These are the top European beach resorts where your money will stretch further this summer
Sunny Beach in Bulgaria is the best for a bargain break, followed by the Algarve and the Costa Del Sol
THRIFTY travellers looking for a beach break where their money will stretch furthest should head to Bulgaria this summer, according to a new report.
Tumbling prices in Sunny Beach have made the Black Sea resort even cheaper than a year ago and the best bet for a bargain break, followed by the Algarve in Portugal and the Costa Del Sol in Spain.
The Post Office Travel Money Holiday Costs Barometer, which compares costs in 19 European beach resorts, looks at a number of costs in every resort to work out how cost effective each place.
The barometer basket of 10 tourist staples included lunch and evening meals, drinks, sun cream, insect repellent and a daily newspaper.
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At around £37, the items cost 10 per cent less in Sunny Beach than last year, despite the weaker pound.
An evening meal for two with wine will set UK visitors back less than £20, while lunch for two is under £6 and sun cream is cheaper than the lowest-priced UK bottle at £3.72.
The Algarve was again the runner-up resort to Sunny Beach, although holiday costs are 56 percent higher than in Bulgaria at just over £58.
The Portuguese hot spot remains cheapest of 14 Eurozone resorts surveyed though, and around £2 cheaper than the Costa del Sol (£61) in third place.
Prices in both destinations are less than half those in Ibiza (£131), the most expensive resort surveyed.
Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: “Tour operators have already reported that holidays to Bulgaria are selling like hot cakes and our research makes it clear that Sunny Beach will offer cash-strapped holidaymakers unbeatable value this year.
“Meal costs are really the deciding factor in Bulgaria’s favour - over the course of a week’s holiday, lunch and evening meals for two will cost less around £175 in Sunny Beach but this could mushroom to over £600 in more expensive resorts in France or Italy.”