If you’re desperate for something to look forward to as the nights get even shorter and the Scottish weather gets ever-bleaker, then why not book yourself a cheeky wee trip to the Canary Islands?
While the price of flights to Tenerife can spike during popular summer periods, the cost plummets in winter and spring, despite the fact that spring temperatures on the island can be as warm as a Scottish summer’s day.
The average temperature in March is a balmy 22C, and the good news is that direct flights from Glasgow Airport to Tenerife that month are available from just £34 each way with a journey time of just under five hours.
For example, using Skyscanner, return flights from Saturday, March 1 to Wednesday, March 5 will currently set you back a mere £69 with budget operator Ryanair, or you can come back on Thursday, March 6 for just a couple of pounds more.
If you’d rather go Saturday to Saturday and have a full week there, you’ll have to pay a bit more – £88 at the time of writing – for a trip that starts on Saturday, March 1 and lasts until Saturday, March 8 – but that’s still pretty good value for return flights to one of the most popular – and warmest – islands in Spain.
You’re probably thinking: “OK, but what about the price of hotels in March?” Well, March is out of season in Tenerife, so you can also get some very good deals on accommodation too.
You could also consider booking an Airbnb, which are often much cheaper than traditional hotels. For example, this one bedroom holiday flat in the pretty beach town of Las Galletas is currently being offered for £25 a night from March 1 to March 8, just £209 in total including fees.
Or if you can stretch your budget to £39 a night, you could book this pretty studio flat in the popular and lively Playa De Las Américas resort in southern Tenerife.
The well-reviewed holiday let is just 150 meters from the beach – a glorious strip of golden sand edged by crystal-clear water. The apartment is also within walking distance of Siam Park, rated the best water park in the world by TripAdvisor.
Tenerife doesn’t even have to be your final stopping-off point at all, to be fair. Reliable ferry services link the Canary Islands, just as they do in Scotland to connect the Highlands and Islands, so you could make a wee tour of it.
Lonely Planet explains that “local ferry services offer a reliable, clean and leisurely way to hop between all the islands,” including a “2.5-hour journey between Tenerife and gorgeously green La Palma.”
Obviously these travel ideas and dates are all just suggestions, and are subject to change, however one thing’s for sure: March is definitely a cheap – but still warm and sunny – month to visit the Canaries from Scotland, and escape the dreich weather.
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