For British holidaymakers, the last few months have seen nothing but tales of doom and gloom about our struggling economy. Adults have been taught a new alphabet in light of this situation, with our new ABC standing for austerity, budgeting and all-round cost-cutting.
Never the types to let a bad situation rain on our parade, we Brits have refused to abandon our holiday plans in the name of frugality. With the Olympic Games being hosted in our capital, staycations were originally expected to soar in popularity – but why should we forget this option in favour of European breaks?
According to a recent report in The Guardian, more than 13 million Brits are expected to head abroad as an abysmal summer climate dampens our spirits. With little sun, sea or sand to be found at home, journeying to the European mainland is an unsurprisingly attractive prospect.
Escape reality
The whole point of a holiday is that it’s a chance to escape the mundane and boring nature of our everyday lives. It’s the one time of the year that we can forget all about the pressures and strains of ‘getting by’. Work goes out the window, worries about the mortgage are put to one side and our brains finally get an opportunity to relax.
To really get the most from your break you need to take yourself as far away from the ordinary as possible. You need to spoil yourself and allow yourself to live the dream, even if only for a week or two.
Look out for last minute villas for rent somewhere hot and exotic. Why stay at home when you can explore the magnificent and stunning continent that lies just across the Channel? With cheap villas in Spain, France and Italy all just a couple of hours away, does a wet and windswept day on a British beach really measure up?
Plenty of time for a staycation
Of course, this isn’t to suggest there aren’t plenty of home grown attractions for us to enjoy. In fact, the UK boasts an impressive history and cultural diversity that is virtually unrivalled around the world. The point we are emphasising is that exploring British attractions can be done at anytime of the year and doesn’t necessitate the use of your precious two week summer holiday.
Instead, opting for something a little different could be the way forward. If the island life really appeals to you, there are plenty of villas in Menorca, Majorca and the Canary Islands online that will blow even the best staycation straight out of the water. With pristine beaches and sangria to sip in the sun, a break here may only be a couple of hours away from reality, but it feels much further.
Our holidays are the one time when we can really get away from it all. By getting away physically you’ll find it much easier to escape mentally too – giving you the break which you most certainly deserve.
