IT'S A FREE WORLD: ACTIVITY BREAKS.COM is offering a free seven-night summer holiday in the Italian alps with every €500 spent on a ski holiday if you book before the end of August.
The good news is the ski break doesn’t have to be for seven nights – it can be as short as a weekend once a minimum of €500 is spent on the break (€125 per person for a family of four).
For example a two-night half-board ski break in four-star accommodation in Piancavallo in the Dolomites costs €724 for a family of four with free ski passes and ski hire (arriving any day from February 4th-29th).
The company says as soon as you book a ski break you automatically receive a seven-night holiday for the same number of people in Montecampione which is an hour from Bergamo airport and which can be used this summer or next.
While the summer holiday can only be taken in one resort, the ski break can be in a range of resorts across Europe including Italy, France, Slovenia and Slovakia.
Catch:Flights are not included.
Take note: see activitybreaks.com for further details
- This summer Switzerland Tourism is joining forces with tour operators such as Inghams, Kuoni and the Switzerland Travel Centre to offer free weekends, free nights and deals in which kids under 12 stay free.
You can save up to £230 (€262) when you book an Inghams Lakes and Mountains holiday of seven nights or more and get Saturday and Sunday nights free.
Kuoni is offering three nights for the price of two with prices from £301 (€343) on Kuoni Swiss Escapes and the Switzerland Travel Centre is giving away free nights for guests who book an Experience package from its Experience Switzerland brochure.
In the regions of Valais, Graubünden and Ticino a number of hotels allow children under 12 to stay free of charge when accompanied by an adult.
Also, children under 16 travel for nothing on trains, boats and buses on a Swiss Family card with the Swiss Travel System when accompanied by an adult.
Catch: It's a good job there's a big drive to make Switzerland more affordable because there's been criticism that the strength of the Swiss Franc is not being passed on to consumers in many instances.
Take note:see mySwitzerland.com for details.
- Northern Ireland hosts a number of festivals in August and some of them include free events.The Sperrins 15th Walking Festival in Gortin, Co Tyrone, from August 5th-8th has a number of free walks including Family Forest Walks and Healthy Lifestyle Walks.
In the Heart of the Glens Festival, Cushendall, Co Antrim, from August 6th-14th only the workshops have an entrance fee and events include treasure hunts, a food festival, vintage day and storytelling for children and adults.
And what would the summer be without the obligatory lovely ladies competition? In Co Down one of the highlights is the Maidens of the Mourne festival running from 7th-14th with contestants coming from as far afield as America, Europe and all over Ireland seeking to be crowned the Maiden of the Mournes.
Other activities include children’s events, teenage bands, drama workshops and dance classes.
Catch: Not all events at these festivals are free
Take note: see discovernorthernireland.com
