Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach regains crown for best value in Europe

Sunny Beach in Bulgaria has reclaimed its title as best-value destination in Europe, according to new research.

It takes the top spot from Marmaris in Turkey, which has seen large inflationary price rises because of the collapse of the Turkish economy and its currency, said the Post Office Family Holiday Report.

The study has been launched to coincide with the end of the school term in England and comes at a time when sterling is surging against European currencies.

It looks at the price of typical tourist commodities – meals, drinks and a range of other items – with local research carried out by Tui.

The basket of items in Sunny Beach is just over £110, up almost 10% year on year.

In Marmaris, the same items will cost almost £117, an increase of almost 18% since last July.

More: Holidays ‘top priority’ despite resort overspending hitting record levels, new study reveals

The Algarve, in third spot, remains the best value in the eurozone (£124) but has recorded the highest year-on-year price rise (18%).

By contrast, prices are down 0.7% in Spain’s Costa del Sol (£138) in fourth place, with Paphos in Cyprus in fifth place (£144).

Overall, prices are up in three-quarters of the 16 destinations surveyed.

Ibiza was by far the most expensive, with the basket costing more than £229 (up almost 15%). Crete was in 15th spot (£180), with Porec in Croatia in 14th (£177).

The Post Office said its consumer research found that budgets set by families are falling, meaning there is “strong potential for higher levels of overspending”.

It found that families spent an average of £202 on beach items, water rides and visits to a water park.

Costs ranged from £153 in Marmaris, the cheapest of the 16 destinations, up to £279 in Ibiza, the priciest.

Pictured: Sunny Beach, Bulgaria