Last-minute summer holiday: Top breaks you can still book
Feel like taking a break before autumn kicks in but thought you’d missed the bus, train or plane? Fret not, there’s still time
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Your support makes all the difference.The bursts of sunshine through this week’s cloudy skies (at least, in some parts of the country) are reminders that summer is still in full swing. And even if you don’t currently have an escape planned, there’s still time to book – whether it’s a high-end hotel stay in the UK, or a late-season trip to the Med. Anyone able to travel at short notice or take a gamble on limited supply will find there are plenty of deals to entice last-minute decision-makers.
Villa stay
Large-villa specialists are bound to have some availability left this season, so hunt around for a bargain. To Tuscany (0121 286 7782; to-tuscany.com) has more than 700 properties on its books, some of which come with late-booking discounts of up to 40 per cent.
The company currently has nine cut-price villas for week-long rentals starting this Saturday, with prices from £480 (sleeping two); plus about 50 available for each of the final two weeks in August. Fly to Pisa with easyJet (0330 365 5000; easyjet.com) from Bristol, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester. Ryanair (0871 246 0000; ryanair.com) has return fares from Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick and Liverpool from around £240 this weekend.
Mickey magic
There’s still time to squeeze in some family fun before school starts, and while Florida may be out of reach at this late stage, a Disney experience closer to home comes at a more palatable price. Lastminute.com (0800 083 4000; lastminute.com) has a three-night break to Paris from 21 August for £1,027 for a family of four.
The price includes rail travel from London St Pancras and room-only at the Radisson Blu Hotel at Disneyland Paris, which has a free shuttle to the theme park – plus spa access for those tired of Mickey mania. Park entrance from £61 per adult and £55 per child (disneylandparis.com).
Moroccan marvel
Holiday prices drop dramatically as soon as the school term begins. Summer temperatures will be on the slide, too, making Marrakech an ideal option.
In September, British Airways Holidays (0844 493 0758; ba.com/marrakech) has four nights at Riad Ailen, in the heart of the old city, from £279pp including flights from Gatwick and four-star accommodation with breakfast. The hotel is close to the markets, restaurants and snake charmers of Djemaa el-Fnaa square.
English escape
Avoid the added cost of flying with a holiday on home territory. English country gardens are at their best in summer, and Norfolk’s Congham Hall Hotel (01485 600 250; conghamhallhotel.co.uk) has designed a self-guided trail taking in seven of the region’s glorious gardens, including its own.
Until the end of the month, a four-night package costs £748.50 per double, including breakfast and dinner, plus two tickets to the gardens at Sandringham and Houghton Hall. Sunday to Thursday bookings only.
Last-minute Med
Mallorca’s beach resorts may be busy right now, but the sun sticks around long after the peak-season crowds have departed. Although availability is still pretty tight this September, Thomas Cook (0844 412 5970; thomascook.com) has a few spaces left on its trips to the island from Glasgow.
A week at the four-star Flamboyan Caribe in Torrenova (departing 2 September) costs £526pp, including flights and all-inclusive accommodation. Or you could upgrade to the five-star Sentido Mallorca Palace in Sa Coma, where a week’s half-board costs from £756pp (departing on 17 September), with flights.
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