February has a dual nature: it's both the shortest month of winter and the most festive of the year. While Rio, Venice, and the Caribbean don their carnival costumes, the southern hemisphere enjoys its peak summer, and the tropics experience their best dry season. Here's where to go in February, from sunshine just four hours away to the northern lights. If you're planning to leave earlier, our guide on where to go in January covers the start of winter.
Our 10 February destinations fall into three categories: sunshine without crossing the globe, the great wide world — carnivals, dry season, and southern summer — and embracing winter, from masked Venice to Iceland's auroras. For each: real weather, sea temperature, and what makes that month unique.
Essential Gear for February Travels
February combines various scenarios: school holidays, carnival weekends, and long-haul flights to the sun. Three companions make a difference: a foldable tote bag to stash winter clothes left in the hold and souvenirs on the return, a weekend bag with a shoe compartment for three-day getaways, and — amidst the carnival crowds where pickpockets are as active as drummers — an anti-theft backpack with hidden zippers. Our trio for this month:
The 10 February Destinations at a Glance
Average air and sea temperatures in February, flight times from Paris, and each destination's highlight — enough to compare at a glance before diving into the details of each stop.
| Destination | Air | Sea | Flight from Paris | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) | 21 °C | 19 °C | 4 h non-stop | dunes + family holidays |
| Marrakech (Morocco) | 20 °C | — | 3 h 15 non-stop | almond trees in bloom + snowy Atlas |
| Dubai (UAE) | 25 °C | 22 °C | 6 h 40 non-stop | the perfect weather of the year |
| Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | 30 °C | 26 °C | 11 h 30 non-stop | THE carnival + southern summer |
| Guadeloupe | 27 °C | 26 °C | 8 h 30 non-stop | Creole carnival in the eurozone |
| Kerala (South India) | 32 °C | 29 °C | 10 h 30 stopover | backwaters in dry season |
| Palawan (Philippines) | 31 °C | 28 °C | 15 h stopover | lagoons in the heart of the dry season |
| Cape Town (South Africa) | 26 °C | 17 °C | 11 h 30 non-stop | full southern summer, +1 h time difference |
| Venice (Italy) | 8 °C | — | 1 h 35 non-stop | the masked carnival in the mist |
| Iceland (Reykjavik) | 2 °C | — | 3 h 30 non-stop | auroras + ice caves |
Sunshine Without Crossing the Globe
Fuerteventura, Winter Holiday Dunes
Just four hours away, the Canaries remain the safest bet in February: 21°C in the afternoon, seven hours of sunshine a day, and zero time difference. Fuerteventura plays its own tune — the golden dunes of Corralejo plunging into turquoise waters, miles of beaches where children have space to run, and the steady wind that has made Sotavento a kitesurfing paradise. It's THE family destination for February holidays: brave the waters (19°C), hike mostly, and return tanned without crossing the globe.
Marrakech, Almond Trees in Bloom
February is a well-kept secret in Morocco: almond trees bloom in the Ourika Valley and around Tafraout, the Atlas Mountains keep their snowy peaks as a backdrop, and Marrakech boasts 20°C without the summer furnace. The souks can be explored without suffocating, the terraces of the Koutoubia are enjoyed in the midday sun, and a day trip is enough to transition from ochre alleys to Berber villages dusted with snow. Three hours of flight, gentle winter rates: it's hard to find more exotic for so little.
Dubai, the Perfect Weather of the Year
If Dubai has a 'good month', it's this one: 25°C, clear skies, a sea at 22°C — the ideal break between summer's heat and December's rare rains. Alternate between beaches, the old quarters of Deira, and dining in the desert at sunset, when the dunes turn orange. At 6 hours 40 minutes of direct flight and with only a three-hour time difference, it's the most accessible urban sunshine of the month — perfect for a week blending relaxation and extravagance.
The Great Wide World: Carnivals, Dry Season, and Southern Summer
In February, the tropics play their best card — and the southern hemisphere enjoys its peak summer. Before packing for the long-haul, a game-changing reflex: packing for 30°C when it's freezing outside requires compartmentalising. One cube for linen and swimsuits, another for warm clothes for departure and return — everything stays findable, nothing gets creased:
Rio de Janeiro, THE Carnival
There are carnivals, and then there's Rio. For a week, the entire city lives to the rhythm of street blocos and sambodrome parades, in the sultry heat of the southern summer: 30°C, a sea at 26°C, Ipanema's beaches packed until evening. Even outside the stands, the energy is everywhere — follow a neighbourhood bloco in the morning, climb Sugarloaf Mountain at sunset, dance without a plan. Book early: February accommodations sell out months in advance, and prices rise with the glitter.
Guadeloupe, Creole Carnival in the Eurozone
Same percussion, different vibe: in Guadeloupe, the carnival runs for several weeks until Ash Wednesday and the incineration of King Vaval. Between two parades, the archipelago enjoys its dry season — 27°C, a sea at 26°C, the waterfalls of Basse-Terre and the lagoons of Grande-Terre to share. You pay in euros, speak French, and your phone works as it does at home: it's the simplest long-haul of the month, and one of the most festive.
Kerala, Backwaters in the Dry
February is the best window of the year for South India: 32°C, finally dry air, and Kerala's backwaters navigable by houseboat between coconut trees and rice paddies. Alternate between tea plantations in Munnar, Varkala's beaches, and trading towns like Kochi, in a gentle India perfect for a first trip. In these latitudes, the travel pharmacy is prepared seriously — rehydration, antiseptic, mosquito repellent:
Palawan, Dry Season Lagoons
Voted the world's most beautiful island more often than not, Palawan is in the heart of its dry season in February: 31°C, a sea at 28°C, and reliable skies over El Nido's lagoons and Coron's karsts. Bangkas zip from island to island between deserted beaches and snorkelling spots, and sunsets over Bacuit Bay alone are worth the fifteen-hour journey. It's the month's end of the world — go for at least ten days, and you'll quickly see why.
Cape Town, Peak Southern Summer
While Europe shivers, Cape Town enjoys its own August: 26°C, endless evenings, and golden light on Table Mountain. In a week, you can hit Camps Bay's beaches, Stellenbosch's wine route, Boulders Beach's penguins, and the coastal road to Cape of Good Hope. With only a one-hour time difference, no jetlag despite the eleven-hour flight: land in the morning, start the day. Sports gear is as useful as beachwear here:
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Embracing Winter: Venice's Masks and Iceland's Auroras
Venice, Carnival in the Mist
Venice in February is the city returned to its theatre: masks emerge from the canal mist, capes glide along palaces, and St. Mark's Square becomes an open-air stage between the Flight of the Angel and costume contests. The carnival dates back to the 11th century and remains one of the world's most refined — the the Italian National Tourist Board's carnival guide festival programme helps target the highlights. At 1 hour 35 minutes of flight, it's the most spectacular weekend of the month; in the quay crowds, keep valuables in a zipped pocket on your back.
Iceland, Auroras and Ice Caves
February is one of Iceland's best months: nights are still long enough for the northern lights, but days are already lengthening by six minutes a day — enough to cover the Golden Circle, black sand beaches, and frozen waterfalls. It's also the end of the Vatnajökull ice cave season, those blue cathedrals carved under the glacier, accessible only in winter. At 3 hours 30 minutes from Paris, the absolute anti-beach: return with a head full of images and the awe of vast white spaces.
Packing for February
The month's trap is the big temperature swing: −2°C at take-off, 30°C on arrival — or vice versa on return. The solution lies in two reflexes. First, layering: bring a proper warm layer to remove on arrival, rather than medium clothes everywhere. Then, modular luggage: in the travel bag family, a foldable model slipped empty into the main luggage becomes the second bag for the return — carnival costumes or Kochi spices included. A compact wash bag completes the set, and if you're flying low-cost to Venice, check the sizes in our carry-on size guide by airline — February's city-trip season checks are unforgiving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is it warm in February in Europe? Strictly speaking, nowhere — but three areas stand out: the Canaries (21-22°C, the continental record), Madeira (18-19°C), and southern Andalusia (16-17°C in the afternoon). To exceed 25°C, you need to leave Europe: Marrakech or Dubai are the closest options.
Where is it 25 degrees in February? Within 7 hours of flight: Dubai (25°C) and Agadir in Morocco (21-23°C). Beyond: Guadeloupe and the Caribbean (27°C), Rio (30°C), Kerala (32°C), Palawan (31°C), and Cape Town (26°C). The warmest sea in this selection is in Kerala, at 29°C.
Where to go in February for cheap sun? The Canaries and Marrakech remain unbeatable outside school holidays: frequent direct flights, gentle winter accommodations, and immediate exoticism. On long-haul, Kerala offsets the flight cost with minimal on-site expenses — expect £22 to £31 per day travelling locally. Prices soar in Rio during carnival and in Venice on masked weekends.
Which place to visit in February? For a weekend: masked Venice or blooming Marrakech. For a week of sun without jetlag: Fuerteventura or Cape Town (one-hour time difference). For a trip of a lifetime: Rio's carnival or Palawan's lagoons. And to turn your back on the sun: Iceland's auroras and ice caves.
