Change hassle-free
You only go on holiday to one country at a time.
In a normal year there are 195 countries on earth and you can pick almost any of them for a trip. Right now, we all know that choice of countries is a bit more limited. But that shouldn't stop you going away - because even in a normal year you only go on holiday to one country at a time.
Spain being (effectively) closed doesn't stop you visiting Greece. America shutting its borders shouldn't affect your trip to Venice (except perhaps there being fewer American tourists there). Sure, there are fewer options this year than last. But how many countries were you really planning to visit on your next holiday? .
Change to a new destination, and try somewhere new
So think positive! Lots of places are open for hassle-free overseas trips, and we can help you change your plans to somewhere that's open and hassle-free. If only one beach was open - if it's a good beach with sunshine and warm seas, that's enough beaches for a week at the beach. One city is enough for a memorable weekend citybreak. One theme park is enough to keep the kids busy at half-term, and one mountain is enough to ski on. Whatever you were planning - we can help you pick an alternative that's just as good, and maybe sometimes even better.
If you had a trip in mind but now you need an alternative thaty doesn't require you to quarantine for two weeks when you get back, perhaps these suggestions will help. For everyone who needs some alternative suggestions because their trip got disrupted - this guide is for you.
If you were planning... |
...then why not change to |
|---|---|
| The Canaries or the Balearics | Madeira or the Azores |
| Mainland Spanish or Portuguese beach resorts | Cyprus or Gibraltar |
| Exotic or long-haul destinations | Cuba |
| Citybreaks | London, Munich, York, or Venice, |
| Disneyland (Paris or USA) | A UK theme park short break |
| Turkey | The Greek islands |
| Skiing | Sweden, Germany, Scotland (or even Milton Keynes or Castleford) |
If you were going to the Canaries or Balearics...
| Tenerife | Gran Canaria | Mallorca (Majorca) |
| Lanzarote< | Ibiza | Menorca |
| Fuertaventura< | La Gomera | Formentera |
For simplicity and convenience we've grouped some relatively similar destinations together. Now, we all know that Tenerife isn't the same as Ibiza, and a long weekend clubbing isn't the same as a fortnight soaking in the peace and quiet of Mount Teide or the Mercedes Forest. However...whether you were planning some winter sun in a deckchair at Los Cristianos beach, or fancied the nightlife in Magaluf, you've got some options to get away.
...try the Portuguese islands - Madeira and the Azores
Open to UK visitors who complete a negative Covid test
No quarantine on return to the UK Flights scheduled Standard travel insuranceTravelling to the Portuguese islands
While visiting mainland Portugal now means a quarantine on the way home, Portugal is home to two winter sun hotspots - Madeira and the Azores. Both have relatively low Covid numbers so are neither quarantined nor in any imminent danger of becoming so. They're near the Canaries and offer almost the same year-round sun - so if you normally visit Tenerife, Gran Canaria or the other Canary Islands, try one of Portugal's very nearby neighbours.
We even have a guide comparing the two options below.
The Canaries vs the Azores
Check out our guide to the Canaries vs the Azores and see whether Portugal's answer to the Canaries might just save your week of winter sun this year!
Scottish travellers until very recently (3rd October) had to self-isolate on returning from anywhere in Portugal, including the islands, but this changed on 3rd October so now all UK visitors may see the islands so long as they've taken a negative Covid test 72 hours before they arrive.
...or if your heart was set on the Canaries, here's how to go
Open to UK visitors
Quarantine for 14 days on return to the UK Some flights scheduled but package holidays mostly cancelled You may need specialist travel insuranceThe FCDO advises against non-essential travel to Spain, including the Canaries. That means if you did go, you'd have to self-isolate for 14 days when you got back, and it means that standard travel insurance probably won't cover your trip. All that said, some trips are essential. Specialist travel insurance is available (you might be surprised how affordable it is). And if you do have to go, maybe staying at home for 14 days when you get back is a price you're happy (or at least willing) to pay, especially if you're working from home now anyway.
Check out our video guide to Lanzarote
Travel Insurance - Spain & the Canary Islands
Holiday Extras offers travel insurance policies for countries that the FCDO currently advises are suitable for non-essential travel (such as holidays). If you are travelling to a country which has an FCDO advisory warning you may need a specialist insurance provider. battleface is a provider of flexible insurance plans for travellers going to unconventional locations, including those under government "essential only" travel advisories.
If you were going to the beaches of mainland Spain or Portugal...
| Alicante | The Algarve | Costa del Sol |
| Malaga | Benidorm | Faro |
Just like the Balearics and Canaries, we've grouped some of our most popular mainland beach destinations together here. Torremolinos is quite different to Nerja, and the Algarve is in a whole different country. But for simplicity, if you were looking for a late-season beach holiday in southern Spain or Portugal, here's some alternatives that we think fit the bill.
...try Cyprus
Open to UK visitors who complete a negative Covid test
No quarantine on return to the UK Flights scheduled Standard travel insuranceTravelling to Cyprus
Cyprus is on the FCDO travel corridor list. To visit, you must complete a negative Covid test 72 hours before you travel. You might think that an extra hassle, but of course the upside is that everyone else (on your plane, in resort etc) will have done the same, which might give you extra peace of mind
Cyprus has the weather, the ex-pat culture, the beaches and the hospitality you'd expect from the Costa del Sol or the Algarve. The temperature averages 23c in October and even in December only falls as low as 14c.
The main tourist spots, esepcially Paphos and Lanarca, rely substantially on Britisdh tourism every year, so we are welcoming and familior for anyone used to a resort holiday on the Algarve or Spain's southern coast. Cyprus is waiting for you to come along - why not give it a try this year for a change?
We were in Cyprus in 2019 - see our guide to the island here
...try Gibraltar
Open
No quarantine on return to the UK Flights scheduled Standard travel insuranceTravelling to Gibraltar
So far south that it has the only indigenous monkeys in Europe, Gibraltar is a slice of England with better weather. Tiny, proud and pretty much invariably sunny, this might be your alternative to a week on the Spanish beaches.
Change your holiday extras hassle-free
If you think your plans might change, you'll be reassured to know you can change the holiday extras you book with us - airport parking, airport lounge, airport hotel - whenever your travel plans change. Just book a car park, lounge or hotel marked "free cancellation" for extra peace of mind.
If you were planning on flying long-haul...
| Thailand | Tokyo | Australia |
| Mauritius | Bahamas | Mexico |
...try Cuba
Open to UK visitors to the Cayos or Varadero
No quarantine on return to the UK Package holidays running from November Standard travel insuranceVisitors returning from Cuba to the UK haven't needed to quarantine, but that only helps if there's some way of getting there. Until recently, only the Cayos were open to visitors, and with no direct flights from the UK that made Cuba only hypothetically open for holidays.
With Varadero opening up to international visitors on 15th October, though, Cuba suddenly becomes a real holiday possibility. And TUI have taken full advantage, restarting flights from the Manchester straight into Varadero from November.
So if you were looking for exotic winter sun - Cuba, at nine hours from Manchester, may be the place to find it.
If you were planning a citybreak...
| Paris | Barcelona | Amsterdam |
| Krakow | Dublin | New York |
This time of year, citybreaks are normally some of our most popular holidays. Amsterdam, Dublin and New York top the charts between autumn and spring, and not one of them is open right now in a simple or straightforward way. Which means if you want a ciotybreak - shopping, romance, just a change of scene - you'll have to pick a different city this time. No problem, here's an evewn dozen to try.
...try Berlin, Munich or Hamburg
Open to UK visitors from the south of England only
No quarantine on return to the UK Flights and holidays operating normally Standard travel insuranceTravelling to Germany for half term
While Germany recently imposed quarantine on arrivals from most parts of the UK, it's still possible to travel from the south of England to Germany without a quarantine at either end. Which opens up lots of the best and nearest city breaks for half-term - Munich with the Black Forest and Neueschwanstein on the doorstep or Berlin's rich history.
We were last in Berlin in 2018 - see our original video guide to city here
Book your holiday extras early
It pays to book your airport parking, airport hotel or your lounge as soon as you book your flights. Prices usually go up nearer the date you fly, and last year Holiday Extras saved our airport parking customers £100 each on average when they pre-booked their airport parking instead of paying on the day.
Book my hotel and parking today
...try a UK citybreak
Open to UK visitors
No quarantine Flights and holidays operating normally outside local restrictions No travel insurance requiredLondon. York. Brighton. Or if you really have to get on a plane and cross a sea for it to feel like a holiday, Belfast. If you're worried about getting stuck overseas but you fancy a few nights away in a new city, the UK is full of options. The main Welsh and Scottish cities, while ordinarily great holiday destinations, are currently under various forms of near-lockdown and take a dim view of leisure visitors, and we think it's best to respect that. Some of England's best big towns - such as Manchester or Leeds - are also under various restrictions, and again it may be best to steer clear while they deal with those problems. But that still leaves plenty of places open for business and eager to see visitors willing to see the sights and spend a little money - including London, which if you were planning to head out to New York for either the shops or the food ios every bit as good at both.
If you were going Disneyland (Paris or USA)...
Especially with half-term on the way, this time of year families often head out to the magic kingdom - either to Paris, practically on the doorstep via Eurostar, or to California or Florida for the even bigger versions.
The US borders are closed, and Pqris is in virtual lockdown again, so a trip to Disneyland this year is probably off the cards. In good news, the UK is absolutely brimming with magical theme parks of its own, and with a night or two in one of the onsite hotels (or a hotel very nearby) you can make a theme park into a mini holiday.
Top UK theme parks where you can stay in a hotel overnight either onsite or nearby include Legoland, Paultons, Alton Towers and Chessington.
Book a UK short break
What better way to spend half term than doing something together that the kids will really enjoy? With a budget family break you can stay overnight at a nerarby hotel to make the most of your time at the park the next morning!
Book a budget family break
...if you were going to Turkey
Turkey was only taken off the UK's travel corridor list at the start of October, and lots of holidaymakers had based their winter plans on a Turkish trip. If you were one of them, here's a simple alternative.
...try Greece
Open
Travellers returning to the UK from a small number of islands must self-isolate for 14 days Some flights are scheduled but fewer than usual Standard travel insuranceTravelling to Greece
With the exception of a handful of the islands which have seen significant Covid cases, Greece is open to visitors. (Scotland is the exception here - visitors returning from Greece to Scotland must currently self-isolate.)
A week with the family on a Greek island in the sun, with blue waters, fresh fish and open air, isn't the worst way to spend a week or two before we all settle down for the winter. Here's our guide to 16 islands that are open to (most, excluding Scotland) UK visitors for a hassle-free trip right now.
16 Greek islands you can visit right now
Check out our complete guide to a hassle-free trip to Greece
Thinking of booking a last-minute half-term getaway, or some guaranteed sun for next year? Then you can't go wrong with one of these Greek islands.
Check out our original video guide to the island of Rhodes
...or if your heart was set on Turkey, here's how to go
Open to UK visitors
Quarantine for 14 days on return to the UK Most package holidays cancelled but flights are operating You may need specialist travel insurance for a trip to TurkeyTravel Insurance - Turkey
Holiday Extras offers travel insurance policies for countries that the FCDO currently advises are suitable for non-essential travel (such as holidays). If you are travelling to a country which has an FCDO advisory warning you may need a specialist insurance provider. battleface is a provider of flexible insurance plans for travellers going to unconventional locations, including those under government "essential only" travel advisories.
Travelling to Turkey
On 1st October Turkey was taken off the UK's travel corridor list, so trips to Turkey may now need specialist travel insurance and some package companies and airlines have cancelled trips heading out there. All that said, if you have to visit Turkey it's perfectly possible. Specialist travel insurance is available (see below) and while the FCDO advises against non-essential trips, especially if your trip is essential there's certainly no rule against heading out there.
Turkey | Travel Guide
Check out our complete guide to a hassle-free trip to Turkey
From east meeting west in the magical capital of Istanbul to a lazy week on a deckchair on Turkey's warm southern coast; from adventures at the bazaar to a drive through the fairy-chimneys of Cappadocia; Turkey has something for every holiday.
If you were going skiing...
| Courchevel | Zermatt | Val d'Isere |
| Chamonix | Arlberg | St Moritz |
With France, Switzerland and Austria all requiring a 14-day quarantine on return to the UK, skiing options early in the season look relatively limited. Dedicated skiiers know there's always a solution in a normal year - head out to Japan or California and take in the season there. But they're simply closed, meaning skiiers this year are going to have to be a bit more imaginative.
...try Sweden
No quarantine
No quarantine Some flights are scheduled but fewer than usual Standard travel insurance (though of course for skiing you should consider ski cover)Skiing in Sweden
If you want to spend half term getting in some (very) early skiing you can just about make it in Sweden, with Ramundberget opening late October most years. Other ski resorts start to open up soon thereafter - the benefits of a (very) northely climate.
Sweden has been an outlier in Covid terms all through the pandemic, staying mostly open and trusting to the good sense of its residents and occasional visitors to control the virus. Which means this winter the ski resorts are open, with suitable precautions, more-or-less as normal, and from pretty much now you can head out there unhindered and get on the slopes.
And of course Sweden is about more than the skiing - Stockholm is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city-break, and outside the main urban areas or the ski resorts the wilderness hiking is breathtaking.
...try Germany
Open to UK visitors from the south of England only
No quarantine on return to the UK Flights and holidays operating normally Standard travel insuranceSkiing in Germany
Zugspitze and Garmisch-Partenkirchen are just two of Germany's best ski resorts. If ypu're coming in from southern England, for the moment there's no quarantine at either end of your trip so skiing in the German mountains is fine. The German ski season starts in December, so if you're looking ahead to skiing over the Christmas holidays, Germany could be your best bet.
Change your holiday extras hassle-free
If you think your plans might change, you'll be reassured to know you can change the holiday extras you book with us - airport parking, airport lounge, airport hotel - whenever your travel plans change. Just book a car park, lounge or hotel marked "free cancellation" for extra peace of mind.
What do we mean by...?
FCDO: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the branch of the UK government that decides which countries are safe to visit.FCDO exemption list (or simply exemption list): Currently, the FCDO advises against all non-essential travel to anywhere in the world. Some countries have been exempted from that general advice, so are said to be on the "exemption list". A country on the FCDO list, FCDO exemption list or exemption list is therefore one where the FCDO does not advise against all non-essential travel, which is ordinarily taken to mean the country is relatively safe for holidaymakers taking reasonable precautions.
Non-essential travel: If the FCDO believes UK travellers are not ordinarily safe to visit a country, it will "advise against all non-essential travel". The FCO does not define "essential" or "non-essential" travel - it is up to the traveller, and in some circumstances their travel insurance provider, to decide whether a trip is essential. The FCDO advising against non-essential travel will normally invalidate standard travel insurance policies, meaning if you visit such a country you may need a specialist travel insurance policy. Covid cases per 100,000: It is generally believed that the FCDO removes countries from the exemption list once Covid cases in a country rise above 20 per 100,000 people for seven days. Decisions are generally made on a Thursday afternoon and come into effect on the Saturday. We're therefore tracking those numbers and this article mentions the cases per 100,000 people for most countries.
Up Next: How to fly (almost) everywhere
Not just looking for a half-term break? Here's how tyo fly everywhere
Need some help booking all your holiday extras? Want to talk to someone about other options at the airport? We want to help you travel hassle-free! At the moment the best way to get help with a booking is online, by visiting our help and support page.We're here to help.
