It’s hard to escape inflated prices if you want to plan a holiday during the summer months, but certainly not impossible. Cities such as Prague and Krakow offer reliably budget-friendly holidays year round but you can also save by visiting somewhere unexpected. Take Basilicata, near the heel of Italy, which offers rural adventures amid mountains and culture in the shape of historic city Matera. Or Auvergne, in the heart of France, where hiking and biking are the most popular summer pursuits. And then there are the comparative savings to be made. Then there’s the destination hacks… if you’re after Greek islands, for example, Corfu can work out considerably cheaper than Santorini or Mykonos. Here are 18 ideas for an affordable summer break.
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Each year, the Post Office Travel Money Family Holiday Report ranks various resorts according to the total cost of things like a three-course evening meal for two adults and two children with wine and soft drinks; a cup of coffee; sunscreen, and insect repellent. Marmaris, on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, regularly features among the top one or two cheapest destinations on the list. In 2025, the latest edition, it came in at No 1. That has much to do with the lira’s ongoing struggles, making Turkey a great option for those keen on saving money. The soft sand of family-friendly beaches beckons along the coast, and local providers offer scuba or snorkelling trips. Don’t miss the boat tours to Dalyan’s mud baths and Iztuzu beach — a prime nesting habitat for turtles.
Surrounded by bars and restaurants and offering access to its own private beach, Premier Nergis Beach Hotel is great for those who want to do a little more than just fly and flop.
For a longer trip, Intrepid Travel’s eight-day Sail Turkey itinerary takes you from Fethiye to Bodrum in a traditional Turkish gulet.
We’ve all heard of Dubrovnik and Split, and everyone knows someone who has holidayed in Hvar, Korcula or Brac recently. But Porec? Located on the Istrian peninsula, in sight of Italy, this attractive seaside resort combines a red-roofed old town and gold-flecked, 6th-century basilica complex with close-by beaches and stalactite-topped caves. More pertinently, two domestic hospitality groups — Valamar and Plava Laguna — operate a number of hotels and resorts, keeping prices low, as do a cornucopia of apartment rentals. With lots of coastal cycling paths negating the need for taxis, Porec ranked No 14 on the 2025 Family Holiday Report. When it comes to dinner, try hand-rolled Istrian macaroni-like pljukanci pasta.
Overlooking the Adriatic, the Valamar Riviera Hotel & Residence is also close to the ferry terminal for boat trips.
Active travellers will love the eight-day Istrian Cycle Explorer tour from UTracks, which departs from Porec and also stops in Buzet, Rabac, Pula, and Rovinj.
utracks.com
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Mostly concentrated around its elegant harbour and ancient defensive castle, this resort lines the southwestern coast of Cyprus and is nearly always warm. Paphos’s biggest plus point over rival Limassol is that visitors can easily make do without hiring a car. Most all-inclusive resorts provide airport transfers, taxis are affordable and the sprawling Paphos Archaeological Park, containing Roman ruins with superbly preserved mosaics, is nearby and only a few pounds to enter. Be sure to add a Blue Lagoon boat excursion to the itinerary as well.
Just a 15-minute walk from the Tombs of the Kings, Kefalos Beach Tourist Village is a relaxed waterfront hotel with all-inclusive packages.
The eight-day Archaeology of Ancient Cyprus tour from Brightwater Holidays is a top pick for any budding history buffs.
brightwaterholidays.com
Bordering Puglia on the ankle of boot-shaped Italy, Basilicata is dominated by mountains. It also happens to be one of Italy’s most affordable regions, though Matera can be more expensive. In the Dolomiti Lucane you can hike, ride one of the world’s fastest ziplines — the 75mph “Angel’s Flight” (May to early November) — and stay at bargain-priced agriturismos serving top-notch meals. Or you could just make for the coast: sandy coves tempt either side of Maratea, where cool hotels and tinkling churches tumble down to sea. Be sure to visit Matera itself, around whose ancient cave houses James Bond was chased in No Time to Die.
Hilly Matera is packed with tiny hotels and B&Bs. La Casa di Ele sits in the historic centre, with a charming terrace from which to soak up the views.
Taking in the highlights of Campania, Basilicata and Puglia, the nine-day Hidden Treasures of Southern Italy tour from Globus is a fabulous romp through the rugged south.
According to the cost-of-living website Numbeo, few European cities have cheaper cost of living than Kosovo’s capital, Pristina. And no wonder, in a place where you can gobble down three daily, filled burek pastries for €5 (£4) with yoghurt on the side. Taxis and buses also cost a pittance, making it a bargain to navigate from the incredibly ugly, wire-covered, Communist-era National Library building to old hammams or buzzy markets. And so is car hire, so consider driving around more of this compact, little-visited Balkan country. Must-sees include its 700-year-old Gracanica monastery, spectacular walking trails criss-crossing the Rugova Mountains and handsome Prizren, a baklava-making city whose fortress overlooks the elegant, Ottoman-era Sinan Pasha Mosque.
With a pool and big bedrooms, the Hotel Prishtina is one of the capital’s premier places to stay — and yet B&B doubles frequently cost less than £100.
Intrepid Travel’s two-weeks Kosovo, Albania & Macedonia Explorer small-group tour devotes five days in Kosovo.
On that same Numbeo list, one of the most affordable city for restaurants in western Europe is where you’ll also find Portugal’s oldest cathedral. Yet while Braga remains a religious centre — the beautiful 600-year-old Unesco-listed Catholic shrine, Bom Jesus do Monte, is here — this ancient centre is also home to a lovely old town and some river beaches nearby. Not to mention the country’s longest running bakery, which makes cakes from Roman recipes. Braga is only 45 minutes away from Porto airport.
Typically good-value is Burgus Tribute & Design Hotel, which can arrange food or golf-themed outings; its restaurant serves local cuisine.
Picture Perfect Portugal, a group tour from Cosmos, stops at Braga as well as Guarda and Coimbra.
cosmos.co.uk
While the stag-do days of heart-stoppingly low prices are behind us, the Czech capital remains a potential BFF for your bank account. Happily cheap are accommodation options in neighbourhoods beyond the cobbled old town (try cool Karlin or Holesovice), pints of pilsner, the reliable public transport network — not least bus-metro transfers from the airport to the centre for a few pounds — and short denni (daily) menus offered at lunchtime by many restaurants. Cheaper still is strolling around Prague’s honeycomb medieval centre and gasping at all the grandeur, gardens and street art — because it’s free. Include an amble across Charles Bridge, ideally at dawn or dusk to dodge the crowds.
Offering both private and hostel-style shared rooms, quirky boutique hotel MeetMe23 is right next to the train station and is a short walk to the city’s main attractions.
Consider incorporating Prague into a longer European tour. The nine-day Bohemian Dream itinerary from Globus also takes you to Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna.
This Portuguese favourite is ranked third on the same Post Office report, which is not bad for a region renowned for on-tap sunshine and sandy shores. Other Algarve highlights include affordable surfing outings in Albufeira and rice terraces in the Monchique mountains. Cash-conscious travellers should aim to stay in Faro or Portimao. Look out for the €10 (about £8.50) prato do dia set meals (often lunch-only) and, with car hire costs spiralling, consider travelling around by Uber, train or the reliable bus network. All offer bang for your buck. Photographing Sagres’s red-hatted lighthouse of Cabo de Sao Vicente is a highlight.
Try the well-pitched NH Marina Portimao Resort. It’s further from the beach than some hotels (albeit only about 500m), but it has gorgeous marina views and three outdoor pools.
See the Algarve’s other side with Exodus Adventure Travels, which offers an eight-day guided Walking Portugal’s Wild Algarve tour.
In a valley below tree-clogged mountains, the Bosnian capital has been named as a brilliant budget bet by Eurochange. The currency firm reckons you can enjoy three-course meals for under £11 per person, while accommodation remains good value for money. Factor in bargain beers and direct, low-cost flights and you really won’t need to spend much while exploring multicultural Sarajevo’s vibrant pubs, tea houses, hookah-perfumed bazaars and Latin Bridge — where the assassination of a certain Franz Ferdinand triggered the First World War. You can also learn about the more recent Siege of Sarajevo — crucial to understanding this city — on an educational tour.
Centrally located Hotel VIP is well placed for exploring the sights of Sarajevo’s old town.
Sarajevo plays a starring role in Intrepid Travel’s eight-day Bosnia & Herzegovina Adventure, a fully guided itinerary that also includes visits to Jajce, Mostar, Konjic, and Umoljani.
Spain’s best-known costa can offer good value for money, especially as all Spanish beaches are free by law. Resorts vary wildly, though: Torremolinos suits cash-strapped holidaymakers, but glamorous Marbella and Estepona are more expensive. Emphatically ticking the beach, nightlife and LGBTQ-friendly boxes, “Torre” is also near Malaga — often the lowest-cost airport to fly into, and an economical city to explore in itself. Tickets to its hilltop Alcazaba fortified palace cost next to nothing, or you can visit it and and the Castle of Gibralfaro for free on Sundays afternoons. Don’t miss free walking tours and art in Malaga’s rejuvenated city centre.
The Hotel Mariposa is right in the centre of Malaga, making it a great spot for city breaks.
The ten-day, fully guided Moorish Andalucia tour from Explore! takes you on a loop through southern Spain from Malaga, and includes visits to landmarks such as Granada’s Alhambra Palace, the Alcazar of Seville and Mezquita in Cordoba.
Several airlines, including budget-friendly Ryanair, fly from Britain to this far-flung Portuguese island’s capital, Funchal, while restaurant prices are similar to those in affordable Lisbon. Transport tends to be the biggest cost once you’re there, as buses are unreliable and Ubers non-existent. Aim to stay in or near Funchal and opt for levada hikes or swimmable volcanic pools, which are relatively easy to get to and free. Return ferries to the smaller island of Porto Santo and its sandy beaches cost from about £50pp.
Close to the ferry terminal, Funchal’s Savoy Palace is a resort-style hotel with six restaurants and a choice of pools.
The eight-day Walking in Madeira itinerary from Explore! takes you all over the island on a fully guided group tour.
Avoid the capital Valletta (although even that’s hardly exorbitant) and you’ll find that few hotels or all-inclusives in Malta will break the bank. Plenty of bedrooms around this small Mediterranean archipelago cost under £100 a night room only, sometimes even in July or August. Spring and autumn, when it remains warm, are even better; the latter season also delivers warmed-up seas. It’s free to sunbathe on most beaches, and happy-hour specials are common at bars. The main isle’s resort town of Sliema, just north of Valletta’s castles and cathedrals, is a good bet. Be sure to spend a day visiting the island of Gozo too — the surrounding waters are popular with divers.
With stunning harbour views, the Waterfront has an indoor pool and complimentary access to Aqualuna Beach Lido.
If you want to do away with a hire car but still want to sightsee, the eight-day Malta and Gozo Discovery tour from Explore! is a great way to see both islands on a short trip. The tour ends in Sliema, where you’ll have the option to stay on independently.
Corfu remains one of the cheapest Greek islands, coming in at No 12 on the 2025 Post Office report. You can reduce restaurant costs (which aren’t that high anyway) by purchasing streetside gyros (rotisserie meat swathed in flatbread alongside salad and lashings of tzatziki), and save on car hire or taxis by braving the bus system or hiring a scooter from about £15 per day. Hotels are affordable if booked in advance (or, if you dare, at the very last minute), especially in the south, while return flights from London can be as little as £80 in October. With fridges often included in rooms here, it’s easy to shop in supermarkets and pack picnics for days out. Options include a visit to the island-like Vlacherna Monastery and tiny Mouse Island beyond.
Family-run Hotel Costas Golden Beach is steps from the pebble-and-shingle beach at Agios Georgios, and is a favourite for returning guests.
Visit Corfu as part of the eight-day Ionian Islands Bike & Boat tour from UTracks, which combines sailing and cycling your way around stops including Parga, Lefkada, Cephalonia, Ithaca, Meganisi and Paxos.
utracks.com
A long-standing favourite among budget travellers, this Black Sea base came in second on the 2025 Post Office report. Though well known for nightclubs, Sunny Beach also excels at child-friendly resort hotels full of facilities. Activities — from catamaran cruises and mud baths to scuba dives, go-karting and jet-skiing — are readily available; there are also Greek, Roman and Byzantine remains for history hounds to inspect in the ancient town of Nessebar, two miles south. Most people jet into nearby Burgas, but you can also fly via the capital, Sofia, for a dose of street food and domed churches.
Away from the main strip, adults-only Secrets Sunny Beach Resort & Spa offers all-inclusive packages that allow you to simply kick back and relax.
Take to the water with a half-day Black Sea catamaran cruise, including lunch and the chance to swim and snorkel.
Along with those other large Canary Islands with direct UK flights — Tenerife, Fuerteventura, La Palma and Lanzarote — Gran Canaria suits anyone travelling on a budget. All-inclusive stays frequently cost less than £100 per night here; the trick is to avoid central Maspalomas or Playa del Ingles and stay nearby in the likes of Bahia Feliz, San Agustin or Arguineguin. Modestly priced and reliable public transport makes it easy to reach the beach; you can catch a bus up to the beachside capital, Las Palmas, for still more modest prices.
A great option for families, Tui Blue Orquidea is a beachfront hotel in Bahia Feliz with its own splash park for little ones.
Why not consider a no-fly break? P&O Cruises has round-trip itineraries from Southampton that visit Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands before returning to the UK.
The Greek islands may be the main draw for the summer, but capital Athens has plenty to offer too. It helps that all of the budget airlines fly here. In August, most Athenians will have fled for their own holidays, making it a much less crowded city, but restaurants, bars and museums will remain open. Speaking of museums, the Acropolis will be your biggest expense at about £30 in summer, with many museums and galleries costing under £10. If the city heat gets too much, there’s also the Athens Riviera for beach time. Meanwhile, the Monastiraki flea market rivals any in Paris, so save your pennies and buy your souvenirs here.
With a fantastic view of the Acropolis, Herodion Hotel is well located for sightseeing.
For something a little different, the ten-day From Istanbul to Athens tour with Globus gives you a chance to explore how the histories of these nations intertwine.
globusjourneys.co.uk
The Post Office Travel Money also compares the costs of city breaks in Europe, and Krakow — Poland’s second city — ranked among 2025’s most affordable in terms of day-to-day costs. There’s plenty to delight kids in this cultural powerhouse, starting with Wawel Royal Castle and its fire-breathing dragon sculpture and armoury. Eight miles southeast and easily visited on tours, the vast Wieliczka Salt Mine contains an underground lake and ornate, rock-carved chapels — but, be warned, plenty of walking is involved. Then there are sightseeing cruises, nearby thermal baths (try Bialka Tatrzanska) and the Pinball Museum’s retro ready-to-play machines. The Polonia Wax Museum is also worth a visit — it’s a cheaper, queue-free version of Madame Tussauds.
Overlooking Krakow’s main square, the Bonerowski Palace is a gorgeous boutique hotel in a historic building offering affordable luxury.
Explore! offers an eight-day Highlights of Poland tour with stops such as Krakow, Wroclaw and Warsaw, offering an insight into their fascinating history.
One of the most inexpensive regions in France, unsung Auvergne sits west of Lyon. Here you’ll find the Chaîne des Puys — a line of extinct volcanoes (and Unesco world heritage site) amid forests, quaint villages and Romanesque churches. Even the ski resorts here are low-key. In summer, biking (from mountain to electric) and hiking are popular pursuits thanks to waymarked trails. And, this being France, you’ll eat well: Auvergne produces five protected-status cheeses for starters, with weekly markets an economical place to pick them up. Be sure to take in pilgrimage town Le Puy-en-Velay, below plumes of petrified lava.
For a characterful stay, book Maison au Loup, a B&B in the historic centre of Le Puy-en-Velay.
The ten-day French Food Lover’s Le Puy Camino tour from UTracks takes you on a gastronomic pilgrimage.
utracks.com
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