January is Europe’s coldest month, but a short flight south still buys you lunch outdoors and a long walk in shirtsleeves. We ranked seven places by their official January averages, taken from each country’s national weather service, so you can pick a weekend on facts rather than brochure promises. They suit anyone who wants light, warmth and a proper town, not a sunbed.
How we ranked them
Every figure below comes from a national meteorological service: AEMET for Spain and the Canaries, IPMA for Portugal and Madeira, and Malta’s Meteorological Office. We used the long-term average daytime high for January where it is published, and named the weather station and period each time. AEMET’s normals cover 1981–2010 and IPMA’s cover 1991–2020, so treat differences of half a degree as a tie.
Two honest caveats. First, these are averages, not forecasts: any January can bring a cool, wet week. Second, warm air doesn’t mean warm water. The sea is at its coolest in late winter everywhere on this list, so a swim is a brisk dip for most people, not a lazy float.
Warmest places in Europe in January: 7 picks ranked
1. Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
The Canary Islands sit off the coast of Africa, and their capitals have the mildest January days on this list. AEMET’s Santa Cruz de Tenerife station records an average January high of 21.0°C and an average low of 15.4°C (1981–2010), with about 178 hours of sunshine and only around four days of rain in the month. Evenings stay mild enough for dinner on a terrace.
Santa Cruz is a working port city rather than a resort, which makes it a good weekend base. The old university town of La Laguna is a short tram ride uphill and noticeably cooler, and Mount Teide can be cold and snowy at the top. Our Tenerife weekend guide has a full two-day route.
Best for: The most reliable warmth in Europe, with a real city attached.
2. Gran Canaria, Spain
Gran Canaria runs Tenerife very close. At AEMET’s Gran Canaria Airport station, on the east coast between Las Palmas and the southern resorts, January averages a high of 20.8°C and a low of 15.0°C (1981–2010). It also has the most January sunshine of the stations here that publish it, about 184 hours, and around three days of rain.
Las Palmas pairs an old quarter in Vegueta with the long city beach of Las Canteras. The south of the island, around the Maspalomas dunes, is generally sunnier than the capital, which can sit under cloud. See which Canary Island is best to compare the islands.
Best for: Sunshine plus a city beach for long walks.
3. Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Funchal is almost as mild as the Canaries. IPMA’s Funchal station gives an average January high of 20.0°C and an average low of 14.3°C (1991–2020). It is wetter than the Canaries, though, with about six days of rain and 67 mm in the month on average, so expect showers between sunny spells.
The city climbs steeply from the harbour, with gardens in flower through winter and the cable car up to Monte. Levada walks follow old irrigation channels into the hills, where it is far cooler and cloudier than on the coast. Our Madeira in winter guide covers the route and the mountains.
Tip: Pack a fleece and a waterproof for any trip into the hills; the coast and the peaks can feel like different seasons.
Best for: Gardens, walking and a mild Atlantic winter.
4. Málaga, Spain
Málaga has the warmest January days of the mainland cities we checked. AEMET’s Málaga Airport station records an average January high of 16.8°C, with about 180 hours of sunshine (1981–2010). Nights are much cooler, with an average low of 7.4°C, and rain falls on around six days in the month.
That is still enough for a long lunch outside and a walk along the port to Malagueta beach. Spend the cooler hours in the Picasso Museum, then climb to the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castle for the view over the bay. Our Málaga weekend guide has the full plan.
Best for: Museums, tapas and sunshine without leaving the mainland.
5. Faro, Portugal
On the Portuguese mainland, the Algarve coast is milder than Lisbon. IPMA’s Faro station gives an average January high of 16.3°C and a low of 8.3°C (1991–2020), with about six days of rain in the month. IPMA’s Faro normals do not include sunshine hours, so we have left that out.
Faro is a calm, compact city with a walled old town and the Ria Formosa lagoon on its doorstep, which makes it a good base for a slow weekend of walks and fish lunches. It is also the main airport for the rest of the Algarve coast.
Best for: A quiet Portuguese weekend with lagoon walks.
6. Seville, Spain
Seville is inland, so its January days are almost as mild as the coast’s but its nights are colder. AEMET’s Seville Airport station records an average January high of 16.0°C and a low of 5.7°C (1981–2010). It gets about 183 hours of sunshine, among the most on this list, and around six days of rain.
Bright winter days suit the city’s courtyards and orange trees, and you can see the Real Alcázar and the cathedral without summer’s heat. Bring a proper jacket for the evenings. If your trip covers 5 January, the Three Kings parade is one of the biggest in Spain: see our Three Kings parades guide. Our Seville weekend guide has a two-day route.
Best for: Sunshine and Moorish palaces, if you don’t mind cool nights.
7. Valletta, Malta
Malta is the odd one out: its Meteorological Office doesn’t publish January temperature norms on its site, so we can’t rank it on the same numbers as the others. What it does publish is the rainfall norm: 79.3 mm for January (1991–2020), so expect a few wet days.
Valletta is small and walkable, with the Upper Barrakka Gardens looking over the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities. Plan an indoor option for a showery afternoon. Our Valletta weekend guide covers the rest.
Best for: A mild Mediterranean capital with harbour views.
How to choose
For the warmest days, go to the Canaries: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Gran Canaria both average highs of about 21°C, with mild nights. Choose Funchal if you’d rather walk and see gardens, and accept a few more showers. Málaga, Faro and Seville give you highs of about 16–17°C, plenty of sun and colder evenings, with more culture packed into a weekend. Valletta is the pick for a small, walkable capital by the sea.
Lisbon is a popular January break, but it is noticeably cooler and wetter than the places above. IPMA’s Lisbon (Gago Coutinho) station gives an average January high of 14.4°C and about ten days of rain (1991–2020). It still makes a lovely winter weekend; see our Lisbon weekend guide.
Tip: On Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the south is usually sunnier and drier than the north, so choose your base with that in mind.
FAQ
What is the warmest place in Europe in January?
The Canary Islands. AEMET’s normals give Santa Cruz de Tenerife an average January high of 21.0°C and Gran Canaria Airport 20.8°C (1981–2010). Funchal in Madeira is close behind at 20.0°C, according to IPMA (1991–2020).
Is it warm enough to sunbathe in Europe in January?
On the Canaries and Madeira, sitting in the sun at midday is often pleasant, with average highs of about 20–21°C. On the Spanish mainland and in Malta, days are mild rather than warm, and evenings call for a jacket.
Can you swim in the sea in Europe in January?
You can, but the sea is at its coolest of the year, even in the Canaries. Most people will find it a short, bracing dip rather than a swim to linger over.
Where is the warmest city on the Spanish mainland in January?
Of the cities we checked, Málaga has the highest January average high, at 16.8°C at Málaga Airport (AEMET, 1981–2010). Seville is close at 16.0°C but has much colder nights.
Is Malta warm in January?
Mild rather than warm, but Malta’s Meteorological Office doesn’t publish January temperature norms on its site, so we don’t give a figure. Expect some rain: the January norm is 79.3 mm (1991–2020).
