if you can fly from gatwick or luton look at booking flights with one of the budget airlines [dont forget to allow for hold baggage] and a hotel in either Tosse del mar area or Salou i think it will be about as cheap as you will get..

The last couple of years we have found Bulgaria and Turkey to be the cheapest for packages-I'm a little out of touch with next years prices as we haven't really decided what to do as yet, so I haven't checked around. Last year there were good AI deals around to Turkey though, which always helps with the budgeting.

Pam

Hi Bartown

A lot of the hotels in Ibiza have child prices up to 15,we've had several cheap holidays there,some even have free child places.We're having a change as we've had 8 holidays there so we're off to Cyprus next year.Try pricing some up,then you can compare different destinations.T.

Hi Wendy, I find, yup, prices do shoot up in the summer school hols, but for the last 2 years, me and son have booked a couple of months before and for both hols got a great deal (with there only being the 2 of us, this worked for us) it is also a lot busier, I found this was good for son, meeting other kids, lots more entertainment held in the hotel, etc (he did go away with his grandparents a few months later durning term time, and was sadly bored rigid, as there was not any kids his age to mix with)
We have been to Tunisia for the last two yrs and found it really cheap, even came home with money lol.

Roo

many will disagree, but i take my 10 year old after the school holidays due to the prices, o.k i know she is missing two weeks of school time, but its not as if she is studying for her exams or anything at that age, of course it will be diffrent when she does, but we always get a letter from school saying we could get a £50 fine for taking her out of school time, but i would rather pay the £50 fine than the £200 + the tour ops put on for school hols.

Try putting together your own package. Use the 'no frills' flights - book as soon as they come out. Then look for a villa or apartment on one of the many apartment/villa rental sites. Owners Direct, Holiday Lettings, Holiday Rentals are many. Most of these are far better equipped than those offered by tour operators - a lot are second homes and used by the owners for their holidays. You will also not have any under occupancy supplements.

A couple of suggestions might be the Costa Azahar - about an hours drive from Valencia or longer from Barcelona or Reus. This is still quite an unspoilt area of Spain with lovely beaches in the Alcossebre area. There are many apartments available. Another idea might be the Northern Costa Blanca - midway between Benidorm and Valencia. Again, many apartments/villas available.

Pippa