What do we want?! A weekend holiday! When do we want it?! In June sometime, preferably after exams but before summer has arrived properly. While this is never going to take off as a revolutionary chant, the core idea remains. With a late Easter and summer being an unpredictable mess the last few years running, it’s important to break things up with a city break or two. If you’re a student, you’re going to deserve one after your exams, and if you’re not, well, you probably deserve one anyway
But there’s the rub. Sure, technically you can get away for a few nights midweek or even over the weekend, but then the cost is so high, meaning a night at the local it-smells-of-years-of-old-man-farts-but-at-least-the-beer-is-cheap can seem like the only option left to you. Well, dear readers, we’ve used our KAYAK search skills to see how easy it is to come up with a 50/50 city break for you and a friend (of whatever kind they may be). That means, no more than £50 each for the return flights and no more than £50 each for the accommodation, flying out from different destinations throughout the UK, and yes, Belfast, this time we’ve got your back too. Below are just some great examples of 50/50 getaways you can find this June:
Manchester – Hamburg 5-7th June | London – Hamburg 13-15th June
Let’s start this off with a double header. Flying from either Manchester or London, popping over to Hamburg for a few days on the Reeperbahn is a hell of a lot easier than when John, Paul, George and Ringo were doing it. Berlin is famous for its clubs and love, but Hamburg is the city that keeps the spirit of rock’n’roll revolution alive. Hamburg’s fish dishes are next to none, and its galleries and museums are off the hook, but this harbour city’s real appeal is only apparent at night. Hamburg’s various hoods range from upmarket to alternative to melting pot, but it’s St. Pauli, home to the infamous Reeperbahn, where the party never stops and the beer flows eternal. Don’t worry; we’re not going to share our first 50/50 finding with you by suggesting that you skip any accommodation altogether and make your savings that way (trust us, it has been done before).
So, flights are the easy bit. As an example, Manchester to Hamburg, 5-7th of June start at a cool £31 per person. Good but cheap accommodation in the centre of such a popular city can be found at The Generator Hostel which starts at £72 for two nights.
From London to Hamburg on the 13-15th of June is going to set you back £43 each, while a comfy bed at the centrally located Mac City Hostel is going to be a shared cost from £92 on the same dates.
London-Edinburgh 5-7th June
Now, in my opinion, a trip to Scotland’s capital at the beginning of June sounds like a doozy. With flights from the 5-7th only costing £31 per person and with accommodation for two at the West End Hotel starting at £26 per night, you can’t go wrong. With its medieval old town, winding cobbled lanes, whisky bars and cracking nightlife it should already be right up there on your list of places you must visit; if you’ve already been then you’re likely aching for an excuse for a return visit.
Edinburgh-Dublin 25-27th June
And for residents of Edinburgh looking to get away for a quick break post-exams but pre-festivals why not pop over West for a beginning of the week session in Dublin? Let’s be honest here, flights from Edinburg to Dublin may start at a very reasonable £47, but Dublin isn’t a cheap city by any stretch.
With this in mind, 2 beds for 2 nights at The Generator Hostel starting from just £73 is going to keep you just under budget, leaving more money for tasting the black stuff direct from the source, testing whether Irish whiskies have anything on the Scottish, and exploring the FREE museums. Personal Tip: The Science Gallery blends scientific nerdism with contemporary gallery chic to create a world class museum you can get lost in all day – plus the admission is free.
London-Sofia 14th-16th June
Bulgaria is already recognised as an up-and-coming country to visit, and a trip to the capital should be enticing to anyone. Discover the City’s charm with a range of free tours (meaning that you really should give a decent tip but it comes down to your discretion and budget at the end of the day, if you don’t tip, it’s just done to your conscience and of course, Lady Karma) that will give you an insight into what the city has to offer.
One thing to definitely check out is the incredible street art found throughout the city. Also, something many people aren’t expecting, Sofia’s food scene is excellent, and top-notch nosh is extremely affordable. Same goes for the nightlife.You can catch a Flight from London to Sofia from the 14th – 16th June starting at £41 and stay at Mon Ami Apart In Studentski from £70 for two guests on the same dates.
Manchester – Paris 28-30th June
Also renowned for its food and its art (street and gallery) is the City of Love. If you plan a trip from Manchester late in June, the 28-30th, and choose to stay in the Hôtel Du Globe, for example, you’ll be taking on modest accommodation, but accommodation that gets above 9 out of 10 for location, sightseeing, shopping and nightlife.
Paris is a city that needs no introduction and we aren’t going to waste breath telling you about all the things there are to see there. Instead, here’s a super tip: Some museums, like the Louvre, the Conciergerie and the Sainte-Chapelle, are free all year round for people under 26. All you need is an EU passport or ID card. With total uncertainty as to where we are going to be in a few years post-Brexit, you should definitely take advantage of this amazing possibility while we are still under the umbrella of the EU.
So, what if you want something a little longer? Or perhaps you’ve been slaving away at that coffee shop every weekend to increase your travel budget? Trying using KAYAK’s Flight+Hotel search. Enter your destination and then use the filters on the right-hand side of the page to see what kind of flight and hotel combos are right for you, and save money doing it.
London-Milan 21-23 Jun
Let’s look to Italy and to another city which needs no introduction, Milan. As one of the fashion capitals of the world, you can imagine that the costs are high and may make a cheap weekend here nigh on impossible. Well, that simply not true. As an example, if you fly from London to Milan from 21st – 23rd June the cost for a round trip would be £37, then you can find a super cute hotel like the Apartment A.C.& G.O. Milan from £95 for two nights for two guests.
This hotel isn’t walking distance from the centre, but, (and this is a big but) it’s on one the main tube lines giving you access to the centre anytime you want and is actually located in one of the main student districts. This means cheaper (and better than the tourist traps) places to eat, more affordable places to drink and a much better vibe at night. For some of you, savings made on flights and hotels might mean more cash to spend shopping and although visiting the arcades is wondrous enough just for the architecture be sure to check out the outlet stores and pop-u sales stores where you can save 30-70% on major labels.
Manchester – Amsterdam 11-13th June | London – Amsterdam 12-14 June
What’s Amsterdam like at the beginning of the week? While the residents may have to deal with real life, a visitor to ‘The Venice of the North’ enters a time slip making any day of the week equally fun. Once you fly from London to Amsterdam for £50 or Manchester to Amsterdam for about £47 you can grab a room in the Ibis Budget Amsterdam Zaandam for £101 for both people, both nights, you can hit the cobbled streets.
Whether you hire a bike or wander by foot Amsterdam is a great city to wander aimlessly in. The museums are great, the cafes fantastic, and the architecture sublime and stumbling across them by accident is half the fun. And, of course, if you’re aiming to see exactly why Amsterdam is called the city of canals, bikes or, indeed, sin, it’s scandalously easy to do so.
Manchester – Brussels 23-25 June
Belgium’s capital and the administrative centre of the EU is full of contrasts. Multicultural to its core, Brussel’s heart is reflected through its patchwork of architectural styles that make up the skyline down to the multitude of languages bouncing around and the fantastic food found everywhere.
Street carts are an especially delicious and cheap way to eat your way through the weekend. Combine this with excellent museums, a good recommendation is the Comic Strip Centre, and an even greater recommendation is the Natural Sciences Museum which has the world’s largest exhibit hall dedicated purely to dinosaurs, and of course, Belgians famous brew scene and you’ll be happy out. Fly from Manchester to Brussels on 23rd of June for £37 and stay at the Queen Anne Hotel from £100 for your entire getaway.
Belfast – Berlin 4-6th June
Alright, Belfast? We do listen. With all of our other articles about cheap flights from the UK, Belfast has been noticeably absent. So we went out of our way to find something extra special for you this time. A flight from Belfast to Berlin in early June (4 – 6 June) for £57 and a stay at theAll In Hostel from £41 is going to bring you nicely into the 50/50 fold. The All In Hostel isn’t glamorous but, as someone who has stayed there, it’s location is superb and there’s so much to see you’ll only be sleeping there for the most part.
It places you right in the heart of Freidrischain and next to the train (or footpath if you don’t mind a stroll) that’ll take you over the bridge to Kreuzberg. In this strip alone there are enough eateries, bars, shops, and even clubs to keep you occupied every moment you’re there. Insider Tip: As soon as you’ve checked in, head down the road to the Boxhagener Platz Flea Market and then across to the RAW Gelande complex for flea markets, street art, food markets and maybe even some partying. Just make sure not to blow your whole budget in one go.
These are just some examples of the 50/50 getaways to be found. To find the best deals check out Explore (where you can see every flight available within your budget) and have a read of some of our other tips for finding the best flights. Also, did you know that as well as these fantastic hacks that help you find the best hotel, you can also search Villas, which will show you other accommodation options like apartments, villas and hostels?
Note: These rates are based on search queries made on KAYAK.co.uk on March 2nd, 2017. The prices are quoted in GBP. Flight prices are based on results for a return economy flight search. Hotel prices are for double occupancy and include taxes and fees. Prices are subject to change, may vary, or no longer be available.
