21-05-2025
Our travel team's favourite affordable Europe holidays including hidden islands, quiet beach towns and cheap cities
STILL planning that European holiday but on a budget? Knowing where to go this summer without splashing the cash can be tricky.
But there are still some amazing ways to see bucket-list destinations without spending too much.
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The Sun Travel team have used their expert knowledge from travelling the globe to find their affordable destinations to visit this summer.
Greek island hopping by cruise
Want to enjoy the delights of the glamourous Greek islands Santorini and Mykonos without breaking the bank?
A seven-night cruise visiting SEVEN Greek islands onboard the Celestyal Journey this June will set you back just £84 a night and include all your food.
I tried one of this Greek cruise line's shorter four-night cruises and still managed to tick off five islands including the Instagram favourites of Mykonos and Santorini alongside the gentler delights of pretty Paros and Rhodes.
Celestyal's ships are smaller - and older - than many other lines but their size means they can get closer to the action and the Greek hospitality onboard is second to none.
This cruise on the Celestyal Journey includes the chance to enjoy the delights of both Santorini and Mykonos after dark, with the ship arriving at 8am and not departing until 2am.
Other stop offs include Thessaloniki, Kusadasi, Crete, Milos and Athens.
And with breakfast, lunch and dinner all included as well as your tips, wifi and entertainment, it's a great-value way to enjoy the A-lister islands without paying a fortune.
And going in June - when the weather is guaranteed to be gorgeous - will mean fewer crowds than in peak season.
- Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
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Northern French coastal towns
France has heaps of coastline, but its fancy French Riviera usually hogs much of the limelight followed by the south west of the country that looks out over the Atlantic.
Which is a shame, because many of the coastal towns in the north of the country are both very easy and cheap to get to, and a great way to spend a few days.
Two of my favourites are Wimeraux in the in the Pas-de-Calais region, and Trouville-Sur-Mer in Normandy.
They are both particularly great as they can be reached within 30 minutes of a French car ferry port, which can be taken from £97.
Wimeraux is a quaint seaside town with a beautiful sandy beach and promenade, lined by elegant Belle Epoque villas.
The town has a number of hotels from £99 and holiday apartments from around £80 a night, and the little bistro restaurants have retained the old French charm.
Despite its proximity to Calais, it feels largely undiscovered by Brits - but it's perfect for a few days on the continent before you fill the car up with cheese and wine on the return journey.
Meanwhile, Trouville-Sur-Mer has long been a popular holiday destination with both the French and the Brits.
It's a large coastal town with a huge sandy beach and some very nice seafood restaurants, as well as a grand casino.
Equally great for wasting a few hours are the many brocantes that populate the surrounding countryside in quaint barns.
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Cesme, Turkey
The Brits have been infatuated with Turkey as a summer holiday destination for decades now, and the prices for hotels and plane fares have risen accordingly.
But the town of Cesme on the country's Aegean coast , about half an hour's drive from Izmir is still largely undiscovered by tourists.
I paid for some £40 flights last summer and spent a week exploring the area's beaches and attractions.
Cesme has seen a boom in fancy restaurants and bars in recent years, with several high end establishments now holding Michelin stars.
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But my favourites were the relaxed seafood restaurants along the harbourfront, where a meal for two can still cost under £50.
Much like the restaurants, several luxury boutique hotels have moved into the area in recent years, but you can still get a room for under £50 a night.
It's worth hiring a car to explore the local vineyards and some of the quieter beaches along the peninsula.
Lisbon, Portugal
No matter how popular it gets, Portugal still seems to top the affordability charts when it comes to European holidays.
And while Lisbon has certainly seen prices rise substantially over the last decade, cheap Ryanair flights, affordable hotels and budget eats mean the Portuguese capital can still be a very wallet-friendly destination.
Flights are still available from £100 next month, despite us entering peak holiday season, and decent rooms can be found from around £70.
Plus, when you get there, so much of Lisbon is cheap.
For starters, it's a very walkable city (if you're ok with hills and steps), and the bars sell wine by the glass for as little as £2.50.
Then there's the pastel de nata's - one of the country's most popular dishes can literally be bought for £1.
Time Out Food Market is also an excellent place to visit if you're looking for fantastic food at affordable prices.
- Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel
Faro islands, Portugal
The Algarve is another part of Portugal Brits love going for a cheap holiday.
But most tourists flying in to Faro head straight out of the city and over to the beach resorts.
Yet there are some amazing tiny islands that you almost have to yourself and are extremely cheap to get to.
My favourite was Ilha Deserta, also known as Barreta.
The speedboat from the mainland only cost a few euros, and takes just 20 minutes.
It's often called the Caribbean of Portugal, and I had to agree when I was the only one walking the quiet golden sands.
The only thing on the island is the restaurant Estamine which is a must-visit, serving freshly caught seafood.
Otherwise there is also Isla Armona, slightly more built up but still just a few euros to visit but with a few cheap ice cream shacks as well.
A few euros to get your own 'private island' makes it a bucket list trip.
Seville, Spain
Seville is often seen as one of the cheaper Spanish cities, and there are some great ways to save money when there.
For example, you can get free tickets for two of the top attractions, if you know where to look.
For the Royal Palace, there are free tickets on Mondays between 6pm and 7pm on the website during the summer season.
And for the Cathedral, every day there are free tickets between 2pm and 3pm.
Make sure to visit Bar Alfalfa too - it's loved by locals and you can get a coffee and toast for just €2.10.
- Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Tirana, Albania
After a three hour flight, I was in Tirana - the capital of Albania - having spent only £45 on a return flight from London.
Another couple of quid got me from the airport to the city - only a half-an-hour bus ride away.
There is a reason why Tirana is an up-and-coming destination - everything is cheap.
From attractions to food, I spent no more than £100 in Tirana.
And for coffee lovers, it is a great spot as caffeine is a big thing in the city which set me back less than £2.
If I wanted to grab a pastry or sandwich too, I could have for less than a fiver total.
Much of the city can be seen from just walking around, which means you don't have to spend much money on doing things.
The central square sits in the middle of the city and often hosts a market to explore.
One thing that I regret not doing and would spend money on if I returned? Staying at Bunk'Art 2 - a former bunker that has been turned into a museum.
- Cyann Fielding, Head of Travel
