Europe’s cheapest destination for a holiday has £1.50 pints, bargain fry-ups and the world’s best beach.
If you’re dreaming of sunshine, sea and ice-cold beers for a fraction of what they cost in the UK, then Algarve in Portugal is the place to go. The resort in the south of the country has been named the cheapest in Europe for a holiday and the fifth cheapest globally by the Post Office.
According to the Post Office Travel Money, on average you can expect to pay just £1.76 for a glass of wine – many times cheaper than what you’d fork out for a serving of red or white in the UK. Two can tuck into an average three course meal in the Algarve for less than £40, or save themselves for a slap-up treat in one of the area’s many Brit focused restaurants.
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Youtuber Pete n Chelle recently stopped off at Pasteleria o Cristal in Albufeira – the biggest city in the area – and were amazed by the bargains they found. A full English set them back just £3.50, while large beers were on sale for £1.50.
As well as cheap drink and food, the area is known for its excellent weather. While the UK is currently being treated to another spell of grey drizzle, the Algarve is currently basking in temperatures knocking on 30C and enjoying a week of wall-to-wall sun.
The scorching weather is useful given that the region is home to the world’s best beach.
In a recent ranking of the best beaches in the world, Praia da Falésia came out at the top of the pile thanks to its clean, golden sands and crystal-clear waters that are ideal for a dip.
“Varadero Beach has everything you’d expect from a picture-perfect beach: Golden sand, turquoise-blue water, and stunning sunsets. The gentle waves are perfect for swimming, snorkelling, or kayaking. Hop on a catamaran, go fishing, play a round of beach volleyball, walk along the shore—there’s lots to do. Or just kick back and enjoy the beautiful, natural scenery (you really can’t go wrong),” Tripadvisor writes of the beach.
The beach is in the Algarve region about 10km to the west of Faro, which is a two and a half hour flight from the UK. It is possible to bag very cheap, £30 return tickets to the city if you’re savvy.
What is particularly surprising about Praia da Falésia is that it is so pristine, despite sitting in one of the busiest and most popular tourist regions in the world. It stretches on for 8km, all of which is clean and free from the overly heavy footsteps of human interference.
One aspect of the beach that stands it apart from others in the region are the rock formations which lead onto it. “As soon as I reached Praia da Falesia, the scenery took my breath away. The bright orange cliffs and the visible layers of rock made the geographer in me do a little backflip of joy,” travel blogger the Mindful Ginger Nut wrote of a recent trip there.
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