Thomson Luxury Holidays from £517 per person
After the holiday rush, it’s time to spend some relaxing time together with your significant other. And why not, pamper yourself with a luxury holiday? Lanzarote is a perfect destination for the Europeans. It might not be warm enough to swim, but you definitely don’t need to wear too many clothes either. Plus, Thomson Luxury Holidays are actually very affordable.
You can spend 7 nights in a 4-star resort in Lanzarote for prices starting at £474 per person, RT flight from London Gatwick included. Departure is on January 7, 2010.
The alternative: ski vacations
January marks the high season in winter resorts all over Europe. By now, there is enough snow on the slopes to allow for great skiing. You can spend a 7-day vacation in Innsbruck from $750 per person . Breakfast is included in the daily rates but you need to add the cost of the flight to Europe . You can fly into either Vienna or Salzburg and then rent a car to get to Innsbruck. If you are not used to driving in winter conditions, there’s always the possibility to choose the local means of transport (buses, trains, airport shuttles).
A little more to the East, you’ll find the less-discovered ski regions of Romania and Bulgaria. Both countries have a great potential when it comes to ski vacations but not many have discovered it yet. While some ski areas in Romania can be downright expensive Prahova Valley and Poina Brasov are two good examples there are small ski areas tucked away in the Banatului and Western Carpathians and where you will be able to spend a vacation at very low prices.
Word of caution though traveling in Romania can be a bit of a nightmare especially when you are planning to stay in remote places. Planes will get you big cities but once you landed, it takes some planning to get to the ski resorts. Driving in winter conditions is not recommended. Trains will get you close to ski areas but be prepared for delays.
But the prices surely beat all the troubles. One of the cheapest ski resorts in Europe is Semenic, located in the mountains with the same name (Romania). A double room in a 2 star hotel starts at ‚ 40 per night and the daily ski pass costs about ‚ 15 during the weekends. Plus, the climate is milder than in the rest of the Romanian ski regions (which can be nice or a nightmare, if there isn’t enough snow).
Go a little bit to the South and in Bansko (Bulgaria) you’ll find rooms in 4-star hotels for prices starting at ‚ 55per night (during the low season). In the middle season room rates start at ‚ 98 per night (double room) at this hotel .