Warmest places to go from Southampton in December
The warmest place you can reach from Southampton in December within 15 hours is Maspalomas at 19.7 °C, costing 713 kg CO₂e return. The lowest-carbon option is Exeter at 12.1 kg — 59× less carbon for 11.6 °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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exeter, United Kingdom | Rail | 12.1 kg | 8.1 °C | 2.8 h | 3.1 mm | 4h 6m |
| Torquay, United Kingdom | Rail | 12.6 kg | 9.0 °C | 3.4 h | 3.3 mm | 4h 12m |
| Brest, France | Rail | 22.7 kg | 9.8 °C | 3.4 h | 3.6 mm | 9h 54m |
| Santander, Spain | Air | 213 kg | 10.6 °C | 5.8 h | 4.3 mm | 4h 36m |
| Santa Uxia de Ribeira, Spain | Air | 275 kg | 11.7 °C | 6.2 h | 5.3 mm | 5h |
| Ibiza Town, Spain | Air | 340 kg | 14.0 °C | 8.4 h | 0.4 mm | 5h 18m |
| Roquetas de Mar, Spain | Air | 396 kg | 14.3 °C | 8.9 h | 0.4 mm | 5h 36m |
| Melilla, Spain | Air | 438 kg | 15.2 °C | 8.9 h | 0.4 mm | 5h 48m |
| Essaouira, Morocco | Air | 569 kg | 16.4 °C | 9.0 h | 0.2 mm | 6h 30m |
| Taroudant, Morocco | Air | 592 kg | 17.9 °C | 8.9 h | 0.3 mm | 6h 36m |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain | Air | 701 kg | 18.9 °C | 9.3 h | 1.3 mm | 7h 12m |
| Maspalomas, Spain | Air | 713 kg | 19.7 °C | 9.4 h | 0.5 mm | 7h 18m |
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 Brest (22.7 kg, 9.8 °C) to Santander (213 kg, 10.6 °C) buys 0.8 °C more warmth for an extra 190 kg — 238 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 Southampton 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 Southampton
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 Southampton in December?
Maspalomas, Spain, at 19.7 °C. Reaching it emits 713 kg CO₂e return, travelling 7h 18m each way by air.
Can I get somewhere warm from Southampton in December without flying?
Yes. Brest reaches 9.8 °C and is reachable by rail or ferry in 9h 54m, emitting 22.7 kg CO₂e return — though Maspalomas is warmer still, if you fly.
How much carbon does a return trip from Southampton to Maspalomas produce?
713 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.