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[…] You may be interested in also checking out our blogs on How To See Rome In 3 Days or The Best Cheap Summer Destinations in Europe. […]
With summer fast approaching, beach destinations and resorts are quickly filling up so consequently, prices are rising. If you are planning to book your 2019 summer holiday soon, you either are ready to spend quite a lot of money or are looking for the cheapest destinations. If the latter, you are in the perfect place!
Trust me when I say that we have done a lot of research about the cheapest beach destinations. We LOVE the beach, so every year we always ensure that we have a summer destination in the diary – And when we do this, it’s always on a budget.
From all the places that we have visited in Europe, we’ve put together a list that combines both, beautiful beach destinations and budget-friendly holiday locations.
I have ranked them considering a price-value balance, where we are not only taking into account the low price of the destination, but also that you are getting good value for your money. This means this list is not assorted from cheapest to most expensive but ranked with my preference as the best and cheapest summer destinations in Europe.
Portugal has to be one of the cheapest destinations I have visited in Europe. Here you can have coffees for just 1€ and dinner for as little as 8€. Portugal benefits from its prime location right in front of the Atlantic sea all throughout the country – So you have multiple choices for a beach destination within this country. Even Lisbon, the capital, is situated close to the sea and has multiple famous beaches in the area; but it’s the south of Portugal (Algarve) that is best known for its beautiful beaches and seaside scenery.
And of course, Spain, the classic summer destination, had to be on the list. Spain is number 2 because while it won’t be as cheap as other European destinations, you can find some of the most beautiful beaches in places like the Balearic Islands. You can read more about the islands on my post about why Menorca is my favourite place on earth.
But Spain has many different places you can visit for a summer holiday that might be cheaper than the Balearic Islands. Some of them are the Canary Islands, Valencia, Cataluña or Málaga. Whichever area you choose, there are multiple towns where you can stay depending on your budget, all distanced fairly from the seaside.
Cyprus is an often-ignored destination by the western countries, but it is a BEAUTIFUL place that is easily accessible from many people thanks to its low prices! I invite you to read more about this destination on my blog about why to consider Cyprus for a summer holiday.
France is destination that perhaps lays a bit too far from to the ‘cheap’ label. However, I have included it in this list because you are able to make a summer trip to France, cheap. Food is not expensive if you go to the right places and you can definitely find affordable accommodation as long as you don’t expect a luxury hotel. I like France because it is different from any other European summer destination. In certain areas of the French Riviera you are able to experience ‘luxury on the cheap’. If this is something that interests you, then I recommend that you check out our post about how to see Nice on a budget.
Finally, even though we have never been to Poland, we’ve added this country to the list because Poland has a very good reputation for its low prices! It is not a popular European summer destination because the Baltic sea is not as warm as those of the countries above, but it is common for Polish people to enjoy their summers at the local seaside. In addition, Poland is extremely cheap! To give you an idea, you can have a soup for just 1€. If you are interested, check out any of the towns around the Baltic Coast for a cheap, sunny holiday.
Thanks for reading! Hope this list of the best and cheapest summer destinations helps you plan your next summer holiday
Please let us know in the comments if you know any other places you would have added to the list or if you have a preference of any of the above!
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[…] You may be interested in also checking out our blogs on How To See Rome In 3 Days or The Best Cheap Summer Destinations in Europe. […]
MARIA DEL MAR PINAR SALAS
I always like the ideas you bring.
Aditi Sharma
Thanks for this budget friendly travel list. There are so many amazing destinations one can visit during summer on a trip to Europe. I haven’t been to Spain and Portugal yet but these are on our bucket list for sure. Will refer to your post when we plan our next vacation.
Summer - travelingsummer.com
Awesome list! I agree – Lisbon is definitely a beautiful destination and very affordable! I would love to see more of Portugal. You should check out Croatia as well. Dubrovnik was fairly economical and had gorgeous beaches and water too. 🙂
-Summer
travelingsummer.com
NALBA TRAVELS
Thank you! I’m actually going to Croatia in September but to the area of Pula ☺️ And I just got back from Portugal so keep an eye on my blog to read more about this beautiful country!! Thanks for reading x
Epepa Travel Blog
Actually, my husband and I have to decide where to go on holiday this year. We are looking for places a bit off the beaten path and not very expensive. We like Croatia the most, but from time to time it’s worth getting a new place. I think I would like to go to Portugal, there is a lot of interesting architecture and many instagrammable spots. I am glad that you mentioned Poland because it is my country. You mentioned that it is extremely cheap here. You know, when I go abroad, everything seems to me 2-3 times more expensive than in my country and it is not a good feeling. 🙂 In any case, I recommend you visit the Baltic Sea! Beaches are beautiful and you can really relax there from the hustle and bustle.
NALBA TRAVELS
Thanks for the recommendation! It is definitely something I want to visit soon ☺️ and you should definitely try Portugal! I’ve just gotten back from Algarve and Lisbon and it’s so beautiful. I’ll be posted more about this place very soon if you’re interested ☺️
Epepa Travel Blog
Yes, I am interested! I have seen many pictures from Lisbon with old yellow trams and magnificent buildings. Visiting this city is my dream.
NALBA TRAVELS
Aw I hope you can visit soon! I just posted a blog about Algarve that you can check out here: https://nalbatravels.com/the-best-5-things-to-do-in-algarve-portugal/ and one about Lisbon here: https://nalbatravels.com/lisbon-in-24h/
Eden Fite
I always love a good list of affordable destinations, especially one about Europe in the summer. I usually advise people to avoid Europe in the summer due to the crowds and high prices, but I love how you include less traveled destinations like Poland.
Daniel
I was expecting to see some of the Balkan countries on this list but still, these are interesting choices too. Cypres is one of my favorite summer getaways in Europe.
NALBA TRAVELS
Unfortunately I haven’t visited any of the Balkan countries yet! I will be going very soon and then I’ll write about them 🙂
Non stop family
Hi. Great list. France I think is the most expensive of the list but, the others I find that you can really have a great time with no much money needed. And, in Portugal, my country, you can have a great time and it can be a very affordable destination 🙂
NALBA TRAVELS
Portugal é um dos meus países favoritos na Europa!! Estou ansiosa por voltar. I just got back from Algarve and I loved it!
Anita
I am glad you mentioned Poland, where I am from. There are so many spots to discover from lakes, beaches, mountains to stunning architecture and heritage. It’s cheap also 😀
NALBA TRAVELS
I know right!! I personally haven’t been but I can’t wait to visit 🙂
Ujjainee
This is really very much important topic for me as my group of friends in Europe on their work. I would love to share your content with them as it would be helpful to them for planning their trip.
NALBA TRAVELS
Thank you! Means a lot to me that you find this useful 🙂 Please share it with your friends and let me know if they need more information I can write some dedicated posts x
Shane Prather
So many people think that travel in Western Europe has to be expensive…not true! These are great choices. I really want to experience the beaches and culture of Portugal.
NALBA TRAVELS
I couldn’t agree more! Portugal is a beautiful place, I have some posts about this country you can read here if you are interested! https://nalbatravels.com/category/europe/portugal/
Paul RYKEN
How many European countries have you visited? When you talk about price verse value, are you referring to accommodation, transport, food or activities or a combination? Is this for single days or multiple days?
We have travelled through a few European countries recently and document all our expenses to show what it does cost to travel full-time. Check them out here: https://minimalistjourneys.com/category/travel-journeys/afford-your-trip/
NALBA TRAVELS
I’ve been to 17 european countries in total! But there’s still a lot I have to see 🙂 When I talk about price vs value I take everything into account for multiple days. Very cool your documentation of expenses! Thanks for sharing
Shreya Saha
That is a great list of economical destinations in Europe in summer when prices soar due to high tourism. Portugal and Spain will definitely go to my list and I would love to spend some time in the beaches there, especially the Canary Islands as mentioned by you.
NALBA TRAVELS
Glad you found it useful!! Yes I would definitely recommend spending some time visiting the beaches in Portugal and Spain they are amazing!