Is there a cheap way to get abroad anymore ?

[Missanneshirley]

I haven't travelled much for a few years so maybe I am just out of touch! but I am trying to get away for a few days with dh and 2 small dds for a few days over our October holiday this year - something like a few days in Barcelona. I am gobsmacked at the prices!
Ryanair flights to European cities are coming in at £600+ for the 4 of us, then I would still need to find hotels and transfers. so then I changed tack and thought maybe I could get it cheaper as a package - 4 figures!
am I hopelessly out of touch and that IS a cheap break now?
its a "special" birthday for me so had really fancied a treat!

Krakow is lovely, go there :)

I always used to think it'd be much cheaper booking flights and accommodation separately for a city break but when we went to Istanbul we got a fantastic deal (Expedia I think) for a package that worked out quite a bit cheaper than booking separately. PS Istanbul is beyond amazing. I love Barcelona but actually much preferred Istanbul! If you change somewhere on the way like Zurich it can make it lots cheaper.

Have you looked at Dublin? Ryanair for £23 pp each way including taxes!

Try lowcostholidays.com - we've had some great deals from there, although admittedly not during school holidays.

Would Istanbul be ok for the kids do you reckon? I like Dublin actually but dh doesn't for some odd reason

Sorry, I couldn't see what your DC's ages were. We went pre-DC so didn't seek out child-friendly activities but would think it would be pretty good. Turkish people love children and everyone we met was really friendly. It has a real exotic feel to it without being too crazy. Easy to get around on trains and trams. I remember some nice green spaces. Boat trips on the Bosphorus really enjoyable - lots to see. Lots of unusual sights like the fishing boats which they use to cook fresh fish, amazingly impressive mosques (much more in interesting than churches in my opinion), good museums, lots of shops, amazing food and lots of choice.

Oh also big bazaars with lots of weird and wonderful things to look at! They might like a Turkish spa with mud?! Also a whirling dervish performance - really stunning.

Go to the Norwegian.com website. They are just starting a flight Edinburgh to Malaga including October. They are approx £50pp each way.

try here and here- very bargainous

www.eurocamp.co.uk/

Shorter breaks seem to be expensive.

I got a week all inclusive package in a very nice 4 star hotel on a Greek island for £290 pp in June half term last week. It would have been only a hundred quid more pp for a fortnight.

The other cost effective holiday we have had is driving to Ireland on the boat and hiring a cottage. You can get a lovely place for under 500 quid a week even in holiday times, bar maybe the height of August/Easter.