Easter is the trickiest school holiday to book well. The window is short, the weather is unreliable across most of Europe, and the prices have crept above February half-term in several destinations. But there are still pockets where Easter holidays genuinely deliver for UK families, and a couple of formats that consistently beat the mainstream package deal. Here is the 2026 working list.
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Why Easter is harder to book than half-term
Easter moves around the calendar (late March in some years, mid April in others) and that alone changes the price by 15 to 25 percent. A late March Easter falls in low season for most Mediterranean destinations and is genuinely good value. A mid April Easter falls in shoulder season and prices are noticeably higher.
In 2026 Easter Sunday is 5 April, which puts the school holiday window in early to mid April. That is shoulder season pricing, not low season. Plan accordingly: this is not the year to expect low season bargains, but there are still strong value destinations.
Destinations that genuinely work for Easter 2026
The warm-weather options that hold up in early April are the southern Canaries (Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria), Madeira, southern Cyprus (Paphos), and southern mainland Spain (Costa del Sol from Marbella east). All four have reliably warm weather, working infrastructure outside the peak summer crush, and Easter prices that have not jumped as hard as Mallorca or the Greek islands.
Closer to home, Eurocamp and Siblu mobile homes in the Vendée and Charente Maritime open for Easter at low season prices, which is genuinely the best value Easter format for a family of four if you can drive.
| Destination | Format | 7 night Easter for 4 | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife south | Jet2 AI 4* | £3,200 to £3,800 | 23C reliable |
| Lanzarote (Playa Blanca) | Self-catered apartment | £2,800 to £3,400 | 22C reliable |
| Madeira | B&B hotel | £2,700 to £3,200 | 20C, walking weather |
| Paphos | AI hotel | £3,000 to £3,600 | 20C, beach borderline |
| Eurocamp Vendée | Mobile home + ferry | £2,000 to £2,500 | 16C, kids' club open |
| Disneyland Paris | Hotel Cheyenne + Eurostar | £2,400 to £3,200 | 12C, perfect park weather |
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Easter at theme parks: the underrated option
Easter is one of the best windows of the year for theme park trips. The weather is mild enough to queue in (cooler than summer), the parks have spring decorations up, and Easter is consistently one of the lower-cost school holiday windows for Disneyland Paris specifically. A family of four can usually do a 4 day Disneyland Paris trip over Easter for £2,400 to £3,200, well below the August equivalent.
UK theme parks (Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington) all open properly at Easter and run shorter queues than summer. Easter is the value sweet spot for these destinations.
Destinations to skip at Easter
Northern and central Europe is the wrong call at Easter for a family beach holiday. Greek mainland, most of mainland Italy, southern France beaches: weather is unreliable and many resort facilities have not opened for the season. Greek islands like Santorini and Mykonos are technically open but feel half empty in a not-good way.
Mallorca and Ibiza are also worth skipping at Easter. Prices are not low enough to justify the weather risk and the resorts feel like they are still warming up. Book those destinations for late May or June instead.
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City breaks at Easter: when they work
Easter is genuinely brilliant for European city breaks with kids. The weather is comfortable for walking, the daylight is long enough for proper days out, and the cities themselves are quieter than summer. Lisbon, Seville, Rome, Krakow and Copenhagen all reward an Easter visit with kids old enough to walk a few miles a day.
Avoid the obvious cities (Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam) at Easter weekend itself because they are mobbed. The shoulder days either side are fine.
How to keep an Easter trip under £3,000 for a family of four
Book by January for Easter departures. Easter prices rise more steeply in the final eight weeks than any other school holiday because the supply is so tight. Pick from the Canaries, Madeira, the Algarve or a drive-to French campsite. Fly midweek if possible (Easter midweek flights are 15 to 25 percent cheaper than the Easter weekend flights). And accept that Easter is not the trip to spend on a premium AI: shoulder season pricing means premium AI quietly costs more than equivalent mid-range AI, with the same actual delivery.
Frequently asked questions
Where is warmest in Europe at Easter?
The southern Canaries reliably hit 22 to 24C in early April. Madeira sits a few degrees cooler but is reliably dry. Southern Cyprus and southern Spain hit 20 to 22C but are more weather-variable.
Is it cheaper to go away at Easter or in summer?
Easter for the same destination is usually 25 to 40 percent cheaper than the August equivalent. Per day it is closer because Easter trips tend to be shorter (4 to 6 nights versus 7 to 10 in summer).
Is Disneyland Paris a good Easter trip?
Yes. Easter is one of the strongest value windows for Disneyland Paris. Weather is good for queuing, the park is decorated, and prices sit well below summer.
What families like yours said
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