British travellers could face queues of up to six hours this summer due to Europe's new Entry Exit System (EES), which replaces passport stamps with digital biometric checks. British passport holders must provide fingerprints and a photo when entering the Schengen Area for the first time. The system is being introduced at airports across popular holiday destinations including Spain, Portugal and Greece, with some reports warning border checks could take between two and three hours during busy periods.
Albania: Affordable Mediterranean Alternative
Albania is ranked among Europe's most affordable travel destinations, offering white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters at a fraction of the cost of EU hotspots like Greece. Vlorë on the Albanian Riviera provides the same Mediterranean climate, clear Ionian waters, and historic charm. Visitors can enjoy quiet shores at Narta or Zvernec Beach, take a boat to the Karaburun Peninsula for secluded coves, and explore Vlorë's historical centre with Ottoman architecture and a growing food and nightlife scene.
Kotor, Montenegro: Dubrovnik Dupe
As more travellers look to avoid overcrowded destinations, soaring prices, and long queues at EU airports, interest is shifting towards lesser-known spots in Eastern Europe. One of the best 'destination dupes' is swapping busy Dubrovnik for Kotor in Montenegro. This Unesco-listed town boasts cobbled streets, Venetian-era palaces, and café-lined squares, with a fjord-like bay perfect for boat trips and kayaking. Nearby Perast is a postcard-perfect village filled with churches and palaces.
Essaouira, Morocco: Budget Wellness Spot
Essaouira on Morocco's Atlantic coast offers more than 300 days of sunshine, cheaper spas and hotels, and flights from £29. This windswept seaside town is a budget wellness destination with spa centres, hammam sessions, and surfing schools. The Unesco World Heritage Site medina features the Skala de la Ville, ancient defensive walls with bronze cannons from the 18th century offering epic views over the Atlantic. Souk Jdid is ideal for shopping for arts, crafts and handmade gifts.
Khiva, Uzbekistan: Silk Road Marvel
For adventurous travellers, Uzbekistan offers opulent mosques, mausoleums, and Silk Road sites. Khiva's old town, Ichon-Qala, is a Unesco-listed maze of mud-brick walls and vividly tiled facades. The Kalta Minor Minaret dazzles with blue-green tiles. Market stalls sell bright fabrics, ceramics, figurines, traditional clothing, and fur hats. The city was an important post connecting China and Rome, and a centre of education, science, and culture.
Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina: East-Meets-West Capital
Bosnia-Herzegovina's capital boasts a distinct east-meets-west vibe with Austro-Hungarian architecture and intriguing museums. Begin at Baščaršija, the old bazaar, where narrow cobblestone streets are lined with shops selling traditional crafts and local delicacies like cevapi. The Sarajevo Tunnel Museum offers insights into the city's recent past during the Bosnian War, which endured the longest siege of a capital city in modern history in the 1990s.
Petra, Jordan: Ancient Nabataean City
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office no longer advises against travel to Jordan. Petra, an ancient city more than 2,300 years old, was the capital of the Nabataean Empire. An entrance ticket costs 50 JOD (about £51). The visit starts in the Siq, a narrow gorge cutting through rose-red rock, leading to Al Khazneh (the Treasury), a 40m-high façade carved into sandstone. Other sites include a theatre, the Petra Church Complex, and Qasr Bint Far'un.
Armenia: Ancient Culture and Modern Charm
Armenia, a small mountainous nation, offers medieval monasteries, hilltop churches, and the ancient city of Yerevan, founded in 782 BC. Yerevan is known as the 'Pink City' due to its rose-coloured tufa stone buildings. Key sites include Republic Square and the Cascade Complex, a multi-tiered stairway with contemporary art and panoramic views of Mount Ararat. The country has one of the world's oldest wineries and a dynamic culinary scene.
Dalaman, Turkey: Blue Lagoon Paradise
Along Turkey's southwest coast, Dalaman offers Oludeniz's Blue Lagoon, located within Oludeniz Tabiat Parki. The protected national park encompasses Belcekiz Beach and the lagoon, with well-kept amenities including toilets, showers, shaded spots, and rental services for sunbeds, parasols, kayaks, pedalos, and paddleboards. A modest entrance fee grants access to this unspoiled slice of Mediterranean coastline.
Azerbaijan: Land of Fire
Azerbaijan, a transcontinental oil-rich nation bridging Eastern Europe and Western Asia, is known as the 'Land of Fire'. Baku's medieval Old City, Icherisheher, features caravanserais, mosques, and the 12th-century Maiden Tower. The modern Flame Towers contrast with the ancient architecture. Azerbaijani cuisine includes plov (pilaf), lavangi (stuffed chicken or fish with walnuts), and baklava, served with traditional çay (tea).
