Who said, though, that seaside vacations are the exclusive prerogative of summer? Or that Christmas and New Year vacations must necessarily involve cold, snow and mountains? Just move a few thousand miles and you can find plenty of warm places in December.

Certainly if you are looking for a warm place to spend New Year's Eve, the white beaches and sunshine of the Caribbean, Seychelles and Bahamas are a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But you don't have to go far or spend a big budget to spend an unforgettable New Year's Eve by the sea. In fact, if you prefer to stay in the Mediterranean area, the French Riviera, the Gulf of Naples, Malta and the Canary Islands are for you.

If you have a way to indulge in warm weather cruising in the middle of winter, you'll be spoiled for choice: popular destinations in the Caribbean include Martinique and the Grenadine Islands, as well as the British Virgin Islands and Saint Martin. Warmed by the sun and cooled by the trade winds, you'll sail into a sailor's paradise. Latin American rhythms will provide the backdrop, along with cocktails with fresh fruit and rum and the excitement of celebrating the end of the year with a midnight swim in the Caribbean Sea.

Those in search of elegance and worldliness can choose New Year's Eve on the French Riviera among markets and glamorous clubs, experienced aboard a comfortable sailboat, anchored among the boats of VIPs from around the world. By day then there will be a way to sail between Cannes, Saint Tropez, the Iles de Lerins, Cap d'Antibes and Pointe de l'Aiguille, filling your eyes with horizons. 

Another destination not to be underestimated is Barcelona, for a vacation full of art, culture, fun ashore and sailing. Perfect for those who do not want to give up sailing but always have a plan B.

Those who want to mediate between art and nature, on the other hand, can sail to Malta and Gozo, a mix of Mediterranean cultures that is even more magical out of season. If you want to experience Italy, the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast are magical places. Only on New Year's Eve, however, can you watch Naples from the sea as it sparkles and explodes with fireworks in the night!

For even milder weather and moonscapes, sailing parties in the Canary Islands are perfect, also because you know, the Spanish know how to have fun and celebrate! Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, or Tenerife with Gran Canaria and La Gomera? You'll have the chance to sail from one to the other carried by the Atlantic wind and discover their rocky cliffs and dark beaches or moor at anchor in a well sheltered cove and enjoy a swim. Green light of course for kite and windsurfers!