Warmest places to go from London in December
The warmest place you can reach from London in December within 15 hours is Maspalomas at 19.7 °C, costing 740 kg CO₂e return. The lowest-carbon option is Calais at 4.5 kg — 164× less carbon for 11.9 °C less.
Every destination here is on the efficiency frontier: nowhere else in Europe is both warmer in December and lower in carbon. Anything a better option beats outright has been left out.
By rail or ferry By air
| Destination | How | CO₂e return | Temp | Sun/day | Rain/day | Journey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calais, France | Rail | 4.5 kg | 7.8 °C | 2.9 h | 2.8 mm | 4h 6m |
| Cherbourg, France | Rail | 6.9 kg | 9.1 °C | 2.9 h | 2.8 mm | 5h 12m |
| Donostia / San Sebastian, Spain | Rail | 27.2 kg | 10.5 °C | 5.4 h | 7.1 mm | 14h 36m |
| Sagunto, Spain | Air | 331 kg | 12.0 °C | 8.0 h | 0.3 mm | 5h 18m |
| Ibiza Town, Spain | Air | 354 kg | 14.0 °C | 8.4 h | 0.4 mm | 5h 24m |
| Bizerte, Tunisia | Air | 445 kg | 14.5 °C | 7.4 h | 3.2 mm | 5h 54m |
| Melilla, Spain | Air | 457 kg | 15.2 °C | 8.9 h | 0.4 mm | 5h 54m |
| San Pawl il-Bahar, Malta | Air | 523 kg | 16.0 °C | 7.9 h | 1.3 mm | 6h 18m |
| Taroudant, Morocco | Air | 616 kg | 17.9 °C | 8.9 h | 0.3 mm | 6h 48m |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain | Air | 728 kg | 18.9 °C | 9.3 h | 1.3 mm | 7h 24m |
| Maspalomas, Spain | Air | 740 kg | 19.7 °C | 9.4 h | 0.5 mm | 7h 24m |
Warm is not the same as pleasant, which is why sunshine and rainfall are shown alongside temperature. All three are ERA5 monthly means for 2023–2024.
Where the curve breaks
The frontier is gentle until it isn't. Going from Donostia / San Sebastian (27.2 kg, 10.5 °C) to Sagunto (331 kg, 12.0 °C) buys 1.5 °C more warmth for an extra 304 kg — 202 kg of CO₂e per degree. That single step is the most expensive warmth on the whole curve.
The pick of them
If you'd rather have sunshine than heat
December answers differently depending on what you're after. The sunniest destinations from London in December are a different list — the brightest places are not always the hottest, and in winter the difference is large.
Where to stay in Maspalomas
Places to stay in Maspalomas, Spain, on a live map. Prices and availability come from Stay22 and its booking partners.
Affiliate disclosure. A booking made through this map may earn 0xCarbon a commission, at no extra cost to you. It changes nothing above it: the emissions figures come from UK Government conversion factors and are computed before anyone is paid anything.See the method.
Other months from London
December from elsewhere
- Amsterdam
- Barcelona
- Berlin
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Brussels
- Cardiff
- Copenhagen
- Dublin
- Edinburgh
- Frankfurt
- Glasgow
- Leeds
- Lisbon
- Liverpool
- London
- Madrid
- Manchester
- Milan
- Munich
- Newcastle
- Nottingham
- Oslo
- Paris
- Prague
- Rome
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Stockholm
- Vienna
- Warsaw
- Zurich
Questions
Where is the warmest place to go from London in December?
Maspalomas, Spain, at 19.7 °C. Reaching it emits 740 kg CO₂e return, travelling 7h 24m each way by air.
Can I get somewhere warm from London in December without flying?
Yes. Donostia / San Sebastian reaches 10.5 °C and is reachable by rail or ferry in 14h 36m, emitting 27.2 kg CO₂e return — though Maspalomas is warmer still, if you fly.
How much carbon does a return trip from London to Maspalomas produce?
740 kg CO₂e for one person, return, by air. That uses the UK Government's 2026 conversion factors, including radiative forcing for flights.
Carbon uses UK Government (DESNZ/DEFRA) 2026 conversion factors applied to great-circle distance, with radiative forcing included for flights. Rail journey times are modelled estimates, not timetabled services. Full method · download the data.