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Help me plan a cheap holiday
In May I'll be heading to Edinburgh for 10 days with BF. We plan to go on a holiday somewhere in Europe from the 21st-25th or so.
We've been looking for all inclusives but there aren't many options and what is there is quite expensive. This is probably because it's still too early in the year, but I'd like to have a backup plan just in case. We also can't wait until the last minute because BF will need to apply for a visa for wherever we go.
We're looking to spend about 250gbp per person for flights and accomodation (hope to find a groupon for a hotel). We wouldn't spend much on food and based on experience we can get a very cheap family sized bottle of vodka at the duty free to make our own drinks.
Spain is out, because we've been, and the country must be part of the EU.
Where would you suggest for a short mid-week break? Bonus points if it's somewhere hot.
Re: Help me plan a cheap holiday
Oh fun! This is my favourite topic :-)
What we do is skyscanner.net for the dates we want to go and see where we can get to cheaply. We can be very, very cheap travellers so as long as airfare is cheap, we've been able to be affordable almost anywhere (minus Scandanavian countries and Switzerland was challenging).
It's too early for the RyanAir flights to get super cheap (usually 1-2 months out) but looking at your dates, Rome is coming up with flights around ?100pp (I found cheaper flights when I went but that was in November so super off season). I find Italy and Portugal to be the cheapest places I've visited - it's warm enough to be outside, all the food is amazing and we just have fabulous picnics in beautiful squares, etc. I would consider Lisbon or any city in Italy. Eastern Europe is always super affordable but I would go more South in May for something hot.
Is that a bank holiday week in Scotland? Just seems like prices are a bit more than I'd expect.
I'm assuming you know of www.hostelworld.com and www.hostelbooking.com?
BFP Apr 2012, EDD Dec 19 2012 * twin h/b at 6wk, 9wk scan * Baby A lost at 12wks, Baby B was my rainbow born at 36wks
How about Lisbon? It is my favorite city in Europe and it is pretty cheap. Especially the hotel and food. I bet you will have great weather. I dont know if you could fly there cheap.
Yup. Direct flights to Lisbon on EasyJet. We're actually going on the 31st May, flights were around ?120 I think?
BFP Apr 2012, EDD Dec 19 2012 * twin h/b at 6wk, 9wk scan * Baby A lost at 12wks, Baby B was my rainbow born at 36wks
It's good to hear nice things about Lisbon. Portugal is at the top of our list (even though BF will have to go to Manchester for his visa-boo!).
He's never been to Italy, and while I loved it, I've been quite a few times, so I may try to avoid it. But a trip to Italy is always better than no trip.
I'll check out skyscanner.
Malta (Ryan air flies there)?
Sicily is also pretty and a bit different than mainland Italy.
If there's anyway you guys can flex beyond the EU
Sharm al Sheik has great beaches (and AIs). Cheap flights from Rome, not sure about London, but maybe you can hop London to Rome to Sharm.
I forgot about Malta! DH went there last year or so with a friend and raved about it. Said it was super affordable and really, really pretty. They flew RyanAir for like ?80 I think?
BFP Apr 2012, EDD Dec 19 2012 * twin h/b at 6wk, 9wk scan * Baby A lost at 12wks, Baby B was my rainbow born at 36wks
Yeah... Malta really is lovely. The people are crazy sweet, nice, kind, etc. I mean w/o fail everyone asked what our favorite part of the island was and recommended their favorite spot. Really cool. Easy, easy public xport. Reasonably priced lodging options. And, if like me, you're, sadly, English speaking only, it's easy.
I went last (as in early '11) Jan w/ my BFF when she was visiting. She usually comes over post Xmas and hangs w/ us for awhile and then I surprise her w/ a 'weekend get away' [aka time for my H to have some peace and quiet
]. BFF rocks and is always game for wherever, so I like to try new places that H isn't as interested in (I want to go literally everywhere, so plenty of options-- $/time are usually the deciding factors). Anyway, the part that killed me about Malta was that if he had come, he would have LOVED it!
I looooooove Lisbon. The island of Madeira is quite nice, too. We got cheap flights there from Lisbon. I have no idea how much flights go for from other parts of Europe, but it was pretty inexpensive to stay there.