SUNNY Beach in Bulgaria is shining bright as Europe’s best-value holiday destination this summer.
The Black Sea resort reclaimed its crown from Turkey’s Marmaris in the 2024 Post Office Travel Money Family Holiday Report, produced with Tui.
At Sunny Beach, a basket of ten holiday essentials — including meals, drinks and beach necessities — totals just over £110, beating 16 other popular European destinations in the annual cost comparison.
Last year’s winner, Marmaris, hit hard by soaring inflation, slipped to second place.
Its basket price has surged by 17.6 per cent to £117.
Portugal’s Algarve completes the top three, holding its position as the best-value destination using the euro.
However, its costs also ballooned, by 18.4 per cent, with the basket now setting families back £124.
Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at the Post Office, said: “Even though sterling is stronger now than last July, price inflation across Europe means that families need to allow for increases in meals, drinks and other tourist costs.”
The report reveals a stark price divide across the continent, with charges in Ibiza more than double those in budget-friendly Sunny Beach.
The Balearic island topped the expense charts at a wallet-busting £229 for the same items.
Spain’s Costa del Sol saw a slight price dip of 0.7 per cent, coming in fourth at £138.
The Canary Island of Lanzarote enjoyed the biggest price fall of 7.2 per cent, propelling it to seventh place with a total of £155.
But families planning their summer escape should brace for higher costs in most destinations.
Twelve out of the 16 resorts surveyed saw price hikes.
And five destinations, including Ibiza, Madeira and Corfu, saw prices jump by more than ten per cent.
Meanwhile, Paphos in Cyprus climbed to fifth place after a modest four per cent price rise brought its total to £144.
The report also sheds light on families’ spending habits, revealing a worrying trend of budget blowouts.
Seventy-three per cent of parents admitted to overspending by an average of 55 per cent on their last foreign getaway.
Meals and drinks were the main culprits, with more than nine in ten parents shelling out an average of £378 on dining out and beverages.
Nearly 90 per cent of parents splurged an average of £202 on beach extras for their little ones.
To put a number on this spending, known as “pester power”, Post Office Travel Money introduced a new Children’s Beach Barometer.
It found that typical beach items, such as buckets and spades, inflatables, snorkel sets, ice creams, pedalo rides and waterpark visits, could set a family of four back between £153 and £279 for a week’s holiday.
Marmaris emerged as the cheapest for these extras at £153, while Ibiza topped the chart at a hefty £279.
Ice cream prices also offer a revealing snapshot of the cost of travelling with kids.
Marmaris takes the crown for the cheapest ice cream, where a familiar brand such as Mars or Magnum will set you back £1.07.
Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach follows closely behind, with ice creams typically priced at £1.66 each.
At the other end of the spectrum, Kos in Greece asks a hefty £3.04.
With almost three-quarters of families already admitting to busting their budget on recent trips, keeping an eye on small treats could be key to saving while still enjoying all the flavours of a sun-soaked getaway.
