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Short Breaks In The Sun
Top Short Break Destinations
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IbizaHolidays from £199pp
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MajorcaShort Breaks from £189pp
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AlgarveShort Breaks from £159pp
A Guide To Cheap Breaks In The Sun
Short breaks in the sun are sometimes, all we need to lift our mood, but they aren't always easy to find, especially if you're on a budget, so we've pulled together a comprehensive guide to enjoying is a little getaway so we've pulled together our guide for finding and booking a short break in the sun, whether you want a cheap weekend beach break, or want to enjoy a sunny city break.
There are a number of things to take into consideration when booking a short break to make the most of your time in the sunshine. Flight time is definitely one thing to think about. If you're only away for a few days, you won't want to travel too far, and that also includes the airport transfer time. You may want to try and make sure that your hotel isn't too far from the airport either so that you can maximise your time on holiday.
Busy travel periods like Christmas, New Year and Easter means flight and hotel prices can be higher, so it's recommended to book early and be flexible. Last minute short breaks aren't always the best option in this instance but you still might be able to find a great deal. And if you're only away for a few days, you might not need to worry about checked luggage so check out our beach break packing list and make sure you don't forget anything.
All Inclusive Short Breaks
There are loads of cheap short breaks abroad on an all inclusive basis to be discovered and popular beach holiday destinations like Portugal and Spain are best for hotels offering all inclusive. Try out big brands like First Choice and TUI short breaks that offer 3 night beach breaks including flights, transfers and checked-in luggage (if you need it). And with flights from across the UK including Scotland, Northern Ireland, you've got lots of options.
Popular all inclusive hotels you should take a look at include the Alvor Baia in the Algarve, the luxury Sensatori Ibiza resort, and the Flamingo Beach Resort in Benidorm.
Popular Beach Break Destinations
Majorca
Majorca is one of the best short beach break destinations you can enjoy. Year round, low cost flights (taking as little as 2 hours 15 minutes) make it easily accessible, and with a wide range of budget friendly to high end accommodation, there is plenty of choice depending on your budget, including self catering and all inclusive short break options.What's more, there are holiday resorts that are a short drive from the airport too.
Benidorm
Family favourite, Benidorm, is a fun, short-haul, beach destination, which has been popular with us Brits for years. Flying from the UK to Alicante airport only takes about 2 and a half hours. Add the 45 minute car journey from Alicante airport to Benidorm, and you can be sipping on a cocktail by the pool by lunchtime. With six hours of average sunshine in December and up to 12 hours of sunshine on average in July, a long weekend in Benidorm is just enough to enjoy Llevant Beach, Aqualandia water park and the glorious Spanish sunshine before heading back to the UK.
Algarve
Portugal's Algarve coast is another ideal place to enjoy a quick getaway in the sunshine. Flights from the UK to Faro airport take just under three hours and once you're in Portugal, the journey to Vilamoura and Quarteira is as little as 30 minutes, while the journey over to Lagos can take over an hour, so bear this in mind when booking to minimise your travel time. Try a stay at the Tivoli Marina Resort or Crowne Plaza Vilamoura to be close to the beach and popular marina area of Vilamoura.
Costa Del Sol
The Costa Del Sol boasts being one of the sunniest places in Spain, with an average of 10-11 hours of sunshine in the summer, and an average of 5 hours of sunshine a day in the winter months. The Costa Del Sol is a long stretch of the coast in southern Spain, however, the journey from Malaga airport to Torremolinos, one of the Costa Del Sol's most popular holiday resorts, is just 15 minutes by car from the airport, so you can be by the pool in the sun quicker than you'll realise. Head a little further down the coast still and you'll be in other popular resorts like Benalmadena and Fuengirola which cater well for holidaymakers.
Popular City Breaks In The Sun
Barcelona
Barcelona is the perfect place to enjoy a city break in the sun, with over 2,500 hours of sunshine every year to take advantage of. Enjoy Barcelona's ideal mix of rich, city culture and beautiful, sandy beaches, and with delicious Spanish cuisine to try, it's ideal for a weekend break in the sun. In the summer months, Barcelona experiences up to 10 hours of sunshine a day, while in winter it goes down to an average of 4.5 hours a day.
Palma, Majorca
Palma, Majorca's capital is another great city in the sun. The city of Palma is just 15 minutes from Palma de Mallorca Airport which offers plenty of year round flights from across the UK. With a mix of history and beach, it's another ideal city for enjoying a long weekend break.
Nice
While average temperatures in Nice are around 10-12 degrees in winter, it's still warmer than the UK and they still enjoy around 5 hours of sunshine on average a day. In the summer, they get as much as 15 hours of sunshine a day with temperatures reaching the late twenties. With flights as short as 2 hours and costing as little as £20 each way, and just 15 minutes from Nice airport to the city centre, it's certainly an easy option for 3 or 4 day breaks in the sun.
Weekend Breaks In The Sun
For a cheap weekend break in the sun, you might need to be a little flexible in where you go. Weekends are a popular time to travel so you might find that Friday and Saturday flights are a little more expensive. With just a weekend, you're going to want to maximise your time, so think about short flights and transfer times so you can spend more time on your break.
Short beach breaks also mean you'll need a hotel nearest the beachfront. This can come at a bit of a premium, but even just going a couple of streets back from the promenade can make a huge difference to the price.
When To Go
For a winter short break in the sun, November, December and January is the perfect time to head to the Canary Islands with temperatures in the early to mid twenties. Being closer to the equator, the islands are warmer than that of mainland Spain. It might mean an early start (in the middle of the night) but Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote often have flights departing the UK first thing in the morning, so you can be by the pool in the sunshine by lunch.
In the summer, Spain is a great option to get away. Plenty of short flights, lots of destinations and loads of hotel options ranging from self catering apartments to all inclusive resorts. For more inspiration and holiday ideas, visit our I need a holiday page.