A last-minute break on the Greek islands

It’s all too easy when you’re juggling work and home life to let summer creep up on you. Before you know it, you’ve only got a few weeks until your annual leave begins and you still don’t have a destination, let alone flights, a hotel and a hire car.

If this sounds all too familiar as you check the date on your desktop, here’s an idea for you: the Greek islands.

Monarch has some cheap holiday deals that could really appeal, but value for money isn’t the only reason to visit Greece this summer.

Sunshine

There’s no need to start checking looking through the weather records if you decide to book a last-minute break in Greece.

On any given week you’re almost guaranteed sunshine and warmth. On the largest of the Greek islands, Crete, for example, there’s hardly a drop of rain in July and August, making it the perfect antidote to the showers common in the UK during the summer months.

You can also expect both average air and sea temperatures to be in the mid 20s – proper shorts and T-shirts weather.

Accessibility

Perhaps you’ve only got a few days to steal a break while the kids are at the grandparents and you’re between projects in the office, so you don’t want to spend two days of your holiday travelling.

Kefalonia, one of the closest Greek islands to the UK, is only 3h30 from London by plane, meaning you can realistically head to the airport in the morning and be soaking up the sun on a white-sand beach by the afternoon.

Other islands with their own airports – minimising the amount of interchanges and travelling you need to do – include Crete and Zante.

Choice

One of the worries with booking a last-minute vacation is finding out that everywhere you want to stay is fully booked.

However, with the Greek islands there’s so many to choose from and such an extensive amount of hotels and villas that you can be sure to find something within a stone’s throw of a great beach even at short notice.

Although each island has its nuances – from the party atmosphere on Zante to the peace and quiet of Ithaca – what they all have in common is fabulous weather, beautiful beaches and friendly, welcoming locals.

Bang for your buck

If you haven’t had much chance to fill up your piggy bank before you’re due to go away, you’ll appreciate the very reasonable costs you’ll encounter on the Greek Islands.

A recent Post Office Travel Money report placed Corfu at number one on a list of best value destinations in Europe for a three-course meal with drinks for a family of four, with Crete just behind in fifth position.

Best beaches

And if you needed any more reasons as to why you should make the Greek islands your last-minute destination, then take a look at the Travellers’ Choice Awards 2013.

Of the top 25 beaches in Europe, a fifth of them were Greek – underlining the beauty of the extensive coastline in the country.

With so much going for it – climate, proximity to the UK, natural beauty, value for money – there’s only really one place to consider for this summer.