Using up remaining holiday entitlement: Is Finale Ligure really the best place to go in winter?
Gitta Beimfohr
· 30.09.2026
Finale Ligure has long since established itself as a top destination for mountain bikers, even in winter: dry, grippy and well-maintained trails, with a shuttle service and a campsite. However, when it comes to sunshine and warmth, other European destinations fare much better in December.
Still got some holiday leave left that needs using up in December? Or do you simply fancy some sun, trails and the sea over Christmas and New Year? Of course, we don’t have a crystal ball to hand that could tell us right now where the winter sun will warm up the trails the most. But we’ve compared the weather data for the 12 most popular winter trail spots.
Camping, shuttle services and trail maintenance all year round
If you go by the number of mountain bikers who now head south in their campervans in December, the sun certainly shines brightest over the trail network in Finale Ligure. Three campsites here are now open all year round, whilst trail maintainers and shuttle drivers remain on duty. You’ll even need to be quick off the mark to secure a booking over Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Insiders say: T-shirt weather, the trails are less crowded than in summer and, on top of that, dry and offer even better grip.
In fact, the dreaded Genoa lows, bringing storms and days of heavy rain, tend to hit the Ligurian coast in autumn and spring. In December, however, the weather is often fairly stable, with sunny days averaging 12 degrees – which, of course, feels much warmer when there is no wind.
However, if you compare the climate data for Finale Ligure with other trail running destinations in southern Europe, there is certainly scope to make the most of the warmth for the rest of your holiday in December. Here are the 12 best trail running regions in southern Europe, compared side by side in terms of climate in December.
The 12 best winter destinations for cyclists: a temperature comparison
| Rank | MTB spot | During the day | At night | Water | Rainy days |
| 1 | La Palma, Canary Islands | 20–22 °C | 13–15 °C | 19–20 °C | 8 |
| 2 | Madeira, Portugal | 18–20 °C | 14–15 °C | 19 °C | 8–13 |
| 3 | Sicily, Italy | 15–17 °C | 9–11 °C | 15–16 °C | 3–8 |
| 4 | Mallorca, Spain | 15–17 °C | 7–10 °C | 15–16 °C | 5–6 |
| 5 | Sardinia, Italy | 12–16 °C | 6–9 °C | 15–16 °C | 6–9 |
| 6 | Lisbon, Portugal | 14–15 °C | 9–11 °C | 15–16 °C | 6–9 |
| 7 | Elba, Italy | 13–14 °C | 7–11 °C | 15.8 °C | 7–12 |
| 8 | Almería, Spain | 12–14 °C | 9–11 °C | 16 °C | 2 |
| 9 | Tuscany, Italy | 10–13 °C | 7–11 °C | 15–16 °C | 9–10 |
| 10 | Finale Ligure, Italy | 12 °C | 4–6 °C | 14–15 °C | 9 |
| 11 | Girona, Spain | 9–11 °C | 2–4 °C | ------------------- | 5–9 |
| 12 | Zona Zero/Aínsa, Spain | 8–9 °C | −1 to 4 °C | ------------------- | sporadically |
It’s hardly surprising, of course, that La Palma tops the list for temperature. Of all the spots, the Canary Islands are the southernmost, on a par with the Sahara. So if you want to combine cycling with swimming, you’ll have no choice but to hop on a plane. Unless, of course, you have enough holiday left over to make the 48-hour ferry journey from Spain to La Palma worthwhile.
Spring all year round: La Palma
But there’s one thing you mustn’t forget about La Palma: temperatures are measured at the coast. The higher you go, the cooler it gets. Up on the 2,426-metre-high Roque de los Muchachos, freezing temperatures can bite your face in the early morning. So you’ll need to pack appropriately warm clothes for the legendary summit trail descent. But the knowledge that you’re now heading down into spring, bend after bend, is enough to warm you from within. Incidentally, the average of eight rainy days recorded on La Palma refers to the north-eastern side of the island, as the clouds usually linger around the summit. Anyone travelling in the south-west will hardly notice the rain at all.
Subtropical climate on Madeira
Things are a little different at the second-warmest spot, Madeira. This Portuguese island in the Atlantic lies 500 kilometres further north than La Palma and is only 1,862 metres high. Here, the trade winds, accompanied by a blanket of clouds, usually sweep over the island, giving it a generally subtropical climate. The weather here can change quickly in winter, but days on end of rain are rather unusual. On the other hand, the island has virtually no beaches suitable for swimming. It is surrounded by rugged cliffs, but anyone holidaying here will have enough to keep them occupied with the extremely versatile enduro trail network.
The Mediterranean islands: usually mild and dry in December
The Mistral, the Levante and other local wind systems create their own weather patterns in the Mediterranean region. However, storms are more common in autumn. Scientists are not yet able to say whether the El Niño year, which is strongly forecast for 2026, will have an impact from the Pacific and Atlantic right through to the Mediterranean region. Generally speaking, however, the phenomenon causes low-pressure systems in Europe to track further south. Normally, though, December – unlike autumn and spring – is considered calm, sunny and dry. With Mallorca, Sardinia and Elba so you can’t really go far wrong. On Sicily Mount Etna, on the other hand, could still throw a spanner in the works. It has been active on and off over the last few months, and its eruptions have brought air traffic to a standstill.
Southern Spain: Europe’s desert
December is the month when you’re least likely to have to worry about rain on the south-east coast of Spain. For example, on a four-day tour through the Tabernas Desert you’ll stay bone-dry even in winter. It only gets quite cold here at night – typical of the desert. In the rest of Spain, however – even in the Zona Zero (the foothills of the Pyrenees) and Girona – you have to expect the odd shower from time to time. But it doesn’t get really cold here either. Temperatures rarely dip below double figures above zero on the sandy paths, which are now much easier to grip.
Finale Ligure: 9 days of rain in December
The Germans’ favourite spot is increasingly catering to winter cyclists. Three campsites are now open all year round and are quickly fully booked over Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The shuttle buses run almost daily during the holiday periods, and on an on-demand basis on other days. In December, the weather is at its most stable during the winter months, but with the icy Mistral blowing in from the Rhône Valley, temperatures can occasionally drop to around zero. When it rains (9 days of rain in December), the NATO base may even be covered in a dusting of snow.
Conclusion: Finale will remain number one
Compared to other European cycling destinations, the weather in Finale Ligure is, on average, slightly cooler, rainier and more unpredictable – which is also down to the various local wind patterns. But it’s simply the quickest route to get there from Germany, and there’s plenty of trail riding to be had. This is mainly because the trails, which now stretch all along the Ligurian coast, aren’t (yet) as crowded in December as they are in summer.
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor