🇨🇻 CAPE VERDE
Cape Verde
Year-round sunshine, wide sandy beaches and lemon sharks in the shallows off West Africa.
Beach✈️ 6h7 nights££
BEST TIMEMAR–JUN, NOV
⛄ HOLIDAY IDEAS
February half term holidays
Winter sun four hours away, or snow, huskies and northern lights. Here's where to go on holiday at February half term, and what each place is like then.
February half term holidays: 16 guides
🇫🇷 FRANCE
Chamonix
Skiing under Mont Blanc in winter, cable cars and glaciers in summer.
Skiing✈️ 2h7 nights£££
BEST TIMEJAN–MAR, JUL–AUG
🇦🇪 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Dubai
Winter sun, water parks and the tallest building in the world.
City break✈️ 8h5 to 7 nights£££
BEST TIMENOV–MAR
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Gran Canaria
Golden dunes, year-round sunshine and a Christmas nativity made of sand, about four hours from the UK.
Beach✈️ 5h7 nights££
BEST TIMEOCT–MAR
🇦🇹 AUSTRIA
Innsbruck
An Alpine city where cable cars from the centre take you up into the snow, with Christmas markets below.
City break✈️ 2h4 to 7 nights££
BEST TIMEJUN–AUG, DEC–FEB
🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND
Interlaken
Mountain trains, glacier views and turquoise lakes in the heart of the Swiss Alps.
Nature & hiking✈️ 2h5 to 7 nights£££
BEST TIMEJUN–SEP
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Lanzarote
Volcanoes, black lava fields and calm golden beaches, with warm sunshine right through Christmas.
Beach✈️ 4h7 nights££
BEST TIMEOCT–MAR
🇫🇮 FINLAND
Levi
Finnish Lapland's biggest ski resort, with husky rides, reindeer farms and Santa in the forest at Christmas.
Skiing✈️ 4h4 to 7 nights£££
BEST TIMEDEC–MAR
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
Madeira
Spring weather all year, toboggans down the streets and cliff walks along old water channels.
Nature & hiking✈️ 4h7 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–JUN, SEP–OCT
🇲🇹 MALTA
Malta
Sunny, English-speaking islands with clear water, old forts and Popeye's village.
Beach✈️ 4h7 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–JUN, SEP–OCT
🇲🇦 MOROCCO
Marrakech
Snake charmers, rooftop pools and the Atlas Mountains on the horizon, a short flight from the UK.
Culture & history✈️ 4h4 to 5 nights£
BEST TIMEMAR–MAY, OCT–NOV
🇫🇮 FINLAND
Rovaniemi
Meet Santa on the Arctic Circle, ride with huskies and sleep under the northern lights.
Adventure✈️ 4h3 to 4 nights£££
BEST TIMEDEC–MAR
🇫🇮 FINLAND
Saariselkä
A tiny village far above the Arctic Circle, with glass igloos, wild fells and some of Finland's best odds of the northern lights.
Nature & hiking✈️ 4h4 to 7 nights£££
BEST TIMEDEC–MAR
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Tenerife
Winter sun, a volcano with a cable car and some of Europe's best water parks.
Beach✈️ 5h7 nights££
BEST TIMEOCT–MAR
🇳🇴 NORWAY
Tromsø
Husky sledding, reindeer and the northern lights, high in the Arctic Circle.
Adventure✈️ 4h4 to 5 nights£££
BEST TIMEJAN–MAR
🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND
Zermatt
A car-free mountain village under the Matterhorn, with snow almost guaranteed at Christmas.
Skiing✈️ 2h7 nights£££
BEST TIMEJUL–AUG, DEC–MAR
February half term holidays: common questions
When is February half term?
Usually a week in mid-February in England and Wales, often the week containing or just after 14 February. Dates vary by council and school, and Scotland's mid-term break is often shorter, so check your school's calendar.
Where is warm at February half term?
The Canary Islands are the warmest choice within about four hours, at around 20 to 22°C. Madeira and Marrakech are a little cooler. For proper heat, Cape Verde is about six hours away and Dubai about seven.
Where can we go for snow at February half term?
February is one of the best months for snow. The Alps, from Chamonix and Zermatt to Innsbruck and Interlaken, are in full ski season, and Lapland and Tromsø have deep snow, longer days and good odds of the northern lights.
Is February half term expensive?
Yes, prices rise sharply in half-term week, especially for ski trips and the Canaries. Book early, and compare flights from different UK airports, as half-term dates differ by area.
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