The cheaper alternatives to Europe’s tourist hotspots – with fewer rules ...Middle East

Despite unsubstantiated reports that Spain is banning tourists, travel to the favourite destination for British holidaymakers is becoming more complex.

While the country attracted 94 million tourists last year, with British travellers making up the biggest market by nationality, Spain is increasingly focused on balancing tourism with infrastructure, as residents in tourist hotspots blame foreign visitors for a lack of housing and rising rent costs.

Across mainland Spain and the Canary Islands, many took to the streets last year to call for regulations controlling tourist properties.

Málaga, which saw more than 14m visitors in the wider province in 2024, is introducing a three-year law restricting tourist apartments in the city. Rather than an outright ban, it puts a lid on new registrations of holiday rentals in 43 districts of the Costa del Sol capital.

In Portofino, on the Amalfi coast, tourists creating “dangerous situations” while posing for pictures for viral Instagram posts could face fines. In Greece, the number of cruise ships allowed to visit the popular islands of Santorini and Mykonos have been capped and, last year, Bali in Indonesia introduced a tourist tax to try to put unruly tourists off visiting the “low-cost” island.

For holidaymakers keen to visit destinations free from restrictions, here are six alternatives to consider.

Swap Málaga for Fuengirola

In 2023, a record-breaking 14 million people visited Málaga province, according to Costa del Sol tourism figures.

Although equivalent numbers are yet to be released for Fuengirola, along the coast, the local government has claimed that visitors in January 2024 increased by more than 90 per cent compared to the same period of the year before.

Around 20 miles south of Málaga, the seaside city of Fuengirola offers a similar experience as its busy neighbour, with long swathes of sandy beaches and tapas restaurants at nearly every turn.

While Málaga has a museum paying tribute to its famous former resident, Pablo Picasso, as well as a Roman theatre, Fuengirola has the Sohail Castle, which can be traced back to the Phoenician era, and the Plaza De Los Chinorros, renowned for its regional Spanish cuisine, including fresh seafood and cured meats. The old town is built around the Plaza de la Constitution and has echoes of its past as a fishing village.

Restaurant prices in Fuengirola are comparable to Málaga’s, according to data comparison platform Numbeo, but hotels are more affordable. A night’s stay at the beachfront four-star Catalonia Málaga costs from £143 in July, while a comparable room at the Occidental Fuengirola is £122 on the same date.

It’s a 45-minute train journey from Málaga to Fuengirola, with fares from €5 (£4.20) one-way.

visitcostadelsol.com

Last week, city councillors announced that visitors to Edinburgh will be charged a tourist tax, which will apply to accommodation including hotels and rental properties.

It’s estimated that the tax, a levy of 5 per cent – due to come into effect on 24 July 2026 – will raise £50m annually.

Aberdeen – aka the Granite City – has plenty to recommend it as an alternative to busy Edinburgh (Photo: skarau/Getty/iStockphoto)

In 2023, there were a total of 4.98 million overnight visits to Edinburgh, according to Visit Scotland. August is especially busy thanks to the city’s festival, and December can be packed too, for new year celebrations.

In contrast, there were a total of 1.35 million overnight tourism visits to Aberdeen and the surrounding areas of Aberdeenshire and Moray Speyside, according to the same source – but there’s plenty to recommend it.

Known as the “Granite City” due to its striking grey stone buildings, crafted from locally quarried granite, Aberdeen is packed full of history and culture, with eye-popping street art and a thriving craft brewery.

The Maritime Museum is a must-see in this coastal city, and Aberdeen Art Gallery is showing Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol until 13 April. Tickets from £7.

The city is accessible by the Caledonian Sleeper train, which leaves London Euston at 8.30pm and arrives at 7.50am with fares from £53 for a basic seat.

From 19 to 22 July, Aberdeen will host the Tall Ships Races, set to be one of Scotland’s largest events in 2025. An estimated 400,000 visitors will descend on the Port of Aberdeen’s North Harbour to see more than 50 vessels from across the globe berth there, as it becomes the only UK host port for Europe’s largest free family festival.

According to Numbeo, a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant in Edinburgh costs £10 more (£70) in Edinburgh than in Aberdeen (£60).

Hotels are more expensive in the Scottish capital in peak season too. In July, a night at the four-star Yotel Edinbugh comes in at £218, while a comparable hotel in Aberdeen, the Coffee House hotel, is £73.

visitabdn.com

Swap Venice for Portugal’s canal city, Aveiro

In Venice, most tourists are daytrippers, but still some 30 million people visit each year in total, according to local government figures.

The city is continuing to impose a €5 (£4.20) charge for visitors to its historic centre in peak times, to cut down the influx of tourists and raise revenue to aid financially disadvantaged areas, and fund services including rubbish collections.

For 2025, a new pilot system will come into force from 18 April to 27 July, and the fee will extend to Fridays as well as weekends and holiday days for a total of 54 days. Since 2021, the city has banned cruise ships from entering its historic centre.

In contrast, Aveiro – known as the “Venice of Portugal” – saw a 32 per cent rise in tourist visits in 2023 compared with 2022, according to data platform Statista.

Portugal’s canal city was crucial in the production of salt and for trade ajnd commercial shipping for centuries from Roman times.

Stroll its waterways, navigated by colourful gondola-esque boats – barcos moliceiros, once used for collecting moliço seaweed – and flanked by art nouveau buildings, before heading to the impressive Cathedral of Aveiro, with its striking bell tower.

The Museu de Aveiro is housed in a former convent, and features paintings, sculptures, jewellery and textiles dating back to the 14th century – it costs just €4 (£3.35) to visit.

The popular nearby beaches of Costa Nova and Barra, with endless sands and surrounded by pretty striped houses, can be easily reached by bus.

Numbeo reveals that restaurant prices in Venice are some 40 per cent higher than in Aveiro, with a mid-range three-course meal for two costing €60 (£50.30) there compared to €42.50 (£35.50) in its Portuguese equivalent.

A night at Venice’s four-star Hotel Al Codega costs £196 in July, while a stay at the comparable Hotel Aveiro Palace is £125.

visitportugal.com/en/content/visit-aveiro

In November, Florence announced a 10-point plan to ban several items associated with overtourism from its historic centre.

It has proposed the prohibition of accommodation key safes, golf carts, and rickshaws and loudspeakers for tourism purposes, with the aim of improving the day-to-day life of locals.

The Italian National Institute of Statistics reports that tourism figures there were likely to be 15 million last year. That’s nearly three times the amount of people visiting the whole of Slovakia, with local media reporting that there was a total of 5.7 million overnight stays in 2023.

square TRAVEL

The enchanting European city break that treats you to luxury and charm, but for bargain prices

Slovakian capital Bratislava doesn’t have museums as famous as the Uffizi Gallery – and is around 1,000 years younger than Florence – but it’s still has plenty of history and culture. Bratislava Castle, perched on a hill overlooking the picturesque old town, the Danube, and neighbouring Austria and Hungary.

The old town dates back to the 18th century and features plenty of churches and a pretty waterfront. It is renowned for its buzzy atmosphere, lively bars and cafes – and the fact it’s a pedestrianised makes it pleasant to explore on foot.

Beyond the city are vineyards and the Little Carpathian Mountains, where you can try out a forested hiking or cycling trail before sampling a glass of Slovakian wine, including the popular Gewurztraminer. Wine is a large part of local cuisine.

Restaurant prices in Bratislava are affordable – 40.3 per cent lower than in Florence, with a three-course meal for two at a regular restaurant costing €50 (£42) as opposed to €80 (£67), according to Numbeo.

A night at Florence’s four-star Hotel Leonardo da Vinci in July costs £155, whereas a stay at the comparable Hotel Saffron in Bratislava is £78 for the same date.

visitbratislava.com

While Portugal’s government has welcomed 2023’s “record” number of visitors – 18.76m overnight tourists – in Lisbon, local authorities have responded to protests by announcing plans to halve the number of tourist tuk-tuks on the city’s streets, after residents complained they were blocking traffic.

Durrës has many similarites to Lisbon – not least its waterside views (Photo: MireXa/Getty)

In contrast, Durrës, Albania’s second most populous city – around 22 miles west of the capital Tirana on the Adriatic Sea – is actively seeking tourists. In 2023, local figures show, it hosted around one million visitors. It’s also more affordable than Lisbon, with restaurant prices around 43 per cent lower than the Portuguese city.

A three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant is €30.48 (£25.50) in Durrës, and €55 (£46) in Lisbon, according to Numbeo.

Overlooked by the imposing Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon is famous for its historical sites, like Jerónimos Monastery and Belem Tower, but Durrës has its own unique past, well worth exploring.

As well as its many beaches, it’s home to a vast Roman amphitheatre, and its Archaeological Museum displays pieces from the Greek, Hellenistic and Roman periods, and costs just 400 Albanian Lek (£3.35) to enter. Popular Durrësi Beach is well-known for its family-friendly shallow waters.

One night in July at the four-star Hotel Lisboa Plaza in Lisbon costs from £106, while a stay at Durrës’ comparable Relax Inn Hotel is £70.

albania.al/destinations/durres

Swap Marseille for Toulon

In November, the mayor of Marseille announced the implementation of a ban on key safes mounted outside holiday lets, adding to a growing list of crackdowns on seasonal rentals.

In 2023, Statista figures show there were 16.2 million overnight stays in the city and, while there are no specific figures for Toulon as yet, the French tourism sector reported a strong recovery that year after pandemic declines, which is likely to apply to Toulon.

Marseille may have the atmospheric Vieux-Port at its heart, with the Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde church is a big draw, but Toulon has its own attractive harbour and an appealing mountain backdrop, which can be scaled via cable car.

Popular beaches Plage de Pipady and Plage de la Mitre feature vast expanses of sand and are surrounding, in typical French Riveira style, with palm trees.

Toulon’s position also means it’s easier to access hotspots of the Cote D’Azur, like Saint-Tropez, Cannes and Nice, and Marseille is just 41 minutes by train. Tickets from €8 (£6.70) one way. You can also take a ferry to the famously beautiful Îles d’Hyères, with their clear waters and unspoiled beaches.

Just 40 miles east of Marseille, a three-course meal for two at an average restaurant costs €57.50 (£48) in Toulon and €62.50 (£52.50) in Marseille.

A night in July at the four-star Mercure Marseille Canebière Vieux-Port hotel is £117, while a stay at the comparable Best Western Plus La Corniche in Toulon is £107.

provencemed.com

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