Christmas breaks

Pampering for grown-ups

Swap turkey and tinsel for wine and spa treatments in sunny Lanzarote. Finca Malvasia offers stylish two-bedroom apartments in the middle of a working vineyard, with a stunning backdrop of volcanic mountains.

You can laze by the pool, sample the estate's award-winning wines or try something more active; everything from surfing to painting lessons can be arranged. For complete relaxation, there's also a spa where you can book massages or unwind with a yoga session.

Your holiday: A one-week stay at the Finca Malvasia, starting 19 December, costs from £171 per person, based on four sharing a two-bedroom apartment. Flights and car hire are extra. Call 00 34 928 173 460 or visit www.fincamalvasia.com

Viva Las Vegas

Giant glittering Christmas trees, fake snow and real reindeer; there's nothing quite like the glitz and strangeness of Las Vegas in the festive season.

The hotels along the neon-lit Strip offer everything from shows and rollercoasters to gondola rides in mini Venice. Eating out is a real treat, and with the pound's strength against the dollar you can afford the best.

Your holiday: Seven nights at the four-star Palms Casino Resort with Greenbee Direct Travel, starting 19 December, costs from £550 per person (twin share). This includes return flights from Heathrow and room-only accommodation. Car hire is not included, but can be added for around £17 a day. Visit www.greenbee.com

Tinsel in Transylvania

Enjoy an authentic Romanian Christmas in the foothills of the snow-clad Carpathian Mountains. The Machine House is a beautiful and historic six-roomed guesthouse surrounded by parkland and forest.

Fill it with your friends for a magical few days of visiting picturesque wooden villages for carol singing and mulled wine or sitting down to a traditional feast of pig, bacon and cabbage roll washed down with plum brandy.

Your holiday: Seven nights at the Machine House costs from £599 per person, based on 12 people sharing. This includes return flights from Heathrow, private transfers and breakfast. Call Black Tomato on 020 7610 9008 or visit www.blacktomato.co.uk