Ancient Rome, coral reefs and dinosaur bones – 11 educational half-term family breaks with a difference, with direct flights from Manchester Airport
February half term is nearly upon us – and if you’re pondering a last-minute getaway with the kids, the good news is that this is one of the best school holidays of the year to bag a late deal on a flight.
Many of the world’s top tourist sites are quieter at this time of year, giving you more freedom to explore what they have to offer at your own pace.
Better still, you can give your children a chance to learn first-hand about some of the things they may have covered in school recently, from Ancient Romans and Egyptian mummies, to outer space and dinosaurs.
Manchester Airport flies to more than 200 destinations on four continents, so whatever piques your kids’ interests, you’re sure to be able to find a flight there – and maybe learn a thing or two yourself as well!
Explore Belfast’s Titanic Museum and Causeway Coast
The Titanic Museum on Belfast’s waterfront pays testament to arguably the most famous ship ever built – recounting the story of its construction right here in the city’s docks, up to its fateful voyage across the Atlantic. The museum houses the slipways where the ship was constructed, a huge range of interactive exhibits and galleries, and the SS Nomadic – the last surviving ship built by White Star Line, the constructors of the Titanic – which is open for tours.
Once you’re done at the museum, take a tour up the picturesque Causeway Coast, culminating at the famous Giant’s Causeway – one of the UK’s foremost geological wonders.
Ryanair will fly you from Manchester to Belfast during February half term from as little as £39pp return.
Step back in time in a Belgian WWI trench
Sanctuary Wood, on the outskirts of Ypres, has some of the best preserved First World War trenches to be found anywhere. This section of the Front was held by British and Canadian troops and you’ll find war cemeteries and grand memorials to both nearby. The extensive In Flanders Fields Museum, in the town centre, brings together wartime exhibits and personal reflections of those who fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the war, including the First Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Passchendaele, which both took place nearby.
Ypres is around an hour and a half’s drive northwest from Charleroi Airport, where you can still get direct flights from Manchester with Ryanair during February half term week from a bargain £52pp return.
Walk with dinosaurs in Berlin’s Natural History Museum
Europe’s biggest collection of dinosaur fossils is housed at the Natural History Museum in Berlin. The jewels in its crown are the largest mounted dinosaur fossil in the world – a 40ft-tall Giraffatitan – and a well-preserved Archaeopteryx, the feathered dinosaur species described as the evolutionary ‘missing link’ between dinosaurs and birds. The museum also houses a large collection of meteors and space rocks, and the largest piece of amber in the world.
There are tons of other fascinating things to see and do in Germany’s capital – from tours of the Berlin Wall and the Berlin Story Bunker, a recreation of Hitler’s underground hideout, to the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlinische Gallerie, a world-renowned museum of modern art.
You can still fly to Berlin from Manchester from just £91pp return in February half term with easyJet.
Learn about earthquakes in Lisbon’s award-winning museum
On 1 November 1755, a huge earthquake struck off the coast of Portugal’s capital city, reducing large areas to rubble. Half an hour later, 20ft tsunami waves crashed through Lisbon’s port and city centre. More than 50,000 people lost their lives in one of Europe’s worst-ever natural disasters – but it became the first major earthquake to be studied scientifically, rather than being explained away as an act of God, and it still shapes our understanding of earthquakes and tsunamis today.
The award-winning Lisbon Earthquake Museum tells the story of what happened that day, with reconstructed streets showing the city as it was in the mid-18th Century, along with interactive exhibits and earthquake simulators. You can then explore the modern streets, rebuilt after these events, on Lisbon’s iconic funicular trams.
Flights to Lisbon from Manchester with TAP Air Portugal during February half term start at a very reasonable £134pp return.
Snorkel the reefs and lagoons of Malta
There’s a whole other world beneath the waves, and if your kids are learning about the oceans, ecosystems and the need to protect them at school, Malta gives them a chance to see all this first-hand. Its coral reefs extend for miles around its coastline and boast an abundance of marine life including colourful fish, rays, eels, octopus, crabs and cuttlefish. Some of the best spots to explore include the Blue Lagoon, a shallow stretch of water between the islands of Comino and Cominotto, and Xlendi Bay, in the southwest of Gozo. When you’re done at the beach, you can learn more about Malta’s unique reef habitats at the impressive Malta National Aquarium.
Fly to Malta with easyJet from £153pp return during February half term.
See the sights of Ancient Rome
Legend has it that Rome was founded by the brothers Romulus and Remus, who were raised by wolves after being abandoned at birth, before establishing a new city on Palatine Hill at the direction of the Gods. The hill remains at the heart of modern Rome, and scattered around it are the well-preserved ruins of what was once the centre of European civilisation.
Visitors can take in sights like the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Arch of Titus and various temples, while a portion of the ancient city’s network of streets has been excavated and is open to tours. The Capitoline Museums nearby bring together ancient artifacts and archaeological discoveries.
You can fly to Rome from Manchester with Ryanair for £182pp return during the February school holidays.
Discover the ruins of Pompeii
Another ancient Roman site which holds a special place in the imagination for young historians is the lost city of Pompeii, destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. A thick layer of ash encased the city and preserved its streets, houses, temples, furniture and artworks, as well as creating casts of people and animals in their final moments. The site covers nearly 200 acres and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering unrivalled insight into daily life in a Roman city nearly 2,000 years ago.
Pompeii is less than 15 miles from the centre of Naples, which is a historic city in its own right, with sections of its nearly 3,000-year-old city walls preserved in the Piazza Vincenzo Bellini. It’s also the birthplace of pizza – so be sure to grab a slice while you’re here.
Ryanair flies to Naples from Manchester, with return flights during February half term from £218pp.
Go stargazing on La Palma
Manchester Airport doesn’t offer flights to outer space – yet – but you can get the next best thing. There are very few better places to take a budding astronomer than La Palma in the Canary Islands. Roque de los Muchachos Observatory is set in the stunning Taburiente National Park, at an altitude of more than 2,000m above sea level – where it is free from cloud cover and light pollution, ensuring crystal clear views of the night sky. The observatory has one of the largest arrays of telescopes in the world and its visitor centre is open year-round, with pre-booked tours also available.
Take in a starry night from the observatory and when you’re done, head to Astro La Palma, where you can try your hand at night sky photography.
TUI flies to La Palma from Manchester with prices from £221pp return.
Go in search of monsters at Loch Ness
It’s one of the UK’s most infamous legends – but what is truly lurking at the bottom of Loch Ness?
The Loch Ness Centre explores the history of Britain’s largest freshwater lake and also charts the sightings and scientific attempts to investigate ‘Nessie’ down the years, with a series of interactive exhibits. After you’ve toured the visitor centre, take to the waters of the Loch with Deepscan Cruises and search the depths using the world-class sonar equipment on board. Your cruise will also take you past the ruins of Urquhart Castle, a Highland landmark on the Loch’s shores.
At the northern end of Loch Ness is Inverness, and you can catch a direct flight there during February half term from £233pp return with Loganair.
Unearth the secrets of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt has fascinated kids and adults alike for centuries, and the spectacle of the sun rising over the Pyramids of Giza is hard to top. Temperatures hover around the high teens and low twenties in February, perfect for getting out and about on foot and exploring one of the world’s most important archaeological sites.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in the heart of modern Cairo is a sprawling complex housing thousands of exhibits from all eras of Egyptian history, up to the present day. Its Royal Mummies’ Hall contains the remains of 20 kings and queens, and other items on show include statues, fabrics and medical instruments.
Visit Cairo from Manchester with EgyptAir. Flights during the coming half term start at £525pp return.
Mingle with the Mayans in Mexico
If you’re happy to take the kids a little further afield, a truly memorable experience awaits in Mexico. The Yucatan region was at the heart of the ancient Mayan civilisation, and many of their cities and monuments are remarkably well preserved, including the stunning Chichen Itza – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Tulum, a Mayan outpost on the Caribbean Sea, boasts a stunning backdrop of white sand coast and is also open to the public to explore – and the huge water park at Xcaret, near Playa Del Carmen, mixes fun and adventure with educational experiences like watching a recreation of the Mayan Ball Game, an ancient sport played by the lost civilisation.
All of these attractions are in easy reach of Cancun. Flights during February half term from Manchester start at £1,178pp return with TUI.
* Prices quoted are available through the named airline on direct return flights from Manchester Airport during the February half term period (13/02/25 – 23/02/25) and are correct at the time of publication.