Romania is still flying under the radar for most British tourists, which is great for your bank balance. Flights to Bucharest or Cluj-Napoca can drop to £35-£60 return. And the local currency, the leu, makes everything feel like a flash sale. We’re talking about a three-course meal with wine for £15.
Here's What Time and Day to Buy International Flight Tickets for Cheap
You can even take a cheap train into the Carpathian Mountains or visit Dracula’s castle (it’s a bit touristy, but still cool). The best part? No one else has thought of it yet. You’ll feel like a pioneer, except your pioneer wagon is a budget airline seat with no legroom. But hey, you’re saving money!
Bulgaria: The Sunny Beach Secret (But Skip Sunny Beach)
Bulgaria is famous for its package holiday resorts, but those are actually the expensive traps. The real deal is flying to Sofia or Plovdiv for £40-£80 return. Sofia is a gritty, cool city where you can get a coffee for 80p and eat a massive kebab for £3.
The Balkan cuisine is hearty, the people are friendly, and the mountains are right on the city’s doorstep. Just don’t expect a perfectly manicured lawn—this is real, rough-around-the-edges Europe. And it’s incredible. You’ll come back with more cash in your pocket and a story about a grandma who sold you homemade rakia from a plastic bottle.
