WE all know that a holiday abroad can often be far cheaper than one in the UK.
And mum Rhona Paton has revealed how she and her son have been travelling to Europe for years by going on extreme day trips – and they’re about to board their 40th flight.
Talking to BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast, Rhona revealed she had actually “lost count” of the amount of times she and her six-year-old son, Riley, have been abroad.
The mother and son duo, who hail from Glasgow, have already been to France, Italy, Switzerland and Latvia – and this weekend are heading to Bergen in Norway.
While you don’t get long to spend in one destination, Rhona said: “You feel like you’ve had a holiday, packed lots in – without the price tag.”
When it comes to keeping costs down, Rhona has a rule not to spend more than £100 on flights and her tactic has worked so far.
This includes return flights to Belfast for £45, as well as £80 for flights to and from Italy.
Rhona and Riley recently went on a trip to Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen which Rhona claimed was less than she’d pay to somewhere similar in the UK.
The pair even managed to tick off three countries in 24 hours; France, Italy and Monaco – and it came to just £110.
She added: “We loved going to the theme park in Denmark, but we equally loved sampling all the food in Italy.
“A particular memory for me is watching Riley dance around a Christmas tree at a market in Latvia.”
If you want to see more from Rhona and her travels, check out her TikTok account; Flying Solo Plus One.
She’s so passionate about extreme day trips that she runs a Facebook Group dedicated to it called ‘Extreme Day Trips From Scotland‘.
Research by Confused.com found that almost a third of Brits have been on an ‘Extreme Day Trip’ – where you go to a certain destination and back in one day.
It also found that France, Spain and Ireland topped the list for most desirable locations.
For more holidays with quick flights – here are our favourite breaks in Spain…
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Hotel Best Punta Dorada, Salou
The Spanish resort is a popular destination near PortAventura World, a theme park with over 40 attractions and huge rollercoasters. It’s also close to sandy beaches like Platja de Llevant, and the scenic Camí de Ronda coastal walk.The hotel itself has an outdoor swimming pool to enjoy, as well as two bars along with evening entertainment and shows.
Sun Club El Dorado, Majorca
With its palm tree-lined pool and Mediterranean backdrop, it’s a miracle this Majorca resort is so affordable. Expect a classic family holiday feel – where days revolve around soaking up the Spanish sunshine, chilling by the spacious pool and sipping on frozen cocktails. Set away from the busier resorts, it’s a good option if you’re after a more out-of-the-way escape.
Magic Aqua Rock Gardens, Benidorm
The Magic Aqua Rock Gardens Hotel is African-themed and less than a mile from the beach. It has two outdoor pools, including a children’s freshwater pool with a waterfall and a tipping water bucket for the little ones. There’s also an aquapark with slides, and a kids club for both younger children and teens.
Globales Montemar, Ibiza
For a calmer side of Ibiza, this hillside resort has two pools, a kids’ splash zone, and an all-inclusive buffet with a poolside bar. It’s a 10-minute walk from Cala Llonga’s shallow turquoise bay, offering a scenic, family-friendly base away from the island’s main party zone.
Rhona and Riley aren’t the only ones to take advantage of short trips and cheap flights to explore different countries.
One couple flew to the Alps for a day of skiing which was still cheaper than a day out in London.
Hannah West, 39, and her husband Simon 52, took a flight from Gatwick to Geneva for five hours of skiing and cheese fondue.
The day trip cost a total of £671.80, working out to £335.90 per person – which is still cheaper compared to a day out in London.
The average ticket price for the best seats at a London West End costs around £160 each.
If they were to have dinner before the show, that could easily set them back between £60 and £100 total.
And if they had travelled from Brighton on the train, an open train ticket is £42.70.
Another woman and her mum flew out to Romania’s Bucharest for a spa weekend because it was cheaper than in the UK.
Kara wanted to treat her mum to a spa weekend but realised it would set them back £400.
By going to Bucharest, the pair spent £315 – including flights, a hotel stay and day pass at its Therme Spa.
For more on day trips – here are Sun Travel’s favourite ones abroad with free attractions and cheap flights.
And here are five affordable day trips you can go on from the UK that are less than 1hr30 away.