With a bit of forward planning, you can make your annual leave in 2026 go much further. By combining weekends and bank holidays, you can turn a handful of days off into extended breaks ideal for travel, family time or simply recharging. Whether you’re planning a spring getaway, a summer adventure or a cosy Christmas at home, these clever date combinations will help you make the most of your time off throughout the year.
Start 2026 with an early break. With New Year’s Day on Thursday 1 January, you can take Friday 2 January off (1 day of annual leave) and enjoy a 4-day break from Thursday 1 January to Sunday 4 January.
With St Brigid’s Day on Monday 2 February, you could take the preceding Friday (30 January) off and enjoy a 4-day weekend from Friday 30 January to Monday 2 February with just 1 day of annual leave.
St Patrick’s Day falls on Tuesday 17 March. If you take Monday 16 off (1 day) and also Wednesday through Friday (18–20 March) off (3 days), you’ll enjoy a 7-day break from Saturday 14 March to Sunday 22 March for 4 days of leave.
Moving into April, Easter Monday lands on Monday 6 April, meaning you can enjoy a 10-day holiday by using just four days of annual leave. Take Tuesday 7 to Friday 10 April off and enjoy an extended break from Saturday 4 April to Monday 13 April, the perfect time for a spring getaway.
In May, you can create another long stretch by using four days of leave. The May Bank Holiday falls on Monday 4 May, so if you take Tuesday 5 to Friday 8 May off, you’ll get a 9-day break from Saturday 2 May to Sunday 10 May, ideal for an early summer escape.
June offers the same opportunity. With the June Bank Holiday on Monday 1 June, book off Tuesday 2 to Friday 5 June and enjoy a 9-day break from Saturday 30 May to Sunday 7 June using just four days of annual leave.
The pattern continues in August, when the August Bank Holiday falls on Monday 3 August. By booking Tuesday 4 to Friday 7 August, you can take another 9-day break from Saturday 1 August to Sunday 9 August with only four days of leave.
October is another great time to plan a getaway before winter sets in. The October Bank Holiday is on Monday 26 October, so by taking Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 October off, you can enjoy a 9-day break from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, perfect for an autumn trip.
With Christmas Day on Friday 25 December 2026 and St Stephen’s Day on Saturday 26 December 2026 (which means a substitute day or equivalent benefit is likely) you can take Monday 21 to Thursday 24 off (4 days) and also Monday 28 to Wednesday 30 off (3 days) and enjoy a 12-day break from Saturday 19 December to Wednesday 30 December using just 7 days of annual leave.
An Antarctic expedition cruise is designed to take you beyond simply seeing the continent from a ship. Small inflatable Zodiac boats are used to explore bays, reach remote landing sites and get closer to the ice, wildlife and landscapes of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Most journeys are designed to get you somewhere as quickly as possible. The Blue Train does the opposite. Over three days and two nights, it travels roughly 1,600 kilometres between Pretoria and Cape Town, turning the distance between the two cities into an experience in its own right.
Europe is packed with iconic destinations, but some of its most rewarding holidays begin just beyond the well-trodden tourist trail. If you've already ticked off the big-name cities or simply fancy somewhere that feels a little different, there are plenty of places offering beautiful scenery, fascinating history, and memorable food without the queues. From medieval towns on the Adriatic coast to volcanic islands in the Atlantic, these lesser-known corners of Europe prove that sometimes the best trips are the ones you weren't expecting.
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