As a travel journalist, the question I get asked is where we can go that is stylish and doesn’t strain our finances.
This is the holy grail, where taste trumps expense and bragging rights shift towards hidden, totally affordable gems. Such under-the-radar accommodations abound on the fringes of places commonly associated with luxury holidays, sometimes even in plain sight (the Italian Lakes and the Balaeric Islands, for example).
Here’s a guide for those looking to live cheaply without compromising on style. From chic, contemporary-classic accommodations in Baroque Sicilian cities to alternatives to Como, here are eight ways to have the European holiday of a lifetime for less.
Lago d’Orta, Italian Lakes
Lake Orta is essentially what Maggiore and Como used to be — sans selfie sticks and Clooneys. Tranquil, brutally beautiful and vastly underestimated, the pastel-painted town of Orta San Giulio offers just the right dose of culture. Punctuated by the blue, glassy lake is the pocket-sized island of Isola San Giulio, with its Brothers Grimm-esque towers, abbey and houses that seem to plummet into the water. Days under Orta’s spell often begin with a refreshing dip, a pastry on a terrace and a book read to the gentle hum of a motorboat crunching across the still water.
Afternoons can be spent exploring the galleries and boutiques of Orta San Giulio, sampling the Piedmontese bounty at Pan & Vino, or perhaps visiting the contemporary collection at Fondazione Calderara in Vacciago di Ameno. Gardeners can swim in the Villa Motta Gardens, while hikers can make their way to Sacro Monte di Orta, perched on a promontory overlooking the lake, past a series of chapels that trace the life of Francesco d’Assisi. In the evening, pull up a chair at the button-down Osteria Speranza Omegna for reasonably priced dishes such as mushroom gnocchetti or shrimp ravioli.
Where to stay
La Darbia is living proof that the Italian Lakes’ graceful shores and natural splendor aren’t just the preserve of movie stars and wealthy Americans. Here’s a chic lakeside retreat that won’t break the bank. Contemporary rooms have their own kitchenettes and terraces with views across the vineyards that line the coastline. Guests can also take a dip in the heated saltwater pool. After scouring the local towns and villages for the best Piedmontese ingredients (cheese, truffles, wine), it’s worth stopping by at least once to get your fill of cooking.
Prices start from £250 per night, ladarbia.com
Modica and Scicli, Sicily
Ever since The White Lotus asked Netflix viewers to head to Noto (and Mario Testino, Mick Jagger and the like started buying up houses on the hill), the Baroque city and surrounding meadow-like countryside have seen hotel prices soar. Eventually, Modica will follow suit. But for now, this hilly Baroque city, dotted with ornate churches against the backdrop of the Hyblean mountains and famous for its chocolate, remains wonderfully affordable. Find crumbly, cold-pressed chocolate at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (Sicily’s oldest chocolate factory).
You’ll also find an art and design movement, spurred by cheap rents and the striking beauty of the place. The walls of Galleria Lo Magno line the works of up-and-coming artists. In nearby Scicli, crumbling aristocratic palaces (like the Palazzo Beneventano) remain eerily quiet and fantastical inside. Stroll down Via Francesco Mormina Penna for baroque beauty, then order ravioli at Verace (near San Giovanni). The yellow, sandy beaches, bars and fresh seafood of Sampieri are a five-minute drive away
Where to stay
A design-savvy duo have preserved the grand character of this beautiful Modica building, preserving the original 18th-century stone floors while adding subtle contemporary touches for stylish accommodation. Outside, a terrace offers stunning views of Modica’s honey-coloured Baroque buildings. In Scicli, San Bartolomeo Casa e Putia is a guesthouse where you can leave your bags. Minimalist rooms with concrete floors wink toward the hotel’s eponymous church, and balconies are covered in Sicilian tiles (and pastries for breakfast).
Sicilian Escape from £149 per night, airbnb.co.uk; San Bartolomeo Casa e Putia from £95 per night, sanbartolomeocasaeputia.it
Lofoten, Norway
The Lofoten Islands can be reached by connecting flight from one of Norway’s main cities, and once you’re in Narvik, it’s worth hiring a car and taking the famously scenic E10. Along the way, you’ll find Leknes, Reine and Moskenes, where walks are handsomely rewarded by the dramatic views and little falu-red houses that hug the archipelago’s shores.
The best part is that all this natural beauty is free—just pack a cheese and charcuterie picnic in the main towns and then head to wild beaches like Unstad and Haukland, or climb Offersøykammen to admire the vibrant mottled waters and rugged landscape from above. Try to book ahead for Polarhagen’s foodie evenings, where a couple fleeing Oslo reveal their Arctic Circle life and homegrown vegetables are featured on the menu. And instead of pricey Holmen Lofoten, spend an afternoon horseback riding through film-set scenery at Hov Farm.
Where to stay
Not far from the sleepy hamlet of Kvalnes in Lofoten lies a cluster of gently reconstructed fishermen’s cottages. The style is simple and traditional; the wood-lined, stuccoed interiors, warmed by wood-burning stoves and embroidered cushions, evoke simple living. Five cosy, self-catering cottages, sleeping two to six, are situated behind the harbour wall. From this hygge retreat, guests can zip across the cool, crystal-clear water in kayaks, hike to nearby mountain lakes or head to the bone-white beaches of Kvalvika and Skagsanden.
Prices start from £160 per night, villalofoten.com
Douro Valley, Portugal
Budget-conscious people tend to avoid wine country like the plague, but the beauty of Portugal’s Douro Valley is that its most charming, family-run wineries and boutique hotels aren’t too expensive. Affordable wine-tasting experiences you can book include Quinta da Pacheca, Quinta de la Rosa and Quinta do Tedo, with their panoramic views of the river. For a foodie-friendly stroll, head from Pinhão to Casal de Loivos Miradouro’s via D’Origem for olive oil and, at the top, to family-run Quinta do Jalloto for superior port and honey. It’s worth chowing down on cheese, meat and bread at Pinhão’s delicatessens and picnic markets, but outdoor roadside restaurants like Sais da Foz serve classic Portuguese dishes for more than modest prices.
Where to stay
Rescued from decay by winemaker Philippe Austrey, Quinta da Côrte is the kind of hard-to-find haven that couples spend days searching for on the internet and only discover through a friend of a friend. People return year after year for its slow rhythms, shared dinners and the simple pleasure of a book by the pool.
Prices start from £170 per night, quintadacorte.com
Folegandros and Athens
For an affordable, unforgettable European holiday, Greece really is the place to be. Just make sure you book in slightly lower season for milder temperatures and cheaper flights. One of Europe’s most underrated cities, Athens has an infectious, creative, and slightly chaotic energy.
Sure, there’s the Acropolis atop the Parthenon, but the real joy of modern Athens is the scene that fills its ancient bones. Creatives flock here for the cheap post-decadent rents and the emerging arts community—find it at The Breeder (a repurposed Metaxourgio ice cream parlor featuring the work of Greek artists) or the hip Themistokleous, where small-plate restaurants like Frater & Soror brim with youthful energy.
Most trendy places are completely affordable, like Mnisikleous Street in Plaka, where there are cafes on the steps. It’s a great way to escape to the Greek islands after a few days of wandering around the photogenic streets. Folegandros is the freckled and shy Greek cousin, an introvert who is estranged from the rest of the family and prefers reading a book under the shade of an olive tree to a beach party any day.
Where to stay
The Perianth Hotel in Athens is a neo-modernist, five-star oasis on Agias Eirinis square, close to all the popular attractions but away from the main roads. The mood is characteristic of Athens’s thriving creative scene; guests book yoga and meditation sessions at the Zen Centre Athens (they share the same space), and the walls are full of contemporary Greek artists.
Once you drop anchor in Folegandros, Anemomilos Boutique Hotel’s Mamma Mia-style minibus will whisk you away to the dizzying cliffs, where the simple blue and white rooms open onto balconies overlooking the Aegean Sea.
Perianth Hotel from £173 per night, perianthotel.com; Anemomilos Boutique Hotel prices start from £195 per night, anemomiloshotel.com
Apulia, Italy
With its raw edges and unfiltered coastal light, Puglia’s sublime beauty lies in its simplicity. Towns and cities like Ostuni are a warm, coffee-scented labyrinth of affordable boutiques selling produce, galleries (visit Orizzonti Arte Contemporanea) and restaurants that cook everything from scratch (try La Pastasciutta for affordable pasta and Il Vizio del Conte for takeaway pizza). First-timers are captivated by the heart-pounding panoramic views from every angle of the city, where the Adriatic winks before them and some of Puglia’s most stunning beaches are less than a 10-minute drive away.
Where to stay
Masseria Cervarolo feels deeply rooted in the sun-scorched lands, with its 16th-century architecture and cone-shaped trulli. The old farmhouse is surrounded by countryside that is surprisingly green for Puglia. Inside, the overriding feeling in the main vaulted manor house is one of home – the absence of a design update, such as bells and whistles, has preserved the character of the building. Much has been recycled, such as old farmhouse doors (now headboards) and timber repurposed as towel rails. While a lagoon-like pool sits at its centre, its beating heart (true to Puglia form) is the restaurant, where guests can look into the tiled, open-plan kitchen for an ever-changing menu.
Prices start from £179 per night, masseriacervarolo.com