A new study has revealed that Las Palmas is the best European city for topping up your tan over the autumn months.
Travel experts Acropolis Tickets & Tours analysed the average temperatures and daylight hours recorded for European cities between October and December 2023 to create scores and rank destinations by their sunshine quality in the lead-up to winter.
Lower scores represent the best cities for the longest sunlight hours and warmest temperatures.
Las Palmas, Canary Islands, was revealed as the best European city to top up your tan before winter, with a score of 2. The sunny city was closely followed by its neighbours, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santa Cruz de la Palma, with scores of 4 and 6, respectively.
The cities in the Canary Islands topped the list mainly due to their average autumn daylight hours; Las Palmas took the lead with an average of 10.89 autumn daylight hours. Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santa Cruz de la Palma were close behind, with average daylight hours of 10.87 and 10.86 in autumn respectively.
Santa Cruz de La Palma has the cheapest pint of the top ten, at £1.50. Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife holds an equal third place, with a price of a beer equalling £1.88.
Nicosia, Cyprus, placed fourth, with a score of 9. The island city had the highest average autumnal temperature of 19.8°C out of the European cities and had the highest average daylight hours outside of the Canary Islands, recording 10.49 in autumn.
With a score of 10, Valletta took fifth place. The capital of Malta averaged 10.45 daylight hours in autumn and experienced an average autumn temperature of 20.6°C. Valletta recorded the highest temperature in October out of all cities, averaging 24.2°C.
At £3.34, Nicosia ties with Valetta in having the second-most expensive price of the top 10 for a pint of beer.
| Rank | Location | Score | Average Autumn Temperature | Average Autumn Sunlight Hours |
Average Cost of Beer (Pint) |
| 1 | Las Palmas, Canary Islands | 2 | 21.4°C | 10.89 | £1.88 |
| 2 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands | 4 | 21.3°C | 10.87 | £1.88 |
| 3 | Santa Cruz de La Palma, Canary Islands | 6 | 21.2°C | 10.86 | £1.50 |
| 4 | Nicosia, Cyprus | 9 | 19.8°C | 10.49 | £3.34 |
| 5 | Valletta, Malta | 10 | 20.6°C | 10.45 | £3.34 |
| 6 | Santorini, Greece | 15 | 19.8°C | 10.41 | £4.17 |
| 6 | Rhodes, Greece | 15 | 19.1°C | 10.43 | £4.17 |
| 6 | Crete, Greece | 15 | 18.3°C | 10.49 | £3.34 |
| 7 | Bodrum, Türkiye | 19 | 18.9°C | 10.38 | £2.59 |
| 8 | Malaga, Spain | 21 | 18.0°C | 10.40 | £2.42 |
| 9 | Seville, Spain | 25 | 17.4°C | 10.36 | £1.67 |
| 10 | Ibiza, Spain | 26 | 18.6°C | 10.25 | £2.50 |
Greek hotspots Santorini, Rhodes, and Crete placed sixth with a score of 15. Santorini had the highest autumn temperature average of the three destinations, at 19.8°C, but the lowest autumn daylight average of 10.41. Crete had the lowest autumn temperature, at 18.3°C, but the longest autumn daylight hours, at 10.49.
Rhodes landed in the middle of Santorini and Crete, experiencing an average autumn temperature of 19.1°C and an average of 10.43 daylight hours.
Santorini and Rhodes have the most expensive price for a pint of beer in the top 10, at £4.17. Crete has the cheapest beer of the three, at £3.34.
In seventh place, Bodrum received a score of 19. The Turkish city had an average of 10.38 daylight hours in autumn and an average autumn temperature of 18.9°C. Although December is its coldest month, it still achieved an average temperature of 15.7°C.
Malaga ranked eighth with a score of 21. The city in southern Spain had an average autumn temperature of 18.0°C and an average of 10.40 daylight hours. It had the same score as Santorini for daylight hours in November, with an average of 10.14.
Seville ranked in ninth place with a final score of 25, and has the second-cheapest price for a pint of beer, at £1.67. Ibiza just made the list in tenth place, with a final score of 26.
Magdalena Petrusic, a travel expert from Acropolis Tickets & Tours, commented on the findings:
“Whether you’re looking to relax on the beaches of southern Spain or explore the culture-rich islands of the Mediterranean, this analysis provides the perfect guide for those wanting to escape the winter chill and top up their tan before the sun sets on the year.
“The Canary Islands offer a unique blend of stunning landscapes, year-round sunshine, and vibrant culture, making them the perfect destination for every traveller.
“If you’re looking for a weekend trip away for a quick top-up, Las Palmas is your best bet. However, if you want a longer trip where you can avoid plane travel between destinations, perhaps Spain and Greece have what you’re looking for.”
