Booking your holiday last minute? These are the 10 cheapest destinations this summer

Bilbao is the cheapest destination for a last-minute package holiday in early August, new research by Which? Travel has found.

Those booking right now will also find cheaper-than-average package prices in Porto, Valencia and Dalaman on Turkey’s Turquoise coast. Bilbao or Porto are also good options for holidaymakers who wish to avoid the extreme temperatures currently engulfing southern Europe. 

We compared the prices of more than 3,500 short-haul holidays available to book in eight countries from the UK’s biggest tour operators – Jet2holidays and Tui – to find the most affordable seaside destinations in the third week of the school summer holidays.

Spain was the cheapest country overall, with four destinations in the top 10 listed below. The average price of a seven-night trip to Spain in early August is more than £400 cheaper than a week in Croatia or Greece.

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The 10 cheapest last-minute package holiday destinations

What does cheapest destination mean?

We checked the price of all the holidays still available with Jet2Holidays and Tui in the third week of the school summer holidays. The holidays included flights and a standard double or twin room, and could be any star rating on an all-inclusive, half-board, bed and breakfast or room-only basis.

In general, cities such as Bilbao and Porto have more room-only and B&B accommodation available, while seaside destinations such as Dalaman offer more half-board and all-inclusive holidays.

Bilbao’s position in the table may also reflect lower flight prices or hotel rates. Or it could be because it has more budget hotels compared to other places. It’s probably a combination of these factors.

Looking for a last-minute summer holiday? Check our survey results for the best and worst package holiday providers – as rated by customers

Our guide to the lowest-priced seaside spots – from Spain’s top-rated beach city to Lisbon’s cool cousin

Bilbao

Average holiday price: £667pp

Summer is balmy rather than baking in Bilbao. The best-known landmark in this Basque city in northern Spain is the shimmering Guggenheim Museum – a ship-shaped, titanium-clad marvel that’s as impressive as the art inside. In the atmospheric old town, locals wash down pintxos – the Basque country’s take on tapas – with glasses of sparkling wine.

When you’ve had your fill of sightseeing, hop on the metro to Plentzia to stretch out on its golden beach or take a dip in the sheltered bay.

Check the price of package holidays to Spain with Jet2holidays or Tui

Valencia

Average holiday price: £694pp

Spain’s third-largest city came top in our recent survey of the Mediterranean’s best seaside towns. Visitors gave Valencia full marks for its beach, tourist attractions, attractiveness, peace and quiet, friendliness and value for money.

It’s a great destination if you want to combine sunbathing with sightseeing. There’s a Gothic cathedral, palatial Art Nouveau food market and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences cultural quarter to explore. Don’t miss Turia Gardens – a five-mile-long sunken park that used to be a river.

Check the price of package holidays to Spain with Jet2holidays or Tui

Porto

Average holiday price: £790pp

Porto sits on Portugal’s northern coast and enjoys gentler summers than Lisbon and the Algarve. It ranked joint second-best in our survey of the Mediterranean’s best seaside towns, and scored top marks for value for money and its historic harbour – where the region’s prized port wine was first exported to Britain in the early 18th century.

Nowadays, the waterfront and winding streets of Unesco-listed Ribeira are lined with hip bars and chic restaurants. Take historic tram Number 1 to the beach in Foz do Douro, or a river taxi to Vila Nova de Gaia for Port tasting and riverside restaurants. 

Check the price of package holidays to Portugal with Jet2holidays or Tui

Thessaloniki

Average holiday price: £791pp

Greece’s second city is buzzing in summer. Escape the midday sun in its fresco-adorned Roman Rotunda, Byzantine museum, century-old food market and traditional coffee houses and tavernas. Or catch the breeze on a boat ride on the Thermaic Gulf. 

In the evenings, join locals strolling along the regenerated waterfront, beneath a hulking tower built by the Ottomans. The powder-soft beaches of Halkidiki are an easy day trip.

Check the price of package holidays to Greece with Jet2holidays or Tui

Dalaman

Average holiday price: £815pp

Dalaman is the cheapest option for holidaymakers who just want to flop on a beach and chill by a pool. The average cost of a package holiday in this region was considerably less than elsewhere on Turkey’s sun-soaked Turquoise coast, and you can still find bed and breakfast, half-board and all-inclusive holidays available.

There are plenty of water sports on offer to keep kids and adrenaline junkies entertained. Walking up shady Saklikent Gorge – beneath sheer rock faces – is also a fun way to cool off. Fethiye’s ancient Greek rock-hewn tombs are a must-see.

Check the price of package holidays to Turkey with Jet2holidays or Tui

Our research

We gathered the prices of 3,649 package holidays from the UK’s biggest tour operators – Jet2holidays and Tui – on 24 July. The countries we looked at were Spain (including the Canary Islands), Portugal, France, Cyprus, Croatia, Turkey, Greece, Malta and the Channel Islands. 

The average price is for a seven-night holiday including flights, departing between 2 and 8 August, based on two people sharing a standard double or twin room. We only included destinations with a minimum availability of holidays and not all destinations were on sale with both Jet2 and Tui.