The best 'crowd free' spots in Spain with direct flights from the UK
Spain has confirmed that it will allow British holidaymakers to travel to the country by June.
The Spanish tourism minister, Fernando Valdes Verelst, said on Tuesday that a vaccine passport will enable Britons to visit for their summer holidays, and while the UK’s holiday ‘green list’ will not be announced until early May, many Britons will take this positive news as their cue to start planning.
After a chequered year for travel (to say the least), Spanish tourism workers will be crossing their fingers for bumper bookings over the coming months. And since Spain is the most popular destination for UK holidaymakers, it seems more than likely that we'll be happy to oblige.
But what if you fancy some place away from the clamouring hordes? Today we take a look at the 20 airports that you can fly to direct from the UK during June, and the hidden spots you can find just a 90-minute (or so) drive from the airport in order to escape the crowds.
Fly to… Lanzarote
Where from?
Direct flights available in June from London Luton, Stansted, Gatwick, Doncaster, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Nottingham.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £15.
Avoid the crowds…
To avoid the crowds, head to La Garita. Telegraph expert Robin McKelvie writes: “Handily located by the village of Arrieta in Lanzarote’s north is this sandy charmer. The sea conditions here are not usually as wild as they are further north along this coastline, so it’s a favourite with local families who appreciate the gently sloping beach and relatively sheltered waters. When the surf is up, the southern end attracts the surfing crowd. Facilities are quite limited, but you can enjoy a simple lunch by the sands at a beach bar. La Garita is also often pleasantly quiet as it’s fairly off the beaten track.” Read about the best beaches in Lanzarote here.
Fly to… Palma
Where from?
Direct flights in June from London Luton, Stansted, Gatwick, Bristol, Doncaster, Cardiff, Belfast, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Leeds, Durham.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £17.
Avoid the crowds…
Head to the luxury hideaway of Predi Son Jaumell Hotel Rural. Our expert Anna Nicholas writes: “This serene and luxurious 16th-century estate is set in rolling countryside, close to lush forestland. With a celebrated Michelin-starred restaurant and peaceful grounds brimming with colourful flowers, understated Predi Son Jaumell is the perfect place to unwind in a relaxed and natural setting.” Read the full review here.
Fly to… Castellon de la Plana
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Stansted.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £18.
Avoid the crowds…
Lesser-known Castellon de la Plana is a ‘hidden’ destination in itself. Our expert, Chris Leadbeater, writes: “The Costas are among the most beloved destinations for British tourists, but some slices of the Spanish shore are better known than others. On name alone, the Costa del Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast) sings to the soul and the senses. It also offers tangible joys too, such as the resort towns of Peniscola and Benicassim and the city of Castellon de la Plana, with its grand 15th-century cathedral. Valencia, with its incredible fine food scene, sits just outside the region, but is no less enticing.” Read all about Chris Leadbeater’s favourite ‘secret’ spots on the Med, here.
Fly to… Santiago de Compostela
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Stansted.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £23.
Avoid the crowds…
Close to town, you will find the blissful retreat of Costa Vella. Our expert Isabella Noble writes: “From the fairytale garden and terrific café to the divine breakfasts, flawless service and couldn't-be-comfier rooms, this long-standing, family-run beauty is deservedly one of Santiago's most popular hotels. Sleep in a charmingly converted 19th-century old town house, at wonderfully reasonable prices.” Read our full review of the hotel, here.
Fly to… Alicante
Where from?
Direct flights in June from London Luton, Southend, Stansted, Cardiff, Belfast, Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester, Doncaster, Exeter, Newquay, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bournemouth.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £25.
Avoid the crowds…
Head north. Telegraph expert Matt Hampton writes: “In some ways, the north of the Costa Blanca couldn’t be more different from the south: quieter and greener, the small city of Dénia has four wonderfully unspoiled beaches: Les Bovetes, Les Marines, Molins and Punta Raset, still rather wild and best known for their marine life and protected sea beds.
“Xàbia, separated from Dénia by the Montgó Natural Park, also has several quiet beaches, including La Grava, L’Arenal and La Granadella, situated under the cliffs and looking directly out to the Balearic Islands.
“From here down to Calpe further south, the beaches feel a little like their Ibizan counterparts, a string of little coves giving way to clear blue sea. Try La Fustera, along the Benissa coast, or El Altet, Carabassí and Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo, near Elche."
Fly to… Fuerteventura
Where from?
Direct flights in June from London Luton, Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Manchester, Birmingham.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £25.
Avoid the crowds…
Head to the Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahía Real, on the island’s northern tip. Telegraph expert Matthew Hirtes writes: “Resembling a sultan’s palace, Fuerteventura’s standout hotel bridges the gap between Corralejo and nearby North Africa. The five-star Grand Luxe rating makes Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahía Real the only superior luxury hotel on the island. It’s also one of the finest on the Canary Islands.” Read the full review here.
Fly to… Malaga
Where from?
Direct flights in June from London Luton, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Bristol, Doncaster, Belfast, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Exeter, Newcastle, Leeds.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £25.
Avoid the crowds…
Look no further than Spain’s latest national park, the Sierra de las Nieves. Annie Bennett writes: “Andalucia will get its third national park this year when Sierra de las Nieves in Malaga province finally gets official approval after being delayed by the pandemic and the usual red tape. It looks like mañana will now actually come and these limestone mountains north of Marbella and east of Ronda are finally going to get the recognition they deserve. This will be the 16th national park in Spain and the third in Andalucia, joining the Sierra Nevada in Granada and the Doñana wetlands that straddle Huelva and Seville provinces.” Read the full feature, here.
Fly to… Barcelona
Where from?
Direct flights in June from London Luton, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Nottingham, Edinburgh.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £26.
Avoid the crowds…
Head down the coast, to the much quieter city of Tarragona. Richard Franks writes: “Captured by the Romans in 218 BC, Tarragona naturally feels more Italian than Spanish. You could be forgiven for wanting an aperol spritz rather than a vermouth, with its maze of old cobbled streets, narrow alleyways and quaint, cafe-bordered squares not too dissimilar to those in, say, Venice, or Verona. Much of the Old Town is on an incline, and at the city’s highest point is Catedral de Tarragona; a stunning example of Gothic architecture and a popular tourist attraction in ‘normal’ times.” Read his full feature, here.
Fly to… Madrid
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Stansted, Heathrow, Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham, Manchester.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £26.
Avoid the crowds…
Head to the hilltop town of Toledo. Annie Bennett writes: “Getting lost in the winding cobbled lanes is an essential experience in Toledo – the streets north of San Ildefonso church around Santa Clara convent are particularly atmospheric – but also go down to the river Tagus to walk around the tranquil river path that links the Alcántara and San Martín bridges.” Find out more about Toledo, here.
Fly to… Valencia
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Gatwick, Stansted, Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £26.
Avoid the crowds…
Drive south from the city of Valencia – or just take a half-hour bus ride – towards the Albufera nature reserve to reach El Saler, a strip of beaches backed by dunes and pine trees that divide the lake and marshlands from the Mediterranean. Despite being so close to Spain’s third-biggest city, this part of the coast feels remarkably wild, in contrast to the urban beaches that flank Valencia itself. The sand gets less busy the further south you go – look for signs to La Devesa – and swimsuits are optional on quieter stretches. Take a picnic or have one of the best paellas of your life at one of the restaurants by the beach or around the lake. Find out more about Spain’s most beautiful beaches, here.
Fly to… Zaragoza
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Stansted
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £27.
Avoid the crowds…
The region of Aragón is itself something of a hidden gem. Annie Bennett writes: “Bigger than Switzerland, this is a region that rewards multiple trips – unless you have at least a month to spare – as there is an immense variety to see and do, from skiing in the Pyrenees to birdwatching and canyoning. History and architecture lovers come for the Romanesque churches and Mudéjar monuments, or just to mooch around some of the prettiest villages in Spain. With a distinctive cuisine and some excellent wines, Aragón has a lot to offer visitors who don’t mind making a bit more effort when organising their holidays.” Read her full feature here.
Fly to… Girona
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Luton, Stansted, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Bournemout, Birmingham, Doncaster, Leeds.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £32.
Avoid the crowds…
Girona in itself offers delights. Our expert, Isabella Noble, writes: “With its enticing tangle of medieval walls, modernista mansions, religious architecture and slender cobbled lanes, at the confluence of four rivers, Girona, in northern Catalonia, is best discovered on foot. And there’s no better time to do this than in spring, when temperatures start to creep up, the leaves are fresh and Girona’s streets feel pleasingly lively but not yet overwhelmed.” Read the full feature here.
Fly to… Gran Canaria
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Stansted, Luton, Gatwick, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £32.
Avoid the crowds…
Head to the down of Galdár. Linda Cookson writes: “In the north-west of the island, the remains of ancient burial sites and troglodyte villages still linger around the town of Galdár (a former capital) and rural Agaete. I spent a heady morning soaking up the scent of thick curtains of pinewoods in the Tamadaba massif... before repairing to the area’s wild and rocky beaches – the antithesis of the well-manicured south. In the pleasantly scruffy fishing village of Sardina del Norte I sipped a bracing cortado coffee that was intermittently doused in sea-spray as breakers slapped over the jetty. A marmalade cat had sensibly taken up residence beneath a half-upturned boat.” Read her full review, here.
Fly to… Reus
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £35.
Avoid the crowds…
Head to Peñíscola, some 83 miles from Reus airport. Our expert Annie Bennett writes: “With a walled old town topped by a castle on a peninsula, it didn’t take much to transform this family resort into the city of Meereen for season five of Game of Thrones. On the Costa del Azahar – the Orange Blossom Coast – north of the city of Valencia, its long beach with shallow water is ideal for small children.”
Fly to… Ibiza
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Heathrow, Luton, Gatwick, London City, Stansted, Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds, Southampton
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £37.
Avoid the crowds…
Why not hop over to Formentera – a half-hour ferry ride from Ibiza? Maya Boyd writes: “The yachts arrive late in the morning, bobbing like seagulls off the shores of ice-white Playa Illetes. Guests frolic among the protected posidonia seagrass before zipping ashore to eat spiny lobster and salt-baked sea bass at Juan y Andrea or Es Moli de Sal. By sunset they have gone, leaving the island’s overnight scene to a lower-key crowd.” Read her full report here.
Fly to… Seville
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Stansted, Edinburgh, Manchester.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £41.
Avoid the crowds…
Consider dazzling Córdoba. Our writer Robert Mayes says: “If the great cities of Andalusia were a flamenco troupe, Córdoba would play the cameo, the mysterious beauty appearing all too briefly before showy Seville and Granada take over again. That is something of an injustice for a city that was the centre of medieval Europe and which has at its heart the astounding Mezquita (cathedral-mosque).”
Fly to… Jerez
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Stansted, Gatwick.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £43.
Avoid the crowds…
Consider heading to chichi Cádiz, and check into the Parador de Cádiz. Our writer Marti Buckley says: “This 124-room Spanish parador gleams from its perch over the Bay of Cádiz. Flashy modern style makes for a breezy stay, with luxurious facilities including a spa, gym, and pool with spectacular views.” Read the full review here.
Fly to… Tenerife
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Cardiff, Doncaster, Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Edinburgh.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £43.
Avoid the crowds…
At the luxury, adults only spa of Meliá Hacienda del Conde. Andrew Montgomery writes: “This adults-only boutique spa hotel set in an unspoilt corner of Tenerife is a world away from the island's tourist-heavy areas. Built in a colonial style and overlooking an 18-hole golf course, where luxury, tranquillity and natural beauty dominate. An ideal place to de-stress.” Read the full review here.
Fly to… Corvera (Murcia)
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Gatwick, Glasgow, Bournemouth, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £44.
Avoid the crowds…
Murcia itself is something of a lesser-known wonder. Paul Richardson writes: “Comfortably tucked into a corner of Spain’s Mediterranean south-east, Murcia wins friends easily. A weekend stroll would typically take you from the mighty cathedral, a gothic/baroque mash-up, into delectable squares with fountains and terrace tables like the Plaza de las Flores, where on summer nights Murcianos congregate to take the cool night air, a vínico and tapas.” You can find out more here.
Fly to… Almeria
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Stansted, Gatwick.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £45.
Avoid the crowds…
Go walking in the Alipjarras. Annie Bennett writes: “These mountains were the last refuge of the Moors in Spain, with villages built in the style brought by the Berbers of North Africa. Artists, writers and free spirits of all nationalities now live in houses that date back hundreds of years. As the crow flies, it is only about 30 miles from the Mediterranean to the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada, which rise to more than 11,400 ft. This means that an extraordinary variety of terrains unfolds as you drive up from the coast, from orchards laden with oranges, lemons and pomegranates to hillsides carpeted with chestnut and cherry trees and a vast lunar landscape at the highest altitudes.” Find out more here.
Fly to… Bilbao
Where from?
Direct flights in June from Heathrow, Gatwick.
How much?
According to Skyscanner, return flights start from £45.
Avoid the crowds…
Take to the waters in the city to find solitude. Marti Buckley writes: “Bilbao is no Venice, but its estuary has always played a living, evolving role in shaping the city. Trace the paths of the naval vessels of history, laden with freight and goods to distribute and ship, from a modern perch. Kayaks or stand-up paddles available for rent are a fabulous way to check off a laundry list of landmarks: La Ribera market, the town hall, Arriaga theatre, and more, not to mention the most unique view of the Guggenheim in town.” read the full feature here.
