The Best Places to Spend Your Bank Holiday Weekend
The final May bank holiday is just around the corner, so what better excuse than to get away for a long weekend? There are so many amazing cities just waiting to be explored and to make it even better - it doesn't take a ridiculously long time to get there!
Krakow
This city in Southern Poland is the perfect weekend getaway, especially if you’re after somewhere with amazing nightlife. With more bars and clubs packed into a small space than any other metro area in Europe, Krakow promises a night out you’ll never forget!
If you fancy getting away to experience new foods then you’re in luck, Polish cuisine is delicious! Here’s our edible to-do list:
- Stara Pączkarnia: This doughnut chain is popular throughout Poland, offering generous, fluffy, deep-fried, not to mention very unhealthy pqczki. This Polish pastry is a hit and has become so popular that it even has its own holiday (Tłusty Czwartek!) Stara Pączkarnia offer a huge range of pqczki, from its traditional rose jam filled, to Snickers, salted caramel, blueberry-cream cheese and Nutella.
- U Stasi: When in Krakow, you have to experience authentic local dining and this is the place. Don’t be fooled by its tiny size and cheap prices - this is the perfect eatery to visit for simple Polish food with that home-cooked feel.
- Kiełbaski z Niebieskiej Nyski: This sausage stand is legendary in Krakow, loved for over twenty-five years. Every evening (except Sunday) you’ll find two guys grilling kiełbasa sausages over a wood-fired stove for the hungry and often slightly intoxicated masses. For just 8 zł you can get a juicy sausage with ketchup and mustard, all enclosed in a slightly stale roll. Sometimes you just have to try things for the experience!
However, Krakow isn’t just endless parties and food (although they both sound good to us), there's actually a lot more to see and do. Why not climb the Tatra mountains whilst you're there? Or pick yourself up a bargain in one of the many boutique shops? If you fancy going somewhere accessible which doesn’t break the bank then Krakow is definitely the place to be.
Budapest
What better place to spend a bank holiday weekend than Hungary? Its contemporary style combined with fascinating history, thermal spas, delicious food and endless things to do makes it a pretty perfect destination.
The Great Market Hall in central Budapest is a hot spot for locally produced food, sweet treats, souvenirs and leather goods. You name it, they’ve got it! We recommend that you pick up a Lángos at the market - the flatbread is often topped with mash potato, grated cheese, ham or sausage and we have to say, it’s incredible!
If you fancy relaxing in a thermal spa, why not take a trip to The Széchenyi Baths? The baths here are the largest in Europe! Now, this is no ordinary water, it contains sulphates, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and fluoride which is believed to help those who have medical issues. However, if you’d prefer to just relax in a thermal pool then there are plenty to choose from on site, as well as saunas and steam rooms - so you can enjoy a spa day with a bit of a twist.
Amsterdam
We couldn’t suggest places to visit without mentioning Amsterdam. The Dutch capital is a social hub which promises a weekend you’ll never forget.
Amsterdam is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world and has a food scene that will blow your mind! From Indonesian to Mediterranean dishes, you'll find pretty much every regional cuisine in Amsterdam. In fact, some may even go as far as to say that the pizza in Amsterdam is just as good as in Italy - but we’ll let you be the judge of that.
If you fancy a gouda laugh (get it) and you’re cheese lover, then why not visit the cheese museum? If you don’t fancy learning about cheese but you want to load up on free samples, then you’re in luck. The Dutch are known to be generous so expect freebies everywhere you go - you’ve gouda brie kidding me (last cheese pun we promise!)
With so much food choice, it's easy to forget about traditional Dutch cuisine. We recommend tasting the famous Dutch apple pie, which can be purchased at Winkle 43. It is the perfect sweet treat after a day of bike riding around the city.
Amsterdam is perhaps one of the most instagrammable places, so prepare to up your selfie game and take pictures that will leave your friends in awe. With an amazing nightlife, endless food options, great history and architecture, there really is something for everyone!
Croatia
Croatia has so much to offer that it would be impossible to do everything in one weekend. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t cover a lot of ground whilst you're there. Whether you choose to visit the Paklenica climbing sites, relax on the sun-kissed beaches of central Dalmatia, enjoy delicious food in Istria or simply party all weekend on the island, Croatia promises a weekend to remember.
Sailing is a huge part of visiting Croatia and it is the perfect way to see a lot of the island in a short space of time. The Yacht charter season started this month and runs to October. The days tend to be warm and sunny, so you can just relax, soak up on the views and get a bit of a tan - what could be better? Depending on the size of your party, sailing can actually be quite reasonably priced (£200 per person in fact!)
For those who'd prefer to stay on land, why not pay a visit to the old town? Or even hike to the Krka waterfalls? Or for those fantasy fans, why not book the ultimate Game of Thrones Tour? Honestly, the experiences available are endless.
Whatever you decide to do this bank holiday, make sure you take out suitable travel insurance which covers all the activities you intend to partake in. At Alpha, we offer activity packs which can be added onto your policy. If that’s not enough, we’re even offering a 20% discount when you use the code ‘BANKHOL’ for a limited time only.
So, where do you fancy going?
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*Please note, our online prices automatically include a 15% discount. This code gives you an extra 5% off, making a total saving of 20% online against our call centre prices. This code cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Valid from 20/5/19 to 27/5/19.
