Looking for new ways to escape for a sneaky short break?  A new website launched today, 101 short breaks (www.101shortbreaks.co.uk), is exclusively dedicated to the subject. The ideas for holidays in the UK, Europe and beyond have been hand picked by two of Britain’s leading travel writers.

Many original, unique short breaks are featured: you can sleep on a luxury yacht moored in a marina in Devon, spend a weekend in Tromso, Norway to marvel at the Northern Lights, go retro and rent a classic VW Camper or take the Eurostar to Lille to eat at a legendary seafood restaurant, L’Huîtrière.

 

The site has been compiled by Mark Hodson and David Wickers, who between them have 40 years of experience writing travel articles for national newspapers and magazines. They launched their first site, 101 Holidays, in January 2009.

 

101 short breaks features many of Mark and David’s personal favourite getaways including Ferme du Vert, a working farm just 30 minutes from Calais, and Hisa Franko, a stylish small hotel in Slovenia’s Soca Valley, perfect for hiking breaks.

 

Visitors can explore the 101 holiday recommendations by hovering over a grid of images on the homepage. They can filter the options by budget, destination or experience (for example, “I want to be romantic”, “I want to be amazed” or “I want to hit the beach”).

 

Featured breaks cover all budgets, from a £60 working weekend with the National Trust to a day trip to Paris by private jet with a Michelin-starred lunch (£998 per person based on six people sharing).

 

Other original short break ideas include a photography course in Liverpool, wakeboarding in the Cotswolds, stand up paddleboarding in Cornwall (easier to learn than surfing), a survival course on Dartmoor, tennis coaching in the Alps and exciting city break ideas including Leeds,  Athens, Belgrade, St Petersburg and Cairo.

 

Mark and David’s first site, 101 Holidays, has been a huge success. It was named by The Times among the Hot 10 Websites for 2009, and was shortlisted for two prestigious industry awards.

 

You can follow 101 Holidays on twitter @101holidays for regular updates.