Features

Best Unique European Spring Breaks

10 February 2023

After what felt like forever, winter is finally giving way to the fresh joys of spring.

And what better way to mark the arrival of longer, lighter, lovelier days than by taking a well-deserved break?

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to go far to find your personal holiday heaven, since Europe is a diverse continent packed with intriguing destinations and unique retreats.

For example, glamping breaks take on new layers of luxury when spent in the grounds of an ancient estate in the heel of Italy’s ‘boot’. Here you can drift off under the stars in a pristine cotton tent, surrounded by unspoilt nature.

If you’re in need of a little childlike fun (and who isn’t?) then a Big Top-themed vintage wagon in the Andalucian hillside might be just the ticket… particularly when there’s an al fresco swimming pool to reflect that glorious spring sunshine!

Or how about bedding down in a sumptuous eco-cabin, a dreamy floating hut – or even a spa cabin with a chemical-free Nordic bath – nestled amongst the soothing French vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape?

These unique Euro-retreats are just the tip of the melting winter iceberg, as you’ll soon discover when you browse our fabulous list!

Main image: Nordisk Village Puglia | Italy

Casa Fontelheira

Vila Nune, Porto/North Portugal
If you like your holidays with a slice of adventure, a helping of luxury and double portions of sunshine, you'll fall in love with Casa Fontelheira - luxurious glamping in fabulous Northern Portugal.
Bedrooms: 2 or 3 per tent
Sleeps: 5 or 6 per tent
From
£120 / night

Casa Canelo Circus Wagon

Malaga, Andalucia, Spain
Roll up, roll up, for a Big Top-themed stay in a gloriously renovated 19th century wagon with an al fresco swimming pool, surrounded by the soaring mountains and abundant wildlife of rural Spain.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£75 / night

Calma Nordica

A Coruña, Galicia, Spain
A sanctuary of calm inspired by the rural barns of northern Europe, rich in luxurious simplicity and secluded among the picture-perfect landscape of northwest Spain.
Bedrooms: 3
Sleeps: 6 (+1)
From
£215 / night

Amsterdam The Crane by YAYS

Amsterdam, Netherlands
Experience a taste of the high life in an iconic, refurbished crane offering luxurious living, an outstanding location and unbeatable views across Amsterdam East, North and the IJ-River.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£265 / night

Cerchio Del Desiderio

Pianella, Abruzzo, Italy
Italy's very first geodomes, luxuriously positioned amongst the olive trees and rolling green hills of Abruzzo.
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: 2-4 per unit
From
£70 / night (yurt, low season)

Cocondo

Hoek van Holland, South Holland, Netherlands
A historic World War Two telephone bunker, transformed into a sustainable and design-led family retreat with captivating stories to tell, secluded beneath the coastal dunes in Hook of Holland.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 2 (+2)
From
£117 / night

Cabanes des Grands Lacs

Chassey-lès-Montbozon, Franche-Comte, France
A lush eco-friendly retreat, set amongst acres of magical forest land and sparkling lakes in dreamlike Franche-Comté.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 2-6 per cabin
From
£133 / night

Cycladic Private Island

Cyclades, Greece
A luxurious and versatile retreat for secluded holidays and large group celebrations amongst clear turquoise waters and soft sand, infused with the magical myth and legend of ancient Greece.
Bedrooms: 4-9
Sleeps: 20+
From
£30,130 (7nt)

Pedras Salgadas Park

Trás-os-Montes, North Portugal
Architect-designed treehouses and eco-houses, set within a magical century-old spa and nature park in northern Portugal.
Bedrooms: 1 or 2 per house
Sleeps: Varies
From
£170 / night

Retro Camping Bus

Arrabal, Leiria, Portugal
A beautifully restored vintage bus with a private pool, parked on a welcoming family farm, and surrounded by fruit and olive trees in the heart of rural Portugal.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 4
From
£90 / night

Nebesa

Nr Kobarid, Soca Valley, Goriška, Slovenia
Peaceful, scenery-showcasing chalets set far from the beaten tourist track, on the unspoilt slopes of Slovenia's remote Kuk Mountain.
Bedrooms: 1 per chalet
Sleeps: 2 per chalet
From
£178 / chalet / night

Eco Fisherman's Cottage

Arrieta, Lanzarote, Spain
A quaint and historic off-grid retreat, featuring soothing sea views and an authentic slice of rustic village life in Lanzarote.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps:
From
£110 / night

A Terra

São Teotonio, Alentejo, Portugal
Secluded Portuguese eco-glamping, set beside a sparkling lake in the refreshing ‘slow lane' of life.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: Varies (2-4 per tent)
From
£115 (2 nights)

Macaronesian Eco Suites Caves

San Cristobal de la Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Live in harmony with the natural world in a Tenerife cave suite steeped in rustic luxury and just a short drive from the beach.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
From
£158 / night

Windmill Villas

Santorini, Cyclades, Greece
Scenic tranquility amidst the cool Aegean breeze awaits you from your private, sun-soaked Santorini home from home.
Bedrooms: 2 per unit
Sleeps: Up to 5
From
£279 /night

Nordisk Village Puglia

Manduria, Puglia, Italy
Sleep under the stars, in a hygge-infused cotton tent secluded on the mesmerising grounds of an ancient wine estate in the heel of Italy's ‘boot', with dreamy white-sand beaches practically on the doorstep.
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: 4 per tent
From
£130 /nt

Pella Roca Spa Cabins

Labastide-de-Penne, Midi-Pyrenees, France
If you have ever wished for a treetop escape with all the indulgence of an exclusive spa, that's exactly what you'll find at Pella Roca Spa Cabins - an incredible treehouse spa retreat in beautiful southwest France between Toulouse and Bordeaux.
Bedrooms: 1 per cabin
Sleeps: 2 per cabin
From
£179 / night

Attrap'Rêves

Allauch, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Attrap'Rêves is an incredible, unusual and romantic retreat in the French countryside, which will certainly have you and your loved one bubbling over with excitement...
Bedrooms: Studio
Sleeps:
From
£133 / night

GoOutside Venice

Cavallino-Treporti, Venice, Italy
Visit Venice and relax, indulge and revel in the Great Outdoors, Italian style at a beachside glampsite offering gleaming airstream trailers and spacious Nordisk tents.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: Up to 4 per unit
From
£52 / night (tent), £107 / night (airstream)

Les Ormes Domaine & Resort

Dol-de-Bretagne, Brittany, France
A welcoming family accommodation and activity centre, set on a two-hundred acre French country estate.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: Varies
From
£86 / night

Vedetta Lodges

Scarlino, Tuscany, Italy
Five-star, dog-friendly glamping in the beautiful Tuscan countryside, complete with a warm Italian welcome!
Bedrooms: 1 per lodge
Sleeps: 2-4 per lodge
From
£123 /night

Coup 2 Foudres

Saint-Jean-de-Blaignac, Aquitaine, France
Two stylish and romantic ‘wine barrel' rooms, nestled in the heart of Bordeaux vineyards with soothing views, a delicious breakfast, and wine tasting all included!
Bedrooms: 2 x One Bedroom Studios
Sleeps: 2
From
£128 / night

Art Hangar

Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy
Stray from the beaten Tuscan track at Art Hangar, in an industrial hangar transformed into a unique loft space that's perfect for creative dreamers.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
From
£1,655 (7 nights)

novanta

Bibbiena, Tuscany, Italy
It's probably easier to think of your stay at novanta as a relaxed gathering amongst friends, rather than a traditional Tuscan holiday - yet even this description doesn't go quite far enough! 
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: Varies
From
£105 / night

Glamping Canonici di San Marco

Mirano, Venice, Italy
A pioneering taste of nature and luxury await, in a glamping paradise set just 20 minutes from Venice.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 2-6 per tent
From
£108 / night

River Camping Bled

Bled, Upper Carniola, Slovenia
A refreshing, eco-and-family-friendly retreat amongst nature at its most magical, surrounded by Slovenia's breathtaking Julian Alps.
Bedrooms: 2 per cottage
Sleeps: 4 per cottage
From
£128 / night

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