Underrated beach destination with cheap pints and short flights – and holidays from £330pp

FORGET Spain and Greece when thinking of budget-friendly beach holidays.

Named the ‘next big Mediterranean hotspot for Brits‘, Albania is home to many ‘perfect beaches with clear blue waters‘ – and deals that won’t break the bank.

The coastline that stretches along Albania is known as the Albanian Riviera.

The region, which locals call “Bregu”, has UNSEO sites and plenty of incredible sandy beaches.

The Riviera extends from Ksamil in the south to Vlorë in the north, and some hotspots have even been compared to the Maldives, thanks to their overwater huts and bright blue waters.

If you’re unsure where to go, Ksamil and Sarandë seem to be the most popular holiday resorts, and it helps that they’re also home to some of the country’s best beaches.

Albania is also extremely cheap for Brits, with coffees costing around 201 Lek (£1.70), pints of local beer around 250 Lek (£2.11) and small imported beer bottles costing 110 to 250 Lek (£0.90 to £2.11).

The best time to visit the Albanian Riviera is May through September when temperatures reach 32C.

Those travelling in May, June and September will find the cheapest prices and quieter locations, but July and August still offer plenty of bargains.

In fact, the deals we’ve spotted are hundreds cheaper than other popular destinations and are also said to be much less busy.

Here are some of the best package holidays we’ve found this August:

• 4 nights b&b at Two Kitarrat in Durres, Albania – from £330pp
• 5 nights b&b at Valza Boutique Hotel in Vlorë, Albania – from £360pp
• 4 nights b&b at Bel Conti in Durres, Albania – from £440pp

We’ve also found that booking flights and accommodation separately could be cheaper, depending on the size of your group.

Return flights cost as little as £60, with easyJet, British Airways, and WizzAir offering direct routes to Tirana, the country’s capital.

From there, reaching your chosen destination on the Riviera will take a few hours by car.

These are some of the best accommodation-only deals for this summer:

• Stay at “Luxury Penthouse Horizon” in Sarandë, Albania – from £30pp per night
• Stay at “Three-Bedroom Apartment with Jacuzzi” in Sarandë, Albania – from £38pp per night
• Stay at “Villa Festim Ksamil” in Ksamil, Albania – from £50 per night
• Stay at “D&D HOTEL Ksamil” in Ksamil, Albania – from £50 per night
• Stay at “Mazarine Hotel” in Vlorë, Albania – from £120 per night

For more holiday inspiration, we revealed the three ‘best TUI hotels’ in the Balearics – with huge pools, beachfront locations and ‘incredible’ facilities.

And there’s a hotel in Rhodes voted ‘best in the world’ by TUI – with two infinity pools, and it’s just one minute from the beach.

Meanwhile, EasyJet releases hundreds of last-minute package holidays this summer, including free child places.

_{Prices correct at the time of publication.}