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Where to go in January
New year, new views…
Re-energise the post-festive slump by staying in snow-bound beauty spots, wallowing under winter sun or keeping the celebrations going with lively festivals and calories-don’t-count feasting.
Switzerland
Avg. temperature: high 5ºC; low -10ºC
Switzerland in January is the land the Grinch forgot — extending Christmas’s cosy airs all the way from Geneva to St Moritz. Mistletoe-white pistes, elf’s workshop-worthy Alpine villages and holiday-cheery locals nailing the chic-knitwear brief are your cues to (snow)plough on with festive spirit all the way to the 31st. And feasting on raclette brings cheese lovers their own epiphany.
Phuket
Avg. temperature: high 31ºC; low 25ºC
Once the sequins and sherry are looking a little forlorn, Phuket is the place to escape to for guaranteed winter sun, even though technically this month sees some of the island province’s coolest temps (a stat that will no doubt draw a tear from the denizens of northern Europe). Swap the dark, short days of January for palm-tree-lined, powdery beaches and Michelin-approved street food in Phuket Town.
British Virgin Islands
Avg. temperature: high 28°C; low 24°C
The ‘January blues’ takes on new meaning in the British Virgin Islands, where sea and sky seamlessly blend. Crystal-clear conditions draw divers to shipwrecks and coral reefs, and ivory yachts to the calm waves above. Island-hopping unearths a treasure trove of emerald palm trees and turquoise coves, plus a glut of rum-pouring and lobster-serving shacks are your sailing pit stops.
Panama
Avg. temperature: high 29ºC; low 24ºC
Not content with having a man-made, wonder-of-the-world canal to woo visitors with, Panama entertains in January with jazz festivals, and a flower and coffee fair that overspills into nighttime revelry. It’s cosy with the equator, so you’re guaranteed sun for river cruises, chilling by the coast and diving with great visibility.
Canary Islands
Avg. temperature: high 24°C; low 15°C
If Last Christmas is still stuck in your head come January, jump ship to the Canary Islands, where world-class orchestras strike up for the archipelago’s classical music festival. Winters here may not be scorching enough for a swim, but sunny strolls through pretty seaside towns will boost your Vitamin D, and milder temperatures are ideal for volcano-cresting hikes and tastings in lava-hewn vineyards.
Colorado
Avg. temperature: high 8ºC; low -9ºC
Described as the ‘dead of winter’ for the Rocky Mountain state, January brings bountiful rewards for those who brave the cold. Iced peaks backdrop upscale winter resorts, where the snowy terrain is world-class and the après-ski is in full flow. Also embracing the chill, Denver bolsters its weatherproof haul of museums, restaurants and retail catnip with cheek-rosying park-walks and ice skating for all.