Summer holiday trip to a famous Italian city with flights from Birmingham Airport from just £24

Holidays abroad can be expensive, but the good news is that with Birmingham Airport right on your doorstep, you can have bargains. The other problem with summer holidays is that you and your partner may want different things.

Reporter Emily Chaplin faced both problems and found a vacation that was perfect for her and her husband and fit right into their budget. They headed to Pisa, Italy and discovered that the tourist city has much more to offer than the famous tower.

Even better, the one-way flights cost less than £50 for both of them, reports BirminghamLive. Here’s what she had to say about the trip…

When it came time to book our summer vacation this year, my husband and I were undecided. He wanted a city break somewhere with lots to do, but I wanted something nicer and more relaxing. So we made a deal.

We wanted to book the cheapest flight we could find online and plan the rest of the trip later. Feeling as spontaneous as those people who book surprise trips and show up at the airport not knowing where they’re going, we pulled up the Google Flights map, entered the dates we wanted, and crossed our fingers that we’d be flying somewhere spectacular.

Read more: Birmingham Airport issues urgent warning after security staff confiscated children’s toys

We could have flown to Toulouse in France for £45 per person, Dublin for £30 or Barcelona for £60, but one underrated destination was even cheaper. One-way flights to Pisa with Ryanair were just £24 per person each way. The decision was made.

Our holiday turned into a full-blown Interrail trip through Tuscany, starting with 24 hours in the home of the world-famous leaning tower. We landed in the late afternoon and, after a super-fast train ride from the airport, made the short walk to our hotel.

Since many travel forums we found online recommended spending no more than a day in Pisa, we weren’t expecting much — have dinner somewhere, see the Leaning Tower, and rest before heading to Florence the next day. But the city was beautiful.

Before we even reached our hotel, we had seen a tiny Gothic church (Santa Maria della Spina) that looked out of place on the banks of the Arno, strolled along the river and watched the sun set behind the Ponte di Mezzo. The nice man who checked us in told us that Piazza dei Miracoli was just a couple of minutes’ walk away, so we caught a glimpse of the illuminated Leaning Tower before dinner.

It looked even more impressive than in the pictures and I didn’t know that there were other incredible buildings in the same square. Also, the square was pretty empty. After dark, there were no crowds of tourists – just a few people taking bouquet photos while no one was watching and couples walking their dogs.

We strolled around the courtyard and then headed back to our hotel to find something to eat. The charming streets were lined with restaurants and food stalls serving al fresco meals. Some offered dinner deals – a pizza with a glass of Aperol Spritz for €15.

We ended up ordering pasta and my creamy truffle ravioli was some of the best Italian food I’ve ever eaten. We spent the rest of the evening in the same spot, drinking wine and chatting while other couples strolled by, enjoying their late-night gelato.

The next morning, the same streets were unrecognisable, the buildings now glowing in various shades of yellow in the sunlight. After a breakfast of cornetto con cremas and cappuccinos, we set out to explore as much of the city as possible before taking the train to Florence.

We went back to the old cathedral square to take a selfie with the tower, strolled a little through the narrow streets of Borgo Stretto – a medieval district that is considered the center of Pisa – and admired the historic buildings in Piazza dei Cavalieri. We happened upon a small park near the river that was full of colorful plants and then treated ourselves to a cappuccino in the oldest cafe in Pisa, Palazzo Agostini or dell’Ussero.

When it was time to leave, it felt far too soon. You often hear that Paris and Venice are the most romantic cities in the world, but Pisa has to be right up there.

There’s something magical about wandering aimlessly through pretty streets, chatting about trivialities over good coffee in cozy cafes, sharing a bottle of good wine over dinner and watching the sun set behind the Arno. Our 24 hours in Pisa were a whirlwind romance and we left the city feeling warm and fuzzy.

You can book direct flights from Birmingham Airport to Pisa from as little as £23.59 one way. Browse flight deals on the Ryanair website, or compare prices across different airlines using Skyscanner or Google Flights. If you’re looking to upgrade your luggage for your next trip, luxury suitcase brand Antler is offering 10% off their entire range of bags when you sign up through their website.

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