OV9

If you want cheap getaways and you don’t mind city breaks go to Poland.

I priced up a trip in September for me and the wife, flying into Wroclaw, staying in a really nice central apartment with Airbnb for 4 days, then getting on a train to Krakow and staying there for 3 days, again in a really nice central apartment, and then flying home from there- came out around £720 for both of us including all buses/trains to and from airports aswell.

The train between the two cities came in around £25 for both me and the Mrs.

Gavster wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 10:55 am You're all doing it wrong, last time I went to Italy I paid about £150 for return flights and about £50 a night for a little private villa overlooking the sea

Gav coming out of his little private villa to look at the sea and tell us what local cuisine he's been enjoying:

jamcg wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 1:00 pm If you want cheap getaways and you don’t mind city breaks go to Poland.

I priced up a trip in September for me and the wife, flying into Wroclaw, staying in a really nice central apartment with Airbnb for 4 days, then getting on a train to Krakow and staying there for 3 days, again in a really nice central apartment, and then flying home from there- came out around £720 for both of us including all buses/trains to and from airports aswell.

The train between the two cities came in around £25 for both me and the Mrs.

Yeah, we’re planning on going to Krakow at easter. my mrs went over at xmas and loved it (and remarked how cheap it still was). She’s half polish and understands the language (mostly) so we’re going to take our boy there. Last time i went was 15 years ago and it was a cool place then.

As Jobbo says the cost of accommodation has risen in Europe across the board as has luggage, flights appear cheap but by the time you add luggage your eating some hefty inflation

We paid about £4k before covid for a nice all inclusive place with an attached waterpark in Ibiza, that was for the 4 of us for 2 weeks.

Same sort of place in Tenerife last November was still £4k but for a week!

I don't particularly like flying nor does my son so 4 hour or less flights suit us down to the ground.

Very true, that same place that was £1200 in 2018 is £1800 now

Rich B wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 12:00 pm

Gavster wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 10:55 am You're all doing it wrong, last time I went to Italy I paid about £150 for return flights and about £50 a night for a little private villa overlooking the sea

Yep, that’s the difference when you’re paying for a whole family and including all the costs of the holiday.

it must have been one hell of a walk to get from the airport to your coastal villa for free!

Cheap train from Napoli and a short taxi ride, easy

We stopped doing hotels a few years back, we always hire an apartment through Booking.co, or sometimes Airbnb, we’ve had some lovely places in Spain, Gran Canaria, Corfu, Naples etc. We’re limited with flights as we only have Leeds or Newcastle in reasonable taxi distance. Nothing much goes from Teesside. We generally pay around €400-500 for a 3 bedroom the flights to somewhere like Gran Canaria which is 4 and a half hours are generally around £270 pp.

JonMad wrote: Thu Jan 08, 2026 10:54 pm How much do people actually pay for a European beach holiday? For the past few years we've been camping in France. Two weeks, ferries, campsite, fuel, all food and all other spending for a family of four, has consistently cost about £3400.

Fancying a change, I just looked at a hotel in Greece that we'd booked in 2020 but got cancelled due to Covid - the kids have mentioned they'd like to go there.
At the time, 10 nights, family room, half board in August 2020, inc flights, £3195.
Today, 10 nights, family room, half board in August 2026, inc flights, £5370.

What. The. Fuck.
Is this how much people pay these days? That's with a £500 promotional discount as well.

I'd say that's quite reasonably priced these days, given it's half board and includes flights. We've done hotels for a few years now and these days I'd say that you're lucky in peak season to get anything 4* and above for under £5k. £7.5k more typical I'd suggest. Flights are often close to a grand as is hire car.

I read something not so long ago that essentially said that the exchange rate for the US has been very favourable and comparatively the average US family are much wealthier than you're average British family, due to wage stagnation over here. There were tour operators and hoteliers noting trends for UK holiday-makers increasingly booking during traditional off-peak periods as that's when it's more affordable.

Basically, we're being priced out. And from what we've seen in the last couple of years there do seem to be a lot more Murcans knocking about.

jamcg wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 1:00 pm If you want cheap getaways and you don’t mind city breaks go to Poland.

I priced up a trip in September for me and the wife, flying into Wroclaw, staying in a really nice central apartment with Airbnb for 4 days, then getting on a train to Krakow and staying there for 3 days, again in a really nice central apartment, and then flying home from there- came out around £720 for both of us including all buses/trains to and from airports aswell.

The train between the two cities came in around £25 for both me and the Mrs.

that sounds brilliant... and an amazing price.

In a similarly "unbelievably cheap" vein, I watched a program over Christmas about the Oslo to Bergen Train. You can stay in a Hotel up in the Hardanger Plateau (For military historians, that Hardanger Plateau from Operation Grouse / Heavy Water Operation) for Christmas - 7 days, all meals including Christmas Dinner etc - staying in a suite for the 3 of us (us and our 20 year old) is £2300 for the week for the 3 of us

I thought that was spectacularly good value

dinny_g wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 9:55 am
In a similarly "unbelievably cheap" vein, I watched a program over Christmas about the Oslo to Bergen Train. You can stay in a Hotel up in the Hardanger Plateau (For military historians, that Hardanger Plateau from Operation Grouse / Heavy Water Operation) for Christmas - 7 days, all meals including Christmas Dinner etc - staying in a suite for the 3 of us (us and our 20 year old) is £2300 for the week for the 3 of us

I thought that was spectacularly good value

Details, please. We've been thinking about a Christmas getaway for years, and that sounds like the sort of thing we'd be after.

Cost of holidays is crazy when you've got school age kids and constrained by term dates, but we've started to try and look at value as much as cost. We spent a week in Iceland over the easter period which was quite expensive, but far more enyoyable for us than the same money spent on an all inclusive.

dinny_g wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 9:55 am

jamcg wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 1:00 pm If you want cheap getaways and you don’t mind city breaks go to Poland.

I priced up a trip in September for me and the wife, flying into Wroclaw, staying in a really nice central apartment with Airbnb for 4 days, then getting on a train to Krakow and staying there for 3 days, again in a really nice central apartment, and then flying home from there- came out around £720 for both of us including all buses/trains to and from airports aswell.

The train between the two cities came in around £25 for both me and the Mrs.

that sounds brilliant... and an amazing price.

In a similarly "unbelievably cheap" vein, I watched a program over Christmas about the Oslo to Bergen Train. You can stay in a Hotel up in the Hardanger Plateau (For military historians, that Hardanger Plateau from Operation Grouse / Heavy Water Operation) for Christmas - 7 days, all meals including Christmas Dinner etc - staying in a suite for the 3 of us (us and our 20 year old) is £2300 for the week for the 3 of us

I thought that was spectacularly good value

Just understand the price of alcohol

Dave!

8Ball wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 10:36 am Details, please. We've been thinking about a Christmas getaway for years, and that sounds like the sort of thing we'd be after.

https://www.hotelfinse1222.no/

No TV's anywhere in the hotel, mad remote unique location and everything from Skiing to Snowmobileing on your doorstep. And it's a walk from the Train Station. We're giving it serious consideration.

Bring your own booze...

Popping over to Italy in Feb for 5 days is gonna cost:

Return flights £90
Hire car £18
Studio apartment £98
London airport transfers £13

Gavster wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 8:11 am Popping over to Italy in Feb for 5 days is gonna cost:

Return flights £90
Hire car £18
Studio apartment £98
London airport transfers £13

Just getting to the airport by train would cost us more than your entire holiday

Gavster wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 8:11 am Popping over to Italy in Feb for 5 days is gonna cost:

Return flights £90
Hire car £18
Studio apartment £98
London airport transfers £13

Dare I ask what hire car you get for the princely sum of £3.60 per day?

Fiat 500 I'm flying to Naples then driving down the Amalfi coast to Cilento, so perfect for those little hillside towns and narrow streets.

Jobbo wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 9:04 am

Gavster wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 8:11 am Popping over to Italy in Feb for 5 days is gonna cost:

Return flights £90
Hire car £18
Studio apartment £98
London airport transfers £13

Just getting to the airport by train would cost us more than your entire holiday

Ouch

Because I'm flying from Stanstead, the easiest way to get to the airport is National Express from Stratford which is often around £6 each way. Plus you get big comfy seats with plenty of legroom. Takes about 30 mins on a clear morning, or 45+ mins if there's a bit more traffic.