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Budget conscious Brits are swapping Center Parcs for European park breaks that are considerably cheaper. But is it worth the faff of travelling abroad? We gave it a try

I remember the exact moment we realised we weren’t a Center Parcs family anymore. The kids were having one last run round the playground before we stuffed everything in the car to come home after an idyllic weekend away and my husband nipped off to buy drinks.

He returned ashen-faced: “I just paid five quid for two Fruit Shoots.”

It turns out we have a line and that was it. Despite half a dozen fun-packed stays, those Fruit Shoots were the moment we knew we couldn’t justify Center Parcs prices anymore.

If my hours spent browsing parenting groups online are anything to go by, we’re not alone. Initially we branched out, exploring Haven and Parkdean resorts around the UK. But as an avid bargain hunter I’d seen plenty of chat everywhere from Mumsnet to Reddit about the savings to be made on European holiday camp breaks. After ChatGPTing the practicalities of driving in France, we swapped Center Parcs for Eurocamp this May bank holiday and it was so amazing we’re already plotting a return visit.

Eurocamp has built a reputation for the ultimate activity-led park holidays, with 400 options across 11 countries. We booked into Domaine des Ormes, set in 400 acres of lush French countryside, complete with a forest, lakes, golf course and a medieval castle at its heart. It has a variety of different types of accommodation for all budgets ranging from traditional camping to modern lodges, a luxury hotel and even floating cabins and treehouses. We went for a lodge and were pleasantly surprised when we unlocked our home from home.

Inside the lodge

The lodge had everything we needed for a five night stay and several perks that brought joy to our 10- and 12-year-old children, notably a bedroom each for when family time got a bit much and free (and largely reliable) wifi for all, perfect for some down time.

The main living space included a well-stocked kitchen with a full size fridge freezer, L-shaped sofa and dining table. The inside felt slightly smaller than Center Parcs lodges we’ve stayed in and there was no TV but neither of these things bothered us, thanks in part to the biggest difference we found with the swap.

In a nod to the consistently better weather on the continent, our lodge was very much optimised for outdoor living. It had a huge covered decking area with another, even larger, L-shaped sofa, alongside a second outdoor dining table and chairs. With temperatures soaring to up to 30 degrees during our stay we spent most of our time outside, either eating meals or on the sofa.

It was the perfect place to relax as a family, playing card games, with wine for the grown ups and iced drinks for the kids (it’d be rude not to), or enjoying outdoor movie nights courtesy of Netflix on a tablet balanced on the coffee table. Bliss.

Things to do

Domaine des Ormes’ jewel in the crown is a huge aquapark with slides, lazy river, wave pool and indoor and outdoor swimming options aplenty. If you’re looking for an alternative to the iconic Center Parcs Subtropical Swimming Paradise this is it in spades. Available at no extra cost, we spent hours there every day. The kids loved using the zip line over the pool, launching themselves across the water before jumping in at speed.

Zip lines were a recurring theme of the resort, with holidaymakers of all ages queuing up to soar over the lake. It only cost 6 Euros a person for two goes across the zipline – much cheaper than any Center Parcs activity we’d ever done – and it was another huge hit with the kids who, it turns out given half a chance, are real daredevils (see also a 20ft high climbing frame in one of the outdoor playgrounds which my son made his mission to scale through the week, while I stood at the bottom with my heart in my mouth).

There were plenty of other things to do, including kids clubs, archery, horse riding and even a circus (10 Euro per adult, 9 per child) but we found the mix of pool, down time and eating out was plenty to keep everyone occupied without racking up much extra cost.

Eating and drinking

Domaine des Ormes had two restaurants and two bars on-site as well as a well-stocked convenience store. Our top pick was Chez Madeline, which had stone baked pizzas, juicy rotisserie chicken and a 10 Euro kids menu with portions big enough that we took leftovers home.

Having a car meant we could also explore so we nipped to the local Carrefour supermarket in Dol-de-Bretagne to fill the fridge with cheese, smoked meat, fruit and salad. We also discovered the best steak frites any of us had ever had on the way home, in another holiday highlight.

Final verdict

I’m so glad we took the plunge. Driving in France was nowhere near as stressful as we’d feared. Minimal language barriers were easily overcome and with about half the families at Eurocamp English the kids had plenty of new friends to play with.

The highlights were the small moments: my 12-year-old being able to walk to the resort shop to buy breakfast croissants for us to eat together on the deck as the sun rose and excitedly haggling to buy some hair clips from the market that came to the resort one sunny afternoon; my son’s confidence growing every day he got higher up that climbing frame.

Domaine des Ormes was large enough to keep everyone busy and entertained but still compact enough that we could have a little bubble of time as a family together. Overall it was well worth the effort stepping outside of our comfort zone.

How do Eurocamp prices compare with Center Parcs?

There are still some savings for anyone booking at Domaine des Ormes this summer, although some of the most popular accommodation types are sold out. Currently, a four night stay for a two bedroom lodge through Eurocamp starting on Monday, July 20 is £975. A similar two-room lodge at our nearest Center Parcs – Woburn Forest just outside of Milton Keynes – would be £1,449 for the same time.

There are even chunkier savings available if you’re planning ahead. For October half term Eurocamp is £289.64 for four nights, compared to £1,699 for Center Parcs. Meanwhile, May half term 2027 is £786 for Eurocamp and £1,599 for Center Parcs.

While, of course, you have to factor in travel costs for a trip to France, for us the cheaper activities and idyllic surroundings make it worth the effort.

Book it

Narin stayed at the Domaine des Ormes Eurocamp. Currently, a four night stay for a two bedroom lodge through Eurocamp starting on Monday, July 20 is £975. For the October half term, Eurocamp is £289.64 for four nights.

The cost of taking a car on Le Shuttle starts at £69, and £89 for Brittany Ferries.

Sipping coffee in a grand square at one of Europe’s oldest cafe’s, Lucy Williamson discovers a Mediterranean escape that manages to be a city break, beach holiday, and history lesson all at once

A spa day in the UK can easily set you back £150 before you’ve even ordered lunch. So when I found myself sipping coffee in a grand Maltese square at one of Europe’s oldest cafes, watching the morning sun bounce off honey-coloured limestone buildings after a £40 flight from London, I couldn’t help feeling I’d stumbled across one of Europe’s best-value city breaks.

Malta has long been a favourite with British travellers. Yet somehow it still feels slightly overlooked when conversations turn to weekend escapes. People talk about Lisbon, Barcelona and Rome. Meanwhile, sitting in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta quietly enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year; making it one of the sunniest in Europe.

I spent three days there for a spontaneous solo trip and quickly realised Malta has cracked something many destinations haven’t. It manages to be a city break, a beach break and a history lesson all at once, without requiring military-grade holiday planning.

The first thing working in Malta’s favour is its size. This is not a destination where you’ll spend half your holiday staring at Google Maps, wondering whether the slightly disappointing mural is really worth a 45-minute metro journey and an existential crisis in the heat. Most places are close together. The capital city, Valletta, is wonderfully walkable.

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Things to do

If you stay in neighbouring Sliema, as I did at the Preluna Hotel (about £200 for two nights, includes its own beach club) accommodation is often cheaper than inside the capital itself. And the short ferry across to Valetta costs just a few euros. It glides over the water toward a city that looks like an enormous sandcastle built by a giant child who grew up to become an architect.

Many of the highlights cost nothing. The Upper Barrakka Gardens offer some of the finest views in the Mediterranean. Down below, crowds gather for the Saluting Battery (every day at 12pm and 4pm) where cannons are still fired in a tradition dating back centuries. Men in historical uniforms are responsible for the blasts which are to let everyone know what time it is. I loved it, but it seems an incredibly loud and dramatic alternative to just looking at your phone.

Jokes aside, it is an impressive tradition, although you only need to forget it’s happening once to understand why locals still flinch.

You also cannot miss the staggering Baroque interior of St John’s Co-Cathedral (€15 for adults) a church so violently covered in 24-carat gold leaf that it looks like the inside of a divine Ferrero Rocher.

Elsewhere, the city’s streets themselves do much of the heavy lifting. Ornate balconies lean over narrow lanes while laundry flutters overhead on washing lines. It is a deeply moving reminder that even though Valletta was built by the Knights of St John to defend European civilization from the Ottoman Empire, your romantic view of a historic fortress city is occasionally interrupted by a pair of massive beige knickers blowing in the wind.

Locals treat the sea like a public swimming pool that happens to have excellent views. Rocky platforms replace sand. Towels appear. People jump straight into the Mediterranean without the usual British negotiation involving sunbeds, parasols and passive aggressive towel placement.

No one seems to be running a system. It works anyway.

British nostalgia with better weather

Malta occasionally feels like Britain left something behind and never quite bothered to come back for it.

The island was part of the British Empire for more than 150 years, and the influence is still visible in ways that feel slightly surreal. English is an official language. Red phone boxes still stand in corners like they are waiting for a call that will never come.

I wandered into the local branch of Marks and Spencer to check on the progress of British civilization. I can confirm they did not have any picky bits in the Malta store; the traditional British tapas. But they did have tinnies – the traditional fuel for a British explorer. A Monsoon sits nearby. Even a copy of that day’s Daily Mirror at the local newsagent’s.

Where to eat

That blend of influences extends to the food scene. Malta borrows happily from Italy, North Africa and Britain, creating a character all of its own.

One street that perfectly captures the atmosphere is St Lucia Street. By day, it’s an attractive stepped lane. By night, it transforms into one of Valletta’s most buzzy dining spots, with tables cascading down the stone steps like a very tasty avalanche. I spent my second evening at Taste nursing an Aperol Spritz and a plate of rigatoni, which seemed to accidentally on purpose precede a huge tiramisu (€25 bill).

One of Europe’s oldest cafes

For a deeper glimpse into Malta’s past, I found myself at Caffe Cordina, one of Europe’s oldest cafés and one of Valletta’s most enduring institutions.

You will have to resist the temptation to just wander into the air-conditioned void of Starbucks just down the road for some whipped cream and regret. Keep walking, because you will be rewarded with an establishment that has spent nearly two centuries serving Maltese society.

The family’s story began in 1837, when their ancestors arrived from Italy and sold nougat from a donkey cart. They eventually opened a small shop that was destroyed by a German bomb during the Second World War. Yet, as the current owner, Luca Cordina, told me, that bomb was ironically “the best thing that ever happened to us”. It forced his grandfather, Cesare, to take out a bank loan, pivot, and establish the café in its current Valletta location in 1944.

It was a massive gamble. “My grandfather’s friends actually questioned him about the decision, calling him crazy,” Luca explained, noting that the bustling square we see today was little more than a garden at the time. But Cesare believed in the location when very few people did. His response to the doubters was simple: “When the sun rises, it warms everyone”.

That warmth has since attracted a staggering mix of patrons, hosting everyone from Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles to the 1984 Italian national football team. The café inspires just as much loyalty from its staff as its customers, with one employee noted to still be working the floor at 76 years old.

I had a coffee and a traditional ricotta pastizzi (€5.70 bill) and watched the world go by – stunning.

‘The Silent City’

My other favourite lunch spot was in Mdina, the former capital and one of the most atmospheric places on the island.

Game of Thrones fans will recognise parts of it immediately. Everyone else will spend the visit walking past groups who are absolutely certain they are standing exactly where something important happened and are more than willing to explain it in detail whether you asked or not.

It is known as the Silent City because it is incredibly quiet, which is a nice change from London, where the soundtrack is the incessant beeping of a stolen Lime bike.

That wonderful silence was much enjoyed on the roof terrace of the family-run cafe – Fontanella Tea Garden – which is built into the city wall and offers one of the best panoramic views around (Pizza + coffee came to €19).

Mdina is completely enclosed within ancient walls to stop medieval enemies from entering, though it seems they let any old person in these days – especially if you are wearing shorts and carrying a bottle of Fanta Lemon.

The verdict

Three days felt about right. Long enough to see Valletta, Mdina and the coastline without rushing. Short enough that it never drifted into routine. May was an ideal time to go – still warm, not baking, and a little quieter.

Malta works best for couples or solo travellers (like me on this occasion!) who like variety without effort. You get history, sea swims, good food and a walkable city without needing to plan your day around transport logistics or opening times.

Flights from London can be found for around £40 one way. I flew from Luton and returned to Gatwick using Avios points via British Airways, which made the trip back feel particularly smug.

By the time I got home, I’d spent less than many people pay for a day wrapped in a fluffy robe somewhere in the Home Counties.

The cost

• Flight from London to Malta (one-way): £40
• Preluna Hotel, Sliema (2 nights): £200
• St John’s Co-Cathedral entry: €15
• Dinner at Taste (Aperol Spritz, rigatoni, tiramisu): €25
• Coffee and ricotta pastizzi at Caffe Cordina: €5.70
• Pizza and coffee at Fontanella Tea Garden: €19
• Sliema–Valletta ferry: €5
• Return flight: Not included (paid using Avios points via British Airways) – would have been about £80

Approximate combined total: ~£295

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YOU CAN swap the Aegean coast for a cheaper rival destination that hits 25C in June and is just three hours from the UK.

Come summer or winter, Bulgaria is a great European destination to visit, but one spot in particular boasts a Mediterranean feel for less – Obzor Beach.

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Found in the Bourgas region of the country, Obzor Beach sprawls across nearly five miles and boasts a Blue Flag status, recognising the beach for its safe feel and picturesque vibe.

Just to add to the prettiness of the spot, the beach is also backed by mountains.

And the great news is that the sunny destination is cheaper than many popular Mediterranean spots and even, less crowded too.

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According to First Choice, an all inclusive stay costs just £459 per person at Obzor Beach, whereas along Turkey‘s Aegean Coast – including destinations like Bodrum – you’d be likely to spend around £400 more per person for a similar holiday in June.

Obzor used to be known as Heliopolis, meaning the City of Sun before later becoming the Roman settlement of Templum Iovis.

Some of the settlement can still be seen today, such as column fragments found in local parks.

And if you visit Obzor Beach, you shouldn’t be short for space to spread out as the beach is one of the longest in Bulgaria.

When heading to the beach, visitors can choose between free public spots where they can put up their own parasol or head to one of the sections managed by nearby hotels and beach bars where they can hire a sunbed.

One recent visitor said: “One of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Bulgaria.

“Relatively clean and well maintained with a lot of activities to do.

“Waves are amazing and fun to fight.”

Make sure to visit Sloboda Square in the old town too, where you can enjoy an immersive dining experience at Hanove, complete with castle-like entrances and stone clad walls.

Alternatively, you could opt to visit The House Bar & Dinner, which is the top rated restaurant in the area on TripAdvisor, with traditional Bulgarian dishes including Bulgarian potatoes with cheese and bacon.

In the town visitors can find a museum as well, which recounts the history of Obzor and its inhabitants including an ancient village.

There’s also the beachfront promenade where visitors will find an abundance of bars, shops and restaurants to explore.

Want to be away from the main hustle and bustle? Then make sure to stay at the four-star Hotel Sol Luna Bay, with three pools, a waterpark and spa.

Sarah Jooste, Product Portfolio Executive at First Choice said: “Not many people think of Bulgaria for a relaxing beach break.

“Many have heard that Sunny Beach is a great option for nightlife, but for a chilled holiday people reach for the classics like Greece and Turkey.

“But Obzor beach averages about 25C in summer and from London the flight time is about three hours and 20 minutes – so not only is it cheaper than the EU classics, but it’s closer too.”