THIS summer, it looks like it’s time to call a truce on the great Spain vs. Turkey debate.
Because by looking at the latest booking data, I’ve noticed a massive change in 2026.
More and more Brits are swapping Europe’s traditional heavyweight resorts for a handful of Greek destinations.
These spots serve up the exact same sunshine, brilliant beaches, and all-inclusive value – often for a chunk less money.
And because I work in travel, my screen is basically permanently locked onto live price trends and capacity numbers.
The pattern right now is clear: holidaymakers are moving away from the usual high-premium hubs in Spain, the Canaries or the Turkish rivieras because Greece has suddenly become the ultimate value loophole.
A massive influx of flight capacity from the UK means you can bag that peak-summer Mediterranean experience without paying the usual school holiday markup.
If you want to know where the smart money is heading this summer, these are the seven Greek spots I’d be circling.
7. Ixia, Rhodes
If there’s one Greek resort that’s aggressively stealing traffic from the traditional Spanish and Turkish mainstays this summer, it’s Ixia.
Our data shows a massive wave of holidaymakers ditching the likes of Benidorm, Alanya, Costa Adeje, Costa Teguise, Marmaris, and Torremolinos specifically to head here.
It gives you that classic beach holiday setup people love, but with a slightly more premium edge, proper decent hotels, and historic Rhodes Old Town sitting just a ten-minute taxi ride down the road.
Plus, you get a constant coastal breeze, which makes the peak August heat infinitely more comfortable than the suffocating temperatures you get elsewhere.
I spotted five nights at the Belair Beach from Edinburgh on 21 August, with half board and flights included, from £375pp.
The hotel sits right across the road from the front, but the real insider perk here is their specialised windsurfing and water sports station directly on the sand.
Because Ixia is a world-class windsurfing hub, the hotel has gear hire sorted right on your doorstep, meaning you can try your hand at proper coastal sports for a fraction of what a commercial water sports center down the coast would fleece you for.
6. Ialyssos, Rhodes
Just around the bay from Ixia is Ialyssos, another Rhodes resort that’s turning into one of the island’s biggest success stories.
The booking data tells us that the crowds usually bound for Benidorm, Costa Adeje, Alanya, and Marmaris are pivoting here instead.
It offers the exact same guaranteed August sunshine you’re chasing in the western Med, but swaps the crowded strips for a much more relaxed, authentic village vibe and some brilliant, family-run apartment setups.
I found five nights at the Trianta Hotel Apartments from 19 August, with flights included, from £255pp.
Landing peak summer flights and accommodation for barely over two hundred and fifty quid is a massive result.
This property is notoriously highly rated by return guests, and the standout feature here is its poolside taverna nights.
Instead of serving up generic, mass-produced package food, the family that runs the place cooks up proper, home-style Greek mezze using vegetables grown in their own garden lot behind the apartments. It’s elite local dining on a shoestring budget.
5. Messonghi, Corfu
If you’re after somewhere that feels slower, greener, and a bit more rustic than the sprawling concrete mega-resorts, Messonghi is a top-tier shout.
And this year, it’s proving particularly popular with Brits swapping away from Benidorm, Costa Adeje, and Alanya.
Corfu‘s scenery is stunning, the beaches are incredibly calm, and a massive boost in regional UK flight routes this year has driven package prices right down into bargain territory.
One standout deal I spotted was five nights all inclusive at Canvas by Mitsis Messonghi from 20 August, with flights included, from £478pp.
And getting a fully loaded, peak-season Mitsis property under the £500 mark is an absolute steal.
The beachfront setting and massive pool complexes at this hotel are brilliant for keeping kids occupied, but what elevates this place above so many Spanish hotels for me is the complimentary, on-site aqua park.
They’ve integrated a proper mini waterpark into the resort grounds with zero entry fees, saving you from shelling out €40 a head for a public waterpark day trip into town.
4. Faliraki, Rhodes
Faliraki has completely reinvented its identity over the last decade.
While people of my generation might still associate it with rowdy 18-30 nightlife, today it’s quietly morphed into one of Rhodes‘ best all-round family beach resorts.
I’m seeing a huge influx of families swapping over from Benidorm, Marmaris, the Costa Blanca, and Alanya to secure one of the island’s widest sandy coastlines and a massive number of modern hotels.
I found five nights at the Hillside Studios from 25 August, with flights included, from £340pp.
It serves as a brilliant, no-nonsense base with an immaculate pool area, but the secret benefit of this specific hotel is its location near the Erimokastro hills.
Because it sits just outside the central valley, the hotel offers an incredibly peaceful night’s sleep away from the main resort hum, and it puts you right on the doorstep of the hidden, cliff-sheltered Astron Beach cove – a spot most tourists completely miss!
3. Kiotari, Rhodes
If your main holiday priority is peace, quiet, and premium lounging, Kiotari is easily one of my favourite recommendations on the map.
More people are moving here from heavy-hitting hubs like Alanya in Turkey because the hotels feel noticeably more luxurious and modern than the older resort blocks elsewhere in the Med, serving up wide beaches, reliable sunshine, and massive all-inclusive footprints without the premium price tag.
One deal that stood out to me was five nights all inclusive at the Kiotari Miraluna Beach Resort from 19 August, with flights included, from £535pp.
My pick of the features at this resort is easily the cinema lounge.
They run open-air family movie nights right on the edge of the sand under the stars in the evening, which is a fantastic, high-end touch that lets you unwind with a drink by the waves while the kids are completely glued to a big screen.
2. Hersonissos, Crete
Crete never goes out of fashion, and Hersonissos remains the undisputed king of its value market.
Holidaymakers are increasingly swapping over from traditional mainstays like Benidorm and Marmaris, tempted by Crete’s reliable weather, lively waterfront, and massive choice of hotels.
It delivers that buzzing, lively atmosphere that Brits love, but pairs it with incredible independent tavernas, fascinating ancient history, and excellent flight availability from pretty much every major UK runway.
I spotted five nights at the Palatia Village Apartments from 20 August, with self-catering and flights included, from £283pp.
The hotel serves up fantastic, panoramic views across the bay, but the real selling point here is the traditional Cretan architecture of the rooms.
The apartments are styled like a mini, stone-walled Greek village rather than a sterile hotel corridor, meaning you get that high-end, boutique aesthetic for under three hundred quid.
1. Kavos, Corfu
Kavos might raise a few eyebrows on a value list, but the resort landscape here is changing rapidly.
Beyond the main neon strip, there is an influx of quieter, family-run properties that are drawing in couples and budget-conscious travellers who simply want cheap sun without the chaos.
And these great summer prices are driving a massive spike in people swapping here instead of choosing Spain’s traditional budget resorts.
A deal that really caught my eye was five nights at the Oula Maisonettes from 25 August, with self-catering and flights included, from just £235pp.
This is a small, family-run complex that heavily over-delivers for the money.
The absolute best feature here is the independent duplex layout of the maisonettes themselves.
Having your living area completely separate from the upstairs sleeping quarters gives you a proper apartment feel, allowing you to relax on your private terrace with a cold drink after the kids have gone to bed without waking them up.