How to turn 11 days of annual leave into 33 days of holiday (and where to go)
When it comes to time off work, we’re pretty lucky in Britain. While Americans are not entitled to any paid leave, making do with whatever their company is willing to dish out (typically around 10 days for those who have been employed for longer than a year), UK workers get a bare minimum of 28 days, including bank holidays, to gallivant around the globe – or discover wonders on their doorstep. After all this is over and we can travel freely, we’ll be thankful for every one.
So how do you make the most of them? Below we’ve outlined the simple ways to turn 11 of your 28 days into considerably more by judiciously combining weekends and bank holidays with your yearly allowance.
Christmas
Book four days off for a 11-day holiday (Dec 24-Jan 3)
Bank holidays: December 25, 28 and January 1
Book these day off: December 24, 29, 30, 31
A shadow hangs over the festive season, but – assuming holidays are allowed after December 2, you can disappear for 11 days to somewhere far nicer than lockdown Britain while only using up four days of annual leave.
Where to go?
You want warmth and it’s winter – so where better than the Caribbean? There are plenty of travel corridors to islands in the region (so no quarantine on your return), including St Lucia, Barbados and Cuba.
For simplicity, Cuba is a fine bet. A Covid test is required upon arrival, but if you book with a tour operator such as Tui this takes place at your resort and you can wait for the results in your hotel room (while raiding the minibar).
A seven-night all-inclusive stay at the Iberostar Varadero, departing from Gatwick on December 24, costs £1,680pp.
For something closer to home, turn to the Landmark Trust. The charity offers affordable stays in quirky historic buildings at scores of locations across the UK. Options over the Christmas period (seven nights from December 23) include the pink-hued stately home of Belmont in Lyme Regis (sleeps eight) from £3,393, Oxenford Gatehouse, deep in the Surrey countryside (sleeps four), from £1,348, and Swarkestone Pavilion in Derbyshire (sleeps two) from £738.
Easter
Book four days off for a 10-day holiday (Apr 2-11)
Bank holiday: April 2 and 5
Book these days off: April 6, 7, 8, 9
Where to go?
Madeira is a fine bet for Easter, whether you want to get out and do the levada walks (trails alongside irrigation canals) while the countryside is still lush, or just relax in town. Explore offers both a Madeira Island Discovery tour, and a Levada Trails of Madeira walking holiday. Both last eight days.
Good news about a Covid vaccine has raised hopes that life will be returning to normal by spring, so a restriction-free trip to Europe should be on the cards. Currently, Britons can visit Madeira but must take a Covid test before they travel or on arrival.
Other European options include Crete, which offers everything from beaches, good food and ancient sites to some of the continent’s most spectacular hiking routes.
If you would rather stick with Blighty, Cornwall’s Roseland Peninsula is a lovely spot. Andrew Eames, writing for Telegraph Travel, explains: “The Roseland is Cornwall at its best. Sumptuous rolling countryside, steep-creeked fishing villages, tangles of woodland grizzled with lichen, superlative stretches of coastpath, and estate manor houses with walled gardens. It has its own microclimate: down by the waterside in the wooded glade of St Just I find myself in a churchyard that doubles as a botanical garden, its tombs hidden behind stands of bamboo and with monkey puzzle trees among the gravestones. You could almost be on a Costa somewhere, but without having punched a hole in the ozone layer.
“This part of Cornwall takes its spring flowers seriously, and commercially-grown daffodils are sent all over the world from its lanes. I go to meet James Hosking, whose Fentongollan Farm has some 200 acres under cultivation. His teams of pickers – including two would-be concert pianists from Russia – have been hard at work since Christmas, supplying customers as far away as Miami.”
Early May bank holiday
Book one day off for a four-day holiday (April 30-May 3)
Bank holidays: May 3
Book this day off: April 30
Where to go?
We can’t think of many places nicer to spend a long weekend in early May than Porto. Oliver Balch, our expert to the city, writes: “Long regarded as Lisbon’s quieter sibling, Portugal’s second city is currently undergoing a magical moment of rejuvenation. Centuries ago, British merchant ships would cluster in Porto’s medieval harbour to ferry the region’s eponymous port wines back home. Now, the city’s river banks are crowded with hip new bars and cool pavement restaurants. Helping drive Porto’s transformation is its resurgent cultural scene, from world class concerts at Casa de Musica to exciting art exhibitions along Rua de Miguel Bombarda. But this ancient metropolis is not about to tart itself up and pimp itself out for the tourists like so many other popular European destinations. Portuenses love their old world ways too much to give them up. So staying put are the city’s cobbled streets and beautifully tiled churches, its lazy lunchtimes and touching friendliness. In short, what’s on offer is the best of both worlds.”
A cheaper option, of course, would be Britain. So go hunting for bluebells instead. Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire, Blickling Hall in Norfolk and Buckland Abbey in Devon all have superb displays. See our guide to the best hotels in Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Devon.
Spring bank holiday
Book one day off for a four-day holiday (May 28-31)
Bank holiday: May 31
Book this day off: May 28
Nab another little break at the end of May by taking Friday 28th off work and enjoying a four-day jaunt.
Where to go?
Keep your carbon footprint in check by taking the Eurostar to the south of France. Jump on an early morning departure from St Pancras and you’ll be in Marseille by mid-afternoon – just in time for a late lunch and a big bowl of bouillabaisse. Head back late afternoon on the 28th to leave more than enough time to explore France’s oldest city, with its designer hotels, galleries, chic restaurants and shops.
For a British break, Unique Homestays never fails to deliver. Its luxurious self-catering properties tick all the style boxes and are found in some of the UK’s most bewitching corners. This summer I stayed at Sundance, on the North Cornwall coast, and seriously considered never leaving.
August bank holiday
Book one day off for a four-day holiday (Aug 27-30)
Bank holiday: August 30
Book this day off: August 27
Where to go?
There’s one obvious option for families. “August’s last hurrah is perfect for a long weekend at Disneyland Paris,” says Chris Leadbeater. “Parents unenamoured with talking mice and ducks may also say that this is quite long enough.” You can get there direct on the Eurostar.
Other options for flight-free breaks include Amsterdam, which now has a non-stop Eurostar link, or its sibling Rotterdam. See our ultimate rail map of Europe for more ideas. Or brave the busy roads and beat a path to one of Britain’s lesser-known gems. How about Herefordshire, “the English county that time forgot” according to Clive Aslet, or The Forest of Dean, which offers simple pleasures like cosy cabins without Wi-Fi, hearty food in unfussy pubs, and long walks through ancient woodland – with the chance of spotting skittish deer and even wild boar.
Do you have any tips on how to maximise your annual leave throughout the year? Tell us in the comments section below.
Inspiration for your inbox
Sign up to Telegraph Travel's new weekly newsletter for the latest features, advice, competitions, exclusive deals and comment.
