The short answer: the Canary Islands. Tenerife and Gran Canaria average about 23° in December, against about 8° at home, and both are direct from Dublin in around four hours.
Madeira (21°) is the shorter, greener option. Dubai and Abu Dhabi (26°) are properly hot, but it’s a seven-and-a-half-hour flight.
Southern Spain and the Algarve are mild (17–18°). Lovely for a walk and a long lunch, not for the beach.
December in Ireland is dark by half four, and every shop is playing the same song. The good news is that you can be in a place with a pool bar in about four hours. Here’s who’s actually warm.
The warm list, from Dublin
Average daytime highs in December, with direct flight times from Dublin:
| Where | December high | Direct from Dublin | Honest verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | 26° | 7h 20m | Properly hot and properly sunny. The drinks are dear, the sun is free. |
| Dubai | 26° | 7h 40m | Beach weather in December. Can get very expensive. |
| Tenerife | 23° | 4h 20m | The safest bet for winter sun. Dearer at Christmas. |
| Gran Canaria | 23° | 4h 15m | Dunes, a real city and sun in the south. |
| Lanzarote | 22° | 4h | Same warmth, more wind. Bring a layer for the evenings. |
| Fuerteventura | 22° | 4h 10m | Endless beaches and a breeze that never clocks off. |
| Madeira | 21° | 3h 40m | Green, mild and walkable. Not really a beach holiday. |
| Málaga | 18° | 2h 55m | A city break with sun on the side. |
| Faro and the Algarve | 17° | 2h 45m | Golf, walks and long lunches. Not swimming weather. |
Temperatures are long-term averages for the month. Flight times are typical for the route, and not every route runs every day, so check the route pages for what’s on this winter.
Is 23° actually warm?
In the sun, out of the wind, yes. Shorts and a book by the pool, yes. The sea is another matter. It’s a bit fresher in December than in summer, so bring a swimsuit and low expectations. Evenings are cooler, so pack a jumper.
The sun is stronger than the temperature suggests. Wear a high factor, even when it doesn’t feel hot.
Christmas week costs more
Our own scores say it plainly: Tenerife is “dearer at Christmas”. If you can go in the first half of December, or after the New Year rush, you’ll usually have an easier time. If you must go over Christmas itself, book early.
Seven things nobody tells you
- Half of Ireland has the same idea. Book earlier than feels reasonable.
- In the Canaries the south of each island is sunnier than the north. Pick your resort with that in mind.
- Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are windy. Lovely in the heat, less so when the sunhat heads for Africa.
- Madeira’s airport is famous for tricky landings. Flights sometimes divert in strong winds, so leave a bit of slack.
- Winter is high season for the sun. All of northern Europe wants it too.
- Dubai and Abu Dhabi are warm, but dress modestly outside the beach and hotel. Local customs apply.
- You will come home with a tan in December, and people at work will ask questions.
Not from Dublin?
Switch your airport in the sidebar, or see where’s warm in December from every Irish airport.
Bring a jumper for the plane home. You’ll need it at the arrivals door.
Temperatures are long-term averages for December. Routes and flight times are typical and change by season, so check the airline before you book.
