August Bank Holiday: Last Minute Deals

We don’t know about you, but the August bank holiday is suddenly a lot closer than we realised! This is the perfect time to get away for a quick city break, but it’s also an expensive time.

As we’re all about money saving tips, our recommendation would be to travel on the Sunday or Monday, avoiding those peak prices that are automatically stamped on Friday or Saturday flights and extending the weekend by a few days – win-win!

We understand that actually finding these perfect deals takes time and effort, therefore we’ve done the hard work for you and picked 4 of the best city break options for this August bank holiday. No need to thank us!

Dublin

**3 nights, 3*, from £86pp**

Offering activities for friends, couples and families, Dublin is the place to go if you’re looking for a break with minimum travel time, minimum hassle and plenty of fun! Depending on your holiday companions, choose from a host of day time activities with the first stop surely being the Guinness factory for a tour and a chance to enjoy that infamous freshly drawn pint. If you’re with the kids, schedule a trip to Dublin Zoo and follow this up with a picnic in Phoenix Park. Covering 1,750 acres, you won’t be short of a place to sit and relax while the kids run and play!

If you’re heading across the Irish Sea to make the most of the nightlife, the pubs in Dublin are world famous and don’t leave you short of options. For a real experience of the local haunts, head to the Merrion Row and Baggot Street regions where the pubs are frequented by city workers. For something livelier, post-dinner, the streets south of Temple Bar are full of bars and clubs that attract people in their 20s and 30s.

North of the river offers a slightly more soulful option, with picturesque lanes lined with wine bars and venues with live bands that place their focus on jazz, blues and soul acts. If you’ve already experienced the traditional Dublin night out, this could be the option for you.

Amsterdam

**3 nights, 4*, from £100pp**

If you’re looking for a mixture of culture, beauty and excitement, Amsterdam might be the choice for you! The canals provide the perfect backdrop to your exploration – whether wandering through Rembrandtplein square or taking in the history of Jordaan, the gentle water offers a calming influence over the bustling city. Make sure you save an afternoon for Anne Frank’s House, as this is an experience that shouldn’t be rushed. To maximise your exposure to culture, follow this with a trip to the Van Gogh Museum, home to a stunning assortment of work.

We hardly need to mention the nightlife as everyone knows Amsterdam offers restaurants, bars, festivals and club nights to suit every taste – you won’t walk far without passing something that offers suitable refreshments. Our recommendation? Stroll through the charming streets and soak up the atmosphere while you choose.

Milan

**3 nights, 3*, from £184 pp**

With temperatures in their mid-20s at the end of August, Milan offers holiday makers a city in which to enjoy history, art, fashion and food while soaking up the sun. Which is pretty much everything you need for a great break! Climb 150 steps and take in the view of the city from the Duomo roof to appreciate the scale of the history surrounding you. The view is likely to inspire you to soak up the culture on offer and so your next step should be the Teatro alla Scala – the world’s most famous opera house. Take a break in Parco Sempione – a park opened in 1888 and offering views of the stately home as well as an outdoor sculpture gallery. If you’re not content just sitting in the sun, visit the aquarium within the park itself…top tip, this is free on Tuesdays after 2pm and on the first Sunday of the month.

If you’re looking for more of a fashion forward break, head to 10 Corso Como, the fashion and design emporium owned by ormer Vogue Italia editor. However you spend your days, you’ll be needing to eat and drink in the evenings and there is no shortage of options here! Eat like a local in Taglio, an eclectic and informal restaurant and cocktail bar or choose to branch out in Wang Jao where the food and not the décor is the main attraction. In all honesty, you might need more than one trip here to experience it all.

Budapest

**3 nights, 3*, from £129pp**

Every day, over 15 million gallons of water bubble away in Budapest’s 118 springs and boreholes – it’s no surprise that it has been labelled ‘the city of spas’. If it’s your first time to the city, make sure to save some time to dip and relax in one of the many historic baths – perhaps on the last day after all the excitement!

If you’re looking to pack in plenty of walking on your break, take a tour of the historic Castle Hill before strolling on Andrassy Avenue to learn why Budapest is called the Paris of the East. Make sure you’ve built up your appetite so that you can fully appreciate an authentic Hungarian dish at the end of the day!

For a more leisurely few days, take a Danube cruise and soak up the panoramic views before window shopping and people watching on Vaci Street. Have a quick coffee here but be sure to move elsewhere for dinner – it’s pricey and always busy. Choose from a quick bite with the locals in Central Market Hall or head slightly off the beaten track and dine in Obuda, the oldest and lesser known part of Budapest.