by Easter is one of the hardest times to plan a family break. In most of the Mediterranean, it is too early for guaranteed sunshine. It’s getting a little late for skiing and it can be expensive too – because the two weeks when the schools are out are so demanding.
But with some careful planning and smart timing, it’s still possible to find good value and some attractive destinations – even during peak times.
We’ve sifted through the options available and selected 10 great packages to suit different budgets and preferences – from a week in the countryside, to a cultural break in the city, or three nights at Disneyland Paris. With the school holidays approaching, airfares are only going to rise from now on. It’s time to get your Easter holiday chickens in a row.
An egg hunt in Somerset
National Trust properties across the UK offer plenty of family fun during the school holidays. From 23 March to 7 April, there’s an Easter Egg Hunt around the grounds of Montacute House, a 16th-century mansion near Yeovil in Somerset, with activities aimed at younger children dotted around the gardens (£3 per child). Book a stay at Odcombe Lodge, at the gates of the 260 acre estate, with an open fire, private garden and two bedrooms for up to four people, plus two dogs.
National Trust Holidays (0344 800 2070) offers a two-night stay at Odcombe Lodge from £233.50 per person, self-catering, based on full occupancy, including free entry to Montacute House. Travel is not included. From 1 April.
Disney dash to France
Join Mickey and friends for an action-packed Easter break at Disneyland Paris. Special events will include the lighting of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and a nighttime drone show and colorful pixie dust decorations on Main Street (until May 5). A three-day ticket for two adults and two children (aged three to 11) covering Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park costs from £899 over the Easter holiday period.
Disney Paris Magic Breaks (0330 880 5001) is offering a three-night stay at the four-star Spa Paxton Hotel Paris Marne la Vallée with spa, swimming pool, bowling alley and free shuttle to Disney parks from £444 based on a family of four sharing a duplex room, at travel with Eurostar. Departing April 2.
City views in Madrid
Soak up the Easter atmosphere in the Spanish capital, where events include street parades and parties alongside traditional religious services. Check out the Velázquez and Goya collections in the Prado, walk through the Retiro Park, window shop along the Gran Via and introduce the children to a traditional breakfast of churros dipped in chocolate.
EasyJet Holidays (0330 551 5165) is offering a three-night stay at the four-star Barrio de Salamanca Suites, near the Serrano shopping streets and the Sorolla museum, from £501 per room, based on a family of four sharing a standard family room with a separate one. sitting room. It does not include transfers. Departing April 1.
Easter skiing in Italy
Take a quick Easter break before the season ends in April. A combination of a short transfer (an hour from Geneva) and high, snow-sure pistes make the traditional Alpine village of Courmayeur, on the Italian side of Mont Blanc, a good choice for maximizing time on the slopes while minimizing travel time .
Although best suited to confident intermediates, the range is good for all abilities with nursery slopes and some challenging off-piste. Additional points also include excellent restaurants and a lively nightlife, centered on the pedestrianized Via Roma.
Ski Solutions (020 3504 3411) offers stays from £1,295 at the three-star Hotel Bouton d’Or in Courmayeur. Taking place March 30.
Beach bunnies in Fuerteventura
Soak up some early spring sun in the Canary Islands, where temperatures reach 22C in April. Fuerteventura, one of the largest beaches in the archipelago, has some of the best beaches in the region – including long stretches of white sand in the protected Parque Natural de las Dunas de Corralejo on the northern tip of the island.
Sovereign Luxury Travel (01293 324 702) offers five nights at the Barcelo Corralejo Sands Hotel in the resort of Corralejo, with two pools and a kids’ club, from £1,070 half-board, based on a family of four sharing a room. April 1 goes away.
Spa Hotel in Marrakech
Maximize the four-day bank holiday by taking your older offspring on a short break to Morocco, departing on Wednesday and returning on Easter Monday. The minimum age for guests at the Riu Tikida Garden hotel is 16 years and there are four outdoor pools and one indoor pool and a choice of restaurants. On-site facilities include a wellness center with hammam, gym and steam room. There is also a program of games and activities, as well as cooking classes and exercise sessions.
Tui (0203 451 2688) A five-night break at the four-star Riu Tikida Garden hotel is available from £1,083 all-inclusive. Taking place March 28.
Family fun in Tignes
Take advantage of longer days and warmer weather to take your little ones skiing or snowboarding during the Easter holidays. Tignes is one of the most snow-sure resorts in France, with high altitude pistes and a season that doesn’t end until early May, so it makes a great choice for this time of year. Of the five villages in the resort, it is Val Claret at 2,100m, which offers easy access to the icy slopes, as well as plenty of restaurants and shops to fill the time spent away from the slopes.
Mark Warner (0845 322 5037) the slopeside, mid-range Chalet Hotel L’Ecrin in Val Claret offers, during heating, from £949, half board, based on two twin rooms, for families with two children up to 15 years age. . A full five days at Club Kidz costs £380 (including afternoon childcare). Taking place April 7.
Walk ‘n’ talk in Cyprus
Make the most of the pleasant early spring temperatures – usually around 19C – to explore the quiet and undeveloped north-west coast of Cyprus. There are mostly paths and tracks, through vineyards, olive groves and orchards, and past beaches, medieval churches and small fishing villages. Choose from longer or shorter routes for each day, depending on energy levels, with accommodation provided in comfortable three-star hotels.
Headwaters (01606 218 838) offers the self-guided Walking the Akamas Peninsula tour in Cyprus from £1,299. Daily events in March and April.
Feluccas and Pharaohs in Egypt
Liven up the classroom – and make new friends – on a small group trip to Egypt, with a selection of two-day Easter holidays organized by Families Worldwide, aimed at adults traveling with children aged 10 and over. . The action-packed itinerary from Cairo includes the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, the temples of Abu Simbel and Philae, and an overnight marucca cruise along the Nile. Ending in Luxor, there is an opportunity to visit Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
Families around the world (01962 302 062) Six-night Pharaohs, Feluccas and Pyramids tour from £1,745 per adult, £1,445 per child up to 11, full board. Taking place 23 March, 30 and 6 April.
Adventure in Cuba
Create great memories this Easter with a tour of Cuba in the company of other like-minded families. The adventure operator Explore offers two active weeks for an escort group, which includes up to 20 adults and children from the age of seven.
After a city tour of Havana in 1950s American cars and a salsa lesson, the tour takes in the stunning Viñales Valley, the white sand beaches of Cayo Levisa island, a zip wire course in Las Terrazas, the colonial cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad, and the Topes nature reserve of Collantes. Accommodation is mainly in comfortable hotels, often with swimming pools.
Explore (01252 240 703) Family Cuba Discovery offers 14 nights from £1,679 per adult, £1,499 per child up to 11 years of age (prices include savings of £120 per person), including some meals. It does not include flights. Taking place March 30.
Prices quoted are per person for a seven night stay including breakfast, flights (from London airports) and transfers, unless otherwise stated, and are subject to availability.
This story was first published in March 2023 and has been revised and updated.
