🇹🇷 TURKEY
Cappadocia
Hundreds of hot-air balloons drift over fairy chimneys and cave houses at dawn.
Adventure✈️ 5h3 to 4 nights££
BEST TIMEMAY–JUN, SEP–OCT
🎃 HOLIDAY IDEAS
October half term holidays
The last of the summer sun, autumn colours and Halloween in America. Here's where to go on holiday at October half term, and what each place is like then.
October half term holidays: 18 guides
🇬🇷 GREECE
Crete
Pink sand beaches, a palace from the legend of the Minotaur and long sunny days.
Beach✈️ 4h7 to 14 nights££
BEST TIMEMAY–JUN, SEP–OCT
🇲🇹 MALTA
Gozo
Malta's smaller, greener sister island, with salt pans, sea caves and sleepy villages.
Relax & spa✈️ 4h5 to 7 nights££
BEST TIMEMAY–JUN, SEP–OCT
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Gran Canaria
Golden dunes, year-round sunshine and a Christmas nativity made of sand, about four hours from the UK.
Beach✈️ 5h7 nights££
BEST TIMEOCT–MAR
🇯🇴 JORDAN
Jordan
Petra's rose-red city, a night under the stars in Wadi Rum and floating in the Dead Sea.
Adventure✈️ 6h7 to 8 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–MAY, OCT–NOV
🇹🇷 TURKEY
Kaş
Turquoise coves, ancient ruins in town and boat trips over a sunken city.
Beach✈️ 5h7 to 10 nights££
BEST TIMEJUN, SEP–OCT
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Lanzarote
Volcanoes, black lava fields and calm golden beaches, with warm sunshine right through Christmas.
Beach✈️ 4h7 nights££
BEST TIMEOCT–MAR
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
Lisbon
Yellow trams, custard tarts and beaches a train ride away, with no time difference.
City break✈️ 3h4 to 6 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–JUN, SEP–OCT
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
Madeira
Spring weather all year, toboggans down the streets and cliff walks along old water channels.
Nature & hiking✈️ 4h7 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–JUN, SEP–OCT
🇲🇹 MALTA
Malta
Sunny, English-speaking islands with clear water, old forts and Popeye's village.
Beach✈️ 4h7 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–JUN, SEP–OCT
🇲🇦 MOROCCO
Marrakech
Snake charmers, rooftop pools and the Atlas Mountains on the horizon, a short flight from the UK.
Culture & history✈️ 4h4 to 5 nights£
BEST TIMEMAR–MAY, OCT–NOV
🇮🇹 ITALY
Matera
Whole neighbourhoods of cave houses carved into a gorge, glowing with lights at night.
Culture & history✈️ 3h2 to 3 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–MAY, SEP–OCT
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
New York
Huge parks, rooftop views and a pretzel on every corner.
City break✈️ 8h4 to 6 nights£££
BEST TIMEAPR–JUN, SEP–OCT
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Orlando
Disney, Universal and a real rocket launch site, all under the Florida sun.
Adventure✈️ 10h10 to 14 nights£££
BEST TIMEMAR–MAY, NOV
🇨🇾 CYPRUS
Paphos
Sunshine almost all year, Roman mosaics and the beach where Aphrodite was born.
Beach✈️ 5h7 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–JUN, SEP–OCT
BEST TIMEAPR–MAY, SEP–OCT
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Tenerife
Winter sun, a volcano with a cable car and some of Europe's best water parks.
Beach✈️ 5h7 nights££
BEST TIMEOCT–MAR
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Valencia
City beaches, a giant Gulliver to climb and the home of paella.
City break✈️ 3h4 to 7 nights££
BEST TIMEAPR–JUN, SEP–OCT
October half term holidays: common questions
When is October half term?
Usually the last week of October in England and Wales, often including Halloween. Scotland's October break is usually earlier and can be two weeks. Dates vary by council, so check your school's calendar.
Where is still hot at October half term?
The Canary Islands are warm all year, around 25°C in late October. Paphos, Malta, Gozo, Crete and Kaş on Turkey's coast are still warm, with the sea at its warmest of the year. Marrakech and Jordan are pleasant for sightseeing after the summer heat.
Where is good for Halloween?
New York and Orlando go all out, with parades, pumpkin patches, trick-or-treating and theme park Halloween events. In Europe, Halloween is much smaller, so a warm beach or a city break is often the better choice.
Is October half term a good time for a city break?
Yes. Rome, Lisbon, Valencia and Matera are warm and much quieter than in summer, and autumn light is lovely for walking around.
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🎟️ IDEAS ON STANDBY
Found somewhere you like?
Put it on standby with the rest of your family's ideas. Everyone spreads their points in secret, gets one veto, and the draw picks where you go.