Holiday ideas for January

With their year-round warm climate, the Canary Islands are often referred to as the ‘islands of eternal spring’, making them the perfect antidote to the grey British winter. On La Gomera and Fuerteventura, daytime temperatures average a very pleasant 19°C in January, making for excellent walking conditions as you explore the ancient forests, lush ravines and black-sand beaches of La Gomera or the sand dunes and amber-coloured desert landscapes of Fuerteventura.

In January, while snow covers the peaks of Spain’s mighty Sierra Nevada, the olive harvest is in full swing on their sunny lower slopes, an area known as Las Alpujarras. You can join in too, helping to knock this prized fruit from the gnarled branches into nets stretched underneath. This is just one of many cultural insights – others include a chance to watch the hotel cook at work and a visit to a local vineyard. Spend the rest of your time walking, admiring the views which are all the more spectacular thanks to the backdrop of snow-clad peaks.

Winter is a very special time in Fuschl am See. Set amid the ethereal beauty of Salzkammergut’s lakes and mountains, this charming lakeside village is wonderfully tranquil under its blanket of snow. There is, however, plenty to do – you can explore on foot, along the many miles of prepared paths, or on snowshoes; try your hand at curling; or take the bus to nearby Salzburg. Come the end of the day, be sure to ensconce yourselves on the Hotel Seerose’s panoramic terrace with an aperitif so that you can watch the sun set across the lake.

Start the new year in a positive way, by trying something new during the relative quiet of January while staying in the Austrian Tyrol at the highly praised 4-star Hotel Wiesenhof, complete with a huge, state-of-the-art spa. The village ski school is excellent, so you could book some alpine skiing lessons, or just give snowshoeing or winter walking a try. Alternatively, join our cross-country skiing try-it-out week and you can learn the basics of this highly enjoyable, friendly and easy-to-master sport in the company of other, like-minded Inntravel guests.

Fittingly for a place that exudes late 19th-century elegance, the Swiss village of Kandersteg holds an annual Belle Epoque Week. With villagers sporting bonnets and cravats, and activities such as bobsleigh races and a tea dance, you can witness plenty of old-fashioned glamour – as well as enjoying some great cross-country skiing and winter walking. Even if you can’t make it for this special week, January is otherwise a pleasantly quiet month – perfect if you’re looking for tranquillity or to learn cross-country skiing in a relaxed atmosphere.

To the first-time visitor, the tangible exoticism of Karnataka’s spice plantations, the Nilgiri Hills and the Keralan backwaters is enthralling, from the vibrant greens of the dense vegetation to the aroma of spices growing on vines and from palm groves and coffee plantations to ostentatiously coloured birds. January is our favourite time to come here, after the monsoon season but before it becomes excessively hot. Exploring for much of the time in the company of your party’s own local guide-cum-interpreter, you’ll enjoy privileged insights into local life.