'I flew to Benidorm for the day - it was cheaper than a train to London'
A travel influencer from Wales, Carole Rees, has shared her experience of jetting off to Benidorm for a holiday that cost less than a train journey to London. She managed to spend just £200 on her Spanish getaway, while a day trip to the capital would have been more expensive.
Carole, from Rhondda, found that flying to the sunny destination of Benidorm was remarkably affordable, with her flight costing only £35, in stark contrast to the up to £170 price tag for a return train ticket from Cardiff to London.
The 45 year old detailed her journey: "I took a 6am flight from Bristol airport to Alicante, and stayed in a full board hotel in Benidorm overnight."
Carole added: "You can do the trip much cheaper by not staying overnight but I think it was worth every penny. I had the most amazing 24 hours there," reports WalesOnline.
"If I went for a night out back home or took a day trip to London I would have spent a lot more – plus you get to soak up the sun!"
Not only was Carole's trip cheaper than a day out to London, it turned out to be pretty quick as she boarded a 45-minute shuttle bus transfer from Alicante airport to her hotel in Benidorm. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here
The savings don't stop at the airport - something that Carole has also discovered on her travels. She went straight to her hotel restaurant and enjoyed a Spanish buffet, included in her full-board £76 hotel price for one night.
After refuelling she couldn't wait to explore the city. Carole said: "I went on a stroll through the city and it felt so good to feel that sun on my skin. It was stunning. I then walked along Llevant Beach, Benidorm's main beach, and went shopping along the seafront. After my walk, I went back to my hotel's rooftop bar and enjoyed the stunning view of Benidorm's seafront."
At no point did Carole feel like she was rushing her trip. Carole used her spare time to go on a night out on the famous Benidorm strip - a 1.3km long street known for its lively nightlife and bars, and made the most of two for one cocktails for 7€ (less than £6).
She said: "It was the perfect trip which I finished off by going back to my hotel to gaze at Benidorm's beautiful views while sipping red wine – and I was back in bed by 10pm."
The next morning, Carole also made a special trip to Benidorm's Old Town – an area with traditional Spanish architecture dating back to the 14th century and walked through the town before her 4pm flight.
"I worked out I spent £200 in total. All my food was included so I only spent around £40 on wine, and cocktails as well as a bit on tips."
Carole added: "If you're considering doing a trip I'd say do it. It's so much fun. I can't wait for my next one."
Carole's price breakdown for her extreme Benidorm trip:
£30 from Cardiff to Bristol Airport (return) with Airport Tavern.
£35 flights with Ryanair from Bristol Airport.
£20 airport transfer from Alicante to Benidorm (return) with Beniconnect.
£76 full board accommodation at Port Benidorm Hotel & Spa with Booking.com.
£40 on drinks.
Maximillian Schwerdtfeger, who works for money saving group EcoExperts, told WalesOnline: "Aviation contributes to 2.5% to global carbon emissions, and that won't come down until alternative means of travel are cheaper. The UK has some of the highest-priced train tickets in Europe.
"Companies and governing bodies should do more to make aviation transport cheaper."
Karen Marin Reyes, owner of Cardiff travel agents La Vida, explains: "With return train tickets costing up to £110 from Cardiff, it's not surprising to see so many UK travellers going abroad. We're seeing more people attend our travel agents who swapped their domestic travel plans for a holiday in Spain or Greece.
"We have deals from Bristol to Barcelona return flights at £95 - nearly £100 cheaper than return train tickets from Cardiff to London. It's still cheaper once you factor in a £10 train to Bristol from Cardiff Central.
"Personally, I've decided not to travel to London go abroad instead. You have to pay up to £110 for a return ticket, but then I've also spent up to £200 while I'm there- eating out and going for drinks."
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