Cheap Travel Destinations This Year

Budget · 6 min read · Published 2026-04-16

Stretch your budget further with these affordable countries where your money goes a long way.

Finding a holiday that doesn’t clear out your savings account usually involves a trade-off between convenience and cost. However, currency fluctuations and the rise of secondary-city flight routes mean that several world-class destinations are currently offering exceptional value for British travellers.

Albania: The Mediterranean’s Best Kept Secret While crowds flock to the Amalfi Coast or the Greek Islands, those in the know are heading across the Adriatic to the Albanian Riviera. Albania offers the same turquoise waters and white pebble beaches as its neighbours but at a fraction of the price. Sarandë and Ksamil are the headline acts, where you can find fresh grilled octopus and a glass of local wine for under £12.

The capital, Tirana, is a quirky, colourful base for a few days before heading south. It is one of the few European capitals where a pint of local draught beer (Lasko or Peja) costs roughly £1.50 and a hearty three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant rarely exceeds £15 per person.

• **Flights:** Around 3 hours from London (Gatwick, Luton, or Stansted) to Tirana. Off-peak returns can be found for as little as £40 with low-cost carriers.
• **Accommodation:** Expect to pay £30–£50 per night for a high-quality boutique hotel or a sea-view apartment.
• **Local Tip:** Hire a car to reach the best beaches. Rental prices are roughly £20–£25 per day, but the coastal roads are winding, so factor in extra travel time.

Poland: City Breaks Beyond Krakow Krakow remains a bargain, but for even better value and fewer crowds, look towards Wrocław or Gdańsk. Wrocław, known as the 'City of Dwarves', is built around a stunning medieval market square and a series of islands linked by over 100 bridges. It is arguably one of the most aesthetic cities in Europe, yet it remains significantly cheaper than Prague or Vienna.

Gdańsk, on the Baltic coast, offers a different vibe with its maritime history and amber trade. Despite its northern location, it is a bustling summer destination with sprawling sandy beaches nearby in Sopot.

• **Eating Out:** A ‘Milk Bar’ (Bar Mleczny) offers a glimpse into Poland's socialist past with subsidised, home-cooked food. You can get a plate of pierogi (dumplings) and a bowl of borscht for about £5. Even at upscale restaurants, a main course usually sits around £10–£12.
• **Flights:** Flight times are approximately 2 hours 15 mins. Direct flights from London, Manchester, and Birmingham are frequent, often costing £35–£60 return if booked a month in advance.
• **Daily Budget:** £40 per day covers comfortable accommodation, food, and sightseeing.

Vietnam: The Long-Haul Value Choice If you are willing to endure a longer flight, your sterling will go incredibly far in Vietnam. Once you arrive, it is arguably one of the cheapest countries in the world for the quality of experience provided. The cost of living is so low that the biggest expense will always be your flight ticket.

In cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, world-class street food—like a bowl of steaming Pho or a crusty Banh Mi—costs between £1.50 and £2.50. Domestic travel is also very affordable; a sleeper train from Da Nang to Hue or a domestic flight between the north and south often costs less than a train ticket from London to Brighton.

• **Flights:** Direct from London Heathrow to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City takes about 12-13 hours. Prices fluctuate significantly, but targeting £600–£750 for a return is realistic.
• **Accommodation:** A luxury 5-star hotel in a major city can be booked for £70–£90 per night. Clean, modern guesthouses are frequently available for £15 per night.
• **Drink:** Vietnam is home to 'Bia Hoi', a fresh draught beer brewed daily and sold on street corners for as little as 30p a glass.

Morocco: Culture Shock Without the Price Tag Morocco is a sensory overload in the best possible way, and for UK travellers, it offers a completely different culture within a four-hour flight. While Marrakech has seen prices rise due to its popularity, cities like Fes and Essaouira remain very affordable.

Fes is home to the world’s largest urban pedestrian zone (the Medina), where you can get lost in a labyrinth of tanneries, spice markets, and workshops. Essaouira, on the coast, offers a laid-back Atlantic breeze, famous blue-and-white architecture, and incredibly cheap seafood caught that morning.

• **Flights:** Frequent flights from London, Bristol, and Manchester. Return flights to Marrakech or Agadir often drop to £50-£80 in the shoulder seasons (May or September).
• **Transport:** Avoid expensive private transfers. The 'Al Boraq' high-speed train connects Tangier to Casablanca, and standard trains between Fes and Marrakech are reliable and cost around £15 for a four-hour journey.
• **Dining:** Stick to the riads for breakfast (usually included in your stay) and local stalls for dinner. A huge tagine shared between two people will cost around £7.

Portugal’s Silver Coast: The Affordable Algarve Alternative The Algarve is the traditional choice for British sun-seekers, but the 'Silver Coast' (Costa de Prata) between Lisbon and Porto offers a more authentic and budget-friendly experience. Towns like Nazaré, Peniche, and Caldas da Rainha provide stunning Atlantic views, world-class surfing, and significantly lower prices in cafes and tavernas.

Because this region caters more to Portuguese holidaymakers than international tourists, the 'tourist tax' on menus is almost non-existent. You can find a 'Prato do Dia' (plate of the day) including soup, a main, a drink, and coffee for under £10 in most local eateries.

• **Flights:** Fly into Lisbon or Porto (2 hours 30 mins). Returns from various UK airports are consistently between £45 and £90.
• **Car Hire:** Essential for this region. Off-season rentals can be as low as £10 per day, though petrol prices are similar to the UK.
• **Stay:** Look for 'Quintas' (farmhouse stays) or local guesthouses where rooms average £45 per night.

Georgia: The Emerging Favourite Georgia is currently a darling of the travel world, and for good reason. Nestled between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea, it offers dramatic scenery, a unique alphabet, and a wine culture that dates back 8,000 years. Tbilisi, the capital, is a mix of ultra-modern architecture and ancient, crumbling balconies.

The real value lies in the mountains. Regions like Svaneti or Kazbegi offer hiking trails that rival the Alps but at a fraction of the cost. You can stay in a mountain guesthouse with home-cooked breakfast and dinner included for about £25 per night.

• **Currency:** The Georgian Lari (GEL) has remained relatively stable, and your pound goes a long way. A metro ride in Tbilisi is about 30p, and a large ‘Khachapuri’ (cheese-filled bread) is roughly £4.
• **Flights:** This is the tricky part. Direct flights from London to Tbilisi have recently been reintroduced (approx 5 hours), or you can fly budget into Kutaisi for around £100-£150 return.
• **Wine:** Georgia is the birthplace of fermented grape juice. A bottle of excellent local Saperavi wine in a shop costs about £5; in a restaurant, you might pay £12.

Practical Savings: Ready to Go? To make these "cheap" destinations even cheaper, timing is everything. For European spots, the 'shoulder seasons' of May–June and September–October offer the best weather-to-price ratio.

• **Use Incognito Mode:** When searching for those £40 flights to Albania or Poland, keep your browser private to avoid price hikes based on your search history.
• **Avoid Exchange Bureaus:** Never change money at the airport. Use a digital bank like Monzo, Starling, or Revolut to get the interbank exchange rate and avoid hefty transaction fees at local ATMs.
• **Eat Away From the Square:** In Fes, Wroclaw, or Sarandë, walking just three streets away from the main tourist landmark can drop your meal price by 40%.
• **Travel Light:** Most low-cost carriers (Ryanair, Wizz Air, EasyJet) now charge significant fees for cabin bags. Investing in a specific 'under-seat' backpack (40x20x25cm) can save you £40–£60 per return flight in baggage fees alone.