If you want to escape over Christmas but can’t bare the thought of missing out on turkey and mince pies, Malta is a good choice. You’ll find the festive favourites on many Maltese menus, joined by local delicacies such as treacle ring biscuits (Qaghqa tal-Ghasel), warming sweet chestnut and cocoa (Imbuljuta tal-Qastan) and Italian panettone.
Stay on the north coast of the island in St Julian’s at the swish four-star Marina Hotel Corinthia Beach Resort (above) which has a spa, indoor pool, superb sea views and is a short walk from restaurants and bars. Departing December 20, seven nights room-only costs from £690 per person including flights from Gatwick.
Other Christmas & New Year breaks from loveholidays include:
Shopping and sun in Abu Dhabi this Christmas
Forget battling the Boxing Day sales, and head to Abu Dhabi this Christmas where shopping sprees and sunshine go hand in hand. Leave the cooking to the chefs, and instead relax with a book on a sun lounger, take a dip in the pool and enjoy a tempting spa treatment. Shopping is something of a national pastime in Abu Dhabi and it won’t disappoint, with the city home to some of the world’s largest malls. For the ultimate thrill, give the rollercoasters a ride at the Ferrari theme park and cool off in the many waterparks.
Pick a hotel near the malls and with a private pool, such as the stylish Al Seef Resort & Spa by Andalus. Departing December 23, a week’s stay (room only) costs from £1,140 per person based on two sharing, including flights from Heathrow.
Light up the skies for 2018 in Dubai
With a skyline like none other, Dubai puts on a New Year’s Eve fireworks display to rival all others. There are plenty to choose from but loveholidays’ favourites are the spectacular light and water show by the Burj Khalifa, best admired from the foot of the world’s tallest building, and the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah display, which can be enjoyed from Kite and Jumeirah Beaches. Alternatively, head up high in one of the many skyscrapers and watch the sky light up in a multitude of colours.
Stay at the three-star Regent Beach Resort with an outdoor pool and just 100 metres from the beach. Departing December 29, a four-night stay (room only) costs from £1,385 per person based on two sharing, including flights from Heathrow.
Family fiesta in Fuerteventura
Say goodbye to 2017 from the Canaries this year where tradition here – and across Spain – dictates that eating 12 grapes as the clock chimes in the New Year, brings good luck! Grapes aside, enjoy a week’s winter sun with the family in Fuerteventura and stay at the Pierre et Vacances Fuerteventura Origo Mare Holiday Village, a four-star resort ideal for families. There’s a kids’ club, playground and waterpark, plus several pools, a games room and a shuttle to the beach, meaning families won’t be short of things to do.
Departing December 30, a seven-night stay at the Pierre et Vacances Fuerteventura Origo Mare Holiday Village costs from £485 per person based on a family of four on a self-catering basis including flights from Birmingham.
New Year in New York
The Big Apple knows how to do New Year! Head to Times Square for the famous countdown extravaganza, so familiar from the big screen, or wrap up well and admire fireworks over Prospect Park, where there will be music too. On New Year’s Day, tuck into a reviving brunch and watch locals taking a dip in the Atlantic for the Coney Island Polar Bear Club’s annual New Year’s Day Swim.
Stay in the heart of the city, just 10 minutes’ walk from Times Square, at the Yotel New York At Times Square. Departing December 30, a four-night stay, room only, starts from £1,227 per person based on two sharing, including flights from Heathrow.
Moroccan spa break
After a frantic December, a spa break may be just what the doctor ordered. Head to Morocco and the Zalagh Kasbah Hotel & Spa, the perfect post-Christmas remedy. The typically Moroccan-style hotel, in Marrakesh, has outdoor and indoor pools and a large spa and wellness area with Hammam, Jacuzzi and an array of treatments. Once suitably rested, head to the nearby Jardin Majorelle or into the city’s bustling Medina with its maze of souks.
Departing December 29, seven nights’ half board at the Zalagh Kasbah Hotel & Spa cost from £495 per person based on two sharing including flights from Manchester.
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