Once the glow of Christmas has worn off, we all need something to look forward to. How about a cheap winter holiday? Whether you're after sun, snow, or seasonal fun, here's where to go in 2025.
January and February are never fun times in the UK. Aside from the perpetual grey skies, it's a long time until January payday and even longer weeks until the summer holidays. These are just some of the many reasons why winter holidays are on the increase.
Statistics show that nearly a third of people surveyed say they plan to take a winter holiday or break this year, and booking numbers are increasing by 16% annually.
Going away to find winter sun tops the tables at 31%, followed by city breaks (22%) and ski holidays (9%). Winter bookings have also increased to long-haul destinations like the Caribbean and Asia, with bookings to Asia up by 17%.
With school fines coming into effect for this academic year, most families plan to get away during the February half-term. Taking advantage of that and lower term-time prices, 36% of people aged between 25 and 34 and 33% of those over 65 plan to take a winter holiday between January and April.
Whether you're looking for a post-Christmas break, winter sun, or a February half-term getaway, here's what you need to know.
Snow and ski trips
1. Slovenia & Bulgaria
It's no secret that hitting the slopes has an expensive reputation. Still, luckily for those of us who are not rolling in money, Europe has hundreds of affordable ski resorts, from underrated Eastern European resorts in Slovenia and Bulgaria to popular destinations like France and Italy.
Ski season in Slovenia is one of the best budget places to head this ski season. Destinations here include Mariborsko Pohorje and the Vogel Ski Center, where day ski passes are just £31, and slopes are kid and beginner-friendly.
Deals are also fantastic, especially at the start and end of the season; for instance, a four-star hotel with flights for late December is just £332 pp in Kranjska Gora, with Expedia.
Borovets in Bulgaria also offers some of Europe's best budget-friendly skiing. It's easy to reach from Sofia, and thanks to its location in Bulgaria's highest mountain range, there's guaranteed snow.
Hotels are budget and affordable, ski lessons are less than half the price of the average trip to Val d'Isere, and six-day lift passes cost £210. Travel here for seven days with Balkan Holidays for £648 pp, including flights, half board, transfers, and hotel.
Alternatively, booking a hotel through Booking.com will cost £349 for 7 nights and buying flights to Sofia with Ryanair for £87 pp (plus £45 for ski equipment) and the transfer from Sofia to Borovets is £50, meaning you can get there cheaper for around £331 pp.
2. France
Ski holidays are almost always cheaper if you drive yourself and do your own cooking. One underrated resort is Val Cenis in the Maurienne Valley, in the heart of the French Alps. Here, you'll find varied pistes and a lack of crowds, even at half-term.
If you don't want to drive, you can fly to Chambery, which is 1 hour and 30 minutes away from London with British Airways, £130 return. Renting an apartment with Booking.com is around £600 for 7 nights.
3. Switzerland & Italy
Of course, you don't have to ski to enjoy the snow, and one of the best trips is the Bernina Express from Italy to Switzerland.
This Instagram-friendly express crosses a winter wonderland of 196 bridges, passes through 55 tunnels, and rises to 2,253 meters, making its rail line one of the highest in Europe.
Tickets for this train cost just £130 for a two-day round trip between Chur, Switzerland, and Tirano, Italy, and back to Chur (4 hours and 40 minutes) or £65 for a one-way trip from Switzerland to Italy (2 hours and 20 minutes).
You will need to book flights to Chur or Tirano, and it's worth staying over in either town, especially in January or February, when there is likely to be fresh snowfall.
4. Reykjavik
If you want to stay in one area and enjoy the winter views, you can't go wrong with Reykjavik, Iceland. It's four hours from the UK, and you have a good chance of seeing the Northern lights in all their glory.
Trips in February cost just £249 pp for flights and hotel with Love Holidays, which gives you ample spending money to check out the Northern Lights, and one of the many thermal spas in the area.
City breaks
1. Bratislava
Jet2CityBreaks has launched a new holiday destination, Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Packages are on sale until 19 May 2025, with twice-weekly services from Manchester and Birmingham airports on Monday and Friday.
Considered a hidden gem, Bratislava is nestled along the Danube River and is packed with beautiful museums, castles, and food (plus Christmas markets if you want to head there in December).
Prices for flights and hotels start from £400 in December and £300 in January. Once there, prices are a third lower than in London and 20% less than in Manchester.
2. Copenhagen
Copenhagen is next up as one of the most relaxing places for a city break, and in winter, the cosy Danish hygge culture makes it even more enjoyable.
Spend time at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, the world's second-oldest amusement park. Tivoli is a magical winter wonderland in the winter months, with a Christmas market in December featuring thousands of fairy lights.
A city break to Copenhagen over the New Year is £350 pp (flights and hotel) and drops to £180 pp in January (flights and hotel) with Expedia.
3. Krakow
If you're looking for a place with low prices and vibrant nightlife, head to Krakow, Poland.
Krakow is worth visiting for many reasons. Its cafes, restaurants, and marketplaces make for a genuinely satisfying city break, especially in winter. Be warned, though, that temperatures range from 1 to -5 in January but start rising from then on in.
A city break to Krakow costs £250 pp for flights and hotel rooms with Easyjet Holidays. However, outside of a package, you can fly to Krakow for £80, return with Wizz Air, and find a good city centre hotel for around £150 for three nights, making it a budget-friendly city break at just £155 pp.
4. Prague
If you're looking for a snowy fairytale landscape, Prague is the place to be. Plus, now that nighttime stag and hen pub crawls have been halted, the city is even more welcoming.
December, January, and February are excellent times to visit their famous Christmas Markets. With temperatures between -1 and 4 degrees, you can wrap up and walk around the historic quarter, then head to one of the many coffee houses for a hot chocolate and pastry (try a kolache or busty).
You can fly to Prague with British Airways in January from £180 pp for flight and hotel.
5. Budapest
Finally, consider Budapest. Here, you'll find the historic thermal Szechenyi Baths, which stay open all winter. Two thermal springs, one at 74 °C and the other at 77 °C, supply the water, making it a must-do on any trip to the city.
If you're looking for a hotel, book one overlooking the Danube. If you fancy a bit of luxury, you can stay at the five-star Corinthia, Budapest, for just £350 for three nights.
Packages to Budapest cost from £150 pp in January and include flights and hotel with LoveHolidays.
Winter Sun
1. South Africa
According to the Post Office Travel Money's latest Long Haul Holiday Report, Cape Town, South Africa, is now the top best-value destination surveyed. Thanks to falling local prices and a weaker South African rand, British holidaymakers are seeing costs drop by 12% compared to last year.
With Love Holidays, a two-week holiday to Cape Town with flights and the hotel is £1299 pp, but the costs are extremely low once you are there.
For instance, a three-course meal costs 300 Rand, about £13, and a glass of wine costs £2. Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope & Penguins: A tour that includes park fees recommended by 98% of travellers costs from £40 pp and a game reserve wildlife safari from £100 pp.
2. Europe & North Africa
Are you looking for a short-haul destination with guaranteed sun? If so, the Canary Islands (Tenerife and Lanzarote) might not be the best place this year as they are currently besieged by the anti-tourist 'Canary Islands Have a Limit' group.
Malta and Morocco are good replacements for the Canaries. Malta's average winter temperature is 16 degrees (61 F), and it does not drop below 14 degrees (57 F). In Morocco, daytime highs range from 63°F to 68°F (17°C to 20°C).
Plus, both are super budget-friendly. Seven nights in January in Marrakech will cost £187 pp with flights in a four-star hotel with OnTheBeach and £147 pp to Malta for flights and hotel again with OnTheBeach.
3. Thailand
You need to go long-haul for hotter temperatures, and nowhere in Asia does the sun better from December to March than Thailand. Temperatures reach 34 degrees in January and February, with balmy evenings around 21 degrees.
Head to Thailand's Andaman Coast for a hot winter destination with epic locations, cheap hotels, excellent food and plenty of winter sun. Think Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Lanta.
Ten days in January in Thailand costs just £700 pp with Love Holidays at the 4-star Nova Express Pattaya Hotel, which has a rooftop swimming pool, a fitness centre, and an outdoor freshwater pool. British Airways offers a similar deal to Phuket, which is £750 pp in January.
So those are our tips for winter sun, snow and skiing, but what are yours? Let us know over on Facebook.
