Best short-haul holiday destinations

Looking for a quick fix of Vitamin D? We’ve got you covered with our list of the top short-haul holiday destinations, from Balearic beauties to Italian eye candy with seriously short flight times. That snappy summer holiday? Sorted.

MAJORCA – 2 HOURS 25 MINUTES

Popular with couples and families alike, Majorca’s managed to crack the jack-of-all-trades code without falling into master-of-none territory – it’s a timeless classic. Magaluf and Palma Nova cover the party side of things, while the capital, Palma, is great for a city breaks thanks to its shops, stellar restaurant scene and a seriously impressive cathedral.
 

Head to the quieter corners, like Alcudia and Sa Coma, and you’ll find whopping sandy beaches with Blue Flag ticks to their name. To cap it all, the whole island’s just a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it plane journey from the UK. Just to clarify, we’re talking two episodes of your favourite programme, maybe with a tea or toilet break in between. Just as you start to cross over into boxset binge territory or get too into your holiday book of choice, you’re there.

Pick a holiday to Majorca

MOROCCO – 3 HOURS

You’ve probably sat through dreary meetings that are longer than the flight to Morocco. You can save your attention span for this one. Gaze out the window, click play on your podcast and land in Africa in three hours.. It’s crazy what you can get done in such a short space of time. In Agadir, luxury properties like the ClubHotel Riu Tikida Dunas sort you out with long stretches of sand and fine-dining restaurants. The modern city centre’s polka-dotted with traditional bazaars and colourful souks, and you’re arm’s-length from an ancient walled city. Its toasty temperatures mean it’s great shout for some winter sun, too.
 

Skip across to Marrakech, and the history takes things up a level. It might not have a beach scene to boast about, but the every-colour street stalls of Jemaa el-Fna and red-tinted traditional buildings are certainly a worthy fall-back. The gardens on the outskirts call out to be captured on your Instagram grid, too, not to mention swanky hotels like the ClubHotel Riu Tikida Palmeraie. Possibly the best part, this place is known for its cheap flights too, so keep your eye out for a bargain.

Pick a holiday to Morocco

COSTA DEL SOL – 2 HOURS 40 MINUTES

This slice of Spain has been a solid family holiday favourite for longer than most can remember – and it’s an absolute breeze to get to. Hundreds of thousands of Brits have upped sticks and settled on the sunshine coast, drawn in by its high temperatures and only being a hop, skip and a jump from home.

It’s got a little something for everyone, too, from the ever-sunny shores of Estepona to the beaches of Torremolinos – loads of which have a Blue Flag or two to their names.

Pick a holiday to the Costa del Sol

MALTA – 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES-

You’ll find Malta making moves in the southern reaches of the Mediterranean Sea, a close call from Sicily’s coastline. Unfortunately, a rather tricky predicament is that it’s too hard to put your finger on the island’s main selling point – it’s simply got too much going for it. There’s a family twist to Bugibba, which boasts an action-packed waterfront, while the laid-back shores of Qawra are a short hop away. Further north, the beach at Mellieha Bay is tailor-made for tanning time – it’s giving that postcard-ready glow.

What’s more, the flight probably takes less time than you’d spend building a fiddly bit of flatpack furniture. You can bet it’ll lead to fewer arguments, as well.

Pick a holiday to Malta

SORRENTO – 2 HOURS 50 MINUTES-

The Lord of the Rings has a longer running time than a flight to Sorrento. And If you’re wondering which one of the trilogy we mean, take your pick – you won’t finish any of the three before you’re collecting your luggage and seeking out a limoncello. Now that’s a happy ending.

Backed by Mount Vesuvius and the frozen-in-time ruins of Pompeii, this wedge of the Neapolitan coastline talks tradition from top-to-bottom. Rustic villas and family-run hotels are punched into the pretty green hillsides, and there’s a no-nonsense Mediterranean approach to the food.

Pick a holiday to Sorrento