European country named as most popular holiday spot for British families in 2025
It seems growing anti-tourist rhetoric and an eruption of protests hasn't been enough to deter swathes of British families, who still plan on visiting an insatiably popular EU hotspot this year
Despite escalating anti-tourist sentiment and vows to unleash misery on Brits this summer - one particular EU destination can't seem to shake off its popularity. Last year, a record-breaking 94 million international visitors flocked to Spain and its slew of postcards archipelagos - a sharp 10 per cent increase compared to the year before.
The tourist boom will have been well received by local businesses cashing in on sun-worshipping Brits, from nightclub owners in the party-mad region of Benidorm all the way down to hoteliers in the Canary Islands. But, the staggering influx sparked controversial efforts to tackle over-tourism across the country.
2024 saw thousands of frustrated locals take to the streets in a slew of protests, armed with banners demanding holidaymakers 'go home' and even squirting tourists in the face with water pistols. Many demonstrations blamed the skyrocketing demand for short-term property rentals and second holiday homes for pricing locals out of the property market - further fuelling Spain's housing crisis.
Now, Menys Turisme Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) - which has been at the forefront of Spain's anti-tourism campaign - has promised to 'intensify' its ahead of the peak season. Pere Joan, a spokesperson and organiser for the group, previously told the Mirror: "We hope to do the same as before, by occupying the beaches in places that have a mass of tourists...
"Our capacity to mobilise people was important last year. We had two protests of more than 20,000 persons and 40,000 in one of them."
And yet, in spite of the furore, as well as the UK's grappling cost-of-living crisis, new research has found that three in ten parents are still planning to travel to Spain over the next few months. Data gathered by travel debit card brand Currensea states Spain remains a firm fave amongst British families, outranking nearby hotspots such as Italy and France. In third place is the United States of America, where 15 per cent of parents plan to take their little ones during the summer period.
Want the latest travel news and cheapest holiday deals sent straight to your inbox? Sign up to our Travel Newsletter.
In a statement sent to the Mirror, James Lynn, Co-Founder of Currensea, said Spain remained a top destination for British families, but that two-thirds (66 per cent) of parents worry about getting caught out by high foreign exchange (FX) fees when they are spending money abroad. "The value of the pound has dipped against the Euro and US Dollar over the last six months, impacting travel budgets, and global uncertainty could push holiday prices up even more than expected over the next few months meaning families need to make every penny count," he added.
"Parents are using their hard-earned savings to take their families abroad on holiday, yet millions are seeing budgets eaten by poor FX rates and extortionate bank fees. With UK travellers forking out an unnecessary £2.7bn in FX fees every year, it's vital that they have access to simple and transparent spending solutions that cut fees and make holiday savings stretch further."
Luckily, there are a slew of high-street banks and travel card companies that allow Brits to withdraw money without getting stung by extortionate transaction fees. Currensea says it has saved travellers more than £2.5 million during 2024 by cutting FX fees and eliminating hidden bank charges.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
23 minutes ago
- Metro
Britain's best island is 'the most underrated place in the world'
For the sun-soaked Channel Islands, to the rugged landscapes of the Outer Hebrides, Britain has countless islands well worth a visit. But with so many options, which one do you pick for your next getaway? New research has found the answer and, after comparing over 40 British islands, Anglesey, the largest island in Wales, was declared the best in Britain. The study looked at various factors, including weather reliability, UNESCO sites, historical properties, Michelin-starred restaurants and whether there's a vineyard or distillery, to experience local produce. Locals and tourists have long been singing Anglesey's praises, citing 'stunning' coastal scenes as far as the eye can see, and the 'panoramic views' of Snowdonia on the mainland. Other visitors have dubbed the island 'ridiculously beautiful' and the most 'underrated place in the world.' Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. So, rather than hopping on a flight to Spain or Greece this summer, why not try Anglesey instead? Anglesey's crowning glory is its beaches. One of which was recently named the country's best coastal hidden gem. Just south of Holyhead lies Trearddur Bay, which a new study has praised as one of the 'most prestigious' beaches in Anglesey. From 'crystal clear waters' to its 'quiet' reputation, you'll never have to compete with swarms of beachgoers for a spot. While you're in the area, try the Ocean's Edge Restaurant, The Driftwood Bar & Restaurant or the Sea Shanty Café for lunch. The latter sits on the beach and serves up classic fish and chips, seafood, including scallops, moules frites, and tasty Thai fish cakes. Beer battered cod fillet with homemade chips, tartare sauce and mushy peas costs 19.45, while a small plate of mussels in white wine, garlic and cream with toasted sourdough is £11.50. Though quite pricey, diners say it's worth it. The eatery is currently the number one restaurant in Trearddur Bay on TripAdvisor. Rave reviews include the 'food and service being second to none,' and the 'highlight' of one family's trip. If you're more into rock pooling, head to the nearby Porth Diana Beach. Famed for its clear still waters and soft sands, many visitors also enjoy snorkelling and scuba diving here. Holidaying with your pooch in tow? The beach is dog-friendly year-round. @ Welcome to Newborough Beach (Llanddwyn Beach) in Anglesey, Wales 🫶🏼 This beach is where the clear blue sea meets a picturesque forest, incredible mountains and wild horses roam across lovers island (Ynys Llanddwyn)🌲 Ynys Llanddwyn is where legend says that the well is home to sacred eels who can predict whether couples will remain together and be successful in love 🤍 When I visited I couldn't believe this was in the UK. It's quickly become one of my favourite places and one of the most special to me 🫶🏼 It truly is a bucket list summer destination 🌅 Make sure to save this for your next trip to Wales 🤍 #wales #ukadventure #uksummer #visitwales @Wales 🏴 ♬ Outro by m83 – 𝙡𝙤𝙡𝙖 If you've not guessed by now, Anglesey is the ideal destination for outdoor lovers. Once you've peeled yourself from the comfort of the beach, amble along the Anglesey Coastal Path, which spans 135 miles. Key locations include the walk from Holyhead to Trearddur Bay. For avid climbers, this can encompass a trek up Holyhead Mountain and a descent to the famous South Stack Lighthouse. Another highlight is Llanddwyn Island, a small but dramatic island off the west coast of Anglesey. There's also the epic views of the Menai Strait, where architecture enthusiasts can marvel at the 19th-century Menai Suspension Bridge, which connects the island to the mainland. History heads, no trip to Anglesey is complete without a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Beaumaris Castle, which the Telegraph, in their research, called 'remarkable'. Dating back to 1282, it's known as the 'greatest castle never built.' The impressive remains were constructed as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer North Wales, but with money issues and trouble looming from Scotland at the time, building work ceased by the 1320s. Adults can explore the grounds for £10.50. Children up to 17 cost £7.30. A family ticket can be purchased for £33.60. This permits two adults and up to three kids. Anglesey's landscape also makes it the ideal location for spotting wildlife. Tours are available, where you can get up close and personal with seabirds, seals, and other marine life. Perhaps the most famous is a trip to Puffin Island, a bird sanctuary and nesting site for breeding seabirds. An 80-minute cruise with Seacoast Safaris is £19.95 and takes you past the monastic ruins of St Seiriol and the old semaphore station. Of course, you'll get to see plenty of puffins, too. If adventure is calling, why not try your hand at coasteering? According to TripAdvisor, this is the best way to explore the Anglesey coastline. But it's not for the faint-hearted: for £70, you'll spend three hours cliff jumping, wild swimming, rock climbing, and scrambling along the coast. If you're a newbie, don't worry, as all tours are tailored to skill and experience level. Fancy a tipple? Llanfairpwll Distillery is known for its award-winning craft spirits, including gin and rum. They offer a guided tour for £15, where you can taste the products and see how they're made. A little more expensive at £75 is the Spirit Making Experience, which allows you to make your own vodka, rum, or gin to take home – a great souvenir idea. Word of warning: don't expect your summer holiday in Anglesey to be constant bright sunshine with Mediterranean-style heat. We are in the United Kingdom, after all. But, if you do manage to catch good weather while on the island, temperatures during June, July and August can range between 18°C and 20°C. Not boiling hot, but warm enough to go for a dip in the sea, sunbathe on the beach, or enjoy a comfortable stroll along the coast. During winter, temperatures can drop to 8°C, with highs of 11°C in November. Ultimately, what time of year you visit Anglesey depends on your travel preferences. If you're yearning for a beach day, you're better off sticking to the summer months. But if it's history, wildlife, and wild walks you're after (and you don't mind wind and rain), it likely doesn't matter too much. From London, it's a little tricky to get there. If you're heading to Anglesey by car, the drive will take around 5 hours and 30 minutes. Once you get to North Wales, near the Bangor area, take the Britannia Bridge over the water. The A55 takes you directly to Anglesey. More Trending By rail, take the direct train from London Euston to Holyhead – the historic port town and largest on the island. The journey takes approximately 3 hours and 50 minutes. A one-way ticket without a railcard at 8am on Friday 27 June costs £50. For those arriving from closer cities like Liverpool and Manchester, the journey will be less intense. Driving takes between 1 hour and 50 minutes to just over two hours. On the train, it's a little longer. From Liverpool Central, you have to change at Chester and then onto Holyhead. One-way tickets generally cost around £23. As for Manchester (either Victoria or Piccadilly), you can go direct or change at Chester. Prices range between £21 and £31. The Telegraph's report named the Isle of Wight Britain's second-best island. Sitting 12 miles off the coast of Portsmouth, this unique diamond-shaped island has a lot to offer. This is something I can confirm, because for the last four years, I've called this tiny patch of paradise home. From azure waters, golden sands, and subtropical microclimates, to tuning into French radio and spotting dolphins frolicking off the coast (none of which you'd associate with the UK), the Isle of Wight is a truly magical place. Especially in summer, which is when this 147sqm stretch of land comes to life. Alongside rugged coastal paths, chalky cliff tops and shimmering bays, there's also a thriving creative community dedicated to putting this special place on the map. Read Metro's Sophie-May Williams' guide to the Isle of Wight here. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: 'Enchanting' European city is a hidden gem with £1 pints and new £18 Wizz Air flights MORE: I stayed at Switzerland's only beach resort, the perfect escape from a chaotic world MORE: Unassuming UK village is a surprising must-visit for foodies with 'exceptional' restaurants
Daily Record
40 minutes ago
- Daily Record
British man living in Benidorm lists parts of life he 'massively hates'
A Brit who has lived in Benidorm has shared the things he hates about the popular holiday destination - and tourists will benefit from knowing about them too Last year, Benidorm saw a whopping 600,000 Brits descend on its white isles – and it's not hard to see why. Reliably good weather, a short flight and vibrant nightlife is such a strong draw that recent figures show that close to a third of visitors to Benidorm are from the United Kingdom. Benidorm is so dominated by Brits, in fact, that it's now packed with home comforts, from British pubs to full English breakfasts and broadcasting of British sports on outdoor screens. Yet, one British expat has highlighted some significant drawbacks to life in the sunny Spanish resort, sharing his gripes in a recent video. Harry Poulton, who offers travel insights and advice to his 40,000 TikTok followers under the handle @harrytokky, didn't hold back in expressing his frustrations. In his latest post, he vents about the aspects of Benidorm that he can't stand - and all of them are handy for tourists to be aware of. The influencer kicks off his rant with: "The fake alcohol drinks on Benidorm beach. Massive hate. You're going to get these people come up to you and try to sell you dodgy alcoholic drinks, and you have no idea where they're being made." He warns: "You don't even know what they're actually putting in these supposed alcoholic cocktails. Absolutely avoid them." Poulton then moves on to take down the infamous "pea-men's scam games" found along the beaches. Explaining the con, he remarks: "These [people] do dodgy games on Benidorm beach, trying to scam you out of your own hard-earned money. Horrible." He also cautions that these scammers often work with pickpockets who take advantage of distracted tourists to steal their belongings. Lastly, he touches on the notorious 'Muggers Alley', particularly criticising the women who are said to linger there hoping to rob tourists. Harry launched into a scathing rant, saying: "They are absolutely dreadful. They are ladies of the night, thieves, and are just crooks. They're going to try and rob you, take your phone. You name it, they're going to steal it." His comments sparked a wave of agreement, with one person sharing a similar experience, saying: "I was in Benidorm last week and they started following me and my family, so we stopped at a shop and they passed." Another claimed to have seen the cocktail vendors "stir them with their fingers" before hiding the "bottle in the bushes". One critic questioned: "Unbelievable! Why do people keep going?". However, the allure of Benidorm remains strong, with pints available for under £1, affordable food, and a party lifestyle - it's little wonder that revellers continue to flock to this Spanish hotspot.
Time Out
42 minutes ago
- Time Out
It's good, but it'll send your arteries straight to hell
Going for dinner at a hotel is A Very American Thing To Do. Most Brits will only eat at a hotel if they are actually staying there and can't be arsed to leave the building in order to get fed. It's fitting then, that the NoMad's newly revamped in-house restaurant is a high-octane tribute to the big, ballsy American brasserie. Previously known as the slightly more descriptive 'Atrium', the roomy, well, hotel atrium's rebrand as Twenty8 NoMad also reeks of flashy New York, utilising the kind of chaotic jumble of letters and numbers that brings to mind Manhattan staples Bungalow 8 and Eleven Madison Park. It's brash, even grating, but we'll give it a pass, as it fits the aesthetic bang on, which is all Manhattan-by-way-of-the-Marais, an extravagant Yank take on the French brassiere, complete with excessively high ceilings, balustrades and balconies. 'Intimate' it is not, but cosy is overrated, and we're struggling to think of anywhere else in London that seems at once like peak Studio 54 and the ideal date spot for Romeo and Juliet. Into this truly special space steps a lavish 'raw bar', supersized-steak frites and an entire menu devoted to the martini. Our dirty vodka offering comes with a whole second helping, courtesy of a sidecar on ice, as well as three blue-cheese stuffed olives. It's the first in a carnival of oversized (read: American) offerings. A starter of crispy artichokes, which, though deep fried, are surprisingly light, and also very big boys. It's easy to see why our prawn cocktail doesn't arrive in a bowl; it's their sheer size. Veritable baby arms of seafood (even with the heads taken off), and served with a pot of humming horseradish cocktail sauce. Then comes a bowl of mussels (all of them fastidiously turned face up), in a creamy green curry sauce accessorised with bubbly, burnished roti. It might seem inconspicuous on a menu dedicated to brassiere classics, but it works through sheer dint of its deliciousness - and yes, they also seem larger than your average bivalve. Mains too are mighty, and a glossy lobster pasta is almost demonic in its execution. Using what we can only assume is an entire block of butter, a hearty grind of black pepper, smattering of chives and huge lumps of lurid lobster, the chef has created a dish worthy of beelzebub's own dinner party. It's good, but it'll send your arteries straight to hell, is what we're saying. Did we have room for dessert? Did we heck. A minty grasshopper cocktail stood in for an actual pudding, and, in true bountiful American style, we were packed off with a small box of chocolate bon-bons. Bigger isn't always better, but it certainly seems to be when you're at Twenty8 NoMad. The vibe A very good-looking hotel restaurant. The food Epic portions of French/American bistro classics. The drink There's a whole martini menu as well as classic cocktails and high-end, high-price wine. Time Out tip Far be it from us to intentionally undercut a restaurant, but the starters here are sizable. If there's two of you, it wouldn't be out of the question to order one each and then a main to share along with a side.
