Family christmas holiday advice

Emmadollface

Hi all,

I'm looking for advice on family holidays. We are a family of five, which includes 3 young boys aged 3,8 and 11. I am looking to book a holiday somewhere warm over christmas. I am aware of the canaries, and wondered if anybody could give some advice on locations and reasonable holiday deals?

Thanks x

InsideInsurance

Warm at winter is never going to be reasonable in price - assuming that's what you mean. If you want to go to somewhere like southern spain/ portugal etc then the premium for Xmas is a fair bit lower but the weather is a lot less guaranteed to be good. You will also find a number of places will be closed due to the low tourist numbers.

Normally you'd be in jeans/ tshirt in the day and a jumper or medium coat in the evening but you can get rain, cold and even snow.

Doshwaster

It depends on how "warm" you want. Sitting outside warm or sunbathing warm? If you want "hot" then you won't find it in continental Europe.

I usually go to southern Spain around Xmas and New Year. Some tourist towns shutdown but it's fairly lively around Benalmadena and Fuengirola. There it is usually nice enough to sit outside during the day but you will need a coat at night as the winds pick up. I've also done Christmas in Barcelona which was as busy as any time during the year but isn't cheap.

However this year the flights to Malaga are more expensive than usual so I'm going to Cyprus for a change. I've never been there before but I found some reasonable flights to Larnaca and a cheap self catering apartment. I may just hire a car for the week and explore.

It also depends on your budget. If money is no object then I hear that the Caribbean is the place to be.

richardw

Do you want warm or hot?

Mands

Doshwaster wrote: »

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However this year the flights to Malaga are more expensive than usual so I'm going to Cyprus for a change. I've never been there before but I found some reasonable flights to Larnaca and a cheap self catering apartment. I may just hire a car for the week and explore.

It might still be worth packing jeans & sweaters, if not the winter coat. Out of curiosity: which apartments? I used to live in Larnaca, and might know it or the area.

Mands

hollydays

The canaries are a good choice. Be aware if you go ai that they may try to charge you extra for a New Years Eve gala meal, or you might find an operator that includes it. Also they have a day called three kings day , like a bank holiday ( 5th / 6th jan) massive airport queues last time I travelled home on that day, I think it's because they are low on staff.

Doshwaster

Mands wrote: »

It might still be worth packing jeans & sweaters, if not the winter coat. Out of curiosity: which apartments? I used to live in Larnaca, and might know it or the area.

I'm not too bothered about the weather as I'm not one for sunbathing. Whatever it is then it is sure to be better than here.

It's the Sun Hall Apartments just off the promenade. The Tripadvisor reviews are mixed but it is in a good location and I'll be using it mostly for sleeping. I like SC apartments not for cooking there but because they have a kettle and fridge.

InsideInsurance

hollydays wrote: »

Also they have a day called three kings day , like a bank holiday ( 5th / 6th jan) massive airport queues last time I travelled home on that day, I think it's because they are low on staff.

Xmas is far from universal in what they believe and when things are celebrated. In many countries Xmas Eve is the special day and not Xmas Day. Most tourist places however know our preferences and so do lay something on for us.

If you want the big party you really need to follow the locals and their traditions, after all you are in their country. I have spent Xmas in many different places in the world and often the Xmas day thing was a rather poor event aimed purely at the UK immigrants (refuse to call the ex pats) and tourists and really was a poor comparison. Really very Little Britain in nature.

With my wife not being from the UK we do both Xmas Eve (her tradition) and Xmas day (my tradition). Thankfully we dont have kids yet and so haven't had to clarify if Father Christmas/ Santa Claus or Baby Jesus brings the presents

Doshwaster

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Xmas is far from universal in what they believe and when things are celebrated. In many countries Xmas Eve is the special day and not Xmas Day. Most tourist places however know our preferences and so do lay something on for us.

I got caught by this the first time I went to Spain for Christmas. I was having a good time on Christmas Eve and planning on what I was going to do for the evening when suddenly everywhere closed at 6pm. And I mean everywhere - even McDonalds - as that's when everyone goes home for the big family dinner and to midnight mass. I was left with the choice of sitting hungry in my hotel room or wandering around deserted streets in search of food. Some bars did then open at midnight and I was eventually able to find something to eat.

Christmas Day by contrast was a fairly normal day with bars and restaurants open, loads of people around and public transport running.

Mands

Doshwaster wrote: »

I'm not too bothered about the weather as I'm not one for sunbathing. Whatever it is then it is sure to be better than here.

The warmer clothes are for inside, not outside Construction methods and levels of insulation are very different in Cyprus to those used in the UK. As a result some holiday apartments and some houses, particularly the type bought by expats, can be quite chilly in winter.

It is lovely to sit outside, in an sheltered spot, in winter to enjoy the sun but come dusk, once people go back indoors it can be nippy. The upstairs of my home, with no heating but thick stone walls, regularly drops to sub-10 degrees in winter.

The good news is that winter-proper is short, usually about 6 weeks, and you'll be arriving before it sets in. January & February can be cold and wet but December is usually much nicer.

Doshwaster wrote: »

It's the Sun Hall Apartments just off the promenade. The Tripadvisor reviews are mixed but it is in a good location and I'll be using it mostly for sleeping. I like SC apartments not for cooking there but because they have a kettle and fridge.

I've not been inside but Sun Hall is a great location, right down at the marina end of the promenade, Finikoudes.

If you want to stock up on groceries you'll be within a 30 minute walk of the best fruit & veg place (Prinos), a big Carrefour supermarket and a bright and shiny Lidl which is well-priced an good for lots of basics.

If you're traveling with someone else you might want to take a look at The Entertainer book. It's full of hundreds of 2 for 1 deals on food and drink with a variety of places in Larnaca. There are also a growing number of Groupon-type sites that regularly feature restaurants and bars.

https://www.theentertainerme.com/Cyprus/products/print/Entertainer-Cyprus-2014-2015

http://www.scontoplaza.com/

http://www.hoteldeals.com.cy/

http://www.dailydealscy.com/Larnaca

Aside from that food and drink on Finikoudes is priced for the captive tourist market. Step back one street or head down a side street and you should see lower prices.

How long are you here for?
Mands

Edited to add: no affiliation with any of the companies linked to

Doshwaster

Thanks. I'll save that information for the trip. I'll be there 26 Dec to 3 Jan.