Best Winter Sun Holidays for a Girls’ Trip
Beaches, spas, great food, unforgettable nights and clever group planning: choose a winter getaway that every friend will enjoy.
A winter sun girls’ trip can mean a proper beach-and-cocktails escape, a food-fuelled city break, a spa weekend, or a few glorious days of doing whatever you fancy with your favourite people. The trick isn't finding somewhere with a palm tree. It's finding a place where everyone gets the holiday they signed up for — without a group chat that needs its own project manager.
Quick answer: Pick Dubai for glamorous beaches, dining and big-city experiences; Marrakech for riads, hammams, shopping and atmosphere; Malta for compact culture and lively evenings; southern Tenerife for resort convenience and sunny beach days; or Paphos for a gentler, food-and-history escape. For something more unusual, consider Lanzarote's volcanic music nights, Madeira's artisan workshops, or the Algarve's salt pans. Winter warmth differs enormously, so match your destination to your plans rather than just the postcard.
This guide is for friends planning a birthday, reunion, long weekend, big celebration or simply some time together. There's room for beach clubs and shopping, but equally for surfing, culture, hiking, brilliant local food and absolutely no interest in nightlife. You can have a girls’ trip without the matching cocktails — though the group photos may suffer.
First choose the kind of girls’ trip you actually want
- Sunloungers and swimming: consider southern Tenerife, Dubai or a well-chosen resort in the Canaries; ask whether the pool is heated in winter.
- Great restaurants and stylish evenings: Dubai Marina, Valletta, Marrakech and the better-located Tenerife resort areas offer very different scenes.
- Spa and slow mornings: look at a traditional Marrakech hammam, a hotel spa with confirmed winter opening, or a comfortable adults-focused hotel in Madeira.
- Culture and shopping: Marrakech's souks, Valletta's historic streets, Dubai's galleries and the artisan workshops of Funchal are stronger fits than an isolated beach resort.
- Adventure together: think Lanzarote wine country, Tenerife stargazing, beginner surfing, coastal hiking or nature outings.
The most important group-trip question is not “Where shall we go?” It's “What do we want to do at night, and how far are we willing to travel to do it?” A beautiful remote villa loses some of its magic when everyone needs a different taxi home.
See where your free dates could take you
Here are four varied, changing package-holiday examples from TripsByDate, ordered by departure date. They aren't filtered specifically to girls’ trips, group occupancy, winter sunshine or the destinations in this article. Check your dates, flights, room options and total group price with the operator.
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BFS • 3 nights
B&B · TUI
LHR • 7 nightsAI · Skiline
MAN • 7 nightsHB · Skiline
LGW • 7 nightsHB · SkilineBest winter sun destinations for a girls’ trip — and why
Dubai: glamour, beaches, fantastic food and a different kind of night out
Best for: friends who want a polished city-and-beach escape, big experiences and plenty of restaurant choice. JBR and Dubai Marina suit groups who want a walkable waterfront base; Downtown works better for landmark-focused stays. Be careful with hotel location: a “Dubai beach holiday” can involve surprisingly long cross-city journeys.
Do one celebratory meal with an extraordinary view, then make the next day about Old Dubai: cross the Creek by traditional abra, explore the lanes around Al Fahidi and sample Emirati dishes rather than eating every meal in an international hotel. For a creative afternoon, Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz has galleries, independent spaces and cafés.
Group tip: price beach-club minimum spends, restaurant deposits and taxis before choosing your hotel. Beach access, drinks packages and nightlife policies differ. Dress and public behaviour should respect local laws and customs; read UK travel guidance before departure. See our Dubai winter guide.
Marrakech: riad breakfasts, souks, hammams and serious atmosphere
Best for: a spa-and-shopping weekend with plenty of culture, bold flavours and memorable interiors. Book a well-reviewed riad if you love courtyards and character, but check luggage access, stairs, bedroom layouts and whether the location is convenient for evening returns. Some gorgeous medina stays involve long walks through lanes that cars cannot reach.
Choose a reputable hammam and clarify what's included: a traditional scrub, massage, private or shared facilities, and any extra treatments. In the souks, browse textiles, ceramics, lanterns and spices; bargain politely and don't assume everything labelled handmade is made locally. For food, try tanjia, a slow-cooked Marrakech speciality, alongside fragrant salads and fresh Moroccan breads. Morocco's tourism site is a useful starting point.
Group tip: plan one organised experience — perhaps a cooking class or artisan visit — and leave space for spontaneous wandering. Winter evenings can be chilly, especially on rooftops. Our Morocco guide covers the wider winter choices.
Malta: pretty harbours, wine bars and an easy culture-packed escape
Best for: friends who want sightseeing, food and evenings out without needing a full week's resort holiday. Valletta or Sliema make useful bases for ferries, restaurants and harbour views. St Julian's and Paceville suit groups who prioritise clubbing, while Valletta's bars and dining have a different, more historic atmosphere. Check current winter opening nights before building your itinerary around a summer venue.
Ride a harbour ferry, wander Birgu's Three Cities, eat warm pastizzi at a neighbourhood bakery, then explore Mdina's quiet lanes. If the group can agree on one museum, St John's Co-Cathedral deserves serious consideration. A Gozo day trip adds scenic villages and countryside, although winter ferry and sea conditions can alter plans.
Group tip: choose a hotel close to the evening scene you actually want. Public transport is useful, but late-night journeys and ferries need checking. See Malta in winter.
Southern Tenerife: easy sunshine, spas and something for every friend
Best for: mixed-interest groups, especially when some want the pool and others want excursions or late nights. Costa Adeje offers polished resort areas and dining; Playa de las Américas is generally livelier; Los Cristianos has a more everyday seafront feel. Location matters more than a hotel's marketing label.
Pair a beach day with a whale-watching trip run by an appropriately authorised operator, or book an evening stargazing experience near Teide — and bring proper winter layers for the altitude. For a less resort-focused meal, try a traditional guachinche in the north: homely Canarian food, locally produced wine and an atmosphere more about dinner than Instagram. These venues may operate seasonally, so call ahead.
Group tip: check whether any pools, beach clubs and advertised spa facilities actually operate in winter. Find more in our Tenerife guide.
Paphos, Cyprus: laid-back sunshine and dinners that turn into long conversations
Best for: a quieter friends' break built around the seafront, archaeology, traditional food and exploring. Paphos is not a guaranteed hot-beach destination in midwinter; its appeal is comfortable sightseeing when weather cooperates, with occasional wet or cool days.
Combine the archaeological park with a coastal walk, visit the harbour, and make a long Cypriot meze a proper group event. Further inland, discover villages and wine traditions; don't attempt a complex rural driving route after a big wine tasting. For groups seeking lively nights, check seasonal restaurant and bar openings before booking.
Group tip: choose a walkable seafront base and a hotel with good indoor options. See our Cyprus winter guide.
Six memorable girls’ trip experiences beyond the ordinary beach day
1. Dinner and a concert inside a Lanzarote volcanic cave
Noches de Jameos combines an evening at the extraordinary Jameos del Agua setting with food and live music. The official event organiser currently advertises Friday evenings, with reservations required. Check your specific dates and what's included; this is not an ordinary cave restaurant where you can just turn up with six friends and hope.
2. Eat like locals at a Tenerife guachinche
In Tenerife's greener north, find a legitimate seasonal guachinche serving local wine and simple homemade dishes. Expect a very different evening from a beach-club dinner. It's a particularly good choice for a group that enjoys trying unfamiliar food; opening periods and menus vary, so confirm details first.
3. Discover the Algarve's traditional salt-making landscape
The eastern Algarve around Castro Marim offers salt pans and wetland scenery. A guided salt-production visit, where available, gives meaning to the “white gold” story, and a nature outing can be paired with an unhurried seafood lunch. Don't promise the group flamingos on command: bird sightings are seasonal and never guaranteed. For wider nature ideas see the Algarve winter guide.
4. Make something beautiful in Madeira
Funchal's historic Bordal embroidery factory runs hands-on workshops introducing Madeira's traditional craft. The official workshop information describes the stages from design to stitching. Booking in advance is sensible, particularly for a group. Add a bakery stop for warm bolo do caco and you've got a memorable afternoon, even if your stitching resembles a nervous spider.
5. Sunset boating and proper paella near Valencia
Albufera Natural Park is a good wildcard if the group wants a milder city break rather than guaranteed beach warmth. A traditional boat ride among the wetlands can be paired with a rice-based meal in El Palmar. Visit Valencia explains the area's culinary and ecological heritage. Winter boat trips depend on weather and operator schedules.
6. Sample Lanzarote's extraordinary volcanic wines
In La Geria, vines grow in individual hollows in black volcanic ash, often sheltered by curved stone walls. Book a tasting with transport arranged before anyone samples wine. It's a terrific outing for friends who want a destination-specific experience, not another anonymous happy hour. Read our Lanzarote guide for the wider island.
The girls’ trip planning questions that actually prevent arguments
How do we split the trip fairly?
Agree a realistic all-in budget per person before anyone books. Include flights, bags, transfers, room categories, meals outside the board basis and one or two headline experiences. One person's “cheap weekend” may be another person's three spa treatments and a designer handbag. Neither is wrong; the surprise invoice is the problem.
Should we book one apartment or separate hotel rooms?
Check the exact bed arrangement. “Sleeps six” can mean two proper beds, a sofa and a heroic level of friendship. Some groups prefer apartments and shared breakfasts; others happily pay a little more for private bathrooms and the ability to sleep without hearing the entire evening recapped at 2 a.m.
How can we have fun without everyone wanting the same thing?
Give each person one must-do activity, then shortlist shared favourites. Build in a free afternoon. The best compromise is often a base with both beach or spa time and walkable food and culture, rather than a tightly scheduled set of compulsory adventures.
What makes a good winter hotel for friends?
- Walkable evening options: restaurants, cafés and bars you can reach comfortably without arranging multiple taxis.
- Heating and pool reality: confirm which pools and spa areas operate in winter and whether pool heating applies to the pool you actually want.
- Breakfast flexibility: check meal times if some friends love dawn adventures and others consider 10 a.m. an unreasonable hour.
- Room allocation: ask whether rooms can be near each other, which bedding types are guaranteed and whether there are accessible options where needed.
- Safe journeys home: research licensed taxis or reliable transport, agree a meet-up point and keep local emergency details handy.
The group chat has done enough planning
Start with the dates you can all travel. Browse changing package holidays from UK airports on TripsByDate, then shortlist the places that suit your group's vibe.
Find holidays by dateThree winter girls’ trip plans that actually work
The sunshine-and-social long weekend
Choose a conveniently located resort in southern Tenerife or a hotel near Dubai Marina. Day one: settle in and choose a great dinner. Day two: pool or beach, with one booked experience. Day three: wander, shop, eat somewhere local and give everyone a free afternoon. Easy logistics are the luxury here.
The culture, shopping and spa break
Make Marrakech your base. Book a comfortable riad, enjoy an orientation walk in the medina, arrange a hammam and take a local cooking class. Leave a separate block of time for browsing and finding a favourite café. The goal is to experience the city, not compete to visit the most shops before breakfast.
The relaxed food-and-discovery escape
Base yourselves in Malta or the Algarve. Explore historic towns, take one weather-dependent nature or boat excursion and plan a really good local dinner. This style works beautifully when friends want time to catch up instead of an hourly itinerary.
Winter weather changes the right destination
The word winter sun covers very different experiences. Dubai may offer genuinely warm beach weather while Malta, the Algarve and Paphos are usually better for sightseeing and outdoor lunches than reliable midwinter swimming. The Canary Islands often strike a middle ground, but their sea temperatures and evening breezes can still feel cool. Read our winter swimming guide if getting into the water matters.
December's festive demand, February school holidays and local events can change both atmosphere and cost. Compare your dates, and check seasonal entertainment and attraction calendars before making a non-refundable reservation.
Frequently asked questions about girls’ winter sun trips
Where is best for a girls’ winter sun long weekend?
Southern Tenerife is convenient for resort-focused breaks from many UK airports; Malta suits culture and food-focused weekends; Marrakech suits spa, shopping and atmospheric city experiences. Compare direct flights and total journey time from your own airport.
Where should we go for winter beach clubs and luxury?
Dubai is a strong option for warm winter weather, beachfront hotels and a wide choice of dining venues. Southern Tenerife offers a more familiar resort atmosphere, though winter temperatures are milder. Confirm individual venues' opening dates and booking conditions.
What's a good winter girls’ trip without nightlife?
Madeira for gardens, scenic walks and food; Marrakech for artisan workshops and hammams; Malta for culture; or the Algarve for walking and relaxed seafood lunches. A memorable friends' holiday doesn't require a nightclub.
Are girls’ trips safer if we stay in a resort?
No accommodation type guarantees safety. Check neighbourhoods, reputable transport, local rules, hotel security and current UK Foreign Office advice. Stay aware of belongings and arrange how to get home after evening activities.
Is all-inclusive a good choice for a group?
It can simplify spending for a pool-focused group, but confirm exactly which drinks, restaurants and winter facilities are included. If exploring markets and local restaurants is a highlight, bed-and-breakfast or half-board may be more suitable. Our all-inclusive winter sun guide goes into the detail.
How do we find winter sun holidays for the whole group?
Agree the shared dates, airport possibilities, per-person budget and preferred holiday style first. Then browse TripsByDate's date-first holiday listings for unexpected options, and confirm group room arrangements and final prices with the holiday operator.
Choose the memories, not just the destination
One group dreams of a sparkling Dubai beach club. Another would rather learn embroidery in Madeira, eat slow-cooked food in Marrakech or spend the evening listening to music in a Lanzarote cave. All are perfectly good girls’ trips. The best one is where you come home with stories that still make you laugh six months later.
Browse more winter sun inspiration, explore our romantic winter escape ideas if you're planning a different kind of trip, or jump straight to the departure dates that work for everyone. TripsByDate makes the discovery part less like filling in forms and more like scrolling through possibilities.
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