No sooner had Nadal claimed his Wimbledon trophy and the World Cup edged towards its finale… than the first email landed in the travel inbox about Christmas 2010. Are we really thinking about that time already? It seems that those of us that are could be rewarded with some good deals.

Great Rail Journeys ( www.GreatRail.com/Christmas) has launched its festive brochure, which includes a Christmas in the Castle package in the Tyrolean village of Fieberbrunn, Austria. The nine-night holiday costs £1,498 per person and includes train travel from St Pancras on 19 December, half board accommodation at the Schlosshotel Rosenegg, a torchlight village walk, visit to Salzburg Christmas Market, gala dinners and evening concerts. DFDS Seaways ( www.dfds.co.uk/festive) has deals on Christmas market breaks to European cities such as Brussels and Copenhagen. The former four-night cruise break to the Belgian capital costs £222 per person and includes two nights on board the ship, two nights’ B&B and transfers; departs Newcastle on 2 and 11 December. The four-night break to Copenhagen departs Harwich on 1 and 8 December and costs £309 per person for the same deal, including entrance to the Tivoli park with queue-jumper passes.

If, like us on the travel desk, you can’t think quite that far ahead (or simply aren’t that organised), then some late availability offers will probably be of more use. Letsgo2 ( www.cyprus.letsgo2.com) has a departure to Cyprus on 20 July for £389 per person. The price includes seven nights’ half board at the three-star Agapinor Hotel in Paphos and return Thomas Cook flights from Gatwick.

Onto two more Mediterranean islands: The Sardinia Villa Collection ( www.thesardiniavillacollection.com) is offering 10-15 per cent discounts on a range of its properties in July, such as Villa Volpe in Porto Retondo (sleeps six) and Villa Libellula in Porto Cervo (sleeps 10). And Mallorca Farmhouses ( www.mallorca.co.uk) has discounts of up to 45 per cent on cottages, fincas and villas on the Balearic island, including the three-bedroom Burgues in Pollenca, which sleeps six and costs £1,565 to rent for a week from 17 July.

Finally, the British Airways sale ( www.britishairways.com) continues with savings on exotic destinations such as Bermuda, Barbados and the Maldives. If you book by 20 July you could be picking up a week at the four-star Meeru Island Resort in the Maldives for £849 per person, including flights from Gatwick departing in August, transfers and full-board accommodation.