{"id":120526,"date":"2023-10-24T14:49:13","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T14:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/?p=120526"},"modified":"2023-10-24T14:49:13","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T14:49:13","slug":"europes-answer-to-the-maldives-for-cheap-holidays-in-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/travel\/europes-answer-to-the-maldives-for-cheap-holidays-in-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Europe\u2019s answer to the Maldives’ for cheap holidays in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It might feel as though summer 2023 has just passed, but for those looking ahead to their summer holidays next year, there’s an “underrated” European gem that is on track to become a trending destination in 2024. According to Booking.com\u2019s annual Travel Predictions research, Britons are likely to set their sights on cheaper alternatives to some of the world’s most popular holiday hotspots.<\/p>\n

The Maldives is undoubtedly one of the most luxurious, tropical destinations in the world, it’s one that can come with a hefty price tag and a long journey.<\/p>\n

While flights to the Maldives typically take between 10 and 11 hours from London, experts from Booking.com suggest holidaymakers can enjoy similarly stunning beaches and sparkling waters much closer to home. And that’s why they’ve named the coastal city of Vlor\u00eb in Albania as one of their top trending destinations for 2024.<\/p>\n

Nestled within reach of Greece and Italy, the destination offers similar ocean views and toasty summer temperatures, but a somewhat smaller price tag.<\/p>\n

“The jewel of the Balkans, Albania is the trending beach escape for 2024 due to its azure waters, impressive mountains, and affordability for all types of travellers,” said Booking.com.<\/p>\n

“Tucked away in the southwest is the underrated seaside gem of Vlor\u00eb, the starting point of the Albanian Riviera and a great base for road trips to explore up and down this sunny coast.<\/p>\n

“Home to some of Albania\u2019s most beautiful beaches, the glistening shoreline provides visitors with Europe\u2019s answer to the Maldives \u2013 a welcome option for the 43 percent of UK travellers who will be searching for luxe-for-less copycat holidays to reduce costs.”<\/p>\n

If you’re looking to reduce costs on your next overseas holiday, Jet2 has some incredible flight and holiday deals<\/strong> right now and British Airways has a number of discounts on holidays into 2024<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

How to get to Vlor\u00eb<\/h2>\n

While you can’t fly directly to Vlor\u00eb, the closest airport is just over two hours away by car in Albania’s capital city, Tirana. There are plenty of cheap flight options that can fly you directly from the UK to Albania – in some cases for less than \u00a370 per person each way.<\/p>\n

If you’re looking ahead to 2024, we found some great flight deals from British Airways and Ryanair.<\/p>\n

For a wintery escape to Albania, fly with British Airways from just \u00a369 per person each wa<\/strong>y on select dates in January 2024.<\/p>\n

Or if you’ve set your sights on a sun-soaked summer holiday, perfect for making the most of those beaches, you can fly direct to Tirana with British Airways from \u00a394 per person each way in July 2024<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Ryanair has return flights to and from Tirana for even less, with return flights available from just \u00a361 on select dates in June, according to Skyscanner<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Hiring a car is probably one of the easiest ways to get to Vlor\u00eb, and you can compare the cost of hiring a car for your holiday with companies such as\u00a0Holiday Extras<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

When we conducted a quick, independent search, we found car hire for one week in June 2024 for as little as \u00a3204 when picked up from and dropped off at Tirana International Airport<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, a shuttle bus service runs between Tirana Airport and Vlor\u00eb or, if you venture into Tirana Central, you can catch a bus to the coast from Tirana City Centre bus terminal.<\/p>\n

However, if you do want to take things a little slower, spending a night in the capital won’t cost you much – you can rent an apartment from just \u00a320 a night<\/strong>. Travel reporter Esther, who visited in the summer of 2023 managed to secure an Airbnb for just that. She said: “I stayed at an Airbnb in the Blloku neighbourhood at a cost of just \u00a3119.64 for two people for three nights.<\/p>\n

“This meant that it cost us just \u00a360 each, or \u00a320 per night, which I felt was great value.”<\/p>\n

Where to stay in Vlor\u00eb<\/h2>\n