BEACH? Check. Cheap booze? Check. Quick flights and nice hotels? Check, check.
We know what makes a good holiday, and it’s all of the above. But where can you find all of these things, and still get deals for as little as £159 per person?
The Sun’s team of travel experts have named some of their top places to go for a beach holiday, whether you love a bit of culture or just time sunning it up by the pool.
Along with cheap flights, hotels and cocktails, none of these will break the bank – and they come expert approved.
Urla, Turkey
Brits love a bit of Turkish coastline, with millions of us visiting the country’s beach resorts each year. But when I told friends I was visiting the coastal town of Urla in Turkey’s Izmir region (pictured above) a couple of summers ago, I was met with blank faces.
Unsurprising then, that there were hardly any Brits wandering the quaint streets of the town, which looks out over the Aegean sea.
Featured as one of Conde Nast Traveller’s Places To Visit in 2024, we swam in the sea at a local beach club during the day and hit up a couple of the local vineyards, then gorged on delicious food and cocktails at night.
And it really is delicious food, as the town is home to several restaurants that feature in the fancy Michelin food guide. However, that doesn’t mean you have to pay Michelin prices everywhere – this is after all, an article about cheap destinations.
At the Bulls**t Pub near the seafront, you can get a burger and fries with a small beer for 450 Turkish lira (£7) and at the highly rated Evba Urla neighbourhood restaurant, you can get a huge Turkish breakfast for the same price.
Accommodation varies in prices, with several chic boutique hotels as well as family guesthouses from £500 a week for a family of four in August, while airlines offering flights include Pegasus, easyJet and SunExpress from £132 return in late-August. – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
Djerba, Tunisia
With eight miles of powdery soft white sands lapped by azure blue waters, Sidi Mahres on the Tunisian island of Djerba could give the Caribbean a run for its money.
And yet the island just off the coast of the North African country offers incredible value for money with 4* hotels a fraction of what you’d pay in Europe.
You’ll also get so much more than just a great beach here. From the bustling souks to Djerbahood – a maze of winding lanes covered in vibrant street art – there’s plenty to keep the culture vultures happy too.
The island’s hotel zone has plenty of all-inclusive hotel options – I stayed at the beachfront 5* Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Thalasso.
With huge pools, four restaurants and three bars it also has the biggest Thalasso spa on the island for the ultimate pampering.
Seven nights’ all-inclusive is from just £488pp with easyJet Holidays, including flights from the UK, luggage and transfers. – Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
Gran Canaria, Spain
If I’m heading to the beach, it needs to be hot enough for me to catch a killer tan.
That’s why Gran Canaria ranks highly for me as a beach destination.
The Spanish island’s proximity to the Western Sahara means temperatures are usually soaring and sunshine is pretty much guaranteed year round. Plus, it’s fly-and-flop heaven.
The last time I visited, I spent the majority of my time on a sun lounger with a book, having cocktails handed to me every hour by a doting poolside waiter. It was pure bliss.
With the southern side of the island completely geared up for holidaymakers, you may not be getting the most authentic foods and experiences, but the positive of that is being able to stick to what you love.
Fancy sushi for dinner? There’ll be a restaurant nearby. Want to spend all-night partying with fellow holidaymakers? Take your pick of beach bars and clubs.
TUI has package holidays from £487pp in August for a family of four. – Sophie Swietochoswki, Assistant Travel Editor
Agadir, Morocco
Warm in winter, surfing every morning and mega cheap shopping – what’s not to love about Agadir?
I rave about Morocco when it comes to affordable holiday destinations, and in particular love Agadir and Taghazout which are known for their epic surf scene, with beaches far quieter than its Spanish counterparts.
I stayed at the adult-only Pickalbatros White Beach Resort resort (from £484 for three days & flights with TUI) where my days were spent lounging by the pool.
There was no fighting for sunbeds because there’s so many to choose from, and once I was in position with a good book, skillful rollerblading waiters whizzed cocktails to me and pool staff tried to tempt me into aquarobics.
Outside the resort, you can explore the souks for homeware that is a fraction of the price in the UK, or go on tours of Agadir Oufella fortress and the marina.
Or just sit by the beach and watch people taken out by waves – whatever takes your fancy. Package holidays are crazy cheap too. I’m talking seven night breaks for £159 each, including flights in winter. – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Île de Ré, France
This dinky French island – connected to the mainland via bridge – feels like it’s trapped in a long-gone era with its traditional restaurants serving fresh seafood, the charming harbour littered with bobbing sail boats and its towering fort that was built back in 1625.
Cars are permitted on the island, but the best way to get around is by bike – you could easily cycle around the periphery in four hours, stopping off at authentic bars and gorgeous beaches as you go.
If escapism is what you’re after, that’s exactly what you’ll get. The streets rarely feel overcrowded and the laissez-faire attitude of those that live there is contagious.
Make sure to potter into the chic main town of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. The UNESCO-listed World Heritage site is simply gorgeous with rows of old-fashioned houses with pastel-coloured shutters overlooking the cobblestone streets.
If you’re into seafood, you’re in luck. This island is THE place to sample oysters.
La Cabane du Feneau (reachable by bike) is a renowned oyster hut, buried in the salt marshes, that serves them freshly-shucked with quality views to match the quality food.
Eurocamp has 7-night breaks in one of their 2-bed lodges at their La Grainetiere park on Ile De Re in the last week of July for £917. – Sophie Swietochoswki, Assistant Travel Editor
Sardinia, Italy
Between the end of last year and the beginning of this year, Sardinia was named several times as the place to go in 2026.
The small limestone island looks as if it has been carved out of rocks from the ocean floor, sitting closer to Africa than mainland Italy – and as a result, you can expect a dry, warm climate and the smell of fresh herbs across the island.
While lots of Brits head to Olbia in the north, the south of the island around the capital – Cagliari – is the real gem and boasts less crowds, especially when staying at the adults only Baia di Chia Resort.
Lounging by the pool with a spritz in hand while overlooking the bay, I made the excellent decision of ordering a freshly-made pistachio tiramisu straight to my sunbed.
While indulgent and comforting it was the perfect holiday treat to enjoy while soaking up the 38C sun.
If you were to do one thing, make sure you walk along the beach to Torre di Chia – a historic defensive tower that sits on top of a hill with the ocean directly below.
Baia di Chia Resort has 7 nights on a half board basis plus flights from £1267pp in September, based on two people sharing. – Cyann Fielding, Travel Writer
Valetta, Malta
Funnily enough, I also found myself strangely at home in Malta – if I wanted to, I could find English breakfast at any hotel, red telephone boxes, and a pub called The Queen Victoria.
The good thing about a country that is relatively tiny is that a normal taxi ride to another city takes about 10 minutes and is roughly €5.
Don’t expect sandy beaches in Valetta – but it still has beautiful, if not slightly rocky, swimming spots such as St Elmo Bay (or take a day trio to Gozo if you really crave soft sands).
Bar-hopping in the centre of Valletta during happy hour was my happiest time though, where I found mojitos for under €10 (£8.50) or €2.50 (£2.13) cold pints.
Don’t be fooled by the miniature size of this island – you’ll find plenty to do no matter your interest, from culture to coast and history to great grub.
Holiday Pirates has 7-night package holidays in August from £399pp for a family of four, a short drive down the coast from Valetta in St Pauls Bay. Dharshinee Krishna Naidu, Travel Writer
Marsa Alam, Egypt
There can’t be many beaches in the world where you can step off a wooden pier into waters where you can swim with dugongs – gentle giant sea cows – and wild sea turtles.
Marsa Alam is the new kid on the block on Egypt’s Red Sea coast.
Further down the coast from Hurghada, its own airport with direct TUI flights each winter mean you’ll spend less time in transfer buses.
And the joy of the newly built all-inclusive resorts on this stretch of coastline – including the Jaz Elite Amara where I stayed this year – is their great value for winter sun with temperatures averaging 22C to 26C even in February.
With wide, sandy beaches and calm seas where you can snorkel for free to explore the colourful corals and marine life, it offers Maldives-style water fun for far less.
Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the Jaz Elite Amara is from £1,105pp with TUI in November, when there are average highs of 27C. – Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
Crete, Greece
Crete has long been a favourite European island destination for Brits, but instead of heading to the busy resorts in the west, travel south to Ella Rocrita Resort.
This family-friendly resort sits on a portion of the coast that feels untouched, with miles of hills and olive groves surrounding you.
On the resort itself, you can stay in a villa-style suite with a swim up room, creating you only little slice of the Greek haven.
You won’t be short on pools, as across the resort there are different sized pools with different features depending on if you are with the kids or your partner.
I spent an entire day lounging at the spa, where I dipped in and out of different hydrotherapy pools, steam rooms and saunas.
The best spot? Head up to the roof where you will find a pool that sits at the highest point in the resort, overlooking the surrounding hills, beach and lagoon littered with flamingos.
Travel Supermarket has package holidays from £459pp for a family of four in late August. – Cyann Fielding, Travel Writer
Cape Verde
Cape Verde has been a household name in the UK for around 10 years now, thanks to its year-round sunshine, relatively short flight time and affordable all-inclusive hotels.
It is certainly the place for those seeking winter sun, with the average highs reaching 24C in December and thanks to its proximity to the equator, temperatures don’t diffier too much in mid-summer.
Skin-scorching sun isn’t the only reason to pay a visit to the Portuguese-speaking country, though.
For those who like a bit of adrenaline, there’s kite-surfing along the aptly named Kite Beach (you’ll need strong arms), plus quad-biking on
the desert landscape that makes up the bulk of the inner island.
The beautiful beaches, as well as adventure activities and
watersports, were all within a short drive of our hotel, the Riu
Palace Santa Maria, south of the island of Sal and near the idyllic
beach town of Santa Maria.
My favourite spot was the excellent rustic beach bar called Ole Brazil
selling the best caipirinhas I’ve ever drunk for £3.50.
And right next door is the popular LobStar restaurant, which is
perfectly placed to receive the best of the daily catch brought in by
the local fishermen every afternoon.
TUI has package holidays from £692pp for a family of four this August.. – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
Marbella, Spain
Everyone knows the party town of Marbella – but let me pitch it to you as a place to go when the beach clubs are closed.
This is when you see the real side to the Spanish city, where the cobbled streets are quiet and the flowers are still in full bloom.
Take your time browsing the shops for clothes and trinkets, without the crowds, and walk into wine bars, no reservations required.
We stocked up on foodie bits to take back for a hotel picnic, which included a €2.50 (£2.13) bottle of wine which was remarkably delicious.
The Hard Rock Hotel I stayed at is all kinds of fun – think music-themed massages and doughnuts on guitar walls – and its less than £100 a night off season.
Throw in some £16.99 Ryanair flights to Malaga and you’ve got yourself a bargain break. – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Kalamata, Greece
You’ve dug out your swimsuit, rushed down to the beach and leapt into the water… only to find its freezing cold. Not in Kalamata, however.
The sea is one of the warmest in Greece due to the shallow waters of the Messinian Gulf.
Escape the hot Greek sun by jumping head first or spend the days lounging under the sun with a cold beer in your hand.
Aside from smoky Kalamata olives, my favourite thing about hitting the beach in the southern Peloponnese region is the food culture, which costs less than a Boots Meal Deal back home.
I spent my afternoons gorging on grilled sardines laid on sourdough with a touch of lemon or finding street vendors that have charcoal grilled sweetcorn.
What’s better than being in a Mediterranean paradise with a full stomach and a frosty drink in your hand?
Love Holidays have 7-night package holidays from 349pp for a family of four this August. – Dharshinee Krishna Naidu, Travel Writer