'Hawaii of Europe' that has year long summers is only a few hours away from UK
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: pawel.gaul/Marco Bottigelli /Getty Images
If this bleak and blustery British weather has you day-dreaming of summer plans and sun-soaked vacations overseas, believe me, you're not the only one.
And as you join millions of UK holiday-makers in imagining what the long, hot days of June, July and August have in-store for them, you might be weighing up which of the world's sunniest spots you'd like to venture to in summer 2024.
It turns out, however, that if work restrictions or a clash in plans mean you're only able to jet off out of peak season, you won't need to sacrifice your love of warmer climates.
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We're not talking about taking a 24 hour trip Down Under, or a lengthy voyage to the multitude of Caribbean islands.
No - there's actually a dreamy holiday destination a lot closer to home, which some visitors have described as the 'Hawaii of Europe'.
We are, of course, describing Madeira, which manages to remain a darn sight warmer over there than it is in the UK all year around, and there's plenty to do with your time while you're there.
So if you want to lounge around and do very little then the islands will provide, while if you're looking for wine, hiking and stunning views of mountains and the sea, then this Portuguese island is yet again an obliging travel destination.
Even now as we plunge further into the winter, the islands are enjoying sunny weather and temperatures in the high teens.
There's even an added bonus for Brits deciding to travel over on holiday, Madeira is in the exact same time zone as the UK so you won't even need to reset your watches or go through all the hassle of losing an hour.
Another benefit is that since the place is so small, once you get there everything is pretty much within easy reach.
If you get tired of swimming in pools formed from volcanic rock, then you can go and spot some of the island's architecture and history, and if that gets old, you can go track down the source of the island's namesake wine.
Football fans can also see a monument of Cristiano Ronaldo in the form of a statue at the airport.
However, it's not that terribly funny one which sort of looks like him if his face was squashed and he was in horrible discomfort.
If none of that sounds like your cup of tea, then perhaps we can recommend some caravan park in Dorset where you can spend a week in February staring at the rain while your accommodation steadily sinks into a field.
You know, we just like to let you know there's options on the table.