A holiday hotspot in Spain has been named the cheapest city break destination in Europe.
Travel expert team Omio researched the number of free activities and museums, affordable city tours and public transport prices to find the best bargain holiday.
Granada in Spain’s southern Andalucia region topped the list, while several other Spanish destinations also made the top 10.
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While it isn’t free to enter, Granada’s Alhambra Palace is its primary attraction and is one of the best preserved palaces from the historic Islamic world.
One tourist wrote on Tripadvisor: “More lovely than we imagined. Words don’t do it justice, don’t miss it! As wonderful as everyone said, go early.”
Irish holidaymakers can also visit the site’s accompanying museum, the Alhambra Museum, for free. People are advised to book in advance and arrive early as it can get very busy.
In total, Granada was found to have 60 free activities.
The team at Omio found that the average price for a dinner for two in the city was just €44, with beers generally cost just €2.19.
Tourists can wander the narrow streets of the historic Albaicin neighbourhood for free.
No airlines currently offer direct flights between Dublin Airport and Granada Airport so most routes have one or more stops. There are currently return flights from London for under €95 in July according to Skyscanner.
Valencia was ranked as Spain’s second cheapest city and is a great destination for Irish tourists who want to combine city life with a beach break.
The port city has several beaches, an impressive aquarium and museum and an attractive Old Town.
The Omio team found 55 free activities in Valencia and the price of dinner for two came in at an average of €61.
Travellers can currently get return flights from Dublin to Valentia for less than €150.
Valencia is also the birthplace of paella which is usually eaten at lunch. Tourists could also save holiday money by eating out at lunch instead of dinner.
Seville, a gorgeous city in Andalucia, was ranked the country’s third cheapest city with 108 free attractions.
Tourists can visit the terrifying Inquisition Museum, wander the Plaza de Espana and visit one of the city’s churches for free.
Malaga was the country’s fourth cheapest destination with a meal for two coming in at €37 on average.
The city has plenty of attractions to keep tourists busy and has great connections to nearby beaches.
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