6 Great Off-Season Holiday Destinations in Europe

Planning holidays during off-season can be a pain BUT here I come with my top sun-soaked & affordable destinations in Europe!

1. Lanzarote

Lanzarote is such an amazing place, known for its year-round warm weather, gorgeous landscapes and turquoise waters. We also have a huge sentiment for Lanzarote as this is where I said ”YES” 🙂

We stayed at the Lancelot Hotellocated in a perfect place between the beach (just a few meters away) and the city. Very clean, modern hotel with delicious breakfast. Right next to the hotel you will find plenty of restaurants, cycling routes, shops, weekend markets and bike & scooter rentals (where you’d also be able to buy guided tours)

Lanzarote is such a live place with plenty of things to do, so I assure you’ll never be bored 🙂 If you like cycling, renting a bike is the best idea. Exploring the island on the bike in such amazing weather was our favorite thing to do out there.

Some of the places you definitely want to see in Canary Island are Jameos del Aguaand Mirador Del Rio – such an amazing experience, impressive volcanoes, caves and unreal views from the clifftop. Having your own car to move around the island is great, however local rental offices sell great ”day tours” which in my opinion are way way better than driving yourself as you get a live tour guide in (usually 4) different languages, you’ll also skip the ticket line and most important thing: you’ll meet great people!

The Marilyn Lounge Barserves delicious drinks, it’s a great place to chill out.

List of guided tours & other activities in Canary Island: click here

2. Mykonos

I wrote 2 detailed posts abut our trip to Mykonos, including places worth visiting, where to stay & eat etc. so take a look HERE and HERE

We spent five days in Mykonos at the beginning of October. It was very windy but apart from that, the weather was beautiful, on average from 20 to 23 degrees, with early sunrise & late sunsets and sunny days. Too cold for swimming in the sea, but perfect for sightseeing and chilling by the pool & on the beach. Mykonos is a unique place, and in my opinion the best time to visit is early autumn & late spring as most restaurants are still open, you can still get some tan, it’s not crowded and prices are way more reasonable than during peak season.

3. Palma de Mallorca

Picturesque Mallorca is well known for its turquoise water and beautiful beaches, such a dreamy destination! We spent a few days in Mallorca at the end of February, it rained for a couple of hours on the day of our arrival, but the rest of our stay was pleasantly warm.

We stayed at the Be Live Experience Costa Palma. Very pretty, modern hotel with a private beach & great spa, located in the middle of nowhere, but luckily, with an easy access to public transport that will take you right to the beautiful centre of Palma.

Mallorca’s capital, Palma – is beyond beautiful. It’s quite similar to Barcelona in terms of historic sites, landmarks and shopping centres. There are plenty of things to see and do, 1 day would be enough to explore Palma town and then I highly recommend visiting Cap the formentor, Mirador Es Colomer, Playa de Port de Pollensa and Port d’Alcudia. Such an amazing experience with breathtaking views!

4. Alicante

Click here for detailed Alicante guide.

One of the reasons why you should consider Alicante when looking for the perfect holiday destination is the beautiful weather. In fact, winter in Alicante is drier than it normally is in Mediterranean climates, while summer (as is normal) is almost completely devoid of rain.

It’s the perfect place for those who like to explore, but those who prefer more chilled out holidays will be equally delighted with beautiful sandy beaches (I highly recommend San Juan Playa). In less than an hour drive you can also get to Benidorm, so if you’re planning a trip to Benidorm or Alicante, you can tick off both places during one trip.

5. Quarteira

We went to Quarteira (Algarve) in April to celebrate my mum’s birthday and we had such an amazing mummy&daughter time. Detailed post here

I must admit this was one of the most relaxing holidays I’ve ever had. No mobiles, no rush, no worries. In fact, we spent most of our holiday on long walks on the beach, SPA sessions and chit-chats with a glass of wine.

We also decided to visit Seville as my mum really wanted to see it and I couldn’t say no to another adventure and my beloved TacoBell. The distance between Quarteira and Sevilla is over 200km so it’s a long drive – however there are plenty of things you can do in Algarve itself such as: Cruises to Nossa Senhora da Rocha, Benagilor Ponta da Piedade.Faro Old Town is amazing, go and try the traditional Portuguese food!

Quarteira is a small town in the Algarve region, very quiet, suitable for families with children and couples. Long sandy beaches, beautiful promenade, shops with local goodies and restaurants.

6. Malta

Another mama&daughter trip, this time we decided to visit Malta (in early May – just before the start of the season). I remember arriving to our hotel late at night, and realising that most of the people are just starting off their day (at 2am). Malta just seemed like ONE, BIG – NON STOP PARTY, but God I was so wrong thinking that there’s nothing else to do than just getting smashed.

Malta is such a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing island, often underestimated by people who are looking for something more than night escapades. Valetta (where we’ve stayed) is not only Baroque in character, but also modern and still reflecting the Maltese culture. There are 320 monuments in Valetta itself, which makes it the most densely historic area in the world!

There are some amazing cruise deals including Blue Lagoon, Comino, Gozo and Blue Grotto, this is something you just got to see while in Malta. I also recommend getting on a Hop-on, hop-off bus that will take you to the most beautiful places in Malta.