Right, so you have one of our ready-to-fill picnic hampers and you’re looking to get away for a summer bank holiday on a budget… well, look no further, because we’ve collected a tonne of ideas for cheap summer holidays abroad. To do your own research, you might try the Google Explore feature. It lets you select your month, trip duration and more details to find the perfect summer bank holiday on a budget.
Where to go for a cheap summer holiday?
Well, Europe is the obvious choice. Looking at prices just one month prior, for a family of four, flying from London for a weekend trip in August, you can visit Dublin for £126 round trip or Amsterdam for £287. If you want somewhere beachy, there’s Palma at around £320 with a return, Barcelona for £381 or Marseille for £360 with a return flight. These are great options with a mix of history, culture and sun that any family will enjoy.
For food-obsessed families, there’s Venice or Rome for £376 with a return or the surprisingly foodie Copenhagen for £279 with a return. If you’re seeking culture and more of a city break, there is Strasbourg for £266 with a return, Prague for £268 or Budapest for £380. Need to chill out? The frigid Oslo is just £215 for a family of four or perhaps the Russia-bordering Tallinn for £353 or the icy cold Reykjavik for £734 – one of the least visited places in Europe. There are a load of fun wintery activities you and the family can get up to that would be super unexpected for a summer bank holiday on a budget.
Now, you’ll have to spend a little bit more to get outside of Europe but there are still amazing options at a reasonable price. For £642 with a round trip, you can visit the historic, beachy and beautiful Marrakesh or the stunning Istanbul for £695. Even further afield is Riyadh for £793 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with all its incredible architecture and history. And, of course, if you were to stretch your budget even further, you might land in a neighbouring country and travel through by car to see more of these far-off places.
Are summer holidays cheaper last minute?
Which did a whole study on this and found that (while you probably don’t want to leave it till 1 week before), the average first savings of booking super early was only about £200 quid. Waiting may see you bag a bargain for less popular destinations as carriers and hotels try to fill rooms and meet budgets if they are forecasting a shortfall. As Travel Republic explains, “If you’re travelling with children or as a large group, you’ll understandably be interested in getting plane seats and hotel rooms beside one another. If that’s the case, you’re better off booking approximately four weeks before you want to go to make sure you have a good choice of options.”
And, if you simply can’t decide, or you’ve left it too late, grab one of our Rose hampers and find a local UK beauty spot. You don’t need lounges and air miles if you’re spending your summer bank holiday with those you love.
