00:00Hello and welcome to TravelSmart, your weekly guide to the best of travel from
00:05the independent. We aim to inspire, entertain and inform about the industry
00:10of human happiness, as well as advise on how to stay warm this winter without
00:14actually turning the heating on. Today we're talking about one of our favourite
00:19topics, winter sun.
00:31In the Northern Hemisphere, winter sun is largely a question of degrees.
00:37Generally, the closer you get to the equator, the higher the temperature goes.
00:45Traditionally, British aristocrats used to travel to the south of France for a
00:50winter warmer and the Côte d'Azur remains a firm favourite. There are lots
00:55of flights from across the UK to Nice Airport, from where resorts such as Cannes,
01:01Saint-Tropez and Joins-les-Pins are easily accessible. A personal favourite is
01:07the tranquil port of Villefranche, just over the hill east of Nice, which is
01:12officially the sunniest city in France. We've also been studying the sunniest
01:19places in Italy and the island of Sicily is the clear winner.
01:26Catania and Palermo both have direct flights from the UK and more sunshine
01:31than any other big Italian cities. As well as their metropolitan attractions,
01:36both cities are close to superb beaches. Cefalu, as seen in White Lotus season 2,
01:42is less than an hour east of Palermo, while the beach down the hill from
01:47Taormina is only 40 minutes north of Catania.
01:52Southern Sicily is the same latitude as the far north of Africa, where Morocco
01:58and Tunisia compete for your attention. Both countries have great beaches and
02:04desert landscapes, as well as a rich history with towns and cities growing up
02:10around thriving souks.
02:15New air routes mean easier access than ever, with frequent flights from London,
02:21Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh to Marrakesh, a city full of colour and
02:25energy within easy reach of the Atlas Mountains, if you'd like to stretch your
02:30legs. But there's no contest for the country with the most certain winter sun
02:35in North Africa, it's Egypt. There is an array of indulgent Red Sea resorts
02:41awaiting your attention. Sharm el Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula offers great
02:46swimming and snorkelling, while Haggadah on mainland Egypt gives easier access to
02:52the nation's archaeological treasures. I particularly recommend a trip down the
02:58Nile, starting in Aswan and passing through Luxor on the way to Cairo. You
03:05can cruise all the way, but if you're short of time there are good air and
03:09rail links as well.
03:17Time to head south at the equator, where of course our winter sun becomes their
03:23summer sun. At the deep south of Africa, Cape Town delivers joyful seaside life
03:31with the additional temptation of wine country close by and the garden route
03:36stretching along the coast. You'll encounter superb scenery and tranquil
03:41towns beside the Indian Ocean. And talking of the Indian Ocean, my favourite
03:47archipelago isn't the Maldives, but the even more entrancing Seychelles. This
03:54archipelago boasts great beaches and much more, including a spectacular
03:58mountainous spine that reaches almost to 3,000 feet. Moving into Asia, southern
04:05India and southern Thailand offer the prospect of sunny skies through the cold
04:10northern months, as well as low living costs and delicious food. You might choose
04:17to take your winter sunshine in a city, in which case Singapore provides a wealth
04:23of experiences and some surprisingly good beaches. And with its excellent air
04:29links, Singapore gives access to all those Australasian temptations.
04:41Now we have time for one question with Simon. Kathy is going on an Antarctic
04:49cruise this January, very lucky woman, and she would love to get some winter sun
04:54along the way. Which South American nation would offer her the richest
04:58experience? Well of course she could choose from the beaches of Brazil, great
05:03cities like Buenos Aires, but actually if you want to pack the most of South
05:08America into a single country, it has to be Colombia. The great thing about there
05:13is that it's going to be fantastic weather in our winter. You've got
05:17everything from the beautiful Spanish colonial city of Cartagena, amazing
05:23Andean mountains and the Amazon rainforest.
05:28Well that's all we've got time for now, but do get in touch with your personal
05:33favourite winter sun destinations and journeys. And for all the latest travel
05:38news, reviews and advice visit independent.co.uk forward slash travel.
05:43And do have a listen to my daily travel podcast.
06:03you
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