European luxury travel destination
Photographer: Emli Bendixen for Bloomberg Businessweek
Pursuits

Europe for Less

Our 2024 special report is filled with 27 trip ideas to make your vacation budget go further—without sacrificing luxury.

What’s the price of a great summer vacation? For many travelers right now, the answer is simple: too much. At a time when accommodations and airfares have experienced mind-numbing levels of inflation—luxury hotel rates in Europe are up 50% from last year, according to data from industry analyst CoStar—uncovering deals can feel like a full-time job.

Vacation illustration

But that hasn’t quelled demand for summer trips to Europe, where the Mediterranean breeze and spritzes on the sand are a priceless lure.

Even with the season fast approaching, you can get all that and more at a relative bargain if you know where to look. Whether you're dreaming of decadent meals in the British countryside, a weeklong adventure in suddenly cool Romania or just your own private corner of Italy, here’s how to fulfill all your sun-drenched fantasies—without spending a fortune.

Illustrations by Pete Gamlen