Where do you recommend for a winter sunshine break?

Simon Calder on seasonal getaways, the Italian Riviera, the Channel Tunnel and US road trips

Midwinter sunseekers would do well to try the delights of Lanzarote and Papagayo Beach (Getty)

Q Given the wet and miserable winter and early spring weather in the UK, where would you recommend for a week’s sunshine break between the end of January and March less than four hours’ flight time from one of the London airports?

“OTMN”

A I hope I am right to infer that you can travel more or less when you like between late January and the end of March. Therefore you should avoid the middle two weeks of February, when prices soar and crowds increase due to school half-term holidays.