The guaranteed sunshine and beautiful beaches of the Mediterranean have been a magnet for British travellers for generations.
Located only a few hours by plane from the UK, low-cost air travel often means a week in a Southern Europe resort is more affordable than a holiday in the UK.
However, as the price of breaks in traditional hotspots like Spain and Greece has continued to rise finding a cheap vacation in the Med has become more of a challenge.
Alternative destinations like Croatia, which provided the stunning backdrop for TV series Game of Thrones, and Turkey have gained popularity but post-pandemic they too have become more expensive.
But bargain-loving holidaymakers are in luck because there is another country nestled between Italy and Greece perfectly set up for them to live it up without breaking the bank: Albania.
Flights to the former Communist country start from as little as £20 with the trip from the UK taking just over two hours.
Once there the cost of living and accommodation compares favourably to the rest of the continent.
On a visit to the stunning Riviera in the south of the country, Express.co.uk met two backpackers from New Zealand only too happy to sing Albania’s praises.
“We were planning to go Croatia,” said Laura Hewson, 23. “But one of our friends who’d been to Albania told us [we should go there]. They said it’s like Greece or Croatia but cheaper and a lot more beautiful because there are not as many tourists.
“We’re actually staying at a four-star hotel with breakfast included for the same price that we were staying in hostels with eight [strangers] in a room in Italy and Spain.”
Her companion Farrell Modd, 22, said the pair had also been attracted to Albania after seeing its incredible scenery on a number of TikTok travelling accounts.
Farrell felt the reality had managed to match the epic videos online and was impressed with how well it was set up for tourists.
“It’s beautiful,” she said with a smile, “clear blue water, lots of swimming spots.”
The Kiwi women were enjoying a spot of sunbathing in the resort town of Vlora where, despite it being the middle of November, the temperature was a balmy 19 degrees.
The palm tree-lined beachfront was almost completely abandoned so the pair practically had the place to themselves.
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