While it’s possible to have an affordable break in many European destinations, some countries undoubtedly offer more value than others. Here are some destination ideas:
Malta is a firm favourite with families and senior travellers. While it’s now in the Eurozone, it remains good value. It’s also sunny all year round – take advantage of this and book a beach holiday in October. Malta is also a very easy destination, as everyone speaks English, the public transport is easy to negotiate, and there are enough sights to keep you occupied for a week or two. Buggiba is one of the most affordable resorts, and has a range of restaurants, hotels and pubs to keep you occupied.
Bulgaria is well served by flights for holidaymakers looking for great value for both beach and skiing holidays. Prices for food, drinks and excursions in Bulgaria resorts are much more affordable than their equivalents in Spain – in fact, your holiday money will go further in Bulgaria than almost anywhere else. The mega-resorts of Sunny Beach and Golden Sands are all easily accessible and have accommodation for all budgets – if you prefer somewhere quieter, then stay in Elenite or one of the Bulgarian towns; Varna in particular has a lot to do. From any of these places, it’s easy to book excursions into the interior of the country, and its also possible to do an overnight trip to Istanbul.
Poland also offers great value, and is particularly worthwhile if you’re more interested in art, culture and history than beach holidays. Krakow and Warsaw are both popular destinations – both have medieval old towns, castles, cathedrals, museums and great nightlife, and a wide range of hotel accommodation. Much of the rest of the country can be visited from these two cities.
Most major European destinations offer a wide variety of accommodation choices. While the exact circumstances vary from town to town and country to country, here are some general pointers to get you started:
All over Europe, pensions or guesthouses are a good choice. Often family-run and reliant on repeat custom, they generally provide breakfast, and are less anonymous than large hotels.
The summer school holidays are generally in July and August. If you can, then May, June and September still generally have good weather but prices are lower and there are fewer crowds.
Staying in a family home can be an option, particularly if you want to learn a foreign language and stay in the countryside. Schemes operate in much of Eastern Europe, and some parts of Western Europe.
Accommodation around the coasts and major attractions is often in large package resorts. These are generally cheap to stay in, but bear in mind that prices for food and drinks in the resort will be much more expensive than outside. Try exploring on your own to get the best of both worlds.
There are campsites near many European cities, which are often near public transport routes, so you don’t need to worry about driving into town. Campsites are also a great option for the countryside too. While it may not be feasible to take your camping gear with you on holiday, many sites offer self catering bungalows, chalets, static caravans or log cabins. The larger sites have evening entertainment, most will have at least a pub or café within walking distance.
In cities, budget chain hotels often offer good prices when booked in advance. Another option is hostels – most have dormitory beds for backpackers, but will also have four-bed rooms that you can book, or doubles, with or without en-suite bathrooms.
Some, normally expensive, museums are discounted or free at certain times – check before you go. Some attractions be free all of the time, including the British Museum in London and Kelvingrove in Glasgow.
A picnic in a park is a fine way to do a bit of sightseeing and save on money, even in the most expensive cities (check what the locals do before you crack open a bottle of wine, though!).
