Cheap summer holiday flights to Ireland and Europe in July 2019
- Dublin, Ireland
- Cologne, Germany
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Oslo, Norway
- Bordeaux, France
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands
You deserve a summer holiday. OK, so you’ve left it a bit late to book this year, but hey, you’ve been busy! Don’t worry – even though we’re entering the peak holiday season, there’s no reason to pay a premium for flights, you just need to follow a couple of rules.
First, aim for European city breaks rather than beach destinations: flights from Ireland to Spanish resorts might be spendy, but flights to places like Copenhagen are a snip. And second, check out business hubs: tonnes of flights go to Cologne and Amsterdam, meaning it’s easy to get a bargain. Business doesn’t have to equal boring – here’s our alternative take on some bargain summer destinations.
1. Donegal to Dublin, Ireland – flights from €72 return*
First-time visitors to Dublin might be surprised by the city’s vibrant café culture. The Irish capital might not have the temperatures of the Mediterranean, but it’s certainly got the vibe. Temple Bar is packed with cobbled streets and cool cafés, from the hugely popular Italian café Dunne & Crescenzi to the more traditional Irish Brick Alley Café. Further afield, just by the Grand Canal, you’ll find possibly the best coffee in the city at 3fe.
Dreaming of a massage after a long day exploring the city? Put up your feet and let us guide you with our list of the 10 best spa hotels in Dublin.
2. Knock to Cologne, Germany – flights from €26 return*
Possibly this city’s greatest attraction is the enormous river that bisects it. Boat trips along the Rhine in July are a great way to take in Cologne’s relaxed atmosphere while enjoying a drink or two.
And remember we said that business doesn’t have to be boring? Well, if you delay your trip until August, you can witness the great and good of the gaming industry descend on Cologne for Gamescom (20-24 August 2019), the largest video game exhibition in Europe. Gamescom is open to the public, so you can sample all the latest video games for yourself.
Thinking of booking a cheap summer holiday flight to Cologne? Here are 10 not-to-be-missed attractions for the perfect Cologne city break in 2019.
3. Dublin to Copenhagen, Denmark – flights from €91 return*
Speaking of trade shows, in July the city plays host to the Copenhagen Jazz Festival (5-14 July 2019), which bills itself as ‘one of Europe’s most important international music events based on eminent artistic quality and a sharp focus on new departures in both Danish and international jazz’. So if you enjoy multicultural music jams in an uber-stylish European capital, Copenhagen has you covered.
Fans of debauchery, on the other hand, are encouraged to gorge themselves at the 60 or so independent food stalls of the Torvehallerne indoor market, followed by a boozy tour of the Carlsberg brewery. Hic.
Find cheap flights to Copenhagen
4. Dublin to Oslo, Norway – flights from €95 return*
Whereas Dublin has a laid-back café culture, the Norwegian capital has a ruthlessly hip coffee scene. Oslo-ites take their coffee seriously, and joints like Tim Wendelboe, Supreme Roastworks and Stockfleths compete to provide a supreme cup of joe, as served by world-class baristas. Whatever you do, don’t ask for instant. Once you’ve drunk your fill, haul your caffeine-maxed, jittering body aboard a ferry for a tour of the hundreds of beautiful islands surrounding the city.
Oslo features on our list of six best city breaks for summer 2019.
5. Cork to Bordeaux, France – flights from €122 return*
Think of Bordeaux and you’re most likely to think of wine. And indeed, an enjoyable few days can be had touring and sampling the produce of the region’s vineyards – even if you don’t remember any of it afterwards. But it’s also home to some top-notch art: the famous Musée des Beaux-Arts boasts a collection that includes works by Rubens and Titian, but the CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art is equally worth a visit.
Looking for cheap family holidays in Europe this summer? Bordeaux made our list of top family destinations for August 2019, among other hot spots in Spain, Italy and more.
Find cheap flights to Bordeaux
6. Dublin to Amsterdam, the Netherlands – flights from €67 return*
Like Oslo, Amsterdam is famous for its coffee shops – although unlike in Oslo, many visitors don’t go there for the coffee. But away from the city’s most infamous pastime, there’s an array of different things to see and do. Number one on your list should be a boat trip along the famous Amsterdam canals to admire the beautiful architecture of the canal-side houses. Follow that up with a trip to the world-famous Rijksmuseum, featuring artworks by Rembrandt and Vermeer, and end your day with a cocktail in the Skylounge… or a night out clubbing if that’s more your sort of thing.
There’s plenty of things in the Dutch capital to keep you entertained: here are nine of the best things to see and do on a city break in Amsterdam.
Find cheap flights to Amsterdam
More tips on how to get cheap summer holiday flights:
- Monitor particular flight prices with Skyscanner Price Alerts
- Use the Skyscanner App to find cheap flight deals
- Use Skyscanner’s Whole Month or Cheapest month tools to find the cheapest days to fly to your destination
- Read our list of 15 ways to get a free upgrade on your next flight
*Updated June 2019. All flight prices mentioned in this article are estimates of the cheapest prices as found using Skyscanner’s flight search tool, for return flights in July 2019, 1 person, economy. These are subject to change and were correct at time of writing on 17th June 2019.
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