Cheap vacation? Here are the 10 best ideas
Yes, yes I know. Autumn has just begun, but do you want to pack your bags now to avoid this rainy season? I understand that. I would also love to be sitting on a warm island drinking Cosmopolitans. Only... Summer has just passed, so I'm not surprised that your budget isn't a fortune. Do you still want to sneak away? Then here are the 10 best ideas for a cheap holiday.
1. Albania
It may not be a tropical island, but in Albania, it is still between 13 and 23 degrees in October. And yes, sitting in the full sun on a terrace at 23 degrees is much better than drinking tea inside here at 12 degrees. Okay, about the costs then: the small village of Theth is said to be the place for a cheap vacation. You are already in this wonderful village, nestled among the Albanian Alps, for only €25 p.p. per night. And that's already if you book for one night; if you book for more days – let's say six nights – then you can stay in this town for only €30 p.p. per night That's already cheap, but for such a location, that's nothing. And a three-course meal for two people including a liter of wine (which you can get for €6) costs only €35. Sometimes you pay more at McDonald's here, so if you're looking for a romantic trip that won't empty your savings account? Then choose this city that is literally surrounded by one of the most beautiful national parks.
Are you more of a city person? Then choose Vlore. Do you think you'll spend more in the big city? Then you're mistaken. Here a bed is ready for you for only €20 p.p. per night if you go for six days. Oh, if you're wondering: for one night this is quickly €10 p.p.. – and then you're only 0.9 kilometers from the center. You can't even get a burger menu for that. Wow. And doing things here is also not expensive: a sunbed costs you only €5, breakfast in the supermarket for €3, and lunch for €8.50 p.p. Now you can make it as expensive as you want, but it can definitely be cheap here.
2. Poland
From beautiful beaches around Gdansk to impressive mountain ranges in Zakopane. Everything for a nice vacation you have in Poland. The price level here is much lower than in the Netherlands, so this is a good one. Do you like an active vacation? Then this is your country. Go hiking in the endless primeval forests, bike around lakes and beautiful forests. It can all be done. But can it also be cheap? Certainly. Even if you book a place near the Białowieża Forest This primeval forest is even on the UNESCO World Heritage list and is really a place to see in real life; it could easily be in National Geographic. You can follow enough paths for free, it won't cost you a cent. You can also book a tour, but be careful, those are very expensive. Do you want to be close to this forest? Then it won't cost you a fortune. For €45 p.p. you can sleep one night in the village of Białowieża itself. Do you want to enjoy all that beauty longer? You do that for about €40 p.p. per night.
Are you more into a less athletic and mainly delicious mini-break (hello Bridget Jones)? Then take a look around in Poznań. This city was once the capital of the country in a distant past, so expect beautiful old buildings that are so pastel-colored that it feels like you're wandering around in Copenhagen. The Old Town is the highlight: completely Instagram-worthy. There is a lot to do here if you can't spend much, like visiting the botanical garden ‘Palmiarnia Poznanska’ visiting, going to the croissant museum or relaxing in the largest spa in the country, where you can enjoy for only €18.45 for three hours. And where do you stay then? In the B&B Hotel Poznań, in the middle of the old town. That's only €30 p.p. per night if you go for a week. For one day you pay (quite strange actually) just as much p.p., so if you're going anyway, you might as well book a week. Much more fun.
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina
We're still in Eastern Europe for a bit, because let's be honest: you can just have a good and cheap vacation here. And not Croatia this time, but... Bosnia and Herzegovina. That's a gem that has been hidden for years, but trust me: this is the place for your vacation and it's less cold there. For the budget trip, you go to the capital Sarajevo: drink a typical Bosnian coffee for €1.25, eat a brunch plate full of snacks for €6.75 or eat the tastiest burek for €2.11. Alright, the food is cheap. And you don't have to skimp on activities either: You can take a cable car ride for €30 p.p., look around in old tunnels for €21 p.p. or just walk through the historic city on foot. But what about your stay in a capital? Well, for 6 nights and only 200 meters from the center you can score for €62 p.p. That's not normal. And one day? That costs you €15 p.p.
For a truly stunning trip, go to Mostar. Yes, that city of the Mostar bridge. This is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country, but it’s not expensive. One night, 350 m from the center, will cost you €28 p.p. And for a week? It’s even €25 p.p for one night. There’s even a swimming pool, so it’s great when the sun is shining. You can visit the Stari Mostar bridge for free. Or do you want a cooking lesson? Then you can take a Burek masterclass for €22. Even a day tour from Mostar to Blagaj, Počitelj & Kravice waterfalls only costs you €45 p.p. Unbelievable.
4. Andalusia
No, you’re not in Barcelona, but in the photos it looks just like it. With cozy streets and palm trees, this is really a Barca lookalike. Book a trip to Cádiz, for example. Here, your cappuccino costs €1.90, much cheaper than in Amsterdam. At Mercado Central, you can eat local delicacies for a good price. And here’s a fun fact: the James Bond film Die Another Day was even filmed in this city. So it’s definitely worth a visit with those beautiful Roman ruins and medieval architecture. You can also sleep in the old town, for a small €18 p.p if you go for a week. Here, one day is also around the same price, so just see how long you want to stay in this city.
Another city trip then? In Málaga. Visit the best tapas bars, stroll through the Picasso Museum or the Alcazaba and Roman theater for €13 per building or take a sailing trip at sunset for €13. It’s all possible in Málaga. There are many accommodation choices: stay in a hostel, or a capsule hotel for a price that you would spend on two days of food. Or just a hotel then, 500 meters from the center for €25 p.p per night or 1 kilometer further for €22 for 6 nights.
5. Italy
Yáá-ha, you didn’t expect Italy on this list, did you? But it’s true. This country is all too well known to our editorial team , so this country cannot be missing from this article. What you really must visit is the city of Bologna: here you can do a lot of touristy things for free – for example, visit the canals Curva degli Annegati, La piccola Venezia, walk through the 40-kilometer long Portici di Bologna, see the Due Torri towers (or climb them for €8) or visit the market in Quadrilatero. Doing something other than just looking is also possible, like, a wine tasting and dining experience for €29 pub crawl with a group or a for €18.90. And sleeping? It’s not expensive either. You’re in a B&B 0.9 kilometers from the center for €34.42 p.p per night if you go for six days or the same price for one day And, in my opinion, one of the best cities in Italy: Naples. Napoli, the food city of the country. I’m no expert, but I found Naples better than Rome when it comes to food. And even better: it’s a lot cheaper than Rome. Here you can eat in the oldest pizzeria in the world.
a pizza for €7.50. And it’s not – normally – delicious. Eat the best filled croissants that you’ll dream about for weeks (I speak from experience) atthe Leopoldo Cafebar . Oh and a fun fact: Naples is a dream for gluten-free eating: almost everywhere everything is gluten-free. So add that – and especially this amazing bakery – to your wishlist. Okay okay, enough about food. What can you do there? Naples is really a city where you can walk for hours and not get bored: so much is happening. It’s not very touristy, so you see a lot of real locals. From Naples, you can take the metro for just a few euros super far; think of a day trip to the de Leopoldo Cafebar. Oh en een leuk feitje: Naples is een droom voor glutenvrij eten: bijna overal is alles glutenvrij. Dus zet dat – en vooral deze geweldige bakkerij – toe aan je wishlist. Oké oké, genoeg eten. Wat kun je er doen? Naples is echt zo’n stad waar je uren kunt lopen en je niet vervelen: er gebeurt zoveel. Het is niet zo toeristisch, dus je ziet hier veel echte locals. Vanuit Naples kun je voor maar enkele euro’s met de metro superver; denk aan een dagtrip naar het beautiful Sorrento, or to Pompeii. Still want to stay in Naples? Then you also have the San Martino National Museum and more. Naples is an ideal place to look for a B&B. Here you can quickly find yourself for €42.50 p.p per night in a local apartment. Prefer a hotel? That's not expensive either: here you can stay for €32 p.p per night.
6. The Ardennes
Do you already feel the fresh air filling your lungs during a morning walk? I already get the happy tingles from it. It might be as cold as here, but it's definitely fun and well, a holiday to the Ardennes doesn't have to cost a Ferrari. Even for a nice ‘Gîte’ surrounded by wood, you're just half an hour's drive from the Ardennes for €35 p.p per night if you want to hike for a week. Additionally, the town of Durbuy itself is already a tourist attraction with the old town, Chateau de Petite Somme and the Topiary Park that feels like you're walking in the garden of Versailles.
Would you rather be fully immersed in nature? That’s also possible. After all, you go to the Ardennes for all those beautiful forests you can walk through. For many ‘special overnight stays’ you do pay a pretty penny, so it's wiser to go to a holiday park. There you are, in contrast €15 p.p per night when you go for a week. That's just three Starbucks coffees. I know what I'm going to do this autumn break.
7. Portugal
The land of Pastéis de Nata, Port – and cheap holidays. No, not in Porto and Lisbon then. But there are plenty of places where you don't need to take out a loan. Lagos, for example. Here it is still 22 degrees in October: so it's warmer than here. That's already a plus. Stay here: You're just 1 kilometer from the center and 1.4 kilometers from the beach for (hold on tight) €22.42 p.p per night. That seems too good to be true, but it really can be if you stay for a week. Here in the Algarve, there are plenty of beaches, bays, and ports to fill your holiday.
And even on the incredibly beautiful island of Madeira – aka the Hawaii of Europe – you can stay for €29.10 p.p per night for 6 nights. No paying 80 bucks for a messy room, save on that and explore the island. Go on the Nun's Valley tour for €24 or take the hop-on-hop-off bus to Camara de Lobos and Funchal. Or do it for free, nada. Visit free beaches, go on mountain hikes with online help, and plan your route in the cities along beautiful spots. And, leave those sweaters at home, because it's still 22 degrees here in October.
8. Malta
Sun in the autumn? Malta is then the place to go on a budget. It's still an average of 25 degrees here in October. Did you hear that right? Twenty-five. So you can definitely sunbathe on the beach here, and you don't have to empty your wallet for that. Go to Sliema, where you can stay for a small €34.58 p.p per night for a week. You're close to both the center and the beach. Walk along the promenade in the sunshine, smell the history in Fort Tigné and the the most beautiful parish church you've ever seen, hidden in the city.
Or go to St Paul’s Bay, where you can stay in a beautiful three-star hotel for €41 p.p per night. When you see the photos of the Ambassador Hotel, you'll want to book a flight immediately. It's right by the sea and just five minutes away from the famous Saint Paul’s Bay. And with a maximum of 24 degrees, you can enjoy €43 p.p on a mini-cruise to Comino, Gozo, Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon and take a cave tour.
9. Montenegro
Want to go to Italy without the high costs? Then I would pay attention if I were you. Valletta is actually the twin brother of an Italian city. Even here you don't pay the full price, but it is true that a hotel costs €59 p.p per night – so, better look for airbnbs. Like this one in the heart of Valletta, where you can stay for €31.25 p.p per night for one week in Piëta. Take bus 13 and yes: you're in the city within five minutes. And once you're there, it's not expensive. A large meal costs you €18 and a cappuccino just €2.50. And groceries? Unbelievable. So definitely buy your breakfast and lunch there, then you'll save a lot.
A room with sea view for €23.25 p.p per night for the whole week? Nah, in Herceg Novi that's just possible. And it's also 500 meters from the center and 350 meters from the beach. Well, it can't get any more perfect than that? With temperatures between 22 and 25, it's ideal to escape the autumn. Go on a boat trip in crystal clear water for €33, visit the breathtaking Mamula Fort or stroll through the old town. And you don't have to skimp on food either: at Konoba Feral you can eat a salad for €4 and at Konoba Risan there's no dish more expensive than €10.
10. Bulgaria
With a coastline of 400 kilometers, you're sure to find a beach spot in Bulgaria. Are you up for some nice lounging? Then listen closely: Here you can even stay at a four-star all-inclusive hotel in Kranevo for only €42.25 p.p per night. I've never heard of such prices. Is it then not a very good hotel? I can hear you thinking, but nope; this one scores a 9.3 on booking.com online. Here you eat and drink for free all day long, lie by the beach, and have a room for two for only €507. You won't find that everywhere, you know.
Do you only burn like a red lobster on the beach? Then go back-to-basics in Lovech. You're here peacefully in the countryside with sheep, cows, and even friendly stray dogs. Surrounded by nature, you even have the chance to go horseback riding. You sleep in a tiny house. And that host? He even picks people up from the airport if there are problems with the rental car. A completely different experience, but amazing. I can hear you thinking: doesn't that cost a fortune? No. It only costs you €28.15 p.p per night for six days. It sounds just as cute as it looks: so if you want peace? Book it.
So... that was a bomb of an explanation, but now you have a planned vacation. The only thing you still need to do is book the flight. Have a great trip.
