A beach volleyball short break without using up your holiday: to the sea with bridge days

You've only got a few days of holiday left, but your feet are already itching for sand? With the right "bridge" between a public holiday and the weekend, two to three days off are often enough for a beach volleyball short break by the sea. At the moment this only really works well at one of our locations: Sunsation Beach in Gandía, Spain – because there you can travel flexibly and individually, while our other camps run as fixed weeks with a minimum stay. (As of: August 2026)

What is a bridge day and how does the principle work?

A bridge day is a single working day between a public holiday and the weekend that you take off to connect both sides into one long block of free time. The classic example in Germany: Ascension Day is a movable holiday that always falls on a Thursday, because it's 39 days after Easter Sunday – in 2026 that's Thursday 14 May. If you only take the Friday off as well, one single day of holiday gives you a long weekend from Thursday to Sunday, i.e. four days in a row.

If you want to get even more out of it, add the whole week before: Monday to Wednesday plus the Friday after the holiday add up to four days off – and that becomes nine consecutive free days, from the Saturday before to the Sunday after. The same principle works with Corpus Christi (also always a Thursday, 60 days after Easter) or with fixed-date holidays like the Day of German Unity on 3 October, whenever it falls on a weekday. The weekday changes from year to year – so it's always worth checking the current calendar before you plan your short trip.

Why is Sunsation Beach in Spain especially suited to a short trip?

Because there – unlike at our other camps – you can arrive and leave flexibly and individually instead of committing to a fixed minimum stay. That makes Sunsation Beach the only Volleytours location where a short trip around bridge days can be fitted in really easily.

Getting there works too: there are lots of direct flights to Valencia and Alicante, and the last stretch to Playa de Gandía on the Costa Blanca is a comfortable drive of around an hour – a rental car is especially worth it for two or as a group. The light, palm-lined sandy beach is reminiscent of Santa Monica Beach, with restaurants, bars and nightlife within walking distance. And because the season runs for many weeks in a row – in spring from 21 March to 31 May 2026, in autumn from 19 September to 25 October 2026 – you'll almost always find a week that can be combined with a public holiday in your region.

Why are the other Volleytours camps less suited to a short trip?

Because they're deliberately set up differently: Ravenna and the Rimini Beach Bash in Italy, Durrës in Albania and our camp on Crete run as fixed camp weeks with a minimum travel period – usually from Sunday to Saturday, without shortened or individually adjustable arrival and departure. That's not a disadvantage, it simply suits a different type of trip: if you're planning a whole week's holiday anyway, you get an all-round organised package of training, tournaments and community there.

For a quick trip with just a few days off, though, that's not ideal – a camp where you can only arrive on Sunday and leave on Saturday can't simply be squeezed into three or four days. So our honest advice: for a short break around bridge days, Sunsation Beach in Spain is currently the right choice – for your big annual holiday, Ravenna, Rimini, Crete or Albania are just right.

How many days off does a short trip to Gandía really cost?

That depends on your individual travel plans – and that's exactly the advantage of Sunsation Beach: because arrival and departure are flexible, you can adapt your stay to the days off you have, rather than the other way round. If, for example, you combine one Friday off with the weekend and travel on Thursday evening after work, you already get three to four days on the beach out of a single day of holiday. If you want a whole week, plan as usual with training, tournaments and community programme – then the regular camp structure matters more.

How to plan your beach volleyball short break in Gandía in 4 steps

First: check the public holiday calendar for your region and mark holidays falling on a Thursday or Tuesday – those are the most efficient bridges. Second: check the available weeks at Sunsation Beach in your preferred period and talk to us about how flexible your arrival and departure can be within the week. Third: book your direct flight to Valencia or Alicante as early as possible, because holiday periods and bridge days are popular with everyone. Fourth: plan a little time buffer for the journey home in case your flight lands late on departure day – so you don't start the following work week exhausted.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What exactly is a bridge day?

A bridge day is a single working day between a public holiday and the weekend that you take off to connect both sides into one long period of free time.

Why does a short trip only work well at Sunsation Beach in Spain?

Because there you can arrive and leave flexibly and individually, while our other camps (Ravenna, Rimini Beach Bash, Crete, Albania) are organised as fixed weeks with a minimum travel period.

What's the quickest way to get to Gandía?

With a direct flight to Valencia or Alicante; from there it's around another 60 minutes by car or public transport to Playa de Gandía.

Does Ascension Day always fall on a Thursday?

Yes – because the holiday is always 39 days after Easter Sunday, it falls on a Thursday every year in Germany – ideal for a bridge day on the Friday.

Do I need to be good at beach volleyball for a short trip?

No. Sunsation Beach is designed for beginners, intermediate and tournament players alike – and solo travellers are very welcome too.

Conclusion

Having little holiday left doesn't have to mean going without sand under your feet – if you choose the right camp. At Sunsation Beach in Gandía, flexible arrival and departure let you turn just a few days off into surprisingly many days at the net. Curious? You'll find all camps and dates on volleytours.com/en/camps-events – come as a player, leave as a friend.