Spain - cheaply

[jimess]

Anybody got any tips for a cheap 3 week holiday over Christmas / new year in Spain? We're retired so not particularly interested in nightlife (main interest is to spend time  amongst Spanish people - to work on our language skills) Must be cheap though - we're a bit skint.

[Buenchico]

You're more likely to get useful answers to your question if you tell us all where you are! It's not much point recommending a package with flights from Edinburgh if you live in Devon!

(NB: This isn't meant to be a negative post. If you say where you're based I'm hoping to come up with a few positive suggestions for you).

Hasta despu�s,

Chris

[jimess]

You're quite right of course. Present location: north Scotland.

Nearest airport: Inverness

Muchas gracias

[trudileach]

Contact me through http://casalindo.spain.com I might be able to help.

[Buenchico]

Well, I've come up with a suggestion which will give you 21 nights in Spain, for 2 people, for a total of �774.08. This includes all flights (inclusive of taxes, etc) and accommodation but excludes food and transfers.

Here's how I'd do it:
Fly out on Thursday, 15th December leaving Inverness at 1210. Arrive Bristol at 1340. (Total fares, for 2, = �25.98).

Fly from Bristol at 1820. Arrive Alicante 2145. (Total fares, for 2, = �49.98)

Stay 21 nights at Aguamarina self-catering apartments in Calpe (45 miles from Alicante airport). (Total price, for 2, = �433).

Fly back from Alicante on Thursday, 5th January at 1020. Arrive at Gatwick at 1155. (Total fares, for 2, = �125.14).

Leave Gatwick at 1405. Arrive Inverness 1550. (Total fares, for 2, = �39.98)

I don't know Calpe but it looks as if it might be a reasonable sort of place to use a a base for exploring the area. (Check this link: http://www.inmocostablanca.com/calpe-spain.htm).

The biggest problem you might have with these suggestions is with your transfers to and from the airport. If you're hiring a car, with collection at the airport, you'll obviously have no problems. Otherwise you might want to select accommodation nearer to the airport (possibly in Alicante itself) to reduce transfer costs.

All of the above flights and accommodation are with Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) and, of course, prices are subject to fluctuation.

While I don't really expect you to follow my exact suggestions, I hope that I might have given you some ideas which will prove useful.

Chris

[Buenchico]

Oops! I've just noted that that link, for Calpe, above, has got the final bracket and full-stop tied up with it , so it won't work;

This should!:
http://www.inmocostablanca.com/calpe-spain.htm

PS: If you still need more suggestions, just indicate your specific needs and I'll try to come up with something else! (I love a challenge!).

Chris

[Artemis]

I can thouroughly recommend the link posted by trudileach. As can a few other A/bankers.

[Buenchico]

I've been trying to check up on flights which let you get to Trudi's place without the need for an overnight stay somewhere in the UK. Airlines such as Monarch fly into Malaga and Ryanair fly into Granada but it looks as if the only way to do it would be by sticking with Easyjet.

Once again, out via Bristol and back via Gatwick seems to make most sense. Assuming the same dates as above, flights to and from Inverness remain unchanged. Flights to/from Spain are as follows:

Depart Bristol 1655. Arrive Malaga 2030. (Total fare �69.98).

Depart Malaga 1045. Arrive Gatwick 1235. (Total fare �125.14).

So it would only cost an extra �20 to fly to Malaga instead of Alicante. The only slight concern I have is that the transfer time at Gatwick is fairly short but, as long as the international flight is on time this shouldn't be too much of a worry.

jimess: My original suggestion is made easier by hiring a car and Trudi's suggestion seems to be impractical if you don't hire a car. Is car hire a part of your plans? If, like me, you never hire cars abroad - I love travelling on local buses and trains - then it would help us all to know this, so that we can try to come up with something more useful!

Chris

[jimess]

Thanks everyone for the very helpful advice. Need to go and do our sums now and see what we come up with.

Thanks again.