Winter Warmers – where can you go in the Winter that offers warmer weather?

Traditionally people have been jetting off to the Canaries, the Caribbean, Africa or the Far East. But here are some other options…

Turkey

So why mention Turkey? For many reasons, including its climate, historic attractions, value-for-money lifestyle, all of which have helped raise its profile as a nation in our conscience, and also helped boost their economy.

As a Winter destination, whilst it doesn’t offer the hottest weather, that might be available on the other side of the World, it is significantly warmer than the UK and doesn’t require a long distance flight. Flights are approximately 4 hours from the UK. Winter Weather is mild along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Places like Kuşadasi enjoy temperatures of up to 18° centigrade during the day and 10° centigrade at night, from December until March. Swimming is a possibility from Mid April.

What’s more there’s plenty to see and do from historic sites near Kusadasi, such as Ephesus, to golf, along the Mediterranean, to its largest city, Istanbul (and the ancient capital of the Eastern Roman Empire then known as Constantinople) is a place where East meets West and imbued with lots of history and culture.

Turkey continues to attract large numbers of tourists, total visitor numbers were 28.4m in 2009. 104,000 foreigners own property in Turkey, of which Britons are the largest single group of overseas property buyers at 32,000 according to the Turkish Land Registry (July 2010). Some of these, are no doubt holiday home purchases, used in Winter months.

Where to go?

Bodrum has always been the famous town that has attracted the holiday-making British. So much so, that new developments all seem to give a Bodrum address, even if they are 45 minutes to an hour and a half away. However an emerging secret is Kuşadasi, which is on the Aegean coast (the same as Bodrum) where property prices can be up to a third cheaper. It has a fabulous combination of golden sandy beaches, along a pretty coastline surrounded by oodles of history (Ephesus and Temple of Apollo to start with), a marina for the yachting fraternity and a nightlife to rival Bodrum’s.

Because Villas with shared swimming pools can be as low as €120,000, buyers can seriously look at buying a villa, for the same price as an apartment, in other countries. Property prices are generally undervalued by European standards.

Odd to have these two countries as selections alongside each other, given the friction between the two countries (Turkey’s European Union membership bid could be vetoed by Greek Cypriots, while the island of Cyprus remains divided, with the North occupied by Turkey) but here goes…

Cyprus

A diverse setting, 75 km (47 miles) south of the Turkish coast, Cyprus offers skiing in the Troodos Mountains in the morning and beach-bathing in the afternoon. Paphos is always a popular place to stay: unlike resorts such as Ayia Napa and Protaras, it remains open year-round.

Cyprus has an intense Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers from mid-May to mid-September and rainy winters from November to mid-March, but with December and January being the worse months. These are separated by rather short autumn and spring seasons. Temperatures can be as high as 22°C in January along coastal areas, reaching 30-36°C in April in the lead-up to temperatures of up to 40°C in Summer

It is a country that offers a lot for holiday-makers.  Its “snowbirding” reputation (a place for people to visit when winter sets in elsewhere) means holiday properties can be used for up to 7 months a year. English is widely spoken, there is a well-developed infrastructure and its legal system is based on English Common Law. It is a 5 hour flight from the UK, so still closer than going to the Caribbean or the Far East if you are happy to make the trade-off of distance versus a degrees centigrade. Many have bought overseas properties in Cyprus to take advantage of this warmer climate and avoid severe Winter weather.

Morocco

Whilst not in Europe, it is one the African nations closest to Europe and a ferry trip, or short flight, from Spain. But like Cyprus, it offers the chance of snow, (in the Atlas mountains near Marrakech) as well as sunshine, during the Winter months.

Daytime temperatures can be as high as 17°C in January in places like Marrakech, Tangier or Fes and up to 21°C a bit further south, in the likes of Casablanca.

Other then the temperature it always helps to check out when Islamic festival occur as Ramadan can affect your travel arrangements. Because these are fixed on the lunar calendar (rather than the Gregorian one used in Europe) they can vary from August to October.

Fabulous Moroccan property is coming onto the market and people are renting for holiday home income.

So why not consider European destinations to keep you warm this Winter, or as a holiday home location?

Author Louise Reynolds, Property Venture^®  Posted 1st December 2010

Property Venture®, is an independent, European property expert, who helps people buy holiday homes and investment property in Europe and the Mediterranean, more easily and safely than they can on their own, because they offer grounded common-sense advice. Their focus is mainly: Spain property, Turkey property, Poland property, Morocco property, Cyprus property, Bulgaria property and Montenegro property. They are overseas members of the professional body: National Association of Estate Agents, the NAEA. This means they have been subjected to the membership criteria and have signed up to the professional code of conduct, established to help potential buyers or investors, buy overseas property with confidence.

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