The Cheapest Places To Fly To This Easter
This year Easter Sunday falls on April 1st and, depending on your beliefs, you could be spending the day in a variety of ways. However, with bank holidays on the 30th March and 2nd April, and the lucky few who get even more time off for the Easter holidays, the time of year unites people of all faiths in the satisfaction of a short break from work. Students, in particular, can expect around four weeks off, meaning they won’t have to be at university for almost all of April! If you’re a student or someone else who will have some free time on their hands this Easter, why not use it to travel to somewhere new for a few days? If you think you can’t afford to get away for a few days, don’t despair – we’ve rounded up the flights throughout April from major UK airports which will cost you less than £100 return*. In many cases, flying to some of the destinations on our list is cheaper than a train journey within the UK! Have a look at the variety of city and seaside destinations you could soon be jetting off to, as well as the kind of attractions you can expect to enjoy upon landing. *Prices are correct at the time of writing and compiled using Google Flights.
Dublin
Ah, the Irish capital. The home of expensive beer but, fortunately, also extremely cheap flights from UK airports! Ryanair is offering return flights from £32 to Dublin throughout April, from airports that include Birmingham, Manchester, London Gatwick and Glasgow. With a time of just 50 minutes between take-off and landing, Dublin’s cobbled streets, vibrant nightlife and rich history are within easy (and cheap) reach.
Top attraction: Guinness Storehouse. See where Ireland’s most famous export was born and continues to be brewed today (and for many years to come; founder Arthur Guinness bought a 9000-year lease for the ground that the factory is built on!). Learn about the brewing process before tasting some for yourself. Every ticket includes a free pint at the Sky Bar on the top floor, which offers unhampered views over the Irish capital.
Malaga
If you fancy somewhere sunnier this Easter break, the Spanish city of Malaga is the home of “cheap sun”. Getting to the Costa Del Sol won’t have to “costa” you a packet this Easter! Though flight prices vary over different dates in April, there are select dates when you can grab yourself a true bargain. A return flight will set you back £57 from Birmingham airport on 25th April, or £42 from Manchester on the 18th or 24th. Soak up the three Ss: sun, sea and Spain – for under £100 return!
Top attraction: Alcazaba of Malaga. A well-preserved medieval fortress overlooking the sea, offering clear insight into the Moorish (Arab and North African) settlement in Spain hundreds of years ago. The grand architecture, lush courtyard gardens and elaborate fountains make the site well worth dragging yourself away from the beach for a couple of hours!
Amsterdam
It’s not all coffee shops and canals! Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most popular cities to visit for short breaks, and with an abundance of cheap flights from airports across the UK it’s no wonder! For Welsh travellers, KLM are offering flights for £100 return towards the end of April. Elsewhere, the price is even cheaper. A round trip to Amsterdam will cost you from £53 from London Gatwick, £65 from Manchester or Birmingham, and from £90 from Glasgow.
Top attraction: Free Walking Tour. There is no shortage of things to do in Amsterdam; there’s Anne Frank’s house for the historians, canal boat trips for the sightseers, and the famous red-light district for… well, we won’t go there. Before you go off and explore any one of these in more depth however, a walking tour by Sandemans offers an amazing, in-depth overview of the whole city! Starting from the “birth” of Amsterdam in Amsterdam Square, your guide will take you through all the different stages of the city’s history, while walking across the many bridges and winding streets for an immersive taste of the unique atmosphere. Though the tour is free to join, it is recommended you tip your guide at the end (and with a reputation for employing the “best tour guides in Europe”, you’ll probably want to!).
Paris
Allow the City of Lights to brighten up your Easter break with cheap flights from across the UK. The price of return flights in April start from £75 from Birmingham, £64 from Manchester, £87 from Cardiff and £58 from London Gatwick.
Top attraction: Eiffel Tower. Just like Amsterdam, Paris has no shortage of famous attractions. If you were to do just one however, it would have to be the place that is synonymous with the city itself. It is unbelievable to think that the 300m metal structure, which now dominates the Parisian skyline, was originally intended to be a temporary attraction! Find out this and other amazing facts about the tower’s history on the first and second floors. For those who don’t mind heights, a trip to the summit is well worth it. Make sure to stick around when the sun goes down, as the tower comes alight with 20,000 bulbs and it’s a spectacle not to be missed.
Barcelona
Another staple in the diet of European short city breaks, Barcelona is also another chance for sun seekers to grab some discounted vitamin D this Easter. Can’t decide on the beach or the city? Why not go for both? London Heathrow is offering return flights in April from £82, while Birmingham is offering them from £42 and Manchester from £40! Gaudi’s architecture and sandy beaches are just a short flight away for those wanting to explore one of the world’s most culturally rich cities.
Please note: Due to dispute over Catalonian independence, Barcelona (the capital of the Catalonian region) has been the site of civil unrest since a referendum last year. Demonstrations may cause disruption to travel within the city and have the potential to turn violent. Find updates on travel to the region here.
Top attraction: La Sagrada Familia. Designed by the aforementioned Antoni Gaudi who built much of the city’s famous architecture, this gothic Roman Catholic church is probably his most famous piece. Sadly, he died before he had a chance to see its completion, but that could be to do with the fact its still being built today! The construction only passed the mid completion point in 2010, after beginning in 1882. It is, however, anticipated to be finished in 2026; go now so that you can tell your grandchildren that you witnessed it being built!
Rome
Grab a “pizza” the action in the Italian capital with return flights from £79 from London Heathrow. If you head off on the 18th or the 25th of April from Manchester, you can make a return trip for £43 or £45 respectively! Due to being a further distance away than the other destinations on our list, flights to Rome are on average a bit pricier. However, as we’ve shown here there will always be surprises, so keep your eyes peeled!
Top attraction: Vatican City. Perhaps this Easter should be the year you head to the centre of Roman Catholicism. The Vatican City is not actually a city but in fact, the world’s smallest country. Rather than being just one attraction, in its walls you will find many of Rome’s top sights including St Peter’s Basilica, Michael Angelo’s roof in the Sistine Chapel, and the Pope’s official residence in the Apolistic Palace.
Berlin
Home to both hipsters and history, the German capital is also boasting some unbelievably cheap flights this April. From Manchester airport, return flights are just £41 if you head off on the 16th, 17th or 22nd and £40 on the 30th! Return flights are also available from £30 from London Heathrow and from £62 from Bristol. If you’re further north, there are return flights for £32 on 16th and 23rd from Glasgow, with prices under £100 for the majority of the month also. Price shouldn’t be a “wall” to your travel plans this Easter!
Top attraction: Brandenburg Gate. The neo-classical sculpture is one of Berlin’s most famous sites. The “gate” was closed throughout the period that the Berlin wall stood, dividing East and West Berlin until the wall's demolition in 1989. Since then, the gate has come to be a symbol of freedom and German unification. Apart from its history, it also makes for an excellent photograph.
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