Ten warm cities for December to February, ranked by how little rain falls on them. Every one clears 20°C in January, and the driest sees about 2 mm all winter.
Warm is easy to find in winter; warm and dry is rarer. We kept only cities whose average January high is 20°C or more, then ranked them by total rainfall from December to February in their published climate normals, driest first.
The driest winter on the list: barely 2 mm of rain falls from December to February. The reefs of the Giftun Islands are a boat ride from the marina, and the desert evenings call for a jumper.
Winter is Luxor's season, the months when the Valley of the Kings is bearable at noon. Cross to the West Bank at dawn, when a balloon flight shows the temples in their best light.
Jordan's only coast, with a reef you can swim to from the beach and Wadi Rum within a day's reach. At 21°C in January it is one of the coolest picks, so come to dive and explore the desert.
A capital with a coastline: 25°C in January, the Grand Mosque in the morning and Qurum Beach in the afternoon. Book a boat to the Daymaniyat Islands, a protected reserve, to snorkel.
The southern summer: 27°C in January, with Table Mountain, the penguins at Boulders and the Cape Point drive all at their best. Ride the cableway early, before the wind closes it.
The dry season starts in December, and January and February see almost no rain at all. Walk the walled city in the early morning, then spend the heat of the day on the Islas del Rosario.
Morocco's beach city, with a long sandy bay below the ruined kasbah of Agadir Oufella. Days around 21°C suit walks in Paradise Valley and the surf at Taghazout more than long hours on the sand.
The Andaman coast is in its dry season, and Krabi is the warmest pick at 33°C in January. Take a longtail to Railay, which no road reaches, and climb to the Phra Nang viewpoint early.
Winter is the dry season: January highs reach 25°C and Art Basel Miami Beach fills the first week of December. Walk the Art Deco District, then give a day to the Everglades, where the dry months draw wildlife to the water.
Last on rain, with about six wet days a month, but highs of 27°C make it one of the warmest picks. Walk the four plazas of Habana Vieja before noon and end on the Malecón at sunset.
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