Short break holidays

When we say short breaks we mean trips that are seven days duration or less; you’ll find that most of the holidays in this category on our site are four to five days long. If you’re UK-based, like Responsible Travel is, for a short break you won’t want to travel far beyond Europe. For the most part, we keep the breaks in this section limited to ones that are no more than a four-hour flight away – Dalaman, Turkey, is a four-hour flight from London; Tunis, Tunisia: three hours; Marrakech, Morocco: three and a half hours. Our short breaks are also springboards; who says you have to fly back straight after? Spend a few days walking the Camino de Santiago with us, say, then stay on and relax (or work remote) in northern Spain.

Why not have a mini adventure? You’ll get all the excitement of being somewhere new, plus the smugness that you’ve done so without using all your annual leave. Iceland, with all its dramatic landscapes, geysers and waterfalls, makes a fantastic short break for those heading onwards across the Atlantic. Croatia’s coastal waters call all sea kayakers and sailors – and our short break adventures here involve plenty of active island-hopping. Or what about Orkney? This small Scottish Island is compact enough for a short break, but its rugged landscapes and windswept coastal walks certainly give you a good sense of adventure.

Hiding in hides, sleeping under the stars, howling for wolves; our short wildlife breaks give you a chance at full immersion in a wild environment. You get the best possible chances to look for rare and impressive wildlife – but your time in the wild is kept short and sweet – so that the ‘roughing it’ elements are more accessible to a wider range people. Our short break wildlife holidays might be brief, but in that time you can make a meaningful contribution to conservation – by reporting sightings, paying park entrance fees, and, with your presence, showing that often-overlooked areas, like wetlands and deltas, are worth protecting.

Whether you want to spend a winter weekend seeking a change in weather or some proper snow, whether you want to be back in time for Christmas, or you want to celebrate the New Year somewhere epic: our short winter breaks have something for everyone. Seeing the Northern Lights makes a great short break adventure – it’s enough time to embrace the snow and have a few action-packed days in a winter wonderland, and gives you number of good chances to see the lights without running out of steam. Take the family too, and alongside sleigh rides and starring nights, you can also learn about traditional Sami culture in the area. Elsewhere around the world, consider snowshoeing or winter walking instead of downhill skiing – a peaceful way to spend a few days, without relying on water-intensive fake snow.

Who says that your short break should stay in one place? A short break on one of our small ship cruises gives you changes of scene, but a lovely, relaxed pace – so you can get away from it all, even if you’re returning soon. In four or five days you could explore a pretty area of western Scotland’s coastline and islands, spotting wildlife and eating local seafood. Alternatively, why not sail down the Nile on a traditional felucca: a lovely, peaceful way to see the scenery, from a boat that’s small and unobtrusive enough that you can moor up, visit and support Nubian communities along the way.