The countdown to King Charles III's Coronation is on - but with a bank holiday included, some Brits may be tempted to skip the festivities and make use of the extra day for a mini break.
On May 6 King Charles III will be crowned along with his wife Camilla at Westminster Abbey.
Those flag waving royalists who don't make it down to the Mall to support the former Prince of Wales on his big day may find time to tuck into a Jubilee Trifle or Coronation chicken baguette at one of the many street parties being held across the country.
However for those looking to use the long weekend for a break abroad, there are some tempting deals to be found, with return flights from £33 to the likes of Ireland, Poland and France.
To offer a helping hand, Skyscanner has unveiled some of the cheap return flights up for grabs if you fly from Saturday May 6 through to Monday May 8.
Some of the top deals they uncovered included:
- Liverpool to Dublin (Ireland) from £33 return
- London Stansted to Billund (Denmark) from £37 return
- Belfast to Gdansk (Poland) from £40 return
- Liverpool to Paris (France) from £52 return
- London Stansted to Cologne (Germany) from £55 return
Laura Lindsay, travel trends and destination expert at Skyscanner, recommends the Polish city of Gdansk as an ideal location to get away from all the royal hubbub.
“With a short two-hour flight time and walkable centre, Gdansk is the perfect place for a mini break," she said.
"Get your bearings with a walking tour and delve into the city's history, take a river cruise or head to the beach – Gdansk has so much to offer for couples, families and solo travellers looking for an affordable alternative.
“Spending three days in these lesser-known cities won’t break the bank either; whether it be a pint of Guinness or craft beer on Gdansk’ famous ‘Ulica Piwna’ (Beer Street), each destination offers an excellent array of affordable eateries to raise a toast, or two, to the new King.”
Those who are able to extend the Bank Holiday weekend with a day's extra annual leave could - flying out on Saturday and returning on Tuesday - could jet off from:
- Birmingham to Bordeaux (France) from £26 return
- London Stansted to Aarhus (Denmark) from £29 return
- Liverpool to Paris (France) from £30 return
- Manchester to Brussels (Belgium) from £34 return
- London Stansted to Oslo (Norway) from £35 return
If it's a package holiday you'd prefer, there are plenty of deals to be found over the Coronation weekend for around the £300 mark for two people, flights and accommodation included.
You could fly from London Stansted on Friday to Tours in France with Ryanair for £167 per person, returning back to the UK on Sunday.
The Loire Valley town has a cathedral with a flamboyant Gothic facade and Renaissance tops and plenty of cycling routes out into the surrounding countryside.
Alternatively two nights stay in CABINN Aarhus Hotel in Denmark, with Ryanair flights from Stansted, is on offer for £132 per person.
If you're willing to splash out £197 per person, La Pineda in Spain offers long expanses of sandy beaches and plenty of sunshine, as well as a stay in the Pineda Park Hotel.
