12 Places to Travel Cheap in Europe for UK Travellers This Summer

Why Europe Is Still the Best Budget Option from the UK

Europe in 2026 has more budget airline routes than ever, connecting UK airports to genuinely affordable destinations. From Balkan capitals to Ionian islands, the best places to travel cheap in Europe are two to four hours from home. Before you land at any destination, install the best eSIM for Europe from Jetpac at home so navigation and booking apps are live the moment you clear arrivals.

What "Cheap" Really Means in Summer 2026

This guide targets a realistic all-in daily budget of £35 to £65 covering accommodation, food, and local transport, and every destination here meets that target even at summer peak.

How We Chose These Destinations

Selection was based on budget airline availability from UK airports, verified average summer 2026 daily costs, and value relative to more expensive European equivalents. Every destination on this list is different from the 16 covered in our companion guide to inexpensive places in Europe, giving UK travellers a completely fresh set of options.

What Makes a European Destination Affordable in Summer?

Average Daily Budget Breakdown

• Accommodation: £12 to £35 per night
• Food: £10 to £20 per day eating locally
• Transport: £2 to £5 per day
• Activities: £5 to £15 per activity

Cheapest Regions in Europe Right Now

The cheapest European countries to visit are in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, running 40 to 60 per cent cheaper than Western capitals. These are the most consistent, cheap places to go in Europe for summer trips from the UK.

When to Book Flights from the UK for Lowest Prices

Book six to eight weeks ahead on budget carriers. Flying Tuesday to Thursday typically secures the lowest fares across all routes.

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Here are 12 cheap places to travel in Europe this summer: 

1. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Cheapest Hidden Gem

Sarajevo is one of the cheapest destinations to fly to in Europe for value, with Ryanair operating direct flights from London Stansted from around £46 return in summer to a city where three-course dinners cost under £8.

Daily Budget (£28 to £42)

• Return flights from Stansted: from approximately £46 on Ryanair
• Budget guesthouse double room: £18 to £28 per night

Meals from £8, Cheap Accommodation

• Full sit-down dinner: £5 to £8
• Local beer: under £1.50

Cultural Mix and Unique History

• Baščaršija bazaar and Old Town: free to explore
• War Tunnel Museum: approximately £6 entry

2. Belgrade, Serbia - Europe's Most Underrated Capital

Belgrade is one of the places to go in Europe that is cheap, that seasoned travellers rarely stop talking about, with fortress views over two rivers, one of Europe's most energetic nightlife scenes, and daily costs under £35 per person.

Daily Budget (£25 to £38)

• Return flights from London Luton on Wizz Air: from approximately £50 to £80
• Budget hotel double room: £20 to £35 per night

Cheap Food and Nightlife

• Traditional Serbian meal (ćevapi, sarma): £4 to £8
• Draught beer: under £1.50

Free and Low-Cost Highlights

• Kalemegdan Fortress and riverside park: entirely free
• Skadarlija bohemian quarter: free to walk

3. Warsaw, Poland - Cheap City Break with Serious History

Warsaw is one of the best places to travel cheap in Europe, in Central Europe, combining a completely rebuilt UNESCO old town, excellent food markets, and Wizz Air and Ryanair flights from multiple UK airports from around £35 return.

Daily Budget (£28 to £45)

• Return flights from Stansted, Luton, or Manchester: £35 to £75 on Ryanair or Wizz Air
• Budget hotel double room: £25 to £40 per night

Free Landmarks and Budget Food

• Royal Castle exterior, Old Town Market Square, Łazienki Park: all free
• Zapiekanka street food: £2 to £4

Why Warsaw Delivers

• Full restaurant meal: £5 to £10
• Public tram or metro single ticket: approximately £1

4. Thessaloniki, Greece - Cheaper Alternative to Athens

Thessaloniki is one of the cheapest European countries to visit in Greece's context, running 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than Athens on accommodation and food, while offering a richer food scene, Byzantine monuments, and a seafront promenade that no postcard does justice to.

Daily Budget (£38 to £58)

• Return flights from London Stansted on Ryanair: from approximately £60 to £110
• Budget hotel double room: £30 to £50 per night

Food, Markets, and Free History

• Souvlaki pita: £2 to £3
• Modiano and Kapani covered markets: free to explore

Budget Highlights

• White Tower promenade: free
• Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki: approximately £8

Split, Croatia - Budget Beach Destination

Split offers an UNESCO old town built inside a Roman emperor's palace, Adriatic beaches, and island access at prices well below Dubrovnik, making it one of the top cheap European vacations for coastal summer breaks.

Daily Budget (£42 to £62)

• Return flights from UK airports on Ryanair or easyJet: £50 to £100
• Budget apartments: £30 to £50 per night outside peak weeks

Island Hopping on a Budget

• Ferry to Brač (Supetar): approximately £5 one way
• Fast catamaran to Hvar: approximately £10 to £12 one way

Free Things in Split

• Diocletian's Palace streets: entirely free to walk
• Marjan Hill park and sea views: free

6. Vilnius, Lithuania - Baltic Beauty at Eastern European Prices

Vilnius is one of the least-visited and most affordable European vacations in the Baltics, with a baroque old town, café-lined streets, and Ryanair connections from Stansted, Edinburgh, and Manchester from around £40 return.

Daily Budget (£30 to £48)

• Return flights from UK airports: £40 to £80 on Ryanair
• Budget hotel double room: £25 to £40 per night

Free and Cheap Highlights

• Vilnius Old Town (UNESCO): entirely free to explore
• Gediminas Tower and Museum: approximately £5

Local Costs

• Traditional Lithuanian meal (cepelinai, šaltibarščiai): £5 to £9
• Craft beer in the old town: £2 to £3.50

7. Palermo, Sicily - Italy's Most Affordable Beach City

Palermo is one of the strongest cheap places to go in Europe for anyone wanting Italian sun, street food, and culture without Italian city-centre prices, with Ryanair flying direct from London Stansted and other UK airports.

Daily Budget (£38 to £58)

• Return flights from Stansted or other UK airports on Ryanair: from approximately £55 to £100
• Budget hotel or apartment: £28 to £48 per night

Street Food and Free Culture

• Arancina and panelle street food: £1.50 to £3
• Ballarò market: free
• Palermo Cathedral exterior and Quattro Canti piazza: free

Why Palermo Works

• Sit-down restaurant meal: £8 to £14
• Public transport single ticket: approximately £1.40

8. Skopje, North Macedonia - Europe's Most Affordable Capital

Skopje is among the cheapest European countries to visit on the continent, with a daily budget consistently under £30 per person, Wizz Air flights from London Luton, and a surreal neoclassical riverside that makes it genuinely unlike anywhere else in Europe.

Daily Budget (£20 to £32)

• Return flights from London Luton on Wizz Air: from approximately £45 to £80
• Budget hotel double room: £15 to £28 per night

Ultra-Low Food and Beer Prices

• Full restaurant meal: £3 to £7
• Local beer: under £1.50

Things to Do

• Kale Fortress and Old Bazaar (Čaršija): free
• Matka Canyon day trip by bus: under £5 return

9. Naples, Italy - Budget Italian Escape

Naples delivers world-famous pizza and volcanic coastlines at prices 25 to 35 per cent lower than Rome, and is one of the best places to travel in Europe for cheap for first-time Italy travellers who want substance over scenery budget.

Daily Budget (£38 to £58)

• Return flights from multiple UK airports on Ryanair or easyJet: £45 to £100
• Budget hotel: £28 to £48 per night

Cheap Pizza and Local Transport

• Margherita pizza at a local pizzeria: £1.80 to £2.50
• Single metro or bus ticket: approximately £1.20

Why It's Cheaper Than Rome

• Accommodation 25 to 35 per cent cheaper than in Rome
• Pompeii return by Circumvesuviana train from Naples: approximately £6

10. Malaga, Spain - Sun and Culture Without the Price Tag

Malaga is one of the most affordable European vacations on the Spanish coast that UK travellers consistently underestimate, offering Picasso's birthplace, free beaches, and Ryanair and easyJet connections from more UK airports than almost any other European destination.

Daily Budget (£42 to £62)

• Return flights from multiple UK airports on Ryanair or easyJet: £35 to £80
• Budget hotel double room: £32 to £52 per night

Free Culture and Beach Access

• Malaga Cathedral exterior and Alcazaba fortress viewpoint: free to approach
• Malagueta and La Caleta beaches: entirely free

Local Costs

• Tapas at a local bar: £2 to £4 per plate
• Cold beer with free tapas in many traditional bars: £2 to £3

11. Ljubljana and Lake Bled, Slovenia - Scenic and Affordable

Ljubljana's pedestrianised old town and hilltop castle sit comfortably under £55 per day, and easyJet's direct Edinburgh to Ljubljana service makes it more accessible from the UK than ever before.

Budget Flights and Low-Cost Activities

• Return flights from Edinburgh via easyJet: from approximately £60
• Bus to Lake Bled from Ljubljana: under £10 return

Nature Experiences for Less

• Ljubljana Old Town and Triple Bridge: free
• Lake Bohinj (quieter alternative to Bled): free access

12. Greek Islands (Kefalonia and Lefkada) - Affordable Island Holidays

Kefalonia and Lefkada are the smartest places to travel in Europe for cheap among Greek islands, with easyJet flying direct to Kefalonia from Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, and Manchester, and Ryanair and Jet2 serving Preveza Airport for Lefkada.

Budget-Friendly Alternatives to Santorini

• Return flights to Kefalonia from the UK: £60 to £120 on easyJet
• Budget studios on Lefkada: £30 to £55 per night

Average Holiday Costs

• Full week all-in (flights, accommodation, food): £450 to £620
• Meze plate at a local taverna: £8 to £12

Cheapest Countries in Europe for Summer Travel

Eastern Europe vs Southern Europe Cost Comparison

The cheapest European countries to visit in summer are Albania, Bosnia, North Macedonia, and Poland, at £25 to £42 per day. Southern Europe (Croatia, Italy, Greece, outside peak islands) costs £40 to £65 per day.

Where Your Pound Goes Furthest

For UK travellers heading to Europe in 2026, Serbia and North Macedonia offer the strongest purchasing power, with full travel days under £35 per person even in peak summer.

Tips to Travel Europe Cheaply from the UK This Summer

Best Budget Airlines and Routes

• Ryanair: strongest for the Balkans, Italy, Greece, and Spain from Stansted
• Wizz Air: best for Serbia, North Macedonia, Poland, and Lithuania from Luton
• easyJet: best for Slovenia, Greece, and Malaga from Gatwick and Edinburgh

How to Save on Accommodation

• Staying one bus stop outside the city centre cuts hotel rates by 20 to 40 per cent
• Book four or more weeks ahead for Eastern European budget hotels

Cheap Transport Options

• Flixbus connects places to travel cheaply in Europe for under £10, including overnight services
• Night buses save a night of accommodation while covering long distances

Sample Budget: 5-Day Europe Trip Under £300 to £500

Example Itinerary Breakdown

• Flights return: £40 to £90 (Belgrade, Warsaw, or Sarajevo)
• Accommodation 5 nights: £60 to £120
• Food 5 days: £60 to £100
• Transport and activities: £40 to £70
• Total: approximately £200 to £380

Where to Cut Costs vs Where to Spend

• Cut costs: accommodation one stop from the centre, market lunches, public transport
• Spend on: one signature experience per destination, such as a fortress tour, a ferry island hop, or a Pompeii day trip

Stay Connected Across Every Destination with Jetpac

A summer trip through multiple European countries means your data plan needs to work at every border without adding daily charges to your UK bill. Whether you are navigating Sarajevo's Ottoman lanes, booking a last-minute Lefkada studio, or finding the fastest bus from Naples to Pompeii, consistent connectivity is not optional. It is how you travel smart.

The best eSIM for Europe from Jetpac activates automatically on the strongest available local carrier the moment your flight lands. For UK travellers covering Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean on one trip, there is no better way to stay connected throughout.

eSIM Europe plans from Jetpac cover all 12 destinations on this list and 200 more worldwide. eSIM Europe unlimited data from Jetpac keeps your whole group online from Warsaw's old town to Kefalonia's Myrtos Beach.

📡 Instant Activation, Zero Airport Queues: Scan a QR code at home and connect automatically the moment your plane lands. No SIM counter, no waiting.

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FAQs

Where to go for 3 days in Europe? 

Sarajevo, Belgrade, and Warsaw are all ideal three-day summer escapes with direct budget airline connections from the UK, walkable historic centres, and daily budgets under £45.

What city in Europe is the cheapest to fly to? 

Skopje, Belgrade, and Sarajevo are consistently among the most affordable flights from UK airports, with Wizz Air and Ryanair regularly offering returns under £60 in shoulder months.

Which country is very beautiful and cheap? 

North Macedonia combines the stunning Matka Canyon, the baroque streets of Skopje, and the blue waters of Ohrid Lake at under £28 per day, making it both the most striking and most affordable destination on this list.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Europe? 

November through February offers the lowest fares overall. For summer travel, May and September deliver warm weather, lower hotel rates, and thinner crowds across every beach and city destination in this guide.

Disclaimer

This information is based on publicly available data at the time of writing and is intended for general reference only. Actual prices, availability, and travel conditions may vary. Jetpac is not responsible for network performance or third-party data accuracy. Travellers should verify current flight options, entry requirements, and local conditions before booking.