One budget-friendly travel influencer has shared her top three destinations in Europe for travellers “fed up” with popular hotspots and keen to find some hidden gems
A popular travel influencer has shared one of her favourite budget-friendly holiday destinations in Europe. The country in question is described as a “less crowded and cheaper” version of Croatia.
The TikTok account, emsbudgettravel, prides itself on sharing good value travel tips and destinations to its 100,000 followers. In a video from 2024, Em shared a video counting down her favourite cheap holiday destinations for those “fed up with holidays to Spain, Portugal and Greece”.
Em’s number one choice is Montenegro in the Balkans. She shares in the video that she was tempted to gatekeep the destination because it was her favourite country that she’s visited.
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Em says it’s an ideal destination for budget-conscious travellers and those looking for true hidden gems. “It’s kinda like Croatia” says Em, though a less crowded alternative, which is great considering that Croatia is rising rapidly in popularity in recent years.
According to Em, Montenegro “has the perfect combination of stunning scenery with so many beaches and islands, but then also mountains.” She continues: “It has the clearest and bluest water I’ve ever seen and really good value accommodation.”
One of the other merits of Montenegro Em espouses is that it is “quite a small country so it’s easy to get around”. For reference, Montenegro has a total area of 13,812 square kilometres (5,333 square miles), which makes it one of the smallest countries in Europe.
The country’s diverse terrain comprises mountains and a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline. Montenegro’s 150 miles of seacoast has helped put it on the map as a must-visit tourist destination.
According to Em, flights to the UK are also relatively cheap. “You can fly there from £35 return” attests Em. Flights from London to Podgorica Airport in Montenegro depart fairly regularly, though you’ll likely have a stopover in-between.
TikTok commenters agreed with Em’s estimation of Montenegro. One user wrote: “Montenegro is the best summer destination in Europe without a doubt”. While another said: “Love Montenegro, such a beautiful country”. Em also shared in the comments that if you only have 3 days to spare in Montenegro, she recommends staying in Budva or Petrovac since it’s closer to the airport.
Em shared another favourite great value destination in Europe in the video. A country with “amazing scenery, beautiful mountains and loads of history”.
The country is Armenia – more specifically Yerevan, the capital – and Em says it is also home to “really friendly people and it’s really good value”. She also said its home to some of the best brunches she’s ever had and she was able to fly for £about £80 return”.
Her final recommendation for a “weekend break on a budget” is Bratislava in Slovakia. Em says it is home to a “really charming old town” as well as “an impressive castle with great views”. The best part: she was able to fly there from £28 return.