Visit Gran Canaria for a quick blast of winter sun with Direct Holidays (0870 1919 185), which is offering seven nights’ self-catering at the three-star Colina Mar apartments in Puerto Rico, departing Glasgow on November 14 for £261. Located in the south of the island, the resort is quiet in low season. It has a small but picturesque beach and is a popular stop for big game fishing.

It may be the preserve of the rich and famous, but a taste of the high life in Monte Carlo can be enjoyed relatively cheaply these days. Belgrave Travel (08704 431 936) has two nights at the four-star Columbus hotel for £299, for departures from Glasgow between now and December 31.

As part of the Mid-Wales Beer Festival (November 12-20), the Real Ale Wobble and Real Ale Ramble provide cycling and walking enthusiasts (who also enjoy a pint of beer) with a route through mountain terrain around Llanwrtyd Wells, the smallest town in Britain. Wales Breaks (www.wales-breaks.co.uk) has accomodation options from £30 per person per night.

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