Hop

FORGET forking out hundreds for a European city break – you could hop on a cruise for a fraction of the price.

P&O has mini cruises for as little as £65pp, which includes two nights onboard and travel over to Amsterdam or Rotterdam.

Setting sail from Hull, the ship sails overnight to arrive in one of the cities.

You can hop off in the morning and catch the coach into the city centre for a full day exploring.

If you fancy Amsterdam, Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski has shared her top tips.

She said: “Head to the ‘brown bars’, so named because of their dark, wooden interiors, for a local beer and some bitterballen.

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“The artsy, bohemian neighbourhood of De Pijp is much loved by locals and not very well known among tourists but has quirky cafes and artisan shops.

“And the best views are found at the 100-metre-tall A’DAM Lookout with a 360-degree sky deck and giant rooftop swing.”

Prefer Rotterdam? The Sun’s Adam Sonin explains: “Head to the nearby, futuristic-looking Markthal, a giant food hall packed with vendors selling grub from around the world.

“Or there is The Depot, calling itself the ‘world’s first publicly accessible art storage facility,’ which is a collection of hundreds or artworks.”

Once back onboard, all the live entertainment is included on the ship before another overnight sailing, before arriving back in the UK the next morning.

Each of the P&O mini breaks include the return ferry travel as well as a private cabin.

You can pay extra for meal packages onboard or for coach transfers to and from the UK port.

But when you factor in the price of return flights and a hotel, you could easily spend hundreds more.

According to Skyscanner, the cheapest return flights to Amsterdam can be found for £64 – just £1 less than the cruise.

This doesn’t factor in the cost of a hotel, which are on average around £118 a night, according to Kayak.

You can also book P&O’s Mini Cruise Live for £129pp, which also has live performances onboard.

This includes Kimberly Wyatt, Tinchy Stryder, T’Pau and The Overtones.

Running from October 11 to December 12, there is even a unique Halloween sailing for £99pp.

Louisa Bell, Managing Director of Passenger, P&O Ferries said: “Mini Cruise Live is our way of making the travel experiences unforgettable and not just about great destinations – no airports, no hassle, just music, mates and a mini adventure at sea.”

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Here are the Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot’s top cruise tips.

And we’ve rounded up the best cruise deals you can still book for Christmas.

The top travel trends of 2026 have been revealed including “Fan Voyage”, “Hotel Hop” and “Salvaged Stays” according to a new report.

The Unpack ‘26 report, released by Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, polled 24,000 respondents across 18 countries and found a growing number of people booking trips specifically to see local immersive experiences.

“Fan Voyage” journeys see travel combined with unique, regional sporting activities, according to Expedia, including Sumo Wrestling in Japan or curling in Canada.

While people on a “Salvaged Stay” aim to mix historical architecture with modern amenities, checking into upcycled retreats such as former schoolhouses, train stations, and banks.

As a result, Hotels.com has seen an increase in searches for these types of stay – for example, Bodmin Jail Hotel, in Cornwall, is up by 110 per cent.

And this part of the group also found 59 per cent of British millennial travellers are making every trip count by booking multiple hotels within a single destination.

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This emerging trend – dubbed Hotel Hop – is driven by travellers’ desire to explore different neighbourhoods (58 per cent) and keep trips varied (52 per cent).

Expedia also released its 2026 Destinations of the Year list powered by real-time data from millions of daily visitors to its site and app.

Six of these hotspots also meet the criteria for the brand’s new Smart Travel Health Check, a first-in-travel framework, inspired by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

It recognises destinations that offer meaningful travel experiences and proactively manage tourism in a sustainable way, helping to ease the strain on the world’s most overvisited cities.

And the top spots included Big Sky in Montana, USA, Okinawa in Japan, Hobart in Australia and Savoie in France, which has seen a 51 per cent search increase.

Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group, said: “Some of my most unforgettable travel moments come from immersing myself in local cultures, supporting local economies, and exploring less-travelled destinations.

“We have a responsibility to shape the future of travel: one that’s smarter, more sustainable, and deeply respectful of the places we go.”

Christopher Imbsen, vice president policy at WTTC, added: “Expedia’s Smart Travel Health Check is an innovative initiative that reflects the urgent need to embrace responsible growth models that safeguard communities, protect cultural and natural heritage, and ensure the long-term resilience of destinations.”

Research conducted on behalf of the Vrbo arm of the company found trips in 2026 are fuelled by 91 per cent who are seeking getaways focused on reading, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones.

As #BookTok continues to dominate social media, interest in literary-themed travels, ‘Readaways’ is also surging with Pinterest searches for “book club retreat ideas” up 265 per cent.

And reading-related terms in the holiday let company’s guest reviews have nearly tripled.

The slow travel movement is gaining ground, with 84 per cent of travellers expressing interest in staying on or near a farm.

They are searching for starlit skies over busy city lights in 2026.

Set-Jetting is back – and bigger than ever – with interest in travelling to destinations inspired by TV shows and movies accelerating.

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And 53 per cent of global travellers say their desire to take a set-jetting trip has increased in the past year.

With The White Lotus’s next location in France still to be officially confirmed, the 2026 Set-Jetting Forecast reveals the next wave of cinematic escapes – including Tuscany, Italy inspired by Jay Kelly and Yorkshire, inspired by Wuthering Heights and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

A walk and the best chips, Saint-Malo

The overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo is hard to beat. After work, we board the ship, enjoy a drink in the bar and wake up to the sunrise over the harbour. The scenic coastal path that runs along the Brittany coast winds through woodlands and secluded coves. A swim in the clear water and then on to the restaurant La Guinguette des Marmouz near Plouër-sur-Rance. The best chips we’ve ever had in a very laid-back spot along the estuary. We’d stumbled across something pretty special.
Kate

Hull to Rotterdam and North Sea camping

The cost of a P&O ferry from Hull to Rotterdam (starting at about £500 return for four people and a car) may seem steep, but so are four return flights and two nights in an airport hotel. We camped in our own tent at Camping Sollasi, a mile or two from the beautiful dunes. There were fresh croissants every morning and we were a short hop from bustling Noordwijkerhout, where every possible combination of cycles was available from Rent-A-Bike Van Dam. Truly memorable.
Martin

Fantastic holiday park near the Hook of Holland

Only 40 minutes from the Hook of Holland, where the ferry from Harwich goes, we found Landal de Reeuwijkse Plassen to be a great family-friendly holiday park with playgrounds, an indoor pool, a beach by the lake and plenty of watersports. It’s only a short bike ride or bus journey from Gouda, famous for its cheese but with a good town market and also the home of stroopwafels (syrup waffles). A great base for exploring the rest of the Netherlands.
James Melia

A gourmet break in Honfleur, Normandy

Take the ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre, and drive 35 minutes to the beautiful, charming small city of Honfleur, which sits overlooking the mighty River Seine as it empties into the English Channel. My tip: spend a Saturday eating entirely from the city-wide market – Normandy cider, fizzing with crisp and juicy apples; the freshest oysters, shucked before your eyes and eaten right there and then; and topped off, of course, with the famous Normandy cheeses camembert and Pont-l’Évêque. It’s France at its best.
Aaron

Picos and tapas in Santander, Spain

Hop on a ferry from Plymouth to Santander (with a spot of whale watching en route). Twenty hours later, the rugged cliffs and crashing waves of northern Spain struck us as reminiscent of the Cornish coast, and temperatures were delightful – warm and sunny but not too hot. Despite its beauty and golden sand city beaches, fantastic seafood and tapas, Santander doesn’t feel particularly touristy. With easy access to the prehistoric El Castillo cave paintings, Picos de Europa national park and the bustling Bilbao, this is an ideal ferry break.
Eloise

Great scoff in Roscoff, Brittany

Roscoff, overnight from Plymouth, is a great destination in Brittany. The old town is lovely with a good boulangerie (open early, just as you get off the ferry) and an ancient harbour. We drove 40 minutes south-east to stay on the coast near Morlaix, another old town with an amazing viaduct, lovely bars, creperies and fantastic museums. Also nearby, at Barnenez, is the oldest and one of the largest burial cairns in Europe, an amazing place with panoramic views of the coast. Head to nearby Carantec for superb markets.
Ben Jennison-Phillips

Belle epoque is alive and well in Deauville

Deauville on the Normandy coast is just a short drive from Caen after a ferry crossing from Portsmouth. It’s an elegant, chic resort – similar to the riviera towns but without the hassle of a long drive to get there. Art deco cabins named after movie stars line the boardwalk behind the soft, sandy beach, which goes on for miles. Locals and Parisians enjoy promenading with parasols, so my husband and I joined them – and felt like we were in a gentle Renoir painting. Sunbathing and swimming are popular on the lovely beach, or you can shop and sip coffee in the town with its stylish belle epoque buildings in the background.
Gina

A whale of a time on the ferry to Bilbao

The ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao is almost as fun as the holiday itself. With a journey time of around 30 hours, there’s plenty of time to relax and watch the Bay of Biscay go by (we saw whales and dolphins, as well as a beautiful Atlantic sunset). Once you arrive in Bilbao it’s fairly obvious you should check out the Guggenheim, wander the old town and eat pintxos. But it’s also really worthwhile to take a boat trip up the river to see where the urban regeneration stops and where there are reminders of the city’s industrial heritage.
Katie

The mini-Amsterdam with a buzz

Leiden – between the Hook of Holland and Amsterdam – is a fantastic destination easily reached by ferry, whether from Newcastle, Hull, Harwich or Dover. It offers everything Amsterdam does but on a smaller scale and with canals visitors can enjoy. It’s easily reached by road and rail, and has great places to stay, eat and enjoy. The mainly pedestrianised and historic town centre is beautiful, with a fantastic Saturday market along the canals. The large student population gives it a really nice buzz, all year round.
Ruud Jansen Venneboer

My teenage boys and I went from Newhaven, East Sussex, to Dieppe, Normandy, in late August. We found Dieppe to be a smart resort town with some great cafes, restaurants, history. Then it was on to Le Havre to catch the Ligue 1 football match between Le Havre AC and Nice. The home team’s club song is the same tune as God Save the King – chosen by the expat Brits who formed the club in 1872. The atmosphere in the Stade Océane was fantastic – we stood in the home end with the (friendly) ultras, waving flags and singing songs. Le Havre itself has incredible architecture, great shopping, culture, seafood and a decent beach.
James

Perhaps the easiest way to mainland Europe is by ferry. Simply walk, cycle or drive off the landing ramp and you’re immediately ready to explore another country. Have you enjoyed a historic ferry port, such as Saint-Malo; explored a nearby gem such as Honfleur, Bruges or Antwerp; or pottered around the countryside of northern France, Belgium or the Netherlands within an hour or so of the coastal ports? We want to know about your short hops and what you discovered at the end of them.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.