Cheap holidays: best-value budget destinations

If you fancy a cheap holiday abroad, there are some surprising options available
Winter is upon us, and this is the most popular time for people to plan their summer holidays.
But it’s not enough to focus on which destination offers the best beaches or museums - savvy holidaymakers also need to think long and hard about where they can go that will offer them the best value for money.
After all, the Office for National Statistics found that overall in 2023 Brits spent a combined £72.4 billion on their holidays abroad - that's £13.9 billion more than in 2022.
Breaking that down, according to recent research from Statistica, UK families spend an average of £4,000 on their big holiday each year.
If you’re spending that much cash, you want to feel like you’re getting decent bang for your buck. So which destinations are the best value for money?
Best value budget holiday destinations
Which? has unveiled its latest study of the best value budget holiday destinations and there are some surprises in its line-up.
Two of the cheapest destinations in the top 10 include Tuscany and the Venetian Riviera in Italy, normally better known for their expensive luxury villas and hotels on the Tuscan coast and in Florence.
Taking a week’s break in Tuscany during the August school holidays came in at around £1,034 per person, including flights, based on two people in a twin or double room, while a week in the Venetian riviera was priced at £965 per person.
Which? said the prices came in lower than expected due to the sheer range of accommodation on offer, as there are still plenty of self-catering and bed and breakfast packages available with cheap flight options.
Turkey offers value for money
Meanwhile, the Dalaman area in Turkey topped the list at an average price of £859 per person for seven nights, with commentators saying that last year’s heat wave there may have brought down prices.
The average temperature there in August is now around 33 degrees.
Which? pored over nearly 6,000 package tours with providers Tui, Jet2Holidays and easyJet Holidays to find the best value-for-money locations.
Other budget destinations included Corfu in Greece and the Costa Brava and Costa de la Luz in Spain, as well as Agadir in Morocco and Bourgas in Bulgaria.
“Holidaying when the kids are off school can be painfully expensive, but our latest price analysis shows there are a variety of destinations still available to book at a good price for an August getaway,” said Naomi Leach, deputy editor of Which? Travel.
“Among favourite budget destinations such as Spain and Turkey, we found some real surprises.”
The top 10 low-cost destinations
Here are the top 10 room-only, self-catering and B&B destinations broken down:
1. Dalaman, Turkey (£859)
2. Agadir, Morocco (£889)
3. Bourgas, Bulgaria (£904)
4. Venetian Riviera, Italy (£965)
5. Corfu, Greece, (£984)
6. Costa Brava, Spain, (£986)
7. Antalya, Turkey, (£988)
8. Tuscany, Italy, (£1,034)
9. Costa de la Luz, Spain, (£1,045)
10. Kalymnos, Greece, (£1,051)
(Source: Which? - average price per person for 7 nights)
Getting more from my money
Of course a big concern for any holidaymaker is exactly how much they will get when changing up their currency.
The pound has fallen against the dollar, for example, over the past few months due to concerns about UK economic growth. Right now £1 will get you $1.23, compared to September 2024 when it would have bought you $1.34.
At the time of writing, the pound has remained stronger against the euro, however. At the moment, £1 will get you €1.18, although it could have got you €1.21 in December.
That might not seem much, but when you get into the big sums holidaymakers may be changing up for their spending money, it can really make a difference to how much cash you have to play with.
This is why it’s so crucial that you plan ahead and don’t leave sorting your holiday money until the last minute, either at a bureau de change in the airport or even worse relying on withdrawing cash from an ATM with your usual debit card.
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