Five affordable short-haul holiday destinations to visit in 2025 from budget cities to cheap winter sun
TRYING to decide on a holiday that won’t cost you a fortune next year?
The Sun’s travel team have used their expert knowledge and thousands of miles travelling the world to find the best, affordable destinations to visit in 2025.
Marrakech
Marrakech – Morocco’s intoxicating hotspot serves up a bargain mix of great value hotels and affordable foodie options.
From the stalls in the busy Djemaa el-Fna square serving up tagines, meat skewers and grilled fresh fish for around £6 to the rooftop restaurants in the Medina serving up mains from around £12, there’s plenty of cheap eats.
And accommodation won’t cost a fortune either – a double room in a traditional Moroccan riad with will set you back between £25 and £50 per night.
And with a host of low-cost airlines and tour operators offering package deals, it’s a great option for a city break stay year-round.
Of course, you can haggle your heart out in the souks to pick up authentic, handmade products including leather goods, ceramics and carpets.
Take your time and browse the different stores to compare prices and never pay the first price you’re quoted.
Another tip is to visit the government-run Centre Artisanal just outside the Medina and a ten-minute walk from the Jemaa El Fna square where prices are fixed and there’s no need to haggle – it also gives you a good idea of what you should be paying in the souks themselves.
– Head of Travel, Lisa Minot
Trouville Sur Mer
As a Francophile, I regularly visit our Gallic neighbour with trips to Paris, the French Riviera and the Alps, but I’ve long overlooked one of its easiest holiday destinations – the Brittany and Normandy coasts.
More fool me, because as I discovered this summer on a trip to the quaint beach town of Trouville-Sur, the Northern French seaside is the perfect way to spend a long weekend.
We travelled via ferry (also glorious, as we swapped several hours of driving for relaxing on a boat in the sunshine) from Portsmouth to Caen, and from there it was a 50-minute drive to our Airbnb.
Trouville-Sur-Mer has been popular with holidaymakers since the 19th century, thanks to its huge sandy beach and fantastic seafood restaurants.
We gorged on crepes, mussels and eye-wateringly cheap, yet delicious wine while spending our days building sandcastles and rummaging through the local antiques markets.
Then, we filled our car to the brim with all the snacks, wine, cheese and chocolate the French supermarkets do so well, ahead of our return trip to England.
– Head of Travel, Caroline McGuire
Amsterdam
Amsterdam in The Netherlands isn’t known for being a budget destination. It is, after all, a capital city.
But when my best pal moved out there around five years ago, I was jetting over there every chance I got and learned how to keep costs to a minimum.
You can bag flights from the UK for £18 each way with easyJet and as soon you escape the very centre of the city, where you’ll find the bulk of tourists taking in the likes of the Red Light District, food, drink and fun become much more affordable.
Amsterdam is known for its brown bars, a traditional Dutch pub where you can pick up a pint of local beer for less than four euros and a portion of bitterballen – delicious fried balls of stewed meat – for less than 10 euros.
Don’t book an expensive guided boat tour of the canals. It’s significantly cheaper to hire one yourself if there’s a small group of you.
They’re really easy to drive and you can navigate the canals whichever way you wish, stopping off at canalside pubs for a brief pint before hopping back on board.
– Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski
Valencia
Cheaper that its sisters Madrid and Barcelona, its hard to resist the lure of Valencia when you can get £14.99 Ryanair flights from Birmingham and London Stansted.
And there are amazing free attractions and cheap eats too.
My favourite place to explore is the £760million City Of Arts And Sciences, which looks like something out of a science fiction film.
Ranging from live shows to exhibitions, some of them cost to go in but its worth exploring the amazing architecture from the outside.
For the best cheap eats, head to La Finestra where locals flock for more cheap beers as well as and mini pizzas costing just over £2.
Don’t expect a seat, as the most people perch on the kerbs outside due to its popularity.
Time it right and travel off season and you can find budget hotels for between £30 and £40 a night.
– Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey
Ljubljana
European capital cities are rarely budget-friendly, although Ljubljana certainly bucked this trend.
Holidaymakers to Slovenia often visit Lake Bled on a day-trip from neighbouring countries, with far too many glossing over the country’s capital.
After draining your holiday budget in Lake Bled, Ljubljana is a welcome reprieve from spending loads of money.
Like other European capitals, one of the city’s best free attractions is its old town. Walk along the River Ljubljanica Kanal and be sure to walk across Dragon Bridge before winding through the cobbled streets.
Visitors can also enter the ground of Ljubljana Castle free of charge; however, it is worth paying to go inside just for the panoramic views from the tower.
Food and drink is cheap too, with a glass of orange wine costing as little as £2 from wine bars in the city. Bowls of olives and nuts are also dished out for free.
Street food is just as pocket-friendly, with a take-away borek costing as little as £2.50 – although you might want two after a day of solid walking.
– Travel Reporter, Hope Brotherton