{"id":818039,"date":"2026-03-11T03:38:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T03:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/818039\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T03:38:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T03:38:22","slug":"little-known-spain-holiday-cheaper-than-costa-del-sol-with-3-pints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/818039\/","title":{"rendered":"Little-known Spain holiday ‘cheaper than Costa del Sol’ with \u00a33 pints"},"content":{"rendered":"

A lesser-known Spanish resort is shaping up to be one of the more affordable escapes, with \u00a33 pints and \u00a315 flights, combined with its allure of reliable sunshine and dramatic landscapes\"Almeria<\/p>\n

This Spanish region offers a sun-soaked getaway with a cheaper price tag(Image: First Choice\/2015 lunamarina\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n

A beautiful Spanish region that enjoys a tropical climate is ‘cheaper than Costa del Sol’ with \u00a33 pints and \u00a315 flights, just three hours from the UK.<\/p>\n

Costa del Sol is a popular tourist destination<\/a>, with the city of Marbella attracting thousands of holidaymakers each year, yet it’s not always the cheapest. While there are more affordable areas to visit in Costa del Sol, there’s another beautiful resort in Spain while worth exploring, and it could save you almost \u00a3300.<\/p>\n

Known as the ‘desert coast’, Costa de Almer\u00eda<\/a> offers almost year-round sunshine and is one of the driest climates on the continent, so you’ll rarely need to worry about the weather. With stunning volcanic beaches, azure waters and desert landscapes, it’s a haven for travellers seeking a quieter escape from the tourist crowds.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Stunning remote island where you can live for free if hired for one job<\/a>READ MORE: Simon Calder shares ‘absolutely magical’ seaside town perfect for pensioners<\/a>\"Seascape<\/p>\n

Cabo de Gata National Park with azure waters in Costa de Almer\u00eda(Image: First Choice\/2015 lunamarina\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n

Often overlooked by Brits, Costa de Almer\u00eda has been hailed by the experts at First Choice<\/a> as “significantly cheaper than Spain\u2019s main holiday hotspots”. First Choice found that a seven-night stay at the four-star Best Oasis Tropical hotel<\/a> in Almer\u00eda during early May costs \u00a3281 per person, including flights – that’s around \u00a3290 cheaper per couple than a similar break in the Costa del Sol.<\/p>\n

The travel experts also found that a beer could set you back just \u00a33 (\u20ac3.50) in Almer\u00eda, compared to the holiday hotspots of Marbella, which could cost as much as \u00a35.19 (\u20ac6) per beer.<\/p>\n

They also found that a three-course meal for two in Almer\u00eda would typically cost between \u00a325 (\u20ac30) and \u00a330 (\u20ac35). This is in stark contrast to the same meal in Marbella, which could range from \u00a351 (\u20ac60) to \u00a386 (\u20ac100), saving around \u00a361 (\u20ac70) per meal in Almer\u00eda, and a total of \u00a3427 (\u20ac493) during a seven-night stay.<\/p>\n

\"Best<\/p>\n

Best Oasis Tropical hotel in Almer\u00eda(Image: First Choice)<\/p>\n

If that wasn’t enough to tempt you, Costa de Almer\u00eda welcomes more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year and only sees around 26 days of rainfall a year. It also receives 93 per cent less rain in May than the Costa del Sol, averaging just 1mm compared to 15mm.<\/p>\n

Thanks to its location near the Tabernas Desert, the experts at First Choice say the region enjoys a warmer climate and sun-soaked rays “weeks before neighbouring areas.” Alongside its tropical climate and cost-cutting benefits, Almer\u00eda offers plenty to explore, including diverse landscapes and golden-sand beaches.<\/p>\n

The protected Cabo de Gata-N\u00edjar Natural Park is well worth a visit, with its volcanic cliffs, hidden coves and some of the most picturesque Spanish beaches. There’s also the stunning Tabernas Desert to explore on a guided day tour, as well as the charming whitewashed hilltop village of Moj\u00e1car.<\/p>\n

\"Cactus<\/p>\n

Cactus garden in Cabo de Gata, Almer\u00eda(Image: First Choice\/Sonia Bonet\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n

Some may recognise Moj\u00e1car, which was famously used as the backdrop for major Hollywood movies, including Indiana Jones, as well as the hit TV series Game of Thrones. For film buffs, there’s the opportunity to visit the preserved Wild West film set of MiniHollywood Oasys, with shows and attractions, to feel as though you’ve stepped directly into Indiana Jones.<\/p>\n

As a lesser-known destination compared to the Costa del Sol, there are few high-rise hotels towering over the beach, and quieter beaches, so you’ll often be able to find the perfect sun-soaked spot. What’s more, flights from London Stansted to Almer\u00eda start from as little as \u00a315 one-way, according to Sky Scanner.<\/p>\n

Kevin Nelson, Managing Director at First Choice, said: “Costa Almer\u00eda quietly delivers some of the most reliable spring sunshine in mainland Europe, yet it hasn\u2019t caught up in price. That gap between weather and cost is what makes it stand out”<\/p>\n

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A lesser-known Spanish resort is shaping up to be one of the more affordable escapes, with \u00a33 pints…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":818040,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5312],"tags":[2000,299,159406,104,183],"class_list":["post-818039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-spain","tag-eu","tag-europe","tag-first-choice","tag-spain","tag-travel"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116208461900844093","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=818039"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818039\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/818040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=818039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=818039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=818039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}