Flying from Edinburgh in September

Red Sea reefs in Ras Mohammed National Park and reliable winter sunshine.

• Winter sun
• Diving
• All-inclusive

The souks and the Jemaa el-Fnaa square of the medina, riad courtyards, and the Atlas Mountains on the horizon.

• Souks
• Riads
• Culture

A Roman-walled old harbour town backed by the Taurus Mountains, with long beaches either side of the city.

• Beach
• Old town
• All-inclusive

The Alcázar palace, a vast Gothic cathedral, and flamenco in the lanes of Triana and Santa Cruz.

• City break
• History
• Flamenco

A baroque city of black lava stone at the foot of Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano.

• Volcano
• Food
• Baroque

A palm-lined seafront, the church of Saint Lazarus, and pink flamingos on the salt lake in winter.

• Winter sun
• Beach
• History

A crusader castle above a busy marina, white houses on the hills and boat trips around the peninsula.

• Beaches
• Nightlife
• Boat trips

The airport for Turkey's Lycian coast: Dalyan's rock tombs, Ölüdeniz lagoon and the marinas of Fethiye and Göcek.

• Beaches
• Boat trips
• All-inclusive

Enfidha airport serves Tunisia's resort coast, from Hammamet's beaches to Sousse's walled medina.

• Beaches
• All-inclusive
• Medina

The Acropolis above the city, the Plaka's tavernas, and ferries from Piraeus to the islands.

• History
• Food
• City break

Roman mosaics, the Tombs of the Kings, and Aphrodite's Rock along the coast road. One of the warmest places on this list.

• History
• Winter sun
• Beaches

Black lava fields and red volcanic cones in Timanfaya National Park, with low whitewashed villages in between.

• Winter sun
• Volcanic landscapes
• Beaches

A medieval walled old town, one of the best preserved in Europe, and the clifftop village of Lindos with its acropolis.

• History
• Beaches
• Old town

A palm-lined seafront under the hilltop Santa Bárbara castle, with long city beaches and an old quarter of narrow streets.

• Beach
• Old town
• Mild winters

Flat and easy for cycling, with the Asklepion ruins, long beaches and boats to nearby islands.

• Beaches
• Cycling
• Greek island

Picasso's home town: a Moorish fortress above the port, tapas bars below, and a city beach a short walk from the centre.

• City break
• Tapas
• Museums
• Mild winters

Valletta's honey-coloured fortress city, prehistoric temples and clear water for diving and boat trips to Gozo and Comino.

• History
• Diving
• Island hopping

Brightly painted buildings, the Bunk'Art museums in Cold War bunkers, and the cable car up Dajti mountain.

• City break
• History
• Mountains

The biggest Canary Island, with Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak, above the resorts of the sunny south coast.

• Winter sun
• Volcano
• Whale watching

The futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, the home of paella, and city beaches along the Mediterranean.

• City break
• Food
• Beach

The Colosseum, the Pantheon, Vatican City and trattorias down every side street.

• History
• Food
• City break

Street food markets, Arab-Norman churches and the beach at Mondello.

• Food
• History
• Beach

A lively waterfront with the White Tower, Byzantine churches, and the beaches of Halkidiki to the south.

• Food
• History
• Beaches

Famous for its clubs, but also a UNESCO-listed old town, Dalt Vila, and quiet coves in the north.

• Nightlife
• Beaches
• Old town

Navagio Bay's shipwreck beach and loggerhead turtles nesting on the south coast.

• Beaches
• Boat trips
• Nightlife

Venetian-built Corfu Town, olive-covered hills and turquoise bays on the north-west coast.

• Beaches
• Old town
• Greek island

Long, empty beaches and the sand dunes of Corralejo. Quieter and windier than its Canary neighbours.

• Beaches
• Dunes
• Windsurfing

A Venetian harbour and lighthouse, the Samaria Gorge walk, and the pink-sand beach at Elafonisi.

• Old town
• Hiking
• Beaches

The largest Balearic island: Palma's Gothic cathedral, the Serra de Tramuntana mountains and hundreds of coves.

• Beaches
• Mountains
• Palma city break

The airport for Sardinia's Costa Smeralda and the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago.

• Beaches
• Boat trips
• Coast

The Maspalomas sand dunes in the south, mountain villages in the middle and year-round warmth.

• Winter sun
• Dunes
• Hiking

White villages on the rim of a flooded volcanic caldera, with famous sunsets at Oia.

• Sunsets
• Views
• Greek island

The largest Ionian island: Myrtos beach, the Melissani cave lake and the setting of Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

• Beaches
• Caves
• Greek island

The home of pizza, with Pompeii, Vesuvius and boats to Capri all within reach.

• Food
• History
• Islands

The airport for the Costa Dorada: the beaches of Salou, PortAventura theme park and Roman Tarragona.

• Beaches
• Theme park
• Families

Funchal's flower markets, levada walks along old irrigation channels and dramatic sea cliffs.

• Hiking
• Gardens
• Mild all year

Seven hills of tiled houses, the historic trams, custard tarts in Belém and the beaches of Cascais along the coast.

• City break
• Food
• Coast

A medieval old town with a Jewish quarter and riverside houses, and the airport for the Costa Brava's beaches.

• Old town
• Costa Brava
• Food

The Prado, the Retiro park, late dinners and tapas bars that stay busy past midnight.

• City break
• Art
• Food

A walled old town beside the Ria Formosa lagoon, and the gateway to the Algarve's cliffs and coves.

• Algarve coast
• Old town
• Golf

Crete's capital, five kilometres from the Minoan palace of Knossos, with beaches east and west.

• History
• Beaches
• Greek island

A maze-like old town on the sea, and the gateway to Puglia's trulli houses and Polignano a Mare.

• Old town
• Food
• Puglia

Quieter than its Balearic neighbours, with a coast of small coves and a whole island that's a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

• Coves
• Families
• Quiet

A long sandy bay with year-round sun, a rebuilt kasbah on the hill and the Souk El Had market.

• Winter sun
• Beach
• Surfing

The Leaning Tower and the Field of Miracles, and the easiest airport for Florence and Lucca.

• Tuscany
• History
• Food

Gaudí's Sagrada Família and Park Güell, the Gothic Quarter's lanes and a city beach at Barceloneta.

• City break
• Architecture
• Beach

A hilltop cathedral town on the Canal du Midi, with the beaches of Cap d'Agde nearby.

• Canal du Midi
• Wine
• Beaches

France's oldest city: the Old Port, the hilltop basilica, and the limestone inlets of the Calanques.

• Coast
• Food
• City break

Porticoed streets, Europe's oldest university and the food capital of Italy: mortadella, tortellini and ragù.

• Food
• City break
• History

The airport for Lefkada and Parga on Greece's west coast, known for very clear turquoise water.

• Beaches
• Coast
• Islands

The Duomo and its rooftop terraces, Leonardo's Last Supper and the shops of the Quadrilatero. Lake Como is an hour away by train.

• City break
• Shopping
• Art

A city built inside the walls of a Roman emperor's palace, with ferries to Hvar and Brač.

• History
• Islands
• Coast

A Roman arena that still hosts opera, Juliet's balcony, and Lake Garda about half an hour away.

• History
• Opera
• Lakes

Walk the full circuit of the medieval city walls above the Adriatic, then take a boat to Lokrum island.

• Old town
• City walls
• Coast

The Palace of the Parliament, one of the largest buildings in the world, and the lanes of the old town.

• City break
• History
• Nightlife

The 'Pink City' of terracotta brick, home of Airbus, with the Canal du Midi running through it.

• City break
• Aviation
• Food

The Promenade des Anglais along the bay, the old town's market, and the Riviera villages of Èze and Monaco nearby.

• Riviera
• Beach
• Old town

The airport for Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts, including Sunny Beach and old Nesebar.

• Beaches
• Nightlife
• Families

A small, green island with more than 60 beaches and a lively harbour town.

• Beaches
• Greek island
• Boat trips

The Guggenheim Museum, pintxos bars in the old town and the green Basque coast.

• Food
• Art
• City break

A sea organ played by the waves, Roman ruins and some of the Adriatic's best sunsets.

• Coast
• History
• Islands

A walled hilltop old town reached by funicular, close to Lake Como and Lake Iseo. Many fly here for Milan.

• Old town
• Lakes
• City break

A riverside city of grand eighteenth-century stone, at the heart of one of the world's great wine regions.

• Wine
• City break
• Food

Port wine lodges across the river, tiled churches, and the double-decker Dom Luís I bridge.

• City break
• Wine
• Old town

A Roman amphitheatre that still hosts concerts, and the beaches of the Istrian coast.

• History
• Beaches
• Coast

Canals instead of streets, St Mark's Square, and the islands of Murano and Burano by water bus.

• City break
• Canals
• Art

A surf town with belle époque villas and beaches, close to the Spanish border.

• Surfing
• Beaches
• Food

France's food capital, with a Renaissance old town, Roman theatres and the Festival of Lights in December.

• Food
• Old town
• City break

The airport for the Bay of Kotor, with its walled town of Kotor and mountain-backed fjord-like coast.

• Coast
• Old town
• Mountains

Steaming outdoor thermal baths, the Parliament on the Danube, and ruin bars in old courtyards.

• Thermal baths
• City break
• Nightlife

A historic town of Romanesque churches, close to the Futuroscope theme park.

• History
• Theme park
• Quiet

The Machines of the Isle of Nantes, including a giant mechanical elephant, and a castle of the Dukes of Brittany.

• City break
• Quirky
• Food

A compact old town under a hilltop castle, an hour from Vienna along the Danube.

• City break
• Castle
• Danube

Elegant sandy bays, the Magdalena Palace and Spain's green north coast.

• Beaches
• Food
• Coast

A green, car-free old town on the river, an hour from Lake Bled.

• City break
• Lakes
• Food

Imperial palaces, the opera house and coffee houses that have served cake since the 1800s.

• City break
• Music
• Christmas markets

The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre, with cafés on every corner and Disneyland Paris east of the city.

• City break
• Museums
• Food

The lakeside Jet d'Eau, a compact old town, and the Alps close by for skiing in winter.

• Lake
• Skiing
• City break

One airport, three countries: it serves Basel in Switzerland, Mulhouse in France and Freiburg in Germany.

• Art
• Rhine
• Christmas markets

Paris Beauvais airport, about 85km north of Paris, with a coach link to the city. Beauvais itself has the tallest Gothic choir in the world.

• Paris by coach
• Cathedral
• Budget

Düsseldorf Weeze airport sits near the Dutch border, about 80km from Düsseldorf.

• Budget
• Rhine

The Charles Bridge, a castle complex above the river, and a beer culture that goes back centuries.

• City break
• Beer
• Old town

Museums that are free to enter, West End theatre and the Thames bridges, a short flight from the regions.

• City break
• Museums
• Theatre

A port city with medieval walls, the SeaCity Museum's Titanic story and the New Forest nearby.

• History
• New Forest
• Short hop

One of Europe's grandest market squares, and hundreds of small bronze dwarf statues hidden around the old town.

• Market square
• Dwarf statues
• City break

The Brandenburg Gate, the remaining stretches of the Wall, Museum Island and a famous club scene.

• History
• Nightlife
• City break

Seven miles of sandy beach and the Jurassic Coast at Durdle Door nearby.

• Beaches
• Coast
• Short hop

Brussels South Charleroi airport, an hour by coach from central Brussels.

• Brussels by coach
• Budget

Beer halls, the English Garden, Oktoberfest in autumn and day trips to Neuschwanstein Castle.

• Beer
• City break
• Castles

Wawel Castle above the Vistula, one of Europe's largest medieval market squares, and the Wieliczka salt mine nearby.

• Old town
• History
• Salt mine

A colourful market square where two mechanical goats butt heads from the town hall clock every noon.

• Old town
• City break
• Food

Seventeenth-century canals, the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, and a city best seen by bike.

• City break
• Museums
• Cycling

A carefully rebuilt old town, the Chopin museum and Łazienki park, and a fast-growing food scene.

• City break
• History
• Food

A lakeside city with an old town on both banks of the river and the Alps within easy reach.

• Lake
• Mountains
• City break

Clifton Suspension Bridge, the harbourside, Banksy's home turf and a strong food scene.

• City break
• Street art
• Food

A huge port, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the warehouse district and the St Pauli nightlife.

• City break
• Music
• Nightlife

The largest Channel Island: sandy bays, the Jersey War Tunnels and Mont Orgueil castle. No passport needed from the UK.

• Beaches
• History
• Short hop

A rebuilt Hanseatic old town of tall merchants' houses, amber shops and the Baltic beaches at Sopot.

• Old town
• History
• Baltic coast

Canals, the Jewellery Quarter, Cadbury World and the curry houses of the Balti Triangle.

• City break
• Food
• Shopping

Lithuania's second city, with interwar modernist buildings, a castle and an easygoing old town.

• Old town
• Architecture
• City break

Cornwall's surf capital, with Fistral beach and coastal walks in every direction.

• Surfing
• Beaches
• Short hop

The colourful harbourfront at Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens and a city where everyone cycles.

• City break
• Design
• Food

The airport for Limerick, the Cliffs of Moher and the limestone landscape of the Burren.

• West of Ireland
• Cliffs
• Castles

Georgian squares, the bridges over the Liffey, Trinity College and a pub on nearly every corner.

• Pubs
• Live music
• City break

An Edwardian city hall, the shipyard where Titanic was built, and the pubs and live music of the Cathedral Quarter.

• City break
• History
• Short hop

A medieval old town and whole streets of Art Nouveau buildings, often dusted with snow in winter.

• Snow
• Art Nouveau
• Old town

The only completely intact walled city in Ireland, with the Peace Bridge across the Foyle.

• History
• City walls
• Short hop

Ireland's second city, with the English Market, Blarney Castle nearby and the coast of West Cork.

• Food
• Coast
• Short hop

Ireland West Airport opens up Mayo: Westport, Clew Bay and the climb up Croagh Patrick.

• West of Ireland
• Walking
• Coast

The base for the Golden Circle, the Blue Lagoon and, in winter, the chance of the Northern Lights.

• Northern Lights
• Hot springs
• Nature