Cheap places to take kids to see the world outside the UK

[MotherOfGremlins]

We're getting our passports sorted out and would love to take our two DSs to see a bit of the world.

We're thinking as cheap as possible, just for a weekend so they can see a bit of a different culture, and appreciate that there is a big wide world out there that isn't just Centre Parcs or Butlins! Doesn't have to be capital cities, the cheaper the better, I'm just not sure what might be good!

We'd prefer to fly from Gatwick as it's closest to us

[AssangesCat]

We're off to Rome in February break and DS is absolutely beside himself with excitement at seeing actual Rome. He packed his bag the day we told him.

[Ellmau]

Slovenia? Very beautiful and not that expensive.

[deplorabelle]

How old are your boys and what do they like doing normally?

What aspects of the world beyond the UK do you want to show them?

I would suggest you start with a ferry to France because they can experience the journey better than a plane. If you go Dover Calais on a clear day you can actually point to England from France. Look! Just over here the roadsigns and shops are all French and the food is different. We drive on the other side of the road... Etc. You could either make it a day trip (potentially really cheap) or stay in cheap roadside hotels and head towards Belgium for another country. If you are happy to drive a reasonable distance you could nudge into the Netherlands or Germany on a trip relatively easily and cheaply.

If you went straight to Venice say, younger boys might get the impression abroad is all under water (reached by a magic portal you climb into at the airport).

[SJaneS48]

Cheap flights doesn’t guarantee a cheap destination - for example, Stockholm is cheap on RyanAir but you’d more than make up for that in accommodation costs! If you’ve got just a weekend then take a look at where the low cost airlines that fly from Gatwick go within a 2 hour flight time. Can you get to Stansted as well? Gatwick is our closest (and much preferred) airport too but there are lots of cheap options via RyanAir from Stansted we occasionally go for. I’d look at Verona, Nice, Bergerac, Cologne & Ljubljana & Air BnB apartments. They’re not super cheap cities but (you’d need to head to Eastern Europe for that) aren’t excessively expensive either, particularly if you self cater.

With apologies to the PP who suggested Marrakesh, really wouldn’t be my choice for a weekend with kids. The flight time is 4 hours and the Medina isn’t very child friendly (IMO!)

[Serenschintte]

I’d be tempted to do it know and see somewhere with snow or better weather and beaches. Or wait until the spring/summer where you can do kid friendly but cheaper activities like swimming, parks and walking. Somewhere like italy is fun with kids

[caperplips]

I think Central Europe (Eastern Europe) - Prague, Krakow, Gdansk, Wawsaw, Tallinn etc are all easy to get to these days and very cheap to stay there and eat out etc

[Funf]

Cadiz, Morocco.
We took ours on a cruise outside of school holidays aged 4 and 6. It was excellent

[Etinox]

Marrakech and Malta are the nearest, ooh! this is different. Malta has a lot for primary school children to see.

[happytoday73]

How old are the kids?

Easyjet has an 'inspire me' option... Put in your airport, try various dates and see what pops up that takes your fancy...

[Sandrine1982]

Madrid, Malaga, Nantes, Marseille, Paris, Venice, Krakow..

Why don't you try Skyscanner, type "Gatwick" as your departure airport and "everywhere" as your destination airport, you'll get all the direct flights listed by price ;-)