With the temperature in Britain creeping dangerously lower and lower, with the first October snows coming last week, and more on the way by the feel of things, it comes as no surprise that minds are turning to the prospect of a little winter getaway. Whilst the recent collapse of several budget airline and travel groups might have put us all off the idea of getting a cheap holiday, there are still several companies which are making a successful living in a difficult financial climate.

If you are hell-bent on going away this Christmas, and insist on flying, there are several ways to ensure that the environmental damage which your trip incurs is not at its highest. For example, it is possible to effectively carbon offset the majority of your projected fuel consumption; this is easiest done by donating online or over-the-phone to specified carbon-offsetting charities or donating to wind farms and sustainable energy projects worldwide.

The other thing you can do is limit the amount of flying itself. Instead of a 24 hour long haul to Australia for a week of jet lag and then a week of trying to fit everything in, why not look to continental Europe, where you can catch some gentle, relaxing winter sun without sitting on a plane for over 10 hours? You can find some credible cheap flights with online air companies such as Fly Monarch, which offer one of two weeks break this winter in destinations such as Faro, Tenerife, the Canaries and Cyprus.

Not only do the flights last little more than a few hours, but the Mediterranean islands and the Costa del Sol of Spain, given their relative proximity to the equator, can boast some balmy weather to complement gorgeous landscape, beautiful beaches and fine European cuisine. If you want the same sun and setting as the popular coasts of Spain, but cannot bear the idea of the high-rises and beer-splattered, anglicised streets of the Costa Brave and Costa del Sol, why not head to Cyprus? With mountains, myth, beaches and history, as well as delicious cuisine and intriguing culture, you could find a much quieter and more enjoyable alternative.