Take me there: Cabo de Gata, Almeria
Why go?
Warm, sunny days, wild beaches and a starkly beautiful desert landscape make Cabo de Gata, at the south-eastern tip of Spain, one of the best bets for winter sun in continental Europe.
What to do
The Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park in Almería offers hiking and horseriding among sand dunes and lunar landscapes. Spend the day snorkelling and sunbathing at Playa de los Genoveses or Playa de Mónsul – untamed beaches accessible only on foot. Visit the desert movie sets in Tabernas, where dozens of spaghetti westerns were filmed (westernleone.es; oasysparquetematico.com). Take a tour of the abandoned gold mines at Rodalquilar (costaalmeriatours.com).
Where to eat
The fishing town of Garrucha, just north of Cabo de Gata, is the best place to head for fresh seafood. Try the red prawns, smoked seafood casserole and paella at Puerto Pezquera (Avenida del Puerto), near the harbour.
Where to stay
Soak up the peace of the desert in one of the charming cottages at La Joya de Cabo de Gata (from €525 per week, sawdays.co.uk). There's a small saltwater pool, a shady terrace with hammocks and a bedouin tent. The laid-back resort of Agua Amarga is nearby.
Insider tip
Steve Homer, a local food expert who runs culinary tours of Almería (sabordealmeria.com), recommends tapas at Bar La Plaza in the tiny inland village of Fernán Pérez. "Antonio and Lola will be happy to see you – they don't see many tourists, and their typical Spanish casera (traditional homemade) tapas are a delight."
Reclaim the night: highlights of the long winter evenings
The Tower of London will lower its drawbridge at sundown today for the return of its popular Twilight Tours (£25pp, various dates, hrp.org.uk). Led by Beefeaters, the tours run through the winter and give visitors a chance to experience the Traitors' Gate, Scaffold Site and Bloody Tower at their most atmospheric. It wasn't so long ago that most of Britain's tourist sights would shut up shop for the winter, but the so-called off-season is rapidly becoming the best time of year to visit our museums and heritage attractions, as they come up with creative ways to attract visitors, from after-hours concerts and talks to candlelight tours and musical performances.
If you've ever wondered how our ancestors passed the long November evenings before X Factor came along, pay a visit to the excellent Geffrye Museum in Hackney, which is hosting a Gothic and Ghostly Gathering (14 November, £16, geffrye-museum.org.uk). See recreated 18th- and 19th-century home interiors by candlelight before settling down for an evening of live music, anecdotes and readings from the Victorian era.
In Bath you can enjoy a torch-lit tour of the Roman Baths and dinner in the Roman Baths Kitchen (£38pp, romanbaths.co.uk). And in Cambridgeshire, Anglesey Abbey will be lighting up its beautiful gardens, creating a wonderland of lights and live jazz music after dark (various dates, 29 Nov-15 Dec; £10.50 adults, £7.50 children; nationaltrust.org.uk).
Now the clocks have gone back there are no excuses for hibernation, so embrace the night.
For an elegant getaway, head to... Bath
White Hart Inn Decent budget accommodation is thin on the ground in Bath, which makes this unpretentious pub, a short walk from the train station, a real find. There's a dormitory or private rooms, and a shared kitchen where you can help yourself to a breakfast of cereal and toast. In summer the plant-filled courtyard garden is a lovely spot for lunch.
Dorm beds from £15pp per night, twin £40, double en-suite £50 (whitehartbath.co.uk)
Basement 48 This studio apartment in the basement of a Georgian house on Rivers Street makes a cosy bolthole for couples. The Royal Crescent and Circus are a five-minute stroll away, and there's a good gastropub, the Chequers, three doors down the street if you don't fancy cooking.
Sleeps two. From £60 a night. Minimum three-night stay required (holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/bath/259408)
The Halcyon If you don't want to spend your time in Bath pretending you're in a Jane Austen novel, then head for the Halcyon. This Georgian townhouse is one of the city's coolest retreats, with modern bedrooms and a lively cocktail bar and restaurant serving Asian and Mediterranean food. The hotel will launch self-catering apartments in January.
From £99 (room only) for a standard double (thehalcyon.com)
Grays Boutique B&B Hotel This new B&B in a Victorian villa on the south side of town is run by the people behind Brindleys, one of Bath's most highly rated hotels, so you'll find sublimely restful bedrooms with soft white linen, immaculate bathrooms and an impressive choice of cooked and continental breakfasts.
From £100 for a small double and £175 for a deluxe room with four-poster bed (graysbath.co.uk)
