WORDS:
EMMA
COULTHURST.
PHOTOS:
GETTY
Whether you fancy a mother-and-daughter trip or a holiday
with friends, here’s how to escapewithout breaking the bank
SUNNY VALENCIA
If youwanttohitthebeach
aswellasexplorethecity,
Valenciagivesyoutwoforthe
priceof one.It’sa beautifulcity
towanderaroundwithgreat
museums,buildingsand
galleries,someofwhichare
free,butit alsohasa vibrant
beachscene.Paellawasborn
here;theoriginalpaellais made
withrabbit,chickenorduck- trysomewhileyou’rein
town.Drinksin Valenciaare
alsoasmuchasa thirdless
comparedwithBarcelona–
expecttopayaround£15per
personfora mid-rangemealin
anauthenticrestaurant.
Alsowortha lookis LaLonja
dela Seda,a UNESCOWorld
HeritagesiteandtheoldSilk
Exchange;seeif youcanspot
a naughtygargoyle.The
marketoppositeis a great
placetopickupsomefood,
havea coffeeortrythelocal
drink,horchata,madefrom
tigernuts.Forsomethinga
littlestronger,a glassofRioja
costsaround4 euros– salud!
✱DepartStanstedon 17 Sept
forthreenightse.g.atthe
SensityHotelVentdeMar,
roomonly,from£109pp.RelaxingBucharest
Bucharestmaynotbethe
firstplaceyouthinkoffor
a spabreak,butbooka
longweekendhereandyou
won’tbedisappointed.
ThePalaceofParliament
(theworld’ssecondlargest
administrativebuilding)and
CeausescuPalace,thehome
of theformerdictator,have
tobeseentobebelieved.
Butthecity’sbiggest
surpriseis itswellness
centre,ThermeBucureşti,
whichis hometoRomania’s
largestbotanicalgardens,
nineswimmingpools,saunas,steam rooms
andwaterslides.
Fora night out, dinner,
drinksandtaxis are
amazingvalue and
thecityhasfantastic
rooftopbarsas well as
hiddengarden bars.
✱Stayatthe 5* Hotel
SpaResortPremier
Palaceforthree
nights,roomonly, from
£171ppfromStansted
on 16 Oct(based on
twopeopletravelling)
orfrom£215pp on 13
OctfromLiverpool.BREAKS
Bargain