Hints And Tips For A Cheap City Break

Holidays are a luxury that many people decide they can't afford in the current economic climate, but why not try something different this year and go for a cheap city break? There are dozens of vibrant city destinations all over the world which offer a fun, stimulating alternative to your usual beach package holiday.

There are lots of ways to enjoy a cheap city break. As a general rule of thumb, either book very early or really late to get the cheapest deals. If you're flexible with your dates, use a good online agent to search through hundreds of transport and hotels to save you both time and money.

A good website will search for Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL)-protected fairs only, which will guarantee your flights should the airline go out of business, or your money back.

One way to cut down on cost is to consider taking your entire luggage as hand luggage. This is relatively easy if you're going away for up to a week because you can pack light, and it reduces the cost of flying with a budget airline.

The main problem with taking just hand baggage is the no-liquids rule now enforced at airports, which means you can't take regular bottles of shampoo, conditioner, creams, potions or lotions on the plane with you unless you check them in as hold luggage. You can, however, conveniently purchase empty plastic bottles from many high street pharmacies which measure 100ml in capacity, meaning you can decant your liquid products into them as airlines permit liquid in containers this size.

You'll have to fit them all into a plastic bag provided at the airport, and this will only hold around four or five 100ml bottles, but this should be sufficient for a cheap city break. If you really can't face surviving on this, just get what you need from the airport shop once you're through security. Not as cheap, but still cheaper than paying for checking in a suitcase.

Be sure to check the airline you're flying with's rules and policies on hand baggage. There's many a person who has arrived at the airport and found that their baggage exceeds the weight limit allowed in to the cabin. Some budget airlines set a limit on weight, others just on bag dimensions, so be sure to check that you're within the limits to avoid having to pay extra.

The internet is a brilliant tool for finding a bargain; use it to plan how to save money at your destination. Airport or train station taxi transfers can bite a hefty chunk from your budget, so find out before hand if there's convenient public transport you can take to your accommodation on arrival. Email the hotel to ask before hand if you can't locate the right information yourself.

Shop around once you arrive at your destination. Prices of meals can vary greatly between streets, and you'll pay extra in a restaurant which is in a prime location than you may in one down a side street. This is where local knowledge is really useful. A good guide book will list where bargains can be found, but even better would be to ask the staff working at the accommodation you're staying in where is good to eat, and cheap.

With the right planning, you can enjoy a cheap city break that's light on the wallet.