As a girl who spends far more time than she cares to admit rummaging through the internet in search of budget-friendly flights to – quite literally – anywhere; it sure is lovely when the hard work is done for me. And the airport transfer experts over at hoppa have well and truly read the room on this one. They’ve scoured the continent in search of the most affordable European gems, and have compiled them into a handy list of the cheapest summer holiday destinations. Aren’t they nice?
Hoppa analysed dozens of destinations across Europe, scoring them on factors including the cost of a hotel, the price of a pint, and the number of affordable attractions. Once all the data was crunched as thoroughly as a bag of Lays eaten on a hotel balcony, they revealed the most cheap-and-cheerful destination of all. And that, my friends, is Prague.
Prague, Czech Republic
The charming Czech capital took the top spot as the destination in which travelers can make their budget stretch the furthest this summer. Offering affordable prices and an ‘exceptional selection of sights and activities’, Prague boasts a whopping 617 budget-friendly attractions (which is more than double the average number). The research revealed that a meal in an inexpensive restaurant will only set you back around £8.58. And if you fancy a nice, refreshing pint after a day of explore the outrageously gorgeous medieval architecture, it’ll cost you just £2.32.
The Turkish city of Antalya came in second place, with a 3-star hotel there costing on average just £50.15. And Skopje over in North Macedonia took the third place position, boasting the best budget-friendly food and drink offering of the list.
The best-value summer holiday destinations in Europe for 2026:
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Antalya, Türkiye
- Skopje, North Macedonia
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Budapest, Hungary
- Tirana, Albania
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Bucharest, Romania
- Kraków, Poland
You can peruse hoppa’s full budget-friendly findings here.
