Travel Articles

European Holidays

Forget what you've heard about countries in the eurozone being expensive holiday destinations, as  the latest survey into comparative costs has found Spain and Portugal are as affordable as ever, with Cyprus being a very popular holidaying island to take your summer vacation. Your major cost will be your flights to your holiday destination.

The combination of dramatically falling local prices and a 10% rally in the strength of the pound means you may no longer have to endure two wet weeks in Scarborough, allowing for many Mediterranean holidays in all year round sunshine that will not break the bank.

The annual holiday costs survey, published by Post Office Travel Services, names Bulgaria as the cheapest holiday destination, overtaking last year's top trio of Thailand, South Africa and Egypt in which holiday prices have all risen steeply.

More interesting to most people will be that prices have plummeted in Portugal's Algarve, putting it back into the top 10 for the first time in two years.

The basket of goods in the region costs just 39p more than in Spain, the cheapest eurozone destination. The Post Office, which adds up the cost of a basket of goods typically bought by holidaymakers, including drinks and meals, also found price drops in Greece and Italy.

Head of its travel services, said that the eurozone has taken a bashing but our survey suggests outlets in many resorts are taking dramatic steps to encourage tourists. Despite the weak pound, this means that UK tourists who shop carefully could find they get more than expected.

France remains the most expensive holidaying destination, costing 16.7% more than Spain. One of the newest euro entrants, Cyprus, is up there with France and by contrast Malta which, like Cyprus, joined the eurozone in January 2008 has held its prices and is third cheapest.

The cost of eating out has shown some of the biggest rises in Thailand, a 68.5% jump, in the US the cost rose by almost 49% and even in Turkey, one of the best-buys holidaying destinations, they have gone up by over a 33%. Even where prices have risen, notably in Thailand, Turkey and Cyprus, they still remain great value for your holidays. The survey suggests that holidaymakers who put affordability above all other factors should still head to Bulgaria. At around £42, the basket of goods in its Sunny Beach resort was two and a half times cheaper than Antigua­ being the most expensive at £108.