Thinking About the Best Cheap Weekend Breaks in 2010

As 2010 draws to an end, it’s time to look back over the year and see which cheap weekend breaks captured your hearts the most.

The ultimate, the definitive, the fully researched and exhaustively tested list of the best, the juiciest and the most exciting Cheap Weekend Breaks ever (oh, alright, a look at the Google Analytics results) is here…Without further ado…

The Best Cheap Weekend Breaks in 2010

10 – An Adventure Weekend in Benidorm made a surprise entry at number ten

9 - Cheap Weekend Breaks in London only just squeezed in 

8 – Brighton rocked the UK City Break Scene

7 – Talk of cows and wool convinced you to visit Jersey for the weekend

6 – A Cheap Weekend in York topped England’s list of weekend breaks

5 – A Cheap Weekend in Paris remains a firm favourite

4 – Ice cream and romance enticed you to spend a Weekend in Venice

3 – Whisky was all it needed for you to head around Scotland on the Great Malt Whisky Trail

2 – Catalan culture kept you entertained with a Cheap Weekend in Barcelona

However…

1- It turns out that the toe of Italy captured your hearts, souls and minds this year, with a Cheap Weekend Break in Calabria, Italy zooming in to take the top spot.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to One and All

I’m already looking forward to finding out what the best cheap weekend breaks in 2011 will be…See you next year!

The United Kingdom has an array of beautiful landscapes which are easy to access by road. Whether you’re a native or a visitor, travel by car to explore the UK’s finest scenic routes.

Scenic Route One: The Atlantic Highway

Drive Through Exmoor - by Gravyphig

The “Atlantic Highway” stretches from Lynmouth to Newquay via Lauceston.

Start in Lynmouth and heading through a section of the Exmoor National Park towards Barnstaple. Exmoor National Park is famed for its walking trails that cover vast areas of open moorland and you may even see wild horses.

After joining the “Atlantic Highway” via the A399 at Blackmoor Gate, you could visit the local zoo. Exmoor Zoo is home to a whole host of different animals including penguins and meerkats (and there’s the Legend of the Beast, which has a dedicated Black Panther enclosure.)

Join the A39, the “Atlantic Highway” itself, and continue from Barnstaple down the coast towards Newquay. Stop off in Boscastle (PL34 0HE), a lovely village whose castle is believed to be the birthplace of King Arthur.

Your journey along the A39 will take you near The Big Sheep (EX39 5AP). This centre is home to a number of activities such as mountain boarding and high ropes, and there’s also the chance to see some edge of your seat action at the local sheep racing circuit.

Detouring to Launceston, you can take a trip on the Launceston steam railway (PL15 8DA), tackle a number of hiking paths or visit a farm park. 

Scenic Drive One

Details for Scenic Drive One

Lynmouth to Newquay (via Launceston.)Distance: 135 miles. Roads: A39, A395, A399. Postcodes: PL34 0HE (Tintagel) EX39 5AP (The Big Sheep) EX31 4SG (Exmoor Zoo) PL15 8DA (Launceston Steam Railway), EX35 6EO (Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway)

Scenic Route Two: Belfast to Derry

Giant's Causeway - by smemon87

Northern Ireland is the home of the A2, which runs from Newry to Derry and passes through Belfast. This route runs alongside the northeast coastline and the picturesque Glens of Antrim.

Along this 128 mile coastal road, stop off at Ballintoy for the chance to walk the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge across a 20 metre wide chasm.

A 20 minute drive east of Portrush brings you to the ecological rarity of the Giant’s Causeway, a collection of basalt hexagonal columns produced by a previous volcanic eruption. This stunning attraction is situated in the Glens of Antrim, where the Bushmills distillery can also be found (BT57 8XH).

Scenic Drive Two

Details for Scenic Drive Two

Distance: 128 miles. Roads: A2. Postcodes: BT54 6LS (Ballintoy, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge) BT57 8XH (Bushmills Distillery)

Scenic Route Three: Conwy to Portmeirion

Snowdonia National Park - by Richard0

The Welsh route from Conwy to Portmeirion takes you on a journey through the Snowdonia National Park. Starting off in Conwy, with the famous Conwy Castle, you’ll pass through some traditional slate villages as well having the opportunity to enjoy Snowdon’s summit, either by sight or through your hiking boots.

Within Snowdonia, you’ll find the village of Betws-y-Coed, a camping hotspot and excellent starting point for your mountain drive. From Betws-y-Coed, Llanberis is only 17 miles away where you can enjoy a 4.7 mile trip to the summit of Mt Snowdon by means of a time-honoured steam train. From the peak, the highest point in England and Wales, you can relax and take in the panoramic views from the Hafod Eryri centre. For adults, a return ticket will cost £25, while a child’s ticket is £18. You can easily opt for a single ticket if you wish to walk part of the distance. A trip to the summit will take around 5 hours, and there are a variety of different routes to get you there, depending on how energetic you’re feeling.

Scenic Drive Three

Details for Scenic Drive Three

Distance: 38.5 miles. Roads: B5106, A5, A4068, A498. Postcodes: LL48 6ER (Portmeirion)  LL55 4TY (Llanberis Lake Railway) LL32 8LD (Conwy Castle)

Scenic Route Four: Glasgow to Inverness

Drive the Loch Ness Area - by conner395

The scenic drive from Glasgow to Inverness takes you through the majestic and timeless Munros. These mountain ranges dominate the Scottish skyline and offer truly mesmerising views. The route also includes the Loch Ness, with a dedicated exhibition centre that explores the legend of the monster (£4.50 for children and £6.50 for adult entry). If you happen to visit during June, be sure to give the RockNess dance music festival a try.

You’ll also have the opportunity to visit the largest loch in Great Britain, the stunning Loch Lomond. At 27 square miles (71km²), this loch contains around 60 small islands, including Inchconnachan and its settlement of wallabies.

For water sports, Loch Lomond offers jet skiing, boating and canoeing, whereas for other kinds of driving, try out the surrounding golf courses.

On the way to Inverness, you can see Britain’s highest point: Ben Nevis.

This 4,409ft peak sits at the head of Loch Linnhe and is visible from Fort William, a popular winter sports destination. From the Nevis Range Ski Centre, you can ski, snowboard and even mountain bike. There’s also the chance to enjoy the landscape from the comforts of a 650m gondola via the Mountain Discovery Centre.

Scenic Drive Four

Details for Scenic Drive Four

Distance: 170 miles. Roads: A9, A82, A827, A93. Postcodes: IV63 6TU (Loch Ness Exhibition Centre) PH33 6SQ (Nevis Range) PH18 5TL (Blair Castle)

Scenic Route Five: The Lake District

Helvellyn -by IanBrookesPhotography

For those looking to experience nature during their drive, the Lake District offers astonishing beauty. This circular route includes the popular towns of Kendal and Keswick, as well as winding around 29 miles of the national park to provide views of Lake Windermere, Lake Thirlmere and the Lakeland Fells.

The village of Grasmere has inspired poets such as Coleridge and Wordsworth and today you can visit Dove Cottage, one of Wordsworth’s former houses, for £7.50 for adults and £4.50 for children.  

Travelling east along the A66 from Keswick onto the A5091 brings you to Ullswater Lake, the second largest body of water in the Lake District. Ullswater offers Steamer tours (£2.80 per child, £5.60 per adult, each way) that cruise the lake from the village of Glenridding or Pooley Bridge to Howtown. The Lakeland Fell area also has many trail paths, so you can take a leisurely stroll within the lakes’ beauty.

For more demanding hike routes, travel to Glenridding, the base of the third highest mountain in the UK. At 3,117ft, Helvellyn has many tough trails for more experienced hikers, although summit routes aren’t the only ones available. Ask the local tourist information office for more information on walking routes.

Scenic Drive Five

Details for Scenic Drive Five

Kendal to Kendal, circular route: (via Keswick & Glenridding.) Distance: 67.8m. Roads: A5284, A591, A66, A5091, A592. Postcodes: LA22 9SQ (Dove Cottage – Wordsworth Museum) CA11 0US (Ullswater Steamers)

This guest post was written by Michael Wade of the car hire team at travelsupermarket.com

One of the best things to do in Europe is to take an enormous quantity of photos! Apart from the amazing architecture and rich history, the weather in Europe also allows for stunning images, with clear blue skies and bright, but not harsh, sunlight.

These 5 photos are my favourite, although I had a hard time choosing the top 5!

Tower Bridge, London

1) Tower Bridge, London. This famous landmark crosses the main River Thames. Many people think that this is London Bridge, but it’s not. London Bridge is another, smaller and rather unattractive bridge.

St Paul's Cathedral

2) St. Paul’s Cathedral. Measuring 111m high, this Anglican cathedral is the highest church in the UK. I love the west end of the cathedral, where there is a clock tower and eight high round pillars. The most famous marriage ceremony held here was between Prince Charles and Lady Diana, in case you’d like to know.

The Eiffel Tower, Paris

3) The Eiffel Tower, Paris. I love this photo of the Eiffel Tower in Paris because of the evening sunlight and the rainbow over the fountain. It really shows the magnificence of Paris’s town planning. I shot this photo of the Eiffel Tower from a fountain at the Palais De Chaillot monument. Looking through the tower, one can actually spot the Military Training School at the far end with the River Seine and the Champs De Mars garden in between, all in a perfectly straight line!

Notre Dame, Paris

4) Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. With its awesome Gothic architecture, Notre Dame is one of the most popular travel sites in Paris. It was also the backdrop for Victor Hugo’s famous novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The Grand Canal, Venice

5) Gondolas and the Grand Canal, Venice. This is a typical scene captured by many other travellers and photographers in Venice. I love Venice. I love taking photos of the buildings, the canals and the bridges in Venice. There are simply gorgeous! In order to capture the best natural sunlight, I stayed along the Grand Canal and waited until it was late in the afternoon.

I love these 5 photos. I hope you like them too.

Cecil Lee is an avid traveller who is also a passionate travel blogger and travel photographer living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He writes about travel for MNUI travel insurance and on his own travel photo blog, Travel Feeder.

Yes, it’s finally time to start thinking about Christmas (according to my very accurate guessometer calendar.) If the thought of shuffling into High Street shops gets you down, then how about a weekend away? Here are five of the best Christmas Markets you can head to for an atmospheric weekend break:

1)      Bath Christmas Market

Bath Christmas Market by Chor Ip

Bath Christmas Market starts early this year, throwing open its wooden chalets on 26th November and reining them back in again on 6th December. The location is perfect, however, with Christmas lights nestled snugly between Bath’s main Abbey and the Roman Baths, whose thermal waters have poured forth for over 2000 years. Better yet, Bath’s well-connected by road and train and a great place for a weekend break in its own right.

2) Strasbourg Christmas Market

Strasbourg Christmas Market by ChristinaT

You’ve got a bit more time to get to see the Strasbourg Christmas Market, as it runs from November 28th to December 31st. Strasbourg has been doing this kind of thing since 1570 and offers a range of Christmas Market experiences. It’s not just gingerbread biscuits and twinkling lights, Strasbourg hosts literary markets, children’s markets, Christmas walks and even tapestries. Try and find the Bredle cookies made especially for advent.

3)      Toulouse

Toulouse Christmas Market - By Jason Riedy

Don’t think that northern Europe holds the monopoly on festive cheer, the expansive Place Capitole in southwest France’s Toulouse hosts its own Christmas Market each year. As well as traditional wooden cabins and mulled wine, you can find pepper-cherry wine, strange potato dough and an impromptu ice rink. Opens Saturday December 12th.

4)      Bremen

Bremen Christmas Market by Stuart King

Bremen doesn’t mess about when it comes to Christmas Markets, even the side streets leading up to the main event drip with glühwein, candlelight and iced biscuits. You can taste a bit of the Schlachte Magic from 26th November and immerse yourself in Christmas carols, cathedral tours and organ recitals in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

5)      Prague

Prague Christmas Market - by Prittammets

Wrap up warm, warm, warm because it is cold in Prague for Christmas. Everything’s on hand to soothe chilled and aching bones, however, from the spicy gingerbread, to the mulled wine to the proud range of Czech beer and hearty dumplings. Christmas Markets take place throughout December in the Old Town Square, as well as in the festively named Wenceslas Square.

So there you go, that’s my top 5 Christmas Markets for cheap weekend breaks. I was feeling pretty scrooge-esque when I started but now I’m humming Christmas carols to myself…Another round of Good King Wenceslas, anyone? Tra-la-la-la-la-la-la….

By Inju

1 - Men for the sake of getting a living forget to live.  ~Margaret Fuller

2 - The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.  ~Author Unknown

3 - Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.  ~Will Rogers

4 - One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.  ~Bertrand Russell

5 - Some of the secret joys of living are not found by rushing from point A to point B, but by inventing some imaginary letters along the way.  ~Douglas Pagels

6 - It is better to travel alone than with a bad companion – African Proverb

7 - I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.  ~Jennifer Yane

8 - The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.  ~Attributed to both Jim Goodwin and Sydney J. Harris

Feel free to add any more great quotes you know in the comments boxes below!

View from Segovia's Parador

Paradors in Spain are often described as luxury hotels, but don’t let that put you off! If you want to stay in a former castle, monastery or palace then this is the way to do it.

 On top of history and atmosphere, Paradors are usually also great value for money. I haven’t always been impressed with the service…but you can’t have everything.

How do Paradors Work?

 They’re owned and operated by the Spanish state – a tradition started by the king back when things like that were possible. Today, this turns out to be fantastic news for three reasons:

1)      Incredible Access to Historic Buildings

Jaen Parador

Although a few paradors are purpose-built,  most have been converted from palaces, convents, castles and fortresses.

2)      Price Control

     A luxury hotel for the price of a puffed-up middle of the range one.

3)      Amazing Views

Perhaps paradors have more influence when it comes to twisting arms for planning permission, but you’ll find a parador with a view in the historic city of Segovia,  bythe world-renowned Alhambra Palace in Granada and teetering on a cliff edge in Ronda.

How to Get the Best Deal

Merida Parador

 By all means browse through the Parador sites to get an idea of what you want.

 Then I’d recommend heading to Lastminute.com and entering in the full name of the parador for your weekend trip with the exact dates. Hotel comparison sites don’t always get you a cheaper deal – so check back with the other sites before making your final booking.

 Sometimes Paradors can be prohibitively expensive. On the other hand, I managed to get a great deal in the Merida Parador for around 60 Euros.

Wondering what to see in Spain when you get there? Try browsing through these ideas…

A Cheap Weekend in Bilbao

A Cheap Weekend in Segovia

A Cheap Weekend in Seville

So, for today, here are three of my favourite ways to enjoy England:

1)  Wander Around London’s Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens

Peter Pan Statue - by drumminhands

Roads curve through Hyde Park, from the traffic chaos of Marble Arch to the manicured elegance of Kensington, Knightsbridge and the “museum district”. Yet a network of footpaths manages to give you the gift of peace and quiet. Stretch out on the grass and listen to nothing but birdsong.

Speakers’ Corner, meanwhile, offers a strange kind of insight into England today. Depending on your luck, you can hear impassioned speeches, offensive drivel or mumbling madness from an assorted collection of folk.

There’s also the Peter Pan statue that celebrates author J.M. Barrie who lived nearby, the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain and a more recent sculpture dedicated to the victims of the 7th July bombings. 

The Serpentine in the centre of London - by billfromesm

You can ride horses, cycle, take rollerblading lessons or go boating on the Serpentine. All within the mayhem of central London.

Parking is possible but tricky within the park. You can reach Hyde Park through any one of five underground stations: Marble Arch, Knightsbridge, Queensway, Lancaster Gate and Hyde Park Corner.

2)      Cycle Bristol to Bath

 Fifteen miles separate these two historic cities and if you know where to look, you can find a smooth off-road path that joins the two. What’s more, the Bristol to Bath path was originally a train track, meaning that (yes!) it is flat.

For free, you can explore Bristol by gazing up at the Clifton Suspension Bridge, admiring the edgy street art in Stokes Croft  and hunting down the whalebone in St Mary Redcliffe Church. 

Cycle the protected tarmac route between trees and sculptures and find yourself admiring the Royal Crescent and Circus in Georgian Bath just over an hour later.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

The Path itself has a few refreshment stops along the way. You can find directions to the access points here. Most trains between Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads allow you to take one bicycle per person on at the weekends, just in case your energy has already faded before the return journey…

3) Explore the Peak District

Ladybower Reservoir - the Peak District

England’s oldest national park fits snugly between Sheffield and Manchester. The Peak District provides postcard-perfect countryside views as well as more rugged, bleak and isolated landscapes.

Walking and cycling are two of my favourite ways to get around, with the juicy reward of homemade fudge in Castleton at the end of it.

For a glimpse of history (and let’s face it, a way to keep dry if the weather has ruined all those outdoor plans) try the museum at the Derwent Reservoir. This tells the story of how the water board strategically submerged the local villages and catalogues the development of the Dambusters mission (pilots trained here, flying only 18 metres above the reservoir water level. )

Pie & Mushy Peas

Round off the weekend with a giant Yorkshire pudding or some mushy peas. Mmm.

The easiest way to get around the Peak District is to travel by car. You can find great walking routes here. Dress sensibly (layered clothes, sturdy walking boots and waterproofs!) and have fun.

More Ways to Enjoy England

Check out the Enjoy England section in the Guardian – or add your ideas and suggestions below:

Never be stuck for ideas again. Without further ado, here are 101 cheap weekend breaks. Drumroll please…..

Start with the old favourites:

1 – Paris - stroll along the Seine, climb the Eiffel Tower, catch the Mona Lisa in the Louvre and window-shop along the Champs-Elysées

2 – Take a Bite out of the Big Apple in New York- order a pretzel and climb the Statue of Liberty. Walk though Wall Street, Broadway and Central Park and get neckache by staring up at the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings.

3 – Unleash your Inner Gladiator in Rome. Visit the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. Recharge with ice cream before heading to St Peter’s in the Vatican City.

4 – Fall in Love in Venice - drift along in a gondola, gaze at the Bridge of Sighs, eat black spaghetti and wander through St Mark’s Square.

5 – Do the Tourist Thing in London - Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, a West End Show and Trafalgar Square. The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and Piccadilly Circus…no wonder more than 27 million people visit each year.

Head outdoors in the UK…

Fresh air in the UK...

6 – Trek in the Peak District - between rugged hills and homely pubs, Yorkshire puddings and the Dambusters Museum.

7 – Hike through the Brecon Beacons - take a map, proper shoes and stomp through this SAS training ground.

8 – Wander lonely as a cloud in the Lake District – remember to take wellies and a poetry book.

9 - Catch a sea breeze while climbing the rolling hills of the South Downs.

10 – Ramble through the Cotswolds – with roaring fires and home-made fudge waiting for you when you get in.

Indulge your wanderlust with a far-flung weekend break…

Two continents, one city

11 – Enjoy the spice in Marrakesh - drink fresh orange juice, barter in souks and dine surrounded by mosaics and fountains.

12 – Win the cost of your weekend break back in Las Vegas. Or something like that…

13 – Cross from Europe to Asia within the same city in Istanbul. Enjoy the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and a cruise across the Bosphorus.

14 – Athens - weave through the smog and climb high to see the Acropolis.

15 – Budapest – bathe in thermal spas then wrap up warm for Buda castle and beef goulash.

Step Back in Time…

Stonehenge - Wessex Archaeology

16 – At Stonehenge – admire the ring of stones that have kept their mystery for over 5000 years.

17 – The Lascaux Cave Paintings - head underground to face woolly mammoths in the Dordogne, France.

18 – See the Rosetta Stone and other ancient Egyptian artifacts in the British Museum in London.

19 – Visit the labyrinth of the Minotaur at Knossos, Crete

20 - See the Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain, from above and below

21 - Step back 225 million years with the petrified remains in the Natural History Museum, London.

Play with the rich kids…

22 - In Harrods, Knightsbridge, London. Well, it doesn’t cost anything to browse.

23 - Mingle with the Yachts in St Tropez – it’s free to walk along the harbour in this atmospheric, small French town.

24 - Gamble in Monte Carlo’s casino – there is a public section – then follow the Grand Prix course through this twisting coastal city-state. 

Party Hard…

Monte Carlo Casino

25 - On the beach in Ibiza

26 - Indoors in Brighton

27 - Even in fancy dress at the notorious School Disco in London.

Then recover with a spa weekend…

28 - Surrounded by snow-capped mountains in Caldea,  Andorra’s space-age thermal spa

29 - In Britain’s only natural thermal spa in, er, Bath spa.

Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites…

30 - At the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland

31 - Within the vast grounds of Blenheim Palace, Winston Churchill’s birthplace in Oxfordshire.

32 - In the sumptious Alhambra complex in Andalucia

33 - And at Marie Antoinette’s former home at the Palace of Versailles

Visit Europe’s oldest classrooms

Cambridge University

34 - In Cambridge- home to Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Hugh Laurie. Enjoy the punts, the pints and 800 years of history.

35 - In Oxford – whose dreaming spires overlooked Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch and Esther Rantzen.

36 - In Trinity College, Dublin – queue up to see the Book of Kells before heading off to the Guinness Museum

37 - The sandstone streets and sunshine of Salamanca in central Spain.

38 - The University of Paris - the Sorbonne – the former stomping ground of Marie Curie and Victor Hugo.

Get that adrenaline surge

39 - By Running with the Bulls in Pamplona

40 - Or skydiving in the Ariège

41 - Ski-ing the Vallée Blanche in Chamonix

42 - White-water rafting in Wales

43 - Going for a 4WD in Benidorm

44 - Orbing in Brighton

45 – Or braving the surf in Biarritz

Then treat your stomach to..

The Roquefort Caves

46 - Sushi school in London

47 - Wine-tasting in St Émilion, France

48 - Paella in Valencia, coastal home of this popular dish

49 - Cassoulet in Languedoc, next to the medieval turrets of Carcassonne

50 - Gazpacho in Andalucia, with local sherry to top it off

51 - Salty Roquefort in the undergound caves near the famous Millau Bridge in southwest France

52 - Marmalade in Seville, between trips to the magnificent Real Alcázar

53 - Champagne in (ahem) champagne

Consider stylish city breaks in:

Cardiff Bay

54 - Barcelona – a city alive with Gaudí’s masterpieces

55 - Prague - showing cobbled streets and the famous Charles Bridge

56 - Cardiff - this capital offers an Opera House, a Castle and Charlotte Church

57 - Dubrovnik - with burned-orange tiles, cafés and a stunning coastline

58 - San Sebastián – brimming with tapas bars and sandy beaches

59 – Marseilles - the vibrant, sailor’s city with a rebellious past

60 - Zagreb - Croatia’s quirky capital

Embrace your artistic side…

Van Gogh Cafe Terrace

61 - Soak up the Tate Gallery, the Tate Modern and the National Gallery in London

62 - Cross the border between France and Spain to find Matisse’s Collioure and Salvador Dalí’s outlandish museum/palace in Figueres

63 - Let Michelangelo’s Hand of God touch you in the Sistine Chapel

64 - See Toulouse-Lautrec’s posters of  the Moulin Rouge in historic Albi

65 - Drink coffee in the café from Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night in Arles

66 - See Rodin’s the Thinker in Paris

Go chasing folk legends…

67 - Search for Robin Hood in Nottingham’s Sherwood Forest

68 - Tintin in Brussels…

69 - The hunchback of Notre Dame in Paris

70 - Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street, London

71 - And pirates in Penzance

Tintin in Belgium

And sporting legends…

72 - Watch tennis at Wimbledon

73 - Cricket at Lords

74 - See the Tour de France finish on the Champs-Elysées

Grab some late summer sun with a weekend..

75 - in the Algarve

76 - or the Canary Islands

77 - the French Riviera

78 – Or Malaga

Or make the most of London…

79 - by touching a gold bar in the Bank of England

80 - reliving Tudor history at Hampton Court Palace  and Richmond Park

81 - enjoying the view at a price from the London Eye

82 - or for free from Primrose Hill

The Guggenheim - Bilbao

Find a building that’s worth the journey…

83 - like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

84 - or the leaning tower of Pisa

Or just chill in a laid-back place with character…

85 - like pink-bricked Toulouse

86 - or the coffee shops of Amsterdam

Help someone else…

87 - Cycle London to Brighton for the British Heart Foundation

88 - Volunteer on a one-off basis with Action 21 for a greener future

Reconnect with nature…

89 - In the Pyrenees in the natural amphitheatre of the Cirque de Gavarnie

90 - By camping in the Gower, Wales

91 - Hiking in the Swiss Alps

Hush....

92 - Among fields of lavender in Provence

93 - From the air in the Bristol Balloon Fiesta

94 - Underwater by diving in Cyprus

95 - Surrounded by waterfalls in Plitvice

96 – Among the salt plains of the Camargue

97 - Gazing at the stars at the Greenwich Observatory

98 - In the tropical gardens in the Eden Project

99 - By cycling along the Canal du Midi among fields of sunflowers

100 – Climb the UK’s highest mountain – Ben Nevis

101 - Stand on the rocks at Land’s End and debate whether or not it deserves its name…

So, there you go. 101 cheap weekend breaks.

Enjoy exploring the world one weekend at a time.

Anyone have any more?