Rise of the Mumcation – half a dozen places to treat your mum to a trip this Mother’s Day, with direct Manchester Airport flights from £26pp return*

It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday – and if you’re planning to treat her to a surprise getaway, you’re not alone.

Although the traditional choices of chocolates and flowers remain popular, lots of us will be whisking our mums away from the stresses of their daily lives, or even buying them a flight ticket to head off on their own for some solo R&R.

A study last year found that as many as 25% of young brits were spurning a holiday with friends or partners to take their mum away instead – in what has been dubbed the rise of the ‘Mumcation’.

And if you’d like to get in on the trend, Manchester Airport’s unparalleled network of more than 200 destinations, served by more than 50 airlines, means you’re spoilt for choice on where to go. Whether she’d love a spa day, a wine tasting or something more adventurous, the North’s hub airport has you covered – and here we run through six intriguing options with fares starting at only £26pp return.*

Relax in a spa town beloved by the stars

Fly to Pisa with Ryanair from £26pp return.*

Italy’s finest spa town, Montecatini Terme, has been hosting the rich and famous for over two centuries. Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Arnold Schwarzenneger, Coco Chanel and Christian Dior are among the stars to have flocked here for the restorative properties of the town’s thermal springs. In fact, more than 200 celebrities have plaques on Montecatini Terme’s Walk of Fame.

Aside from its nine historic spas, the town is famous for its art nouveau style architecture and sweeping views of the Tuscan countryside from the hilltop overlooking the town.

Montecatini Terme is just over an hour away from Pisa – meaning you can also treat your mum to a delicious meal under the world-famous Leaning Tower as part of the same trip. Pisa has direct flights from Manchester Airport with easyJet, Jet2.com and Ryanair.

Enjoy the botanical gardens of the Italian Lakes

Fly to Milan with Ryanair from £30pp return.*

If your mother is the sort of lady who knows her Geraniums from her Petunias, you could do far worse than the Italian Lakes when planning your next getaway. Como, Maggiore and Garda are all famous for their stunning botanical gardens and for the horticultural showmanship on display in the streets lining the lake shores.

Highlights include the terraced gardens of Isola Bella, an island on Lake Maggiore, 14 acres of landscaped gardens at the Villa Carlotta on Lake Como – which also boasts a frieze of Alexander entering Babylon, commissioned by Napoleon – and the Heller Garden in Lake Garda.

All three lakes are easily accessible on public transport from Milan – which has direct flights from Manchester with easyJet and Ryanair.

Soak in the atmosphere on a Danube river cruise

Fly to Munich with easyJet from £22pp one-way and from Budapest with Ryanair from £41pp one-way*

The mighty Danube traverses 10 countries across nearly 2,000 miles from the Black Forest to the Black Sea – and thanks to a huge range of river cruises, you can explore the diverse range of cultures and landscapes it offers in one trip.

A popular itinerary begins in Regensburg – only 85 minutes by direct train from Munich Airport, and famous for its well-preserved medieval Old Town on the banks of the Danube – before travelling downstream through cities including Linz, Vienna and Bratislava before arriving in the vibrant city of Budapest. This stretch of the river can be travelled in just a week, but allows you and your mum to enjoy a range of cultural highlights in iconic cities, punctuated by beautiful landscapes in between.

You can get to Munich from Manchester with easyJet or Lufthansa, while Jet2.com, Ryanair and TUI all serve Budapest.

Indulge in a Swiss chocolate making class

Fly to Zurich with easyJet from £55pp return.*

The Swiss have an appreciation for the finer things in life – and if your mum does, too, then treat her to the decadence of Zurich. It’s a city with premier, high-end luxury shopping on Bahnhofstrasse, copious five-star hotels and spas, a refined culinary palette and – of course – luxury chocolate.

You’ll find everything from brands known the world over and renowned for their quality, like Lindt & Sprüngli, to a litany of independent chocolatiers selling handmade and artisanal products and even, in many cases, offering you the chance to try your hand at chocolate making yourself.

Both easyJet and SWISS offer direct flights to Zurich from Manchester.

Sample fine local wines in the French countryside

Fly to Bordeaux with easyJet from £59pp return.*

Maybe your mum’s idea of unwinding involves putting her feet up and pouring a glass of wine – in which case, you could think about a trip which combines the peace and tranquility of the countryside with the chance to sample some of the finest wines France has to offer, at source.

The Bordeaux region is a viticulture powerhouse with over 60 distinct AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) wine regions, and its bold red blends are its signature, combining Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere, among others. You can try them out at one of the hundreds of wineries of various sizes offering tours and tastings. Many even have on-site chalets or accommodation.

Live it up in Las Vegas

Fly to Las Vegas with Virgin Atlantic from £862pp return.*

Not all mums are made the same – and while some peace and quiet might be the order of the day for many, others might want to let their hair down and hit the town.

If that sounds like the kind of trip you’d want to share with her, there are few places on the planet that offer the thrill of Las Vegas – the self-styled Entertainment Capital of the World, with its bustling nightlife, extravagant shows and dizzying array of visitor attractions, from water parks to cultural festivals and world-class sports.

You might even find the time to hire a car and venture out of town on a day trip to see two world-famous sites nearby – the enormous Hoover Dam, which powers the city’s famous neon lights, and the jaw-dropping natural spectacle of the Grand Canyon.

*Prices quoted are the cheapest available fare from Manchester before 28 February 2027, when booked directly through the named airline, and are accurate at the time of publication. Prices quoted may not include hold baggage, seat selection or other optional extras.