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Last-minute October half-term holidays – the cheapest destinations
It’s still shorts and T-shirts weather in many Mediterranean destinations – and it’s not too late to find a good October half-term deal.
Our price research found that Costa Dorada – Spain’s ‘golden coast’ – is the cheapest place for a last-minute half-term beach holiday. This stretch of coast south of Barcelona has mile upon mile of sandy beaches and a week’s holiday will typically cost you £591pp – less than half the price of a week on Lanzarote, where a seven-night package deal costs £1,203pp on average.
Spain’s Balearic Islands – Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza – are also considerably cheaper than the Canary Islands at October half-term. The average price of a seven-night holiday to Menorca (£616pp) is £400 cheaper than a week in Tenerife (£1,035pp).
We found the cheapest beach breaks for half-term by comparing the cost of 3,515 short-haul package holidays in seven southern European countries. The lowest-priced destination outside of Spain is Dalaman – a sun-soaked swathe of Turkey’s Turquoise coast.
In our guide below, we’ve picked out the cheapest self-catering, half-board and all-inclusive half-term deals if you’re booking now – although these prices will change with demand.
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What does cheapest destination mean?
Our price research compared the prices of package holidays still available with Jet2holidays and Tui – the UK’s biggest tour operators – for the week of 23 October, which is when most schools are off in England. Scottish schools are off the week before, from 16 October, and Welsh schools (as well as several English regions) on 30 October. It's likely that the same destinations will be comparatively cheaper across all dates.
Costa Dorada being the cheapest may reflect comparatively lower prices in that region, lower flight prices or that there are more budget properties available compared to other places. It’s likely a combination of those factors.
Our data doesn’t tell us about the quality of the accommodation on offer, but it does reveal where you’re most likely to find bargains, if you're still looking to book a half-term break.
October half-term’s cheap destinations: from Turkey’s Turquoise Coast to the Baleriacs
Costa Dorada
October high 22°C
Average price of a 7-night holiday £591pp
Popular with Spanish families, Catalonia’s southern coast has mile upon mile of Blue Flag sandy beaches.
The biggest resort is Salou, which has eight beaches to choose from, along with a weekly market and a five-mile coast path offering sunset views. It’s best known as the home of the huge theme park PortAventura – Spain’s answer to Disney.
Up the road, in Tarragona, admire a Roman amphitheatre and tuck into tapas in traditional bars in its medieval quarter. Further north, the coastal town of Sitges has more upmarket hotels and great restaurants.
Jet2holidays has a self-catering apartment in quiet Cap Salou at Aparthotel SunClub for seven nights for £524, departing from Stansted Airport on Sunday 22 October. (Jet2holidays was rated the best UK holiday company in our survey of almost 8,000 holidaymakers.)
Tui has seven nights in Salou at Hotel Calypso for £554pp, on a half-board basis, departing from Gatwick Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Menorca
October high 22°C
Average price of a 7-night holiday £616pp
The second-largest of the Balearic islands is just nine miles wide and 32 miles long, but it’s blessed with 120 sandy beaches. Most of the popular resorts are scattered along Menorca’s sheltered south and west coasts. On the windswept north side, the beaches are more secluded and the landscape more dramatic.
The island’s capital, Mahón, is situated on the east coast and has grand houses, fortresses and quaint old-fashioned bars. Over on the west coast, the baroque city of Ciudadela has twisting cobbled streets and a restaurant-lined harbour.
Tui has a self-catering apartment on Menorca’s western tip in Cala'n Forcat at Talayot Apartments for £466pp, departing from Manchester Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Jet2holidays has a week in a self-catering apartment on the south coast in Santo Tomas at Seth Mestral & Llebeig for £560pp, departing from East Midlands Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Ibiza
October high 23°C
Average price of a 7-night holiday £647pp
There’s more to Ibiza than its lively nightlife. If you steer clear of San Antonio, Playa d’en Bossa, and nights in Ibiza Town, the majority of the island resembles a mini version of well-behaved Mallorca.
Ibiza Town – also known as Eivissa – has café-lined squares and an old quarter, Dalt Vila, with hilltop battlements offering superb views over the harbour.
Jet2holidays has a self-catering apartment in San Antonio Bay - San Antonio town’s quieter cousin - at Playa Bella Apartments for seven nights for £549pp, departing from Bristol Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Tui has a seven-night all-inclusive holiday in family-friendly Es Cana at Hotel CaribeHotel Caribe for £773pp, departing from Stansted Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Dalaman
October high 25°C
Average price of a 7-night holiday £650pp
This picturesque coastline is consistently the cheapest stretch of Turkey’s sun-soaked Turquoise Coast.
Most package deals are to the lively port of Marmaris or picture-perfect Oludeniz – a cerulean lagoon with a sandbar beach. The inland resort of Hisaronu is also good value.
Nearby Fethiye has a yacht-filled harbour and ancient rock tombs.
Tui has a week in Hisaronu at Orka Village for £616pp, including breakfast, departing from Manchester Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Jet2holidays has an apartment at Club Alize in Marmaris for £765pp for seven nights on an all-inclusive basis, departing from Manchester Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Mallorca
October high 22°C
Average price of a 7-night holiday £661pp
On the biggest of the Balearics, you can easily find unspoiled craggy coves as well as neverending sandy beaches lined with hotels, bars and restaurants. The crystalline sea is still a very pleasant 22°C in October.
Away from the big resorts, Mallorca’s a mountainous island and the hulking Tramuntana range feels a world away from its high-rise hotels. You can also hike along coastal ridges or cycle to Cap de Formentor’s scenic lighthouse. The elegant capital, Palma, has a Gothic cathedral, 14th-century palace and busy bars.
Jet2holidays has a week in Playa de Muro – a resort on the northern coast named after its three and half-mile beach – at BQ Alcudia Sun Village for £589pp, departing from East Midlands Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Tui has seven nights in nearby Ca’n Picafort at Hotel Son Baulo for £577pp, including breakfast and dinner, departing from Manchester Airport on Sunday 22 October.
Costa Blanca
October high 23°C
Average price of a 7-night holiday £730pp
Spain’s 125-mile ‘white’ coast is famous for its talcum-powder beaches and as the home of Benidorm. Other popular spots include Alicante, which has a charming old town and ancient castle; and Calpe, which has a dramatic rocky headland and pink flamingos.
The craggy northern coastline is dotted with quaint fishing villages that are now upmarket resorts, such as Jávea, Moraira and Dénia.
Jet2holidays has seven nights in Benidorm at Poseidon Playa for £656pp on a half-board basis, departing from East Midlands Airport on Saturday 21 October.
Tui has seven nights half-board in Calpe at Port Europa for £550pp, departing from Gatwick Airport on Saturday 21 October [no new link needed]
Our research
We gathered the prices of 3,515 package holidays in seven countries – Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Malta – from Jet2holidays and Tui on 9 October. The average price is for a seven-night holiday including flights, departing between 20 and 26 October, based on two people sharing a standard double or twin room. We’ve only included destinations with good availability.
Jet2holidays vs Tui
In our most recent survey of package holiday customers, Jet2holidays was rated the best tour operator in the UK. It gained a customer score of 84%. Tui finished in the middle of the table, with a customer score of 74%. See our best and worst package holiday provider table for full star ratings.
