I’ve searched the web so you don’t have to! My best travel deals include summer holidays, city breaks, cruises and staycations for couples and families.
My Best Travel Deals post looks a little different this week. I’ve had lots of requests for summer holiday deals in July or August so I have included a selection of offers that should suit couples or friends trips, as well as some great deals for families at home and abroad. I also have a super Med cruise deal and a city break to New York.
Best summer holidays:
Spanish Delight: Nerja, Flights & Hotel, €699pp
Nerja is one of the Costa Del Sol’s prettiest resorts, and usually demands higher prices than its neighbours. However, I found some great value flights with Aer Lingus to Malaga on the 27th of July and combined it with a seven-night stay at the popular Perla Marina Hotel for just €699 per person.
View flights here €249pp
View hotel here €440pp
Tuscany Explorer: Flights, Hotel & Car hire €737pp
There has never been a better time to visit Tuscany – with flights to Pisa from Dublin and Cork airport this summer. Some of the flights arrive in late at night, so I suggest spending a night in Pisa, exploring the Leaning Tower and its surrounding Cathedral Square, and then hiring a car and leaving the city for some of Tuscany’s more interesting towns and villages.
Read: Top towns and cities to visit in Tuscany
I have priced this trip based on a one-night stay in Pisa, followed by six night stay in the 4-Star Da Vinci Hotel Montecatini. I have also priced car hire, while it is expensive, I think it is necessary.
Total cost for this seven-day fly-drive is €737pp in July but durations can be shorter or longer – simply edit the dates via the links below to suit your requirements.
Search flights here 25th July €155pp
View Pisa hotel €76pp
Montecatini Hotel €226pp
Check car hire €280pp
Croatian Charm: Flights & 4-Star Cavtat Boutique Hotel, €706pp
Cavtat is one of those picture perfect Croatian towns that is close to Dubrovnik city as well as Montenegro, and I found a boutique hotel located right at the seafront – the 4-Star Boutique Hotel Villa Pattiera. This 12 roomed family run hotel appears to be a hidden gem, offers complimentary breakfast, and is the top rated hotel in the area on Tripadvisor.
Price for flights to Dubrovnik and a seven-night stay on the 24th of August is €699 per person from Cork or €719 from Dublin.
Read: The best places to stay in Croatia, Dubrovnik, Istria and the islands
View Cork flights €183pp
View Dublin flights €196pp
View hotel here €530pp
Best overnight escape:
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Walk or cycle the Blessington Greenway followed by an overnight escape in Tulfarris Hotel and Golf Resort. We stayed here recently and loved its location overlooking Blessington Lakes.
There are many offers to choose from, but I love their Sunday Sleepover which includes a full Irish breakfast, a 4-course meal with a bottle of wine, a glass of Prosecco on arrival, and a late check-out until 1pm, all for just €114.50 per person! I priced this deal on the 19th of June and 10th July arrival, but many more dates are available.
Best family holidays:
A week on the Algarve, Flights & 4-Star Apartment: €2675
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It’s hard to beat the Algarve for a family sun holiday and I found some great value return flights with Aer Lingus on the 27th of July for €202 per person from Dublin or €211pp from Cork. Combine these with a seven-night stay at the 4-star Luna Sol Aqua in Albufeira for €1867. Total price for flights and accommodation is €2675 based on a family of four.
Read: Family holidays to the Algarve, my top picks on where to stay
Dublin flights here €202pp
Cork flights here €211pp
View Apt here €1867
Theme Park Holiday in Salou: Flights, Apartment & Theme Park passes, €2483
Salou is one of this year’s most popular family destinations and prices are still quite reasonable in August. There are many airports that service Salou but Barcelona Reus is the closest. Ryanair have return flights on the 12th of August from €175 from Cork, €223 from Dublin or €265 from Shannon.
I combined these with the 4-Star Dorada Palace apartments in Salou for €1530. You can add on 2-day park tickets to PortAventura, one of Europe’s best theme parks, for €66 per adult and €58 per child – see here.
Alternatively stay at the 4-star Gold River Hotel which is located on site at PortAventura theme park. Price for a seven-night stay including unlimited entrance to PortAventura, and admission to Ferrari Land once during your stay is €2472.
Read: Top 10 reasons to visit PortAventura
If there are more than four in your party, the 4-Star Golden Avenida Suites is a great choice. Large family suites sleep up to five and breakfast and evening meal is included in the cost of your stay. This is based on a package deal with TUI, so the link below includes flights, transfers, baggage and accommodation for seven nights.
Search flights here 12th August from €175pp
View Apt here €1530
View hotel here €2472
Golden Avenida Package holiday (2ad & 3ch) €4112
Best family staycation:
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I have just returned from a family trip to Sligo and the Clayton Hotel have very kindly offered me a 5% discount off all stays. Prices for a three-night family stay is €499 for a family room or €699 for a large 2-bedroom family suite on 26th June, or €556 for a family room and €756 for a family suite on the 7th of August. Many more dates are available.
Family stays include breakfast, access to the Leisure Centre with swimming pool, discounted family passes for local attraction, and welcome treats for kids on arrival.
Best city breaks:
Bordeaux weekend ex Cork, 25th August, 3 Nights €295pp
Explore the wine lands and historic city of Bordeaux this summer for just €295 per person. Ryanair is offering flights from just €85 return from Cork to Bordeaux at the end of August. I found a great deal in the 4-Star StayCity apart-hotel which is located right in the heart of the city and is highly rated on TripAdvisor.
Search flights here 9th October €85pp
View hotel here €210pp
Read: 20 city break destinations from Ireland for 2022
Venice weekend ex Cork – 27th August, 3 nights, €325pp
The unique floating city of Venice simply has to be visited at least once in a lifetime, and with return flights from just €80pp in August, now is your chance! I teamed this up with the superbly located Hotel Mercurio, which is located just 5-minutes from St Mark’s Square. Price for flights and a three-night stay is just €325 per person.
Read: Top things to do in Venice and where to stay
Search flights 27th-30th August €80pp
View Hotel here €245pp
New York in September, 4-nights, €924pp
To celebrate that you no longer need pre-departure tests to enter America, Aer Lingus are offering €100 off return flights to the USA. I found return flights to New York from Dublin and Shannon for €336 on the 10th of September, and a four-night stay in the 4-Star Club Quarters Hotel Times Square is €588 per person based on two sharing.
Read: The ultimate guide on where to stay in New York
See flights here €336pp
View hotel here €588pp
Best cruise:
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While airfares and hotel prices might be higher than usual this summer, there are still some great value cruise holidays available. This 10-night luxury cruise on Norwegian Escape sails from Rome and visits the Greek islands of Corfu, Mykonos and Santorini, as well as Malta, Sicily and various Italian ports – there is only one full day at sea!
I cruised on its sister ship, Norwegian Encore, you can read my review here.
Price of €1432 includes flights, checked baggage all food and entertainment, departing Dublin on the 23rd of August. You can add on premium drinks, shore excursion credit, speciality dining and Wifi for just €199 per person. This cruise is also sailing on the 24th of July at €1610 per person.
It is important to be aware of the latest travel restrictions of the country you are travelling to. Boosters or pre-departure tests are required for travel to many countries in Europe if initial vaccination is over 270 days. Please check the latest travel restrictions on the DFA website before you travel.
Prices are correct at the time of issue but are subject to change. Please note some of my best travel deals include affiliate links where I receive a small commission if a booking is made.
