February family fun!

For those of you lucky enough to have children breaking up for half-term on 17th February this year, there are a heap of bargains waiting to be grabbed.  Local authorities have staggered the spring break and holiday companies don't seem to have caught on!

So, why sit bored, looking out at the rain lashing the pavement, when you could be enjoying al fresco dining under the bright skies of southern Spain or exploring the snowy splendours of Scandinavia?

Copenhagen is a fabulous place to visit with the family.  Even though accommodation in Denmark isn't easy on the purse, there is a real sense of the importance of quality family time in this part of the world and children are considered the perfect tourists.  For kids, the National Museum in Copenhagen is a real gem; Viking history comes to life and the adventures through the layers of Norse culture unravel in front of the children's eyes.  Entry is free for under 18s. And, an evening treat for the family in Copenhagen is Tivoli Gardens, where fun comes alive in the middle of the city.  This amusement park offers thrills and spills for the young (and young-at-heart!)  Flights from Luton to Copenhagen are a mere £30 return.  With self-catering accommodation, a couple of days here shouldn't set you back more than £400. 

http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/sightseeing/free-things-do

Even cheaper than Copenhagen is Luxembourg which, for just £28 return, can be reached from Stansted with Easyjet.  One of the three official capitals of the European Union (alongside Strasbourg and Brussels), this tiny country has only half a million citizens and its picture-perfect capital city is like stepping into a fairy tale. Bordering Belgium, France and Germany, Luxembourg is an enigmatic country with an identity influenced heavily by its neighbours.

http://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/free-things-to-do-in-luxembourg-city

What about Germany's second-largest city?  Hamburg is a mere £35 return from Manchester and has plenty of fascinating experiences on offer for a family, ranging from Miniatur Wunderland (the world's largest model railway system) for the younger explorers, to the chilling atmosphere of Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial for those studying GCSE History.  Travel around Hamburg is reasonably priced  and, with every adult travel pass, three children aged under fourteen go free on public transport.

http://www.hamburg-travel.com/attractions/best-of-hamburg/

Somewhere on my list is Malaga.  A two-hour drive from the Moorish royal palace of Seville and a mere hour and a half from the Barbary macaque wild monkeys in Gibraltar, Malaga offers so much variety in a holiday. With its Roman amphitheatre and free art galleries, there's no chance of being bored in this blue-skied city.  £32 will get you to Malaga, there and back, from Glasgow.

https://www.spain-holiday.com/Malaga-city/articles/top-10-free-things-to-do-in-malaga

Closer to home, even Center Parcs don't seem to have cottoned on to the anomaly of February half-term dates.  A four-night mid-week break in a two-bedroomed executive lodge at Elveden Forest in Suffolk is £400 cheaper than the previous week, when some schools are enjoying their (more expensive) week off. 

So, rather than wondering how to entertain the family in the wet and wild weather of a UK winter, get hunting for flights and show the little ones the world...

Half-term Budapest

Budapest is the most perfect city for a short break with a difference.  Bordering seven other countries, Hungary is at the very heart of Europe and the influences of its neighbours can be seen in the language, architecture and cuisine of this wonderful nation.  And, for just £38 return at February half-term, it's a destination that will easily come in at under £500 for a family week of Hungarian adventures.

A mere three hour flight from the UK and you and your family are transported to a country that feels unlike any other.  As soon as your flight touches down at Ferenc Listz International Airport, you realise that this is a city that is flattered you chose to visit - Hungary became a member of the EU in 20014 and, since then, has very much been geared towards tourism.  The transfers into the city are plentiful and, once secured in the central part of Budapest, you won't need any other transport.  Budapest is a very walkable city and, indeed, one that is best seen on foot.  From Buda Castle to the Fisherman's Bastion, there is so much to see.

Accommodation is very cheap and a quick search on Airbnb will present you with a plethora of choice at about £50 a night for a family of four.  We stayed in an apartment in a beautiful old building, seconds from the river and a stone's throw from the basilica and parliament.  We lived like locals and our funky flat had a real-feel of a bygone Budapest, with its wrought-iron balcony and courtyards.

The grande dame of Budapest is the parliament building with its gothic architecture and its dazzling white exterior.  Located on  Lajos Kossuth Square, one of the world's largest parliament buildings looks down upon the Danube, compelling you to tour its miles of corridor.  There are guided tours of this political centre regularly throughout the day but visits must be booked in advance. EU citizens get half-price entry so get in while you can... 

If you have little ones in tow, the tour buses run regular routes around the city, complete with an informative audio guide.  Shop around for the bus that suits your family best.  We found the best tour to be the Big Bus Tour company; it was markedly cheaper than the other companies.  For two adults and two children, our ticket cost £45 for 48 hours of travel and the kids loved sitting on an open-top bus listening to the facts and figures of this beguiling city.  We hopped on and hopped off to our hearts' content and touring the city at night was a great couple of hour's entertainment for us all; we even had a riverboat trip down the Danube included in the price.

Money-wise, the forint is king.  Hungarian shops and restaurants do accept Euros as currency but we found that the price in forints was much more economical.  A quick shop around the local supermarket will show you just how much you can get for your forint; a drinkable bottle of local wine cost us the equivalent of £1.50!  The Old Market Hall next to the Liberty Bridge offers up a whole floor of Hungarian 'street food', complete with the most wonderful patisseries. Its fascinating to eat whilst watching the locals going about their daily business, and then to buy tacky souvenirs from the stalls offering up fridge magnets and tea towels.

Budapest is a magical city that feels different to Europe's other major pulls; it's a gentle city which seems to work at a slower pace.  Al fresco cafes under the watchful eye of the basilica are filled with proud Hungarians soaking up their culture and impressive heritage.  Why not join them this February?

Shropshire families on tour!

Shropshire mums and dads,  there are some seriously well-priced flights waiting for you next February half-term.



Next year in Shropshire there is an anomaly with holidays.  Usually, Valentine's Day falls in half-term but, next year, Salopian schools don't break up until the week after.  Airlines don't seem to have realised this so make the most of your (Brexit) pound!



The possibilities are endless next February.  Weak spring sun will be found in Italy and Spain; an opportunity to ditch the winter coat will be a tantalising prospect after the dull skies of a British winter.



A few headline figures to tempt you...

Majorca for £35 return for the week?  The flights are decently-timed and accommodation is plentiful on this beautiful island.

Pisa for £33 return?  The Leaning Tower is an excellent opportunity for cheesy selfies.

Copenhagen for £26 return?  Learn all about the Vikings firsthand.



Venice for £31 return?  Need I say more?

If you need any help booking flights or accommodation, get in touch.

Get 'em while they're cheap!

This Thursday, EasyJet will be releasing flights for next Easter and May half-term.  Those of you looking for a bargain break in 2017 will need to be booking by the weekend to guarantee the best prices.

EasyJet is a great airline.  I swear by their no-nonsense prices and approach.  You know what you're getting with this airline and, provided that you don't add on prohibitive costs for luggage - take cabin cases for free - you're guaranteed a cheap deal.

EasyJet fly from 17 airports in the United Kingdom to over 130 destinations so you've plenty of choice for next year's school holidays...

'Twas the week before Christmas...

What better way to get into the festive spirit than to jet off to a European Christmas market?



There are a stockingful of seriously cheap flights available for the penultimate week of December and, from just £20 each, you could be sipping gluhwein and cosying up with your nearest and dearest under the twinkling lights of a tree in locations such as Luxembourg City, Barcelona or Brussels.



Liverpool to Barcelona is £28 return, Stansted to Luxembourg City is £26 and Brussels is only £20 from Manchester!  And, if it's an authentic German market you're after, Manchester to Stuttgart is a mere £32.

(Next) Summer's in the Air!

The leaves are starting to fall and the mornings are getting darker.  What better time to plan next year's summer adventure?

Grab your flights NOW before prices rise.  You can deal with the finer details (such as accommodation and car hire) later but you need to secure the cheap airline tickets before the end of the September if you're wanting a bargain break.

We've just booked our flights.  Two weeks in Northern Spain next August for £55 each with British Airways.  That £55 includes taxes AND luggage! So, for just over £200, we've got a holiday in the making.  With glorious beaches and rugged coastline, this region of Spain promises not to disappoint.

Don't fancy Spain?  There is a world of bargains waiting to be grabbed. 

Next July and August there are some fantastic flights currently available.

In the region of £40 for a return flight are Denmark, Sweden and Germany.

£50 will get you to Spain, Poland and Czech Republic.  And, for just £60, you can jet off to France or Norway.

Reasonably-priced flights, combined with self-catering accommodation and car hire, means that a fortnight's tailor-made European holiday for a family of four, can come in at under £2000, including spending money.

Finding these flights is easy!  Using www.skyscanner.com, search UK to EVERYWHERE for the WHOLE MONTH of August.  This will give you an overview of available destinations and a quick tweak of dates and airports will get you up and away next summer.

My other blogs advising on booking self-catering accommodation will help you to fine-tune your break and make it your own family adventure.

Arrive as guests, leave as friends!

With the increasing popularity of Airbnb, the independent traveller can now pick from an array of self-catering property to suit their individual tastes and styles when exploring the globe.

Founded in 2008 and based in San Francisco, Airbnb is a search engine which allows people to book accommodation around the world, directly through the owners, with listings in nearly 200 countries!

A quick search will present you with a plethora of possibilities for your holiday and, in the more touristy destinations, the sheer density of places can be mind-numbing.

So, how to sort the wheat from the (sometimes) chaff?  After a summer of successful 'pick of the crops' in terms of Airbnb choices, I thought I'd share some ideas and experiences...

Geographically widen the search

Don't just look at the inner circle of the city in which you wish to stay.  Sometimes, the suburbs can be just as good.  This summer, we needed a place to stay in Toronto.  Not wishing to drive into the city and be stung for extortionate car parking fees, we looked a little further out towards the 'burbs.  A room in the brand new neighbourhood of Oakville proved an absolute gift.  Half the price of a room in the city, and with excellent commuter links via the Go train, our en-suite bedroom only cost £67 a night for our family of four, including breakfast and ready-made playmates for our children; the host's offspring took our kids to the local park almost as soon as we arrived, allowing us time to chill and get to know the couple who had opened up their house to a random English family!

Use the filters

It sounds simple advice but the more you filter, the happier you'll be.  For example, I always tick the 'smoke detector' and 'carbon monoxide detector' preferences.  I appreciate that this makes me sound like a paranoid and overly-anxious traveller but there are a number of reasons as to why this is constructive advice.  Firstly, when travelling with children, the health and security of the younger members of the team must come foremost in the planning.  Additionally, an owner who has gone to the bother of making their guests' safety a priority is most likely to be responsible and kind.

Ratings

With so many choices on Airbnb, you can afford to be picky.  Only look at properties which have been awarded an average of five stars.  Why run the risk of residing with someone languishing in the three out of five category when you can stay with someone who's got it right every time?

Reviews

Read reviews carefully.  Read them all.  Not only will they help you decide on accommodation but they will also help with the planning of your trip as fellow travellers often post recommendations for local restaurants or transport links.  Another good method of assessing landlords is to look to see whether they've responded to reviews.  Someone who's taken the time to converse after they've been paid is someone who's Airbnb-ing for interaction rather than profit.

A rose by any other name...

Also in reviews, look for the use of people's names.  Someone mentioning "Mr Smith" doesn't fill you with as much confidence as someone who thanks "Amy".

What's included?

Look at what you get for your money.  If you're renting just a room with a bed, that's fine.  But, increasingly, owners are becoming competitive and are offering more.  Our last two stays (in Michigan and Ontario) both had fridges stocked with snacks and breakfast goodies.  Some properties provide toiletries too; another recent stay came complete with shampoo, shower gel and even razors, meaning that we could travel with aircraft-cabin sized bags and avoid the need for carrying liquids.

Obviously, access to a kitchen will help save even more money and self-catering is, as we all know, the only way with small children.  The other benefit of an Airbnb property is that you can put the children to bed, placate them in front of the TV or allow them to play outside while Mummy and Daddy have some downtime.

A picture paints a thousand words

Scrutinise the photos.  Ensure that there are lots of images to consider.  Anything less than ten photos then I'd worry.  Are all the rooms photographed?  Sometimes, the lack of a bathroom photograph can be a worry or perhaps the bedding is old and tired-looking.  An external shot helps to see whether the property is in a residential area or secluded.  Another photo that should be looked at carefully is that of the actual host.  Do they look as if they'd share similar interests to you?  For example, I shy away from photos of single men with their cats, in favour of a family shot!  

Instant booking

There are two types of renters.  Those who allow you to 'instantly book' their property, without any
e-mail interaction, and those who require an initial dialogue to get a sense of who you are.  I personally never 'instantly book' as I view these people as putting profit before compatibility of housemates.

'That's when good neighbours become good friends'

Where will the homeowner be?  Is your host going to be next door?  In the next building or ten miles away?  I find that, if you've done adequate research, having the renter in the vicinity can reap benefits.  You not only have an expert on the local area to hand, but you also have someone to go to should there be any issues.  Fortuitously, this summer, we stayed with a host who was a teacher in Canada.  As teachers ourselves, it was fascinating to discuss the international highlights and frustrations of the profession.

Extras

From s'mores around a campfire to kayaks for the whole family, a recent stay in the USA was a special find for our family.  A converted ice-house next to a picture-perfect lake allowed us an unforgettable family kayak trip, complete with a bald eagle following our higgledy-piggledy path.  To make the holiday your own, look out for these extras as they can turn a house into a home for a few days.

Transport

Some hosts offer the possibility of transport from local hubs and very often, the cost of a ride with your host is markedly cheaper than a cab.  A lift to your bed also minimises the stress of reading maps when you've arrived late at night in an unknown city.  I've found that the ride to the property also helps to break the ice and allows chit-chat to flow naturally, making the stay less like a business transaction and more like a visit to an old friend.

Airbnb is a fantastic opportunity for the traveller to rest their head with a focus on reducing costs and maximising positive experiences.  Yes, you have to do some groundwork to ensure that you've chosen well but, once you arrive and see your 'home', you'll not regret heeding my words.

By the way, all the photos included here are from our family's Airbnb finds this summer in North America.