As much as winter and the companion holidays to that season are nearly well and truly in full swing (though fall yet lingers, its particular poetic hues still visible in the landscape surrounding, in the burnished leaves swirling on an ever more chill breeze), you might not find yourself growing excited at the prospect of yet another typical family Thanksgiving, let alone Christmas, with extended relatives it always astounds you to discover you actually have (though no mention had been made previously of them by your spouse or partner). To this end, have you considered a spot of travel to alleviate that increasing sense of becoming bogged down and suffocated in staycations and the humdrum of festively decorating over a life you live the most part of the year?

Choosing Where and the Price Compare

The only downside to electing to go away during the holidays is the often extortionate price hike in flight fares. This habit has been criticized in newspapers worldwide and is doubly unjust if one considers it, because it is penalizing parents for wanting to take their children away when school’s out. Nonetheless, there is hope: this can be overcome. If you do your research online at websites such as Viajacompara.com, you can save hundreds of dollars (resulting perhaps in that touch more spending money for the actual trip).

A European Mindset – Spain and Iberian Ideas

The pertinent question when doing your searching is: where do you want to go? Dependent on your usual travel habits (and whether or not you’re recently back from a gap year/work year having seen the more far-flung corners of this planet), there is a leaning towards Europe when it comes to wintering abroad for Americans. Why this should be is beside the point: you’re not necessarily a sheep in following the crowd (that is, rather, a restrictive mindset). The Continent at this time of year is wonderful. However, if you’re not particularly keen on relentless rain or shivering snow, Europe still offers some winter sun, in places like Spain, some parts of Portugal, and beyond.

Of course, electing to spend the holidays somewhere foreign demands a change in outlook when it comes to customs and cuisine. Dependent upon the precise locale you’ll be ensconced it for the festive season, you nonetheless won’t be served up dishes of American ilk. Think less pumpkin pie and more paella, in the most simplistic of terms. Yet, the sights are splendid indeed and, like most of Europe seeped in history. So, if your touristic appetites delight in the historic, the architecturally astounding, and the mouthwateringly delicious as pertains to local fare, then this area of the globe is sure to satisfy this season.

The Start of a Beautiful Thing

Certainly, Spain and its islands are of that peculiar quality that serenades travelers with the natural scenery and sights as well as its very people, drawing tourists into its way of life (and different diurnal routine) with siren tones that promise a soothing reprieve from yet another holiday at home. You might even start planning your return visit before you’ve even left.