some restaurant recommendations in&nbsp;<a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/detour-144-cruise-debate-continues?lid=p8kw18fvewte">this past Detour edition</a>.
Finally, onto the capital. Rome is immense, and two days are definitely not enough to discover all the city&rsquo;s wonders, but you&rsquo;ll be able to tick off the Coliseum, the Pantheon, and the prettiest piazzas in the city.
It is worth looking for a (free) walking tour in each of the three cities on the first day. That way, you&rsquo;ll be sure to visit all the essential sights ASAP!
Whichever itinerary you end up choosing, I strongly recommend booking your trains, accommodation, and museum tickets in advance &mdash; these cities tend to get a significant amount of (especially local) tourists over the Christmas holidays.

Christmas in Italy for First Timers

Trinidad and Tobago

Antigua and Barbuda

Philippines

United Arab Emirates

England

Canada

United States

Australia

Scotland

India

Ireland

South Africa

Portugal

Who does Christmas best, according to the JFC Team!

Greece

Japan

Georgia

Colombia

Germany

How to do Christmas differently this year: 5 unexpected places to get festive

Some winters are best seen in motion, and Switzerland&rsquo;s panoramic train promises just that.
Winter. My spirit does not gleefully jump at the fading light, soggy gloves, and single-digit temperatures on either side of zero.
Nor does it dance with the bare-naked trees when I picture gusts of tiny needles hitting my face. Or the sting of the cold in my ears that haunts me long after I&rsquo;ve slammed the door to the frozen world outside.&nbsp;
Yet for every scratchy woolen layer, stiff finger, and runny nose, there exists a winter worth savoring. The one from the warmth of a window.&nbsp;

Windows offer an intimate glimpse of the outside world when we step inside, away from the hustle. They serve as a projector, reeling back micro-moments of &ldquo;humanness&rdquo; that we might not necessarily catch on a check-box trip; a dog leaping through a fresh blanket of snow, waddling toddlers bundled in bulky snowsuits, a street vendor meticulously hanging the last strand of tinsel on their awning. 
Call it travel voyeurism. The joy of a quiet, captivating secret beyond the glass.&nbsp;
There may be no better window from which to watch the season unfold than on the Glacier Express&mdash;and that&rsquo;s exactly where I found myself earlier this year.
The world&rsquo;s &ldquo;slowest express train,&rdquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://glacierexpress.ch/en">the Glacier Express</a> winds unhurriedly through some of Europe&rsquo;s most iconic winter scenery, linking the ritzy resorts of Zermatt &amp; St. Moritz.

With 360 panoramic windows, it&rsquo;s a photographer&rsquo;s dream, though you&rsquo;ll want one hand free for a glass of champagne and the extravagant meals provided onboard.&nbsp;
Chugging through alabaster valleys, alpine villages, and towering mountains, the journey takes eight hours to complete.&nbsp;

With the Matterhorn hidden in the early morning haze, we depart Zermatt. This time of day is quieter&mdash;most groups choose to catch the later train.

Pine forests and pastures peel back in slow motion, revealing wooden hamlets and steeples tucked into the valley below.
The staff on board tell me that the Glacier Express wasn't always luxurious. It launched in 1930, and originally it was a mixed-use mountain train, hauling milk, mail, and livestock along with passengers. Back then, the journey used to require swapping locomotives&mdash;steam here, electric there&mdash;so early passengers had to wait while the locomotives were changed multiple times.&nbsp;

For a moment, I watched my reflection blend into the snow outside, like winter was trying to borrow me for a second.&nbsp;

Inside, the carriage felt like a cocoon: warm air hissing through the vents, windows fogging then clearing with every shift in altitude. I spotted someone two rows up wrapping their hands around a warm mug.
An elderly couple to the left were speaking about the construction of the route; entire teams lived in alpine huts for months, blasting through rock metre by metre with picks and dynamite.&nbsp;

The train slowed just enough for passengers to wander toward the space between carriages, the unofficial photo spot where the windows opened. Winter rushes in, threatening to color our cheeks rosy.

Chugging forward, a flurry of snow and sepia welcomes us into a world of monochrome. Frozen tundras, powdered hills, and just a hint of alpine blue.
I find myself wondering how many travellers before me stared out this same window, spiralling into their own frost-fed musings. If you bottled every mid-winter epiphany that's happened on this train, I bet you could probably power a whole extra carriage.

From behind the warm glass, watching this lone skier felt almost intimate. A small figure moving with a kind of stubborn calm.&nbsp;

What struck me the most was the contrast. Inside the carriage, my world hummed along effortlessly. Outside, someone was earning every metre with breath, sweat, and muscle. Two different winters unfolding at once, separated only by a sheet of glass.&nbsp;

<h2 id="if-you-go-a-few-glacier-express-notes-worth-tucking-away">Essential Tips For Your Glacier Express Trip</h2>

Seats book out early - and they&rsquo;re mandatory
The Glacier Express requires a paid seat reservation&nbsp;on top of your rail pass or ticket. Reservations open about three months ahead, and winter departures fill quickly (especially window seats in panoramic cars).
You can get your ticket and seat reservations at a steep discount by <a href="https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/glacier-express.htm#fares:~:text=First%20some%20explanation.%C2%A0%20Listen%20up%2C%20I%27m%20going%20to%20save%20you%20some%20money.">following the instructions here</a>. Tested it myself!

Light and views change with direction
If you&rsquo;re heading&nbsp;Zermatt to St. Moritz, the right-hand side gets the soft morning light and wider views approaching the Oberalp Pass. Going the opposite way, flip that.
Winter = warm carriages, cold glass
The sun turns the panoramic cars into a cozy greenhouse. Wear layers you can shed, and bring a microfiber cloth &mdash; fingerprints and mist gather on the glass faster than you&rsquo;d think.
Meals are served in 1st &amp; 2nd class. Food is freshly prepared onboard and served at your seat. Both 1st and 2nd class passengers can buy meals on board (or pre-order if you&rsquo;re picky), but feel free to bring snacks if you&rsquo;d rather nibble. Payments on board are card only.&nbsp;
The vestibule windows open
At certain slow sections, the little space between carriages becomes the unofficial photography spot. The windows open there &mdash; perfect for a breath of fresh air without stepping into a blizzard. Some Swiss passengers got angry at me when I stuck my head out the window to take pictures, but the train crew confirmed it was okay. Watch out for tunnels, though; I almost got decapitated... twice.&nbsp;
The route has a rhythm
The Oberalp Pass is the showstopper, but the descent into Andermatt and the clustered villages afterward are just as magical. Don&rsquo;t try to capture everything. Some scenes are better absorbed than saved.

Next up:&nbsp; I&rsquo;ll be swapping the Glacier Express for the Bernina, travelling from St. Moritz across the Alps to Tirano and continuing on to Milan.

Winter Through a Window: The Glacier Express in 15 frames

Mauritius

Costa Rica

Gambia

Vietnam

Thailand

Cambodia

Laos

As soon as the temperatures begin to drop, the requests for winter sun recommendations start piling up in our inbox. And we don't blame you at all; winter sun holidays are about the only thing that get us through those dark and dreary months!
Some of you are just in need of a quick, cheap winter break, while others are on the hunt for good spots to combine a vitamin D top-up with a bit of remote working.
As a general rule, we&rsquo;d suggest you head south for extra daylight and temperatures above 16 &deg;C (well known for being the point at which it becomes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taps-aff.co.uk/#search">&ldquo;Taps Aff&rdquo; weather</a> here in Scotland). If you want a little more to go on, we&rsquo;ve drawn up a short-list of exciting winter sun spots beloved by the Jack's team and Community alike.
<h2 id="cadiz">Cadiz, Spain</h2>

Temperatures: 16-18 &deg;C in January - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;It's supposedly the oldest city still standing in Europe, dating back to the 12th century. Beautiful cathedrals, Roman ruins and authentic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.manvsglobe.com/best-taps-restaurants-bars-where-to-eat-cadiz-spain/">tapas bars</a>&nbsp;are tucked away around every corner in the narrow alleyways of the Old Town.
The locals also know how to throw a party, rehearsing all year for their world-famous&nbsp;<a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-cadiz-carnival/">Carnival</a>&nbsp;that takes places over 11 days in late February - March.
<h2 id="mauritius">Mauritius</h2>

Temperatures:&nbsp;22-27 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?

"What&rsquo;s not to like with Indian and East African influences mingled in with British and French culture? People are hospitable, weather is great (remember it&rsquo;s summer in January) rum tastes good, and I&rsquo;d be happy to return tomorrow!" - Avril

Temperatures&nbsp;- 16-17 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;- You'll find it hard not to rush outdoors and breathe in the Azores&rsquo; fresh mountain air. The islands are <a href="https://www.muchbetteradventures.com/magazine/hiking-in-the-azores-a-guide-to-the-best-hikes-in-azores/">made for hiking</a>, with trails leading you to waterfalls, around volcanic craters, and along the craggy coastline. And although you may never have heard of a&nbsp;<a href="http://grutadocarvao.amigosdosacores.pt/en">lava tube</a>, we bet you&rsquo;ll want to snoop around inside one now that you know it&rsquo;s possible on S&atilde;o Miguel Island.
We&rsquo;d also recommend&nbsp;<a href="https://www.winetraveler.com/portugal/azores-islands/">visiting a local winery</a>&nbsp;or two - just for science, of course. Despite the extreme growing conditions out there in the middle of the Atlantic, wine has been made there for hundreds of years.
<h2 id="c">Costa Rica</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 16-27 &deg;C in January - March, depending on the area
Why should I visit? Sorry to be clich&eacute;d, but there genuinely is something for everyone in Costa Rica. Sun, sea, surf, and sand? Check. Mountains, rainforests, volcanoes, and lakes? Check. Colourful birdlife, howling monkeys, and <a href="https://www.slothconservation.org/blog/with-a-little-help-from-my-friends-sloths-moths-and-algae">green-tinged sloths</a>? Also check.
Plus, the Jack's team is&nbsp;obsessed&nbsp;with <a href="https://puravidamoms.com/what-is-salsa-lizano-from-costa-rica/">Lizano Salsa</a>!

&ldquo;We enjoyed Costa Rica this past January, although we only stayed in Tamarindo for a week. If we had more time we would travel to other areas in Costa Rica. In January, we had little rain if any and it was hot. Perfect time to go on boat cruises and lounge around the pool.&rdquo; - Sharrie

Temperatures&nbsp;- 32-34 &deg;C in January - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;- For one thing, the people of Gambia are famously friendly, earning it the nickname &ldquo;The Smiling Coast of Africa&rdquo; (okay, that may have something to do with the&nbsp;<a href="https://face2faceafrica.com/article/ever-wondered-why-the-gambia-is-called-the-smiling-coast-heres-why">shape of the country</a>, too).
Despite being reliant on tourism, the country&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gambia.co.uk/blog/a-beach-lovers-paradise">beaches remain uncrowded</a>, and you don&rsquo;t have to hike for hours to find a secluded spot. You can have all the luxury of a Caribbean resort for much less. Then again, it&rsquo;s easy to immerse yourself in local life by staying in&nbsp;eco lodges&nbsp;and hitting non-touristy spots like Tanji, with its <a href="https://www.mewithmysuitcase.com/2022/09/tanji-fish-market.html">fish markets</a>.
Word to the wise: if you&rsquo;re not into fish guts and strong aromas, sit this one out.
<h2>Cape Town</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 25-29 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;

&ldquo;It has everything. We used to spend three months there for many years. Cape Town has masses of things to do apart from 1000 wine estates to visit. Then there are amazing safaris to go on. The food and wine scene is fantastic.&rdquo; - Christine

Oh, and the <a href="https://onegirlwholeworld.com/africa/boulders-beach-foxy-beach-penguins-south-africa/">tiny penguins</a>, obviously!
<h2 id="s">South East Asia</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 15-30 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit? Okay, okay, we know this is a whole region, but we find it hard to pick just one spot. Northern regions of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam will offer cooler jungle vibes, while central areas will be a little warmer, just right for checking out some temples. And then there are the coastal spots, and all those famous Thai beaches.&nbsp;
If we had to choose, we'd say: don't! Take your time, and work in some winter sun on the beach as well as the jungle fun.

&ldquo;Thai beaches are always a good idea, especially in January. It certainly isn't the rainy season in, e.g., Phuket then! Koh Lanta and other nearby islands, plus beaches North of the airport, have a slower pace than the racier party beaches in the South, near Phuket town. Or for cheaper, more developing options: Cambodia or Vietnam.&rdquo; - Catherine
<hr>
"Asia is a very good option to spend January in! Countries like Vietnam (the only one I have been to Asia so far, which I absolutely loved), Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, see temperatures around 30C which can make it appropriate for swimming! The other perk of Asia compared to other areas in the world is it's cheap!"&nbsp;- Marilena

There you have it, readers - our top suggestions for trips to wash away the winter blues.
Where's your favourite winter sun destination? Let us know in the comments!

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