Summer Breaks with 5pm Trips

4 min read

Earlier this week I was writing about the new Clarins Suncare range, and it got me thinking about a holiday in the sun.

If you aren’t ready to book up your big holiday, or if you already have, but fancy another wee break in between, or a few days away is all your budget will allow, then 5pm Trips is the place to find some sunny deals.

You will definitely need your sunscreen if you book up the Big Deal trip to Alicante. For just £35 despoit, and a total of £235 per person, you get three nights 3-star accommodation close to the beach, and return flights from Glasgow Prestwick.

Alicante is one of Spain’s most distinctive cities, as well as being the gateway to the resorts of the Costa Blanca. This Big Deal gives you the chance to explore this old Moorish city, full of atmospheric streets, great bars, nightlife and temperatures.

The offer includes return flights with Ryanair from Glasgow Prestwick, with luggage allowance and three nights room only accommodation (based on two sharing), in the 3-star Hotel La City Mercado.

For this deal choose flight dates of May 5 or 26, or June 2 or 9. You will be departing from Glasgow Prestwick at 06:20 and arriving in Alicante 10:15. On your return journey, you will be departing from Alicante at 10:50 and arriving in Glasgow Prestwick at 13:05. Flight times are subject to change. There is also the option to fly from Edinburgh Airport – please enquire directly.

The 3-star Hotel La City Mercado is in an excellent location just a 10-minute walk from the beach. It is also close to the Central Market, Old Town area and port. There is a tram stop outside the hotel which will take you to other city attractions. The hotel has a bar, free Wifi and a 24-hour front desk. Each of the air-conditioned ensuite rooms has a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, heating, a minibar and a safe.

Explore the dramatic medieval Castillo de Santa Barbara, dating from the 16th century  – it  can be reached via a lift from the seaward side. The castle gardens are an attractive expanse of olive groves, walking trails and superb coastal vistas.

The cultural hub is the Museum of Contemporary Art, an elegant modern gallery housed in the historic Asegurada building. The impressive collection includes works by Dali and Picasso, and a considerable part of the city’s charm lies in the attractive warren of streets of the Barrio Santa Cruz around the cathedral, with late-opening bars, live music and atmospheric clubs.

 


Perhaps you would prefer three nights in the Eternal city, Rome?  The American writer Anotole Broyard reckoned that ‘Rome was a poem pressed into service as a city.’

Find out for yourself if you agree with this Big Deal to Rome that offers you flights from Glasgow Prestwick to a city rich in history, culture and romance, home to many of the world’s greatest monuments and art treasures, not to mention some of Italy’s finest nightlife and restaurants. This one has three nights accommodation at the Hotel Espana, located in the centre of the city.

The offer is £44 deposit, and then £295 per person in total. Flights would be on May 11, 18, and June 1, and 15.  Outbound flights will depart Glasgow Prestwick at 06:55, arriving into Rome Ciampino at 10:55. Inbound flights will depart 21:30, arriving 23:40. Edinburgh airport departure also available. Please enquire before purchase with myholidaysnow.

The Hotel Espana is a relaxed establishment located in a stylish 1920s villa building, with 17 guest rooms, all quiet, with ensuites, air-conditioning, WiFi, LCD TV with satellite, mini bar and hot drinks facilities. It’s just a hundred metres from the Manzoni metro station and in a neighbourhood handy for exploring the city’s ancient monuments.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t see it all in three days, but take a stroll (with that sunscreen on) and soak up the atmosphere of this unique city, and get a sense of its classical origins from street level. Cinema enthusiasts will be keen to spot all the classic movie locations from the Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps, and will also want to take the metro journey out to the iconic Cinecitta studios.

The Sistine Chapel and the outstanding art collections of the Borghese and Doria Pamphilj Galleries will be a highlight for many, but are understandably popular.

Visitors looking for a less crowded cultural experience should head for the hip northern Rome quarter of Flaminio and the cavernous curves of the striking modern MAXXI gallery designed by Zaha Hadid.