Europe's cheapest holiday hotspot revealed - where families can grab three-course meal for just £67

Daily Mail​

7 days ago

Narrowly beating Bulgaria's Sunny Beach, Marmaris, a popular resort town on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, has been crowned the best value holiday hotspot in this year's annual Post Office Family Holiday Report.
Already a popular choice for British holidaymakers looking to score a bargain break, Marmaris is known for its sandy beaches, charming old town and lively nightlife.
Conducted in collaboration with holiday operator TUI, the report looks at the costs of 16 European resort destinations, comparing the price for a total of 10 tourist items, including an evening meal, suncream and a range of drinks.
For gold-medalling Marmaris, the sum of these items came to £128.99. Visitors to the resort are able to secure a three-course family meal (including wine) for as little as £67.67. Also well-priced are cups of coffee (£2.01), and insect repellent (£2.61).
In Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, the second most affordable destination listed by the report, the total cost was £129.47 – helped by the reasonable prices of bottled beer (£2.35) and a cup of coffee (£1.88).
Portugal's Algarve came third place for a second year running, making it the cheapest Eurozone destination.
Fourth-place Paphos continues to close the gap though: the Grecian destination was only £1 cheaper, at £144.44.
Once again, Ibiza was rated the most expensive resort of all 16 surveyed, with a total cost of £242.79 – almost double that of Marmaris.
Despite a price increase of 10.3 per cent since July 2024, Turkey's weak lira – which reached a record low against the pound in March 2025 - has undoubtedly contributed to Marmaris's popularity.
In fact, the report found that for the top two destinations – both non-Eurozone – prices were 10 per cent lower than their Eurozone competitors.
Head of Travel Money at Post Office, Laura Plunkett, said: 'The collapse of the lira makes Turkish resorts like Marmaris a natural choice for families.
'However, visitors should be aware that while sterling is worth a third more than last July, local prices have increased dramatically because of the currency's collapse.'
Indeed, Post Office Travel Money found that prices had risen in 13 of the 16 destinations, once the prices were converted into sterling.
The biggest price hike was found in Majorca, where the total cost had increased 21.4 per cent, to £201.68.
By contrast, two Greek destinations, Lanzarote and Crete, recorded 2.1 per cent and 7.8 per cent falls respectively.
Research conducted for the Family Holiday Report found that over three-quarters (78 per cent) families are planning trips abroad this year.
However, 74 per cent admitted to busting their budgets by 42 per cent on their last holiday – spending an average of £323 extra than their £766 budgets.
Food and drink were a prevailing cause of this overspending, with over 90 per cent spending an average of £378 on eating out, buying drinks in bars and restaurants, and shop-bought food.
Parents surveyed also admitted that pressure to provide 'holiday treats' for their children had encroached on budgets.
Nine in ten parents spent an average of £39 on ice creams, with other holiday extras, such as theme park visits (£60) and beach gear (£49) also causing financial strain.