British Isles

You can get active on wintry breaks. Stay at the Bedruthan Steps Hotel on a dramatic stretch of North Cornwall coast and enjoy Nordic walking, dance classes and surfing lessons. They are included in a four-night midweek break, which costs from £249 with dinner, B&B. The hotel also has a spa with health and beauty treatments and an indoor pool. 01637 860555

“Rough Diamond” breaks at the Ffynnon Townhouse, Dolgellau, on the southern edge of Snowdonia National Park, include a full day of activities, ranging from abseiling and trekking to mountain biking and whitewater rafting. They cost from £200 with two nights’ B&B, picnic lunch – and at weekends, Sunday brunch and late check out. 01341 421774

The pretty streets and shops of Shaftesbury, Dorset, and the animals and attractions of Longleat Safari Park are within reach of Cowherd Shute Farm, where Classic Cottages has a converted barn available for a week from November 30 and December 7. It sleeps five, has underfloor heating and costs £405. 01326 555555

Retreat to the Derbyshire Dales for a weekend next month with holidaylets.net . Three nights from December 7 or 14 in Forget-Me-Not, a 19th-century miner’s cottage converted into a luxury hideaway for two, costs £100. 01234 757290

Hotel du Vin opens its latest property in a converted Grade II-listed building in York on Monday. Located in The Mount district, it has 44 rooms, bistro, champagne bar and wine-tasting room, and is a short distance from the Minster, museums and shops. Introductory room rates are from £99 midweek and £120 at weekends. 0845 3654438

A well-established Grade II building is the George Hotel on George Street, which runs parallel to Princes Street in the heart of Edinburgh. It has a special pre-Christmas offer of B&B for £65 a night, including a £20 Harvey Nichols voucher. 0131-225 1251

Three nights on Guernsey for £144 are on offer with 3XTravel.com. The deal includes a FastFerry crossing from Weymouth or Poole, from Sundays to Thursdays, B&B at the Duke of Richmond Hotel, close to the leisure centre and high street shops in St Peter Port, and travel insurance. 0871 4341410

Short haul

Seeking almost instant sunshine? James Villa Holidays has a property for six with a heated pool and a short walk from the beach and shops at Tauro, Grand Canary, for £207 for a week from Monday. With flights from East Midlands airport, the holiday costs £228 a person. Villas with pools are also available in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura with regional flights next week. 0870 0850722

A week in the Algarve from £138 is on offer with lastminute.com. Fly from Gatwick on December 7 for this self-catering break at Parque Mourabel Oasis in the resort of Vilamoura, with sandy beaches, golf courses and a bustling marina lined with restaurants. 0870 4439902

If the new Tutankhamun exhibition in London, and the publicity about it, has stirred enthusiasm for Egyptology, here’s a five-star, ten-night tour for you. It starts with a flight from Heathrow on Mondays for a four-night cruise down the Nile, with visits to the Valley of the Kings and Luxor temples, followed by a three-night cruise on Lake Nasser to Abu Simbel temple. The tour ends with a flight to Cairo for three nights, with visits to the Pyramids and Egyptian Museum. The trip with Seafarer Cruises includes full board and excursions and costs from £1,249. 0870 4422447

Two excursions are included in a week’s holiday in Marrakesh with Voyages Jules Verne, on offer for £375. Fly from Gatwick on December 4 or 11 for B&B at Hotel Farah Golden Tulip. 0845 1667035

A walking holiday in Madeira is available for a week from December 7 with Inntravel. Visitors will be provided with walking notes and maps to guide them through forests and vineyards and along the mountainside levadas, the water channels created in the 15th century. Along the way, they will enjoy half-board in five-star hotels plus picnic lunches. Price: £525, flights extra. 01653 617926

Long haul

Four nights in Las Vegas for £399 – but missing the Ricky Hatton fight – are on offer with Trailfinders. The deal includes flights from Gatwick on December 1 or 8 and a room at the Circus Circus Hotel. 0845 0505871

Ten nights in Thailand for £699 is the top deal on offer with Hayes & Jarvis. Fly from Heathrow with Thai Airways on December 4 and stay in the Holiday Inn Resort on Regent Beach in Cha-Am. 0871 6640246

The trails in the Himalayas are getting quieter and the skies clearer, so now is good time to take the Everest base-camp trip run by Himalayan Encounters. It starts at Lukla and climbs to 5,500m with close-up views of Nuptse, Lohtse and Everest. With porters, days to acclimatise and nights in lodges and tea-houses, it costs from £649 with addictedtotravel.com. Flights extra. 020-8144 1727

All prices are per person and based on two travelling together and sharing a room, unless stated otherwise.