4 Of The Cheapest European Cities You’ll Actually Want To Visit This Summer

For those who’re heading to Europe this summer season, however you are but to determine on an itinerary absolutely, likelihood is you are already shocked by how dear issues are final minute.

From Spain’s sun-drenched Costa Brava, crossing the French Riviera, all the best way right down to Italy’s Amalfi Coast, and over to Croatia’s idyllic Dalmatian Coast, we’re speaking a daily budget of $194 or greater, to not point out the surging crowds.

Fortunately for the budget-conscious amongst us, not each European summer season vacation spot is as costly as Positano. Actually, there are 4 significantly ignored Previous World charmers that every one supply cheaper lodging and meals.

Oh, and in case you are questioning whether or not that is to do with the truth that no one needs to go there anyway, you are in for a giant shock:

Vlorë, Albania

Wedged between mountains and sea, Vlorë is the first resort vacation spot on the coast of Albania, the previous hidden gem of a rustic that is change into Europe’s subsequent summer season hotspot, and it is not onerous to grasp why.

Vlorë is a laid-back metropolis with a lately renovated historic heart, which brings again to life Albania’s wealthy Ottoman heritage, and a fast-developing beachfront, lined with high-rise condos, vigorous seashore bars, and welcoming taverns serving contemporary seafood all day.

In a method, it’s the Mediterranean’s ‘new child on the block’: it is spent years being ignored by vacationers because it lacked the correct infrastructure, and even direct flights to hold them, however this adjustments in 2026 when Vlora Worldwide Airport is about to lastly open for intra-Europe flights.

Common Costs In Vlorë, Albania

Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

The Lake Como of the East, Ohrid is the biggest lake in North Macedonia, a small European nation that hardly ever will get the eye it deserves. At 18.9 miles lengthy and 9.2 miles extensive at its most extent, it is typically described because the Balkans’ inland sea.

Image a string of charming lakeside cities criss-crossed with cobbled streets, with colourful boats moored by their scenic harbors, lovely historic church buildings which have barely seen the passing of time, and even a handful of ‘seashores’—as in, pebbly strips—mendacity adjoining to crusing golf equipment.

When visiting Lake Ohrid, do not miss out on Ohrid City, town it’s named after, and a cultural hub dotted with Byzantine ruins, Pestani, a sleepy fishing village well-known for its trout, and the well-frequented Cuba Libre, a no-frills seashore membership that pulls a various crowd.

Common Costs In Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

Nessebar, Bulgaria

Tucked away on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast—black in all however identify we should add—Nessebar occupies a tiny peninsula linked to the mainland by a causeway, and it is all the things you’re keen on and anticipate of a European summer season condensed in solely 0.1 sq. miles:

It has the standard assortment of millennia-old church buildings and temples which have led UNESCO so as to add it to their World Heritage Website record, lovely wood townhouses with outstanding porches, the place locals nonetheless reside in, a myriad of family-owned eating places serving conventional Bulgarian fare, and naturally, the ocean:

Nessebar is sort of tiny, as we talked about already, however the golden sands that begin from its causeway, all the best way to Sunny Seaside, a bustling resort strip, run alongside azure waters for miles on finish—and in case you are questioning, it will get as heat because the Mediterranean!

Common Costs In Nessebar, Bulgaria

Batumi, Georgia

Positioned on the japanese fringe of the Black Sea, on the coast of Georgia—as in the nation, not the Peach State—Batumi is oftentimes referred to as the Dubai of the Caucasus: it’s miles from being a tech hub, and its expat scene remains to be within the early phases, however the futuristic enchantment is there:

Though it boasts a sublime Previous City, the place Artwork Nouveau and Renaissance-inspired buildings predominate, it all of a sudden expands into a big trendy coastal metropolis with surprisingly formed skyscrapers and luxurious condos lining a vivid blue waterline.

It is a standard seaside getaway not just for Georgians themselves, but in addition Russians and different Jap Europeans, primarily because of the low cost costs: a pint of beer prices as little as $2.80, whereas a single-bed room in a 3-star lodge averages $53.

Common Costs In Batumi, Georgia

Flying internationally this summer season?

Test the entry guidelines at your vacation spot utilizing our newly-launched TOP Entry Requirement Checker, which tells you all the things you must know as an American traveler, together with whether or not you want a visa, a digital entry allow, otherwise you’re visa-exempt, and methods to put together upfront.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead author at Journey Off Path, has over 60+ nations beneath his belt (and at the moment weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative tales that can have you ever packing your baggage.