Autumn half term breaks
Half term is coming up. If you're planning to take the family away for some sun before winter sets in you (probably) don't want to keep the kids off school for two weeks in self-isolation when you come back, or quarantine at your destination.
It might feel like too much trouble to work out where's letting us in, where's on our government's quarantine-free list and where, therefore, it's even possible to go for a week without locking your family away for a fortnight at one end of the trip or the other. Happily, we've done all the crunching for you. So sit back and check out everywhere you can go for half term this autumn without quarantining at either end.
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Everywhere you can go for a hassle-free half term
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 for half term
With a rigorous approach to testing everyone coming in but no quarantine at either end, Cyprus may be the safest and easiest half-term getaway in Europe right now.
A mediterranean island which enjoys an average temperature of 23c in October, Cyprus benefits from Greek and Turkish cultural influences to make something uniquely its own. With a large British ex-pat community and a huge influx of British tourists most summers, the main resort towns are well prepared to accommodate British families. There's plenty to do all over the island - check out our guide below.
We were in Cyprus in 2019 - see our guide to the island here
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 for half term
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 here.
The Canaries vs the Azores
When the transition period ends on 31st December, Brexit proper begins. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing for you, our guide will help you understand how the end of transition will affects trips in 2021.
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.
UK
Something local to keep the kids busy over half term? The UK has some of the best theme parks in the world, and all of them have top-notch hotels either on-site or very nearby that let you turn a couple of days of rollercoasters and zoos into a memorable mini-break.
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
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 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
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.
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 for half-term
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 the last half term 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.
Check out our original video guide to the island of Rhodes
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
Gibraltar
Open
No quarantine on return to the UK Flights scheduled Standard travel insuranceTravelling to Gibraltar for half term
Been to Gibraltar? Don't lie, you're not fooling anyone. And it's open! 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 half-term week on the Spanish beaches.
Sweden
No quarantine
No quarantine Some flights are scheduled but fewer than usual Standard travel insuranceTravelling to Sweden for half-term
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.
And of course Sweden is about more than the skiing - with direct flights available to Stockholm and Gothenburg - it's a great choice for a mini-break. Stockholm is a vibrant and cosmopolitan, and outside the main urban areas the wilderness hiking is breathtaking. This time of year in Gothenburg there's something quite charming about ducking from cafe to cafe and trying their giant cinnamon buns!
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.
