With the winter weather remaining grey and wet in Greater Manchester and the January blues settling in, it should be no surprise that the thoughts of many residents will begin turning to booking holidays and some summer sun. And now Manchester Airport has released its list of what it thinks will be the top getaway destinations in 2023.
The 14 places which have been picked include long-established favourites with British visitors in Spain and Portugal, islands welcoming everyone from clubbers to nature enthusiasts, cities and destinations in countries including Croatia and Turkey.
The airport says it is expecting to see a spike in bookings over the coming weeks. January is usually a busy time for people looking to firm up their holiday plans while staring out at the dreary weather at this time of a year and the third Monday of the first month of the year (16 January in 2023) is Blue Monday, a term coined by the travel industry as it typically coincides with a peak of booking activity.
More than 630,000 travellers searched for a flight from Manchester on the corresponding Monday last year, according to data from price comparison site Skyscanner.
Here is the full list of beautiful holiday destinations airport bosses reckon we’ll be keen to jet off to this year.
5. Lanzarote
Beaches are Lanzarote’s main draw but as well as almost endless opportunities for sunbathing and swimming it has an astonishing volcanic landscape which can be explored on the back of a camel Photo: Manchester Airport
6. Barcelona
The Catalan capital is one of Europe’s most popular choices for a city break, with sights including the Sagrada Familia and the Camp Nou (home of FC Barcelona), a bustling beachfront and stunning food Photo: Manchester Airport
7. Ibiza
Ibiza is a clubber’s paradise with some of the most famous nightspots on the planet, but it is also trying to diversify its image and offers everything from a quaint Old Town to a vibrant food and drink scene and yoga retreats.. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto
8. Faro
Faro is the gateway to the Algarve in southern Portugal with its string of popular coastal resorts and sandy beaches, but it has attractions of its own including a characterful Old Town with cobbled streets, a 13th Century cathedral and an attractive marina Photo: Manchester Airport