img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:66.666666666667%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-2::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-2{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-3::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-3{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-4::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-4{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-5::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-5{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-6::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-6{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-7::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-7{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-8::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-8{display:block;}If you’re heading to Europe this summer, but you’re yet to decide on an itinerary fully, chances are you’re already taken aback by how pricey things are last minute.
From Spain’s sun-drenched Costa Brava, crossing the French Riviera, all the way down to Italy’s Amalfi Coast, and over to Croatia’s idyllic Dalmatian Coast, we’re talking a daily budget of $194 or higher, not to mention the surging crowds.
Thankfully for the budget-conscious among us, not every European summer destination is as expensive as Positano. In fact, there are 4 seriously overlooked Old World charmers that all offer cheaper accommodation and food.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering whether that’s to do with the fact that nobody wants to go there anyway, you’re in for a big surprise:
Vlorë, Albania
Wedged between mountains and sea, Vlorë is the primary resort destination on the coast of Albania, the former hidden gem of a country that’s become Europe’s next summer hotspot, and it’s not hard to understand why.
Vlorë is a laid-back city with a recently renovated historic center, which brings back to life Albania’s rich Ottoman heritage, and a fast-developing beachfront, lined with high-rise condos, lively beach bars, and welcoming taverns serving fresh seafood all day.
In a way, it is the Mediterranean’s ‘new kid on the block’: it’s spent years being ignored by tourists as it lacked the proper infrastructure, and even direct flights to carry them, but this changes in 2026 when Vlora International Airport is set to finally open for intra-Europe flights.
Average Prices In Vlorë, Albania
ItemAverage Price (USD)Budget meal
(Inexpensive restaurant/café)$83-course meal for 2 people
(Mid-range restaurant)$28Budget accommodation
(Hostel)$14Mid-range accommodation
(3-star hotel/B&B/guesthouse)$59–695-star hotel
(Luxury all-inclusive)$184–295Taxi fare
(Per 0.5 mile)$1.90
Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia
The Lake Como of the East, Ohrid is the largest lake in North Macedonia, a small European nation that rarely gets the attention it deserves. At 18.9 miles long and 9.2 miles wide at its maximum extent, it’s often described as the Balkans’ inland sea.
Picture a string of charming lakeside towns criss-crossed with cobbled streets, with colorful boats moored by their scenic harbors, beautiful ancient churches that have barely seen the passing of time, and even a handful of ‘beaches’—as in, pebbly strips—lying adjacent to sailing clubs.
When visiting Lake Ohrid, don’t miss out on Ohrid Town, the city it is named after, and a cultural hub dotted with Byzantine ruins, Pestani, a sleepy fishing village famous for its trout, and the well-frequented Cuba Libre, a no-frills beach club that attracts a diverse crowd.
Average Prices In Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia
ItemAverage Price (USD)Budget meal
(Inexpensive restaurant/café)$6.503-course meal for 2 people
(Mid-range restaurant)$29.85Budget accommodation
(Hostel)$14Mid-range accommodation
(3-star hotel/B&B/guesthouse)$305-star hotel
(Luxury all-inclusive)$80–150Taxi fare
(Per 0.5 mile)$0.88
Nessebar, Bulgaria
Tucked away on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast—black in all but name we must add—Nessebar occupies a tiny peninsula linked to the mainland by a causeway, and it’s everything you love and expect of a European summer condensed in only 0.1 square miles:
It has the usual collection of millennia-old churches and temples that have led UNESCO to add it to their World Heritage Site list, beautiful wooden townhouses with prominent porches, where locals still live in, a myriad of family-owned restaurants serving traditional Bulgarian fare, and of course, the sea:
Nessebar is quite tiny, as we mentioned already, but the golden sands that start from its causeway, all the way to Sunny Beach, a bustling resort strip, run along azure waters for miles on end—and in case you’re wondering, it gets as warm as the Mediterranean!
Average Prices In Nessebar, Bulgaria
ItemAverage Price (USD)Budget meal
(Inexpensive restaurant/café)$6.503-course meal for 2 people
(Mid-range restaurant)$29.85Budget accommodation
(Hostel)$14Mid-range accommodation
(3-star hotel/B&B/guesthouse)$305-star hotel
(Luxury all inclusive)$80–150Taxi fare
(Per 0.5 mile)$0.88
Batumi, Georgia
Located on the eastern edge of the Black Sea, on the coast of Georgia—as in the country, not the Peach State—Batumi is oftentimes called the Dubai of the Caucasus: it’s far from being a tech hub, and its expat scene is still in the early stages, but the futuristic appeal is there:
Although it boasts an elegant Old Town, where Art Nouveau and Renaissance-inspired buildings predominate, it suddenly expands into a large modern coastal metropolis with strangely shaped skyscrapers and luxury condos lining a bright blue waterline.
It’s a popular seaside getaway not only for Georgians themselves, but also Russians and other Eastern Europeans, primarily due to the cheap prices: a pint of beer costs as little as $2.80, while a single-bed room in a 3-star hotel averages $53.
Average Prices In Batumi, Georgia
ItemAverage Price (USD)Budget meal
(Inexpensive restaurant/café)$9.553-course meal for 2 people
(Mid-range restaurant)$29.70Budget accommodation
(Hostel)$14Mid-range accommodation
(3-star hotel/B&B/guesthouse)$305-star hotel
(Luxury all inclusive)$80–150Taxi fare
(Per 0.5 mile)$0.58
Flying internationally this summer?
Check the entry rules at your destination using our newly-launched TOP Entry Requirement Checker, which tells you everything you need to know as an American traveler, including whether you need a visa, a digital entry permit, or you’re visa-exempt, and how to prepare in advance.
Vinicius CostaVini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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