Where to take your teen for a post-exam holiday

Treating teens to a celebratory trip after sitting their GCSEs (or A levels) is a growing trend – an “exam-moon”, if you will. Three of our i-escape parents (who also happen to be our three expert hotel hunters) are well versed in this, their offspring now coming to the end of their schooling years. Here they tell us where they went with their kids, as well as where they advise going for a post-exam holiday, along with some top tips for travelling with teenagers.

Before you go…

Choosing the right place for you and your teen is the most important part of an exam-moon. You’ll need to take their interests into consideration: does your youngster like to sun themselves by a pool, or do they prefer to keep active, or to learn about new cultures? Some parents choose to go city-hopping around Europe (where teens can experience the bright lights under your watchful eye!), while others want a once-in-a-lifetime trip that both child and parent will remember forever. Here are some other things to consider…

A vibrant mini-break in Berlin

Michael Cullen, Co-founder

Like most of our 16-year-old son’s plans, this one took shape at the last minute – but was mercifully easy to arrange. We wanted an easy European escape which would give Oscar and his fellow GCSE-survivor Jamal a taste of the bright lights (without being dazzled), a nudge outside their comfort zone (without being put off), and a little dose of culture (or, indeed, counter-culture).

Berlin came up trumps. It beats to a youthful, disruptive pulse. There’s eye-catching 21st-century architecture of all shapes, sizes and colours; frequent bursts of street music and art; refreshingly raw WW2 homages which our young men seemed to enjoy; boat trips and clean-water swims on the River Spree; and a general sense of a city which, like a teenager, is still finding its new identity. Plus – and I admit this was higher on our priority list than theirs – a chance to use their newly-tested GCSE German.

Logistics are simple. Flights to Berlin – including direct ones from Bristol, Manchester etc – are plentiful and affordable. Check out the Berlin Welcome Card for free city transport and discounted admissions to sights: from €36 for 3 days, or pay a bit more (we did) to include Potsdam and Brandenburg airport.

I’d recommend staying as centrally as you can afford: you don’t want to waste time travelling in from the suburbs. There is tons of accommodation, from cheap chains to funky little boutique hotels – like the Arte Luise Kunsthotel, which is brilliantly placed (15 mins’ walk to Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate & Museum Island), extremely quirky (one room is called “Click Here for Emotion”, to give you an idea), and also wallet-friendly (rooms from £49/night with shared bathroom, or from £69/night with ensuite).

An action-packed adventure in Sri Lanka

Nadine Mellor, Kids Collection Editor

It had been years in the planning. What to do with those few precious weeks after the Big Exams when they don’t go back to school, and yet other family members are still stuck in the classroom? I had promised to take each child away on a bucket-list trip post-exams, and we had fun choosing where to go.

My daughter Esme finished her GCSEs mid-June. We wanted to head somewhere that was new for us both, somewhere with lots to do and see so we wouldn’t get bored, and by extension then get bored of each other. Esme loves history and had enjoyed her Religious Studies course, we both loved Asian spices and wildlife and, of course, we wanted some time poolside to relax along the way. Sri Lanka ticked all the boxes – and more.

The country is big enough for a lot of variety in landscapes and experiences, and small enough to navigate with ease. We decided a car with a driver (booked through Tailormade Trips Sri Lanka) was an excellent arrangement for us both, as we saw the maximum of sites with the minimum of effort, and learned so much about Sri Lanka along the way. We tried to choose places where other teens were likely to be staying – one afternoon I went off on a hike with the lodge’s naturalist, and Esme preferred to stay in the pool with newfound friends, which was exactly the right thing for us both to do.

There was exciting wildlife to see – from monkeys by the side of the road to snakes and mongoose, loads of colourful birdlife, and some big-ticket numbers in elephant and leopard. The locals were extremely friendly and accommodating, the food was fantastic everywhere we went, and we were impressed with the thousands of years of history well-preserved in World Heritage sites. We learned a lot about Buddhism, and Esme even learned some sentences and phrases in Sinhala! We had a simply fantastic time.

A relaxing beach break in Croatia

Nikki Tinto, Co-founder

My daughter had no interest in travelling with her boring old parents after completing her A levels this year (instead she went to Amsterdam with a bunch of mates – I tried to be cool about it). But friends of mine with slightly younger children have been asking for my advice on where to go for a post-GCSE getaway. I told them I’d choose a sunny Croatian island for some much-needed downtime by the sea.

After months of stressful revision and exams (for parents as well as the children), your immediate need is likely to be a fly-and-flop destination – somewhere with warm sunshine, a pool, maybe a beach. But give it a few days of decompressing, and teens start to get itchy feet, so allow for some fun activities too.

Tara’s Lodge on Korcula is the perfect place for combining both. It’s small, stylish and peaceful with just 10 rooms, a pool, a small private beach, watersports, and an atmospheric bistro and bar right by the sea, with fabulous insta-worthy views of the bay. Late June is an ideal time to visit before it gets crowded and when flights and rooms are better value.

Getting there is easy: simply fly to Dubrovnik (flights with Easyjet and BA from Gatwick and Heathrow). And there’s no need to rent a car – take a private transfer from Dubrovnik by car and a short boat trip (about 2.5 hours in total). You could also spend a night or two in Dubrovnik on the way there or back. My friend (who went with my Korcula recommendation) chose to stay at The Byron, a lovely guesthouse in the charming old town, for the last two nights before flying back to London.