Travel Guide
Mediterranean Beaches & Dreamy Towns: 3 Affordable European Summer Destinations
Apr
One of the most popular sunny destinations worldwide, the Mediterranean is at the top of every Europe-bound traveler’s bucket list this summer.
Picture riding vespas along coastal cliffs in Italy on your way to a pastel-hue town where delicious seafood pasta and lemon sorbet awaits, lounging on a pebbly beach in the Dalmatia Coast with views of charming fishing villages, or swimming in turquoise waters off secluded coves…
Dreamy as it may be, la dolce vita often comes at a hefty price, more specifically, an average $320 for overnights, or $99 on meals per day (if you’re going somewhere trendy like Amalfi or the French Riviera).
The good news is, you don’t need to break the bank to go on an idyllic Mediterranean getaway.
There are 3 affordable alternatives where hotel stays start from as cheap as $30, and you can gorge on delicious seafood for under $20:
Rhodes, Greece
Forget Mykonos, Santorini, Paros and the like: Greece’s hottest island this year, figuratively and maybe literally, is the much-more offbeat Rhodes, in the Dodecanese.
This is not a part of an island you visit over the weekend or somewhere you stop by on your way between destinations as you island-hop in the Aegean: this is one of Greece’s largest landmasses off the mainland, and it boasts a plethora of man-made and natural wonders.
The capital Rhodes Town is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, built by the Knights Hospitaller, while Lindos is your typical whitewashed Greek village bestriding a hill, at the foot of an acropolis, where a moussaka in a local tavern will range from $10 to $16.
If you’re a fan of naturism, don’t miss out on Mandomata Beach, off Faliraki, and if it’s golden-sands bathed by warm, turquoise seas you’re dreaming of, Anthony Quinn Beach is the place to go, a short 20-minute drive from Rhodes Town.
Looking for a budget-friendly place to stay? Staying in Faliraki, the best-reviewed accommodation with the cheapest price this summer will set you back by $76-a-night (that’s Tsampikas House).
Trapani, Sicily
A laid-back coastal town in Western Sicily, a short 1h10-drive from a bustling Palermo, Trapani is known locally for its ancient history, stunning coastline, and delicious (and affordable, we must add) traditional food.
Downtown Trapani is your typical Italian maze of walkable streets, that lead either to fountain-dominated piazzas or lush gardens, and if you’re here primarily for the architecture, you definitely should take time to visit the magnificent Cathedral of San Lorenzo.
For our fellow beach bums out there, San Giualino is everything you’d hope a Sicilian getaway to be: it has the long, sandy beach, the amenities, and the well-frequented lidos (or beach bars).
It’s also the closest beach to town, however, if you’re looking for somewhere quieter, you should head out to Lido Marausa, near the salt pans and facing the unspoiled Egali Islands.
For those on a budget, you should know Trapani is far from being Taormina or Noto-expensive: it didn’t feature on White Lotus, after all, so prices haven’t fluctuated a lot as a result of a mass influx of foreign guests.
Pizzeria Calvino serves sizable sourdough pizza from as cheap as $11, Za Paolina is a popular bakery specializing in Sicilian street delicacies, including $2 arancine, and rooms starting at a surprisingly-affordable $34.
Budva, Montenegro
A lesser-known Adriatic country just south of Croatia, Montenegro has been overlooked by most American travelers for years, and 2025 seems to be the year it’s finally getting the praise it deserves.
While most visitors would flock into Kotor for their introductory visit to Montenegro, we’d urge you to spend longer instead in Budva, an equally-charming walled settlement licked by the same teal-waters, and dotted with intact, medieval stone houses.
The main landmark around is the Citadel, the fortified portion of the Old Town, entirely surrounded by Venetian ramparts, home to a Church of Santa Maria in Punta, built in the 9th-century.
A short walk from the Old Town, Mogren Beach is paved with shingles, fine enough to be walked on without sandals, and straddling a crystalline Adriatic.
For more exclusivity, and even smaller crowds, Sveti Nikola is an island just off the Budva mainland, with secluded coves and unspoiled nature.
According to Budget Your Trip, you should plan on spending $19.30 per meal, on average, if you’re eating 3 meals a day out in restaurants, whilst hotels average $79, going as cheap as $31 for a double room with balcony and sea view at Kuća Radović.
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Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
