Which European city gets the most daylight in winter?
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It's half past four on a Tuesday in October. In Amsterdam the streetlights flicker on, the street is already dark and you may not have seen the sun at all today. At the same moment, someone in Málaga is sitting on a terrace with a coffee, jacket open, while the sky over the sea slowly turns orange. That difference is no coincidence. in Crete and Malta you get almost ten hours of daylight on the shortest day of the year, about two hours more than in Amsterdam. And you notice those two hours everywhere: with your morning coffee, on your way home and on your days off.
Where in Europe do you get the most daylight?
Crete and Malta get the most daylight, around 9 hours and 45 minutes on the shortest day of the year. Amsterdam gets just 7 hours and 40 minutes. The further south you live, the less your winter day shrinks, and in Europe you can hardly go further south than these two islands.
You notice that extra daylight all day long. On Malta the sun rises at around 07:09, so you drink your morning coffee in the sunshine by the water in Sliema, with the Valletta skyline across the harbour. And on Crete you still see people diving into the sea at the end of the afternoon, even in December.
Does more daylight also mean more sunshine?
More daylight usually means more sunshine too, but not to the same degree everywhere. Daylight is the time between sunrise and sunset, while sunshine hours count how long the sun actually breaks through. Malta and Málaga are among the sunniest places in Europe in winter: in December, the sun shines there for more than five hours a day on average. In Amsterdam, it’s less than two hours. The Spanish figures come from the weather agency AEMET. So you’ll simply need your sunglasses there, even in winter.
On Crete the days are the longest, but it gets more rain in winter. As a result, the sun shines there for almost four hours a day on average in December. Still twice as much as back home.
Does Greece appeal to you? See what working in Greece looks like, or find out which city suits you: Athens, Thessaloniki or Crete.
Where does the sun set latest in winter?
In Málaga, the sun sets at around 18:05 on the shortest day. That's more than an hour and a half later than in Amsterdam. The reason is the time zone: Spain uses the same time as the Netherlands, but lies much further west. As a result, the sun rises and sets later.
After work there's still time for a walk along the beach, churros with hot chocolate on a terrace, or simply sitting with your face in the sun. That's what living and working in Málaga feels like in December. In Valencia the sun sets at around 17:41, so after work you can still fit in a game of beach volleyball on Malvarrosa beach. 🌅
At half past five I'm still sitting with my feet in the sand on Pedregalejo beach in Málaga. Meanwhile, my friends back home are sending photos of themselves in their raincoats.
How light are winters in Lisbon and Athens?
In Lisbon and Athens you also gain almost two hours of daylight compared with Amsterdam. In Lisbon you can watch the sun sink over the Tagus river at around 17:18, for example from a miradouro (viewpoint) in Alfama. In Athens it stays light until about 17:09. From Filopappou Hill near Koukaki you can look out over the Acropolis while the city lights come on below you.
Want to know more about how a winter like that feels? Read why winter in Portugal and Greece feels lighter.
Like numbers? These are the times on 21 December, the shortest day of the year:
Athens – 9h31 daylight | Sunrise: 07:38 | Sunset: 17:09
Thessaloniki – 9h15 daylight | Sunrise: 07:49 | Sunset: 17:04
Valletta (Malta) – 9h43 daylight | Sunrise: 07:09 | Sunset: 16:52
Málaga – 9h39 daylight | Sunrise: 08:27 | Sunset: 18:05
Valencia – 9h23 daylight | Sunrise: 08:18 | Sunset: 17:41
Lisbon – 9h27 daylight | Sunrise: 07:51 | Sunset: 17:18
Porto – 9h12 daylight | Sunrise: 07:57 | Sunset: 17:09
Amsterdam – 7h40 daylight | Sunrise: 08:48 | Sunset: 16:29
What does a winter with two extra hours of light feel like?
Lighter, literally. You walk home while it's still light, on Saturday you pick up your fruit at the open-air market, and on a free Sunday in January you simply have lunch outside. Small things, but over a whole winter they make a real difference to your energy. ✨
I came south during the winter to escape the blues. Now I've learned to surf, and for the first time winter feels light instead of heavy.
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Manage my cookie choicesWhich winter city suits you?
If you want the longest days, Malta is a great choice. If you love long, light evenings, working in Spain is ideal, especially in Málaga or Valencia. And if you want the buzz of a capital city with almost two extra hours of light, Lisbon and Athens are a good fit.
Dreaming of spending the winter in the south? Or simply not in the mood for another winter of grey, rainy months? With a job in one of these cities, that idea becomes your everyday life, not just a week's holiday. Applying through Yobbers is free, and our team guides you through the move to your new city
Ready to swap the dark months for a winter full of light? Browse our vacancies abroad and find the city where you want to spend your winter. ✈️