Endless Summer

“Bye bye, Sun! See you next year!” These depressing words needn't pass your lips as winter looms, since plenty of remaining sun is pouring into destinations around the Mediterranean, from Marrakesh to Malta, the Algarve to Tenerife. We're all going on a summer holiday!

So what if the days are getting shorter and winter’s on its way? You want more sun, more fun, less crowds and cheaper prices right? Lucille Howe highlights seven Ryanair destinations and what to do in them for your perfect end of year sunshine getaway.

ALGARVE, PORTUGAL

HOT-O-METER: Five to six hours of sunshine per day in winter and temperatures from 15-19°C, though the sea on the Atlantic will be cool.

DO: Don’t just tan! Well, ok do tan, but also maximise on the beaches being less crowded by charging up and down them and splashing in the shallows on a horse. There are equestrian centres (Centros Hípicos) at Tavira, Lagos, Albufeira and Portimão, and though these ones are set further inland, they do offer transport to the golden sand and riding sessions on the beach to help you fulfil your dream. Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago are also perfect for inland gallops where the soft sandy soil and enchanting pinewoods make for a comfy and romantic ride, especially if you’re a beginner. Check out Tiffany’s Riding Centre in Vale Grifo for some good options (www.valegrifo.com/tiffanysriding).

STAY: At the Vila Joya boutique hotel in Albufeira. Winter rates are great value, the rooms are lush, there’s a holistic spa, and it boasts the only two-Michelin-Star restaurant in the Algarve where chef Dieter Koschina cooks up fresh lobster, turbot and more into delectable creations. (www.vilajoya.com).

LANZAROTE, THE CANARIES, SPAIN

HOT-O-METER: Temperature in November ranges from 17-24°C with seven hours of sunshine per day.

DO: Boost your vitamin D and stay outdoors where all the best stuff on this volcanic island is! Check out the Mars-like scenery in Timanfaya National Park (tel: +34 928 840057) and the architecture and sculptures of legendary local artist César Manrique. The Manrique-designed venue Jameos del Agua on the north of the island, a series of gorgeous performance spaces and aqua blue pools carved out from the long solidified lava flow is so beautiful it was described by Rita Hayworth as, “the eighth natural wonder of the world.” (see www.discoverlanzarote.com for more info). Or get brown at the 300m long sandy beach at Arrieta while staying at the nearby eco-cool yet super-chic campsite Lanzarote Retreats (www.lanzaroteretreats.com). Open all year round pick from luxury yurts, a “yurt pod” and a new luxury eco-yurt royale which at 82m², with beds fit for a Sultan and a stone walled bathroom, looks more like an eastern temple.

STAY: At Finca Malavasia in the La Geria wine region, a working vineyard with four Manrique-style apartments, a super pool and a landscape of volcanoes beyond. (www.fincamalvasia.com).

MALTA

HOT-O-METER: The winter months are mild, with temperatures rarely falling below 15°C and five to six hours of sunshine per day.

DO: Walk overground and dive under the sea! From mid-November until mid-May the Maltese islands are green and lush with fields full of vegetables, fennel, clover, wild iris and myrtle, perfect for scenic rambles. But alongside your hiking boots make room for some flippers too because the diving on offer is some of the best in the Med! Getting “tanked up” off Malta is great for many reasons: underwater visibility is an average of 30 metres plus by day, it has the cleanest waters in the Mediterranean, temperatures never dip below 15°C in winter and you are very unlikely to see any large predatory fish like sharks. You will see groupers, amberjacks, various bream, octopuses, squid, flying fish, gurnard, stingrays, meagre, bogue, red mullet, parrot fish and the occasional moray eel if you go on a night dive. That’s a lot of fish! Shipwrecks dating back to WWI are there too for all levels of diving experience (they range in depth from 14 to 60 metres). For all Malta diving info visit the Professional Diving Schools Association at www.pdsa.org.mt.

STAY: Hotel Juliani is Malta’s only small design hotel, overlooking the pretty, picturesque bay of St Julian’s. This old fishing village still has traditional fishing boats bobbing up and down in the bay, and you can gaze romantically at them from the rooftop pool. (www.hoteljuliani.com).

SARDINIA, ITALY

HOT-O-METER: 17°C is the average November temperature, with five hours of sunshine per day.

DO: Go yachting along Sardinia’s 55km of coastline and bluer-than- blue waters, and try some of the island’s incredible gelato too. Or just join in the island’s Barbagia festival, which runs until December and is billed as taking place in the island’s “most secret and savage heart”. This is an epic event uniting 27 villages in continued partying and showing off. The commune of Meana Sardo opens the doors of its houses to visitors, welcoming you into the “cortes”, or internal courtyards and giving you the chance to see how the locals live. Their magasinus, the warehouses where local artisans and craftsmen work, will be open too while in the village of Aritzo, the people will be celebrating their plump chestnuts and hazelnuts. For more see www.sardegnaturismo.it

STAY: At the Corte Fiorita in the pretty town of Bosa just south of Alghero. This is a lovely fashionable place, where rustic meets romance, with exposed brickwork and cast iron balconies overlooking the palm-lined river Temo. Close to the beach too. (www.albergo-diffuso.it).

CYPRUS

HOT-O-METER: The coast is where it’s warmest with temperatures in the mid-teens and highs of 20°C. Plus there’s an average of six hours sunshine per day.

DO: Relax, tan on the sand, play golf and spa! Or if you’re more adventurous come autumn/winter you can double your fun by going from beach to black run. Yes, Cyprus is one of those fab destinations where you needn’t choose between a ski holiday and summer sunbathe! Snow falls in the Troodos Mountains from mid-December through to the end of March when winter storms pass over the island and at an altitude of above 1,300m the snow does accumulate, especially on north facing slopes. Mount Olympus, in fact, has a cap of snow on it for three or four months of the year. So get up there and go skiing in the morning before whizzing down to the coast for a swim in the afternoon. (For Troodos Ski School call +356 99 443 450). Alternatively, if you need to relieve tired muscles après ski then try one of the island’s top-notch spas like Aphrodite Hills, Thalassa Boutique Hotel and Spa, Azia Resort and Spa, and Anassa. Ask for a trachana wrap, a treatment exclusive to Sardinia using milk and wheat, and before you ask, no, you don’t eat it!

STAY: So Nice suites located bang on Golden Beach in Ayia Napa live up to their name. The four- star bungalows feature tropical gardens and have an epic pool to cool off in and enjoy cocktails and sumptuous sushi by. (www.sonice.com.cy)

TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN

HOT-O-METER: The south of the island is warmest with an average maximum winter temperature of 21°C, coupled with about six hours of sunshine.

DO: Absolutely everything! Tenerife might just be the best place to keep the whole family entertained. If the kids don’t burn off their energy with the karting, mountain biking or water-skiing, then enrol them for a few bouts of Canarian Wresting (really, it exists) with the basic aim of throwing your opponent to the ground. We also love the fact that you can hire giant inflatable spheres to walk inside like hamsters in the swimming pool (see www.walkonwatertenerife.com). The best news though is that the only thing that will be cold in Tenerife this winter is the beer in your hand. The Tacao Brewery has created six new beers to try, including a banana one in honour of the island’s banana plantations, one named Taco Black (a strong black malt beer) and one named Tacoa Fiesta (a special brew for parties). Enjoy them at the brewery’s on-site bar in El Sauzal, alongside bands playing blues and jazz most nights! (For info email info@tacoa.com).

STAY: Did someone say, “spa”? Oh good! Hotel Beatriz Atlantis has a hydrothermal circuit, with pummelling jets, micro-bubble beds, a Jacuzzi, sauna, Turkish bath, floatarium and an ice fountain. Relaxation to the max! Where are the kids? At the complimentary kid’s club of course... so enjoy yourself! (www.beatrizhoteles.com)

MARRAKESH, MOROCCO

HOT-O-METER: Winter sunshine in Marrakesh never drops below seven hours a day and in November the average temperature is a warm 23°C with blue skies.

DO: The souks, the tea gardens and the riad rooftops see the sun throughout autumn/ winter and the local spices, silks and curly slippers are Christmas presents waiting to happen. If you like the idea of a horse-drawn carriage around Central Park in winter but don’t fancy the freeze then Marrakesh has an alternative for getting you round the best spots. Tour company Isango (www.isango.com) organise horse-drawn jaunts through the city’s prettiest gardens including Marjorelle, designed by the painter and botanist of the same name and later owned by Yves St Laurent. Add to the itinerary the lush 12th- century Menara Gardens with its man-made lake and olive groves, backed by the Atlas Mountains. Can’t remember where your riad is? Don’t worry, they’ll drop you home in time for that Christmas shopping.

STAY: One riad much like another? Wrong! Ryad Najda is a rare gem with a courtyard pool and a bespoke service from tri-lingual manager, Frédéric, and his talented team who can help you organise everything from bike rental, to excursions, to a babysitter. It’s a stone’s throw from the Saadian Tombs and just 10 minutes on foot from the famous Djemaa el Fna square. They’ll arrange airport transfers too. It’s a VIP service at very reasonable rates. (www.ryadnajda.com).