Summer may not feel like it’s anywhere close to being on the horizon at the moment – after all, the days are still cold, the nights still colder, and getting up to work still quite an immiserating experience for most of us – but it’s much closer than you think. And with it, the prospect of a good old-fashioned summer getaway.
The sooner you think about your summer holiday plans, the better. This isn’t just for making sure you get the best possible deal, but also for the fact that your mental health may be buoyed no end by the workings-out of what could be the highlight of your year. If you want some guidance on how to do those workings-out, you’re in exactly the right place.
- Decide When To Travel
Your first port of call is to decide when you want to travel. You want to do this first anyway, if only to ensure you can get the requisite time booked off work before you start paying for anything non-refundable. Choosing the right dates can also affect the price of those very things, alongside the availability of accommodation and experiences; this is a particularly sensitive consideration for families restricted by school holidays, which naturally bring some higher demand and holiday premiums in the process.
- Choose Your Destination Wisely
Next-up, let’s figure out where you’re going. This is the easiest bit, and the hardest bit too. How on earth are you meant to narrow down the sum total of potential human experience into a shortlist of destinations? Well, let’s start by listing what you want.
If you want straightforward, uninterrupted sun and sea, you have much easier job; long-haul, Dubai holidays offer you a luxury getaway with no shortage of hard-beating sunshine and azure seas. Short-haul, it’s hard to pass up the French Riviera. If you want something with a little more culture attached, you might look to vibrant cities like Madrid or Milan; if money’s a concern, central Europe has no shortage of incredible destinations that are extremely wallet-friendly.
- Check Passports And Travel Rules Early
Wherever you do decide to go, you’ll have the unenviable task of figuring out the rules relating to your travel there and back. In most cases, this is simple enough, but with Brexit, not much is ever simple. You can use government guidance to figure out passport validity and entry requirements for your target destination, mostly to make sure you won’t encounter issues returning in your chosen timeframe (and maybe with a suitcase full of souvenirs in tow).
- Plan For Busy Airports And Peak Travel Periods
It will come as no surprise to you that airports experience their busiest periods during the summer, particularly around school holidays and weekends. You’ll need to bak some extra time into your travel schedule accordingly – though you may be able to avoid some of the bigger crowds by travelling mid-week.
