The savings are substantial: a typical night in Albania, at €89 (£77; $104), comes in well below the cost of a room in Croatia at €212 (£184; $248); while Montenegro, at €127 (£110; $149), still undercuts many of the Adriatic’s better-known hotspots.
Value snapshot: Albania
Central four-star room: €60-110 (£50-95; $70-129; $29-46)
Dinner for two at a smart-casual restaurant: €25-40 (£22-35)
Public transport ticket: €1 (£0.90; $1.17)
Museum entry: €5-10 (£4.30-9; $5-11)
Coffee and pastry: €1.50-3 (£1.30-2.60; $1.76-3.52)
For travellers who still want a Mediterranean summer – swims, seafood, old towns, long evenings outdoors – but are less willing to pay premium prices for crowded coastlines, both countries make a strong case.
While slightly less convenient than in the previous years, a European summer holiday in 2026 isn’t out of reach, By expanding the map of options, travellers are finding new favourite alternatives to the classics, each offering a strong value for the money without sacrificing the hallmarks of a classic European holiday.
