Where to go in February

This city is nothing short of marvellous and if you happen to be planning a trip here in February, you’re in for some wild and crazy nights as Carnival takes over the city. Samba drives this city to party all day and all night as the city’s top dance schools compete to be the best. Carnival is a one-week celebration in the middle of February, the perfect time to experience Rio at its prime.

Apart from Carnival, this city is infectious. Its gorgeous mountains and white sand beaches, rainforests and azure blue sea get it top marks as far as looks go. When you’re not dancing your toes off, make sure to visit Cristo Redentor on top of Corcovado, enjoy a hike through Tijuca’s lush forests and spend a couple of days lazing about on Ipanema Beach… and who said life was tough?

30°C

Winter is high season, with average temperatures during the day hitting 33°C.

February is the most important time of the year in the Chinese calendar. It’s when Chinese New Year arrives, Chun Jie, bringing with it a colossal amount of celebrations around Beijing. If it’s local culture you’re after, this is by far the best time to experience this ancient country’s age-old traditions come alive. New Year’s Eve dinner is all about celebrating family so most Beijingers will be tucked away at home. People dress only in red on that day, to help bring power, happiness and vitality in the New Year.

At midnight, it’s fireworks time across the capital and then, everyone tucks into some dumplings (it’s good luck!). Fireworks light up the sky every night of the 15-day Spring Festival; it’s a spectacular sight from the roof of a bar or Beijing hotel near Houhai Lake. During the day, do not miss the city’s main temple fairs, where you can see street performers and shop for some souvenirs, not to mention taste some amazing Chinese street food.

4°C

Beijing can get a little on the cold side during the winter months, so pack a warm winter jacket. If it gets too chilly, duck into a restaurant for a bowl of hot soup.

Taking your sweetheart on a trip to Paris for Valentine’s Day is, shall we say, far from original but there is something very charming and hopelessly romantic in the idea. You can bet that you won’t be the only one planning a trip to Paris in mid-February and looking for that perfect chic Paris hotel.

What makes for the perfect romantic weekend? A coffee and croissant on the go before wandering the old alleyways of the Marais, the oldest part of the city. Then it’s off to the Seine’s Left Bank to the Quais de Montebello and Saint-Michel to browse the bookstalls. Montmartre is also a must for a romantic weekend in Paris, with a visit to the Sacré-Coeur church. If you’re after something a little kinkier, take the metro to Chatelet for a visit to Passage du Désir. For a romantic dinner, why not try a boat-bistro anchored on the bank of the Seine, or one of the city’s chic cocktail bars in Saint-Germain.

6°C

Paris in winter is a pretty cold affair, but you can count on some sunny, but chilly, days while you're there. Any excuse to snuggle up with your sweetheart to stay warm!

Cuba’s capital is a serious city of delights. It’s the busiest and biggest city in the Caribbean, and one that has been trapped in time with it vintage American cars and colonial palaces. If this city’s romantic atmosphere doesn’t charm you, its locals will.

After decades of socialism, Habaneros still have a zest for life and pride for their city like nowhere else and the Cuban culture is one to soak right in: salsa and mambo are the dances of choice, Havana Club rum is the drink of choice and after dinner, there’s nothing like a Cohiba cigar before heading out to a cabaret show. While Paris may be a cheaper choice for Valentine’s Day, why not surprise your special someone with a trip to Havana and the trip of a lifetime. It is high season though, so expect some crowds.

32°C

Winter is the ideal time to hit the Caribbean, with warm sunny days guaranteed this time of the year.

Truman Capote once wrote about Venice, “Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.” And why shouldn’t one indulge in this deliciously beautiful Italian city that has charmed travellers for hundreds of year? If you’ve never been, you must be running out of excuses to go, you can only stay away from Venice for so long.

If you’re looking for the perfect time to visit, February it is. It’s Carnival time in the city, when the city fills up with masked partygoers but not just any masks: beautifully ornate and golden gilded masks like something from the 18th century. A key date in the month is the Volo dell’Angelo when a beauty pageant winner rides a zipwire from the campanile in St Mark’s Square. Costume competitions and masked balls are highlights but not for the budget traveller, with elite parties requiring tickets that can set you back €500. This may be an expensive box of chocolate liqueurs but it’s worth every bite. If you're on a budget, try visiting Venice for free.

5°C

Winters in Venice can be cold and dark, but the colours of Carnival certainly brighten things up. The weather can also be quite damp, so pack accordingly.

The Philippines always conjures up images of rice fields, volcanoes and some of the happiest people in the planet. But there’s so much more to this country in Southeast Asia than meets the eye. The humidity is low in February, making it the perfect climate for visiting old colonial cities and bumming around the country’s 7,000 islands. Beaches are just the beginning!

The Philippines is unofficially the zipline capital of the world and it’s the perfect spot to try kite-boarding and kayaking, even white-water rafting. Whether you’re basking on Boracay or hiking through the jungles of Sagada, learning about Filipino history at a Manila museum or revelling at an indigenous festival, the Philippines will no doubt enchant.

30°C

When it comes to planning a trip to the Philippines, you need to think about typhoons, which are common between June and November and can pretty much ruin a holiday. February is right in the middle of dry season, unless you’re headed to the eastern seaboard (where the seasons are switched).