Late Offers

There’s a huge choice of short breaks and holidays for late summer and early autumn – one of the best times of the year to go touring and catch some late summer sunshine and the first colours of autumn. Forget about potential disruptions in the skies and go by coach to the Continent. Here are just a few ideas for tours which start from across the UK – for further ideas just find an operator from near where you live on this website. Note all prices quoted are from and per person.

While Royal Ascot and the Derby always attract tens of thousands of punters, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on the first weekend in October is for many just as popular. Many operators feature short trips including Diamond Holidays from south Wales (01792 791981) who offer a 3 night break for £180 including entrance to the race course. Similar tours are offered by Leger Holidays (0844 504 6250)

It’s not just the football club that is lighting up Blackpool. The famous Blackpool Illuminations are still a huge draw and lots of coach tour operators feature visits to the famous seaside resort through to October. Combine the Illuminations with visits to Southport, Liverpool Waterfront and Bury Market with south coast operator Angela Holidays (023 8040 4536) – 5 nights DBB for £289 with two departures in October.

Or head to London and follow in the footsteps of the stars on a 3-day weekend break, which includes a tour of BBC Television Centre, a guided walking tour of Notting Hill - including famous film locations and musical landmarks – and round it off with afternoon tea at the 5* Waldorf Hilton Hotel. Departs 29 October and costs £250. With Shaws Coaches of Cambridgeshire (01788 342224).

For a quieter break head for the Scilly Isles with Woods Travel from Sussex (01243 868080) and stay at the Atlantic Hotel on St Mary’s and have guided tours of Tresco and St Agnes. This holiday departs 18 October and includes a connecting helicopter flight from Penzance to the islands (from £850 for half board). Laver Holidays (01509 236500) in the East Midlands also features the Scilly Isles (from £792).

Over-55s specialist Grand UK Holidays (01603 619933) has late availability in September for some of the most scenic resorts in the UK. Including a new ‘Highland Highlights’ 8-day tour offering visits to Blair Castle, Scotland’s smallest distillery at Edradour, Pitlochry, the Cairngorms, Inverness and the Grampians. Departs 19 September - £435.

Also north of the border Shearings Holidays (0844 55 60 888) has a 4-night tour to Melrose with visits to Kelso, the Royal Yacht Britannia and an Edinburgh guided tour all for £249 – a saving of £75. Departures during September.

Door2Tour has a tour with Newmarket Holidays to the Lake District featuring rail journeys from Settle to Carnforth and Carnforth to Barrow in Furness. The tour includes 3 nights half board with prices from £219pp (departs 24 September). As a contrast Door2Tour has a holiday to Jersey with Ellen Smith Tours with 7-nights half board, door to door service, transfers to/from airport and return flights to Jersey. Departs 11 September and costs £589.

Alfa Travel (08451 304 666) has a series of special offers on holidays to seaside resorts such as Torquay, Newquay, Weston super Mare, Tenby, Bournemouth, Scarborough and Great Yarmouth. Tours depart on various dates through September and October and include a 4-night holiday staying in a seafront hotel in Sandown on the Isle of Wight for £166.

Warner Leisure Hotels are increasingly popular with coach groups as they offer the perfect base from which to tour but also daytime activities and nightly entertainment. Henry VIII wooed Jane Seymour at Littlecote House in Berkshire and tours to the hotel are offered by Interchoice (0845 1303321) from the West Midlands - 4 nights DBB for £325 (departs 18 October).

Ireland is always a popular destination for a touring holiday and a chance to mix the wild and rugged scenery of the west coast with renowned Irish hospitality. Skills (0845 450 2221) has a 6-night tour on a DBB basis for just £389 featuring Galway and the Cliffs of Moher, Sligo, Donegal, the Antrim Coast and Giant’s Causeway. Departs 9 October.

For holidays on the Continent why not head for the resorts of the Spanish Costa Brava with Siesta International (01642 257920) which has a huge choice of self catering holidays in the autumn. Travel by club class coach through France and stay in the Salou apartments for 7 nights with prices from just £219 in October.

Door2Tour has an Imperial Capitals tour with Cosmos Tourama with visits to Berlin, Prague, Dresden, Vienna, Budapest and much more with plenty of time to sightsee and enjoy many scenic drives too. Departing 20 September the tour includes half board accommodation with prices from £899.

For a bargain tour to the Lakes of Italy join Shearings Holidays on a 9 day tour and stay on an all inclusive basis for 6-nights at the Hotel Sole in the town of Garda. This tour includes excursions of Lake Garda and Verona and there are departures in October and November.

Short breaks to three of Europe’s most popular destinations are being offered by Travelsphere (0844 567 9978) on a choice of 4 day trips by coach in October to Bruges (from £189), Paris (from £229) and Amsterdam (from £299). All include cities tours and 3 nights B&B.

In northern France Bibbys (01379 647300) of North Yorkshire has a 5-day tour to Le Tronchet on Brittany’s Emerald Coast with visits to Dinan, Dinard and Mont St Michel - from £339 for 4 nights DBB (departs 4 October).