Warm-Weather European Islands For A Budget-Friendly Vacation, According To Research

Can you think of a better way to recharge during vacation season than spending time on one of Europe's 2,000 inhabited islands? The continent boasts an incredibly diverse mix of isles, and you have to pick the right one to make the vacation of your dreams come to life. Some islands, like Svalbard, where temperatures hover around a bone-chilling 0 °C even during the summer months, get painfully cold. Not exactly the best atmosphere for a beach trip.

Additionally, vacations on many of Europe's islands come with such a high price tag that you'll have to save for the next decade to afford the trip. On a luxurious isle like Capri, a hotel can easily cost over $1,800 per week. That's why you'll want to choose an option that's both warm and realistically affordable.

We did extensive research into the climate of European islands and their approximate trip costs with the help of reviews from real travelers on websites like Reddit. These insights helped us narrow down a list of places where you can have a vacation in the sun without spending too much money. After much consideration, these are the 11 best warm-weather European islands for a budget-friendly getaway.

Portugal is one of the most budget-friendly countries in Europe, and that reputation applies to its islands as well. Madeira, a stunning and less-crowded alternative to islands like the overpriced Maui, is a perfect example of this. It only costs around $1,400 for two people to spend an entire week in Funchal, Madeira's capital. That price includes everything from accommodations and transportation to food and entertainment.

According to travelers on Reddit, the hotels and public transportation, in particular, are surprisingly cheap. "I stayed in some (what I would consider) very nice places in Madeira for as low as 40€ per night. I personally found that Madeira was overall cheap," one person explained. Another Reddit user agreed by saying, "I stayed in Madeira with my whole family of 4 for less than 3000 including flights from Amsterdam with Transavia (direct flight)."

The other nice thing about Madeira is that even at the coldest time of the year, the temperature remains nearly 60 °F on average; during the summer, it stays a comfortable 77°F. So, you know you'll be able to partake in budget-friendly outdoor activities no matter what time of year you visit. Plus, one of the best things to do is simply wander around and take in the natural beauty, which doesn't cost a dime.

The Spanish island of Mallorca feels like a luxurious destination with its jaw-dropping landscapes and beaches that look like a scene from a postcard. However, it can actually be a very reasonably priced place for visitors who are diligent about sticking to their planned budget, contributing to its status as one of the best beach vacation destinations in Europe. Savvy budget travelers can spend less than $500 a week visiting this warm-weather locale if they're extra strict with themselves.

Mallorca is such a dream for a low-cost trip because aspects like renting a car can be very affordable on this island. A traveler on Reddit claimed that visitors can rent a standard four-door vehicle for approximately 30€ (or $32) per day. Once you have a car at your disposal, it's easy to spend days driving around and taking in the exceptional nature of Mallorca.

Free natural attractions are available all around the island, so it's absolutely perfect for people who don't want to drain their bank account on vacation. You'll find countless places to hike around Mallorca. The Serra de Tramuntana is a particularly good location to find these scenic trails. Plus, there are tons of picturesque beaches as well, such as Platja Des Trenc and Calo Des Moro.

Taking a trip to Italy is a fantasy for any romantic occasion. The trouble is that it can be challenging to travel on a budget in Italy because many destinations on the mainland are so expensive. Thankfully, a warm island off the coast of Italy provides just as much beauty as the rest of the country for a fraction of the price: Sardinia.

Sardinia is just a short flight away from mainland Italy, and it can be a much more affordable place to visit on vacation. On average, it costs less than $1,000 per week per person for a trip to the island's capital city of Cagliari. There are lots of money-saving tricks that can help reduce the costs even further.

For example, avoid a trip during Sardinia's summer months of July and August because prices tend to inflate during the high season. Instead, plan to visit in the off-season months of September and October. You can also consider booking a farm stay, a popular type of accommodation on the island of Sardinia. These places will often be much cheaper than a traditional hotel and provide a unique experience at the same time.

Many people have heard of Malta, a tiny island in the Mediterranean off the coast of Sicily, and assume that it's going to be extremely expensive due to its notoriety. However, this European isle, which boasts average daily temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to low-80s, can be surprisingly cheap. A week-long vacation for one person in Malta could run you around $850 with everything included. Many users on Reddit detail how frugal they managed to be in Malta.

One explained how they'd found a $17 round-trip flight to Malta and wondered how they could continue this extremely cheap trend. A user suggested that they eat at the most affordable types of food establishments in Malta, such as a traditional pastizzeria store or a snack bar. Another Redditor who was once a resident of Malta divulged the details of how much they typically spent living on the island by stating, "I got by quite easily on €1400 a month. I rented a very nice flat, ate well, had a gym membership and drank a lot and still saved money."

Greece has become one of the most appealing places to visit in Europe. The country is composed of 227 islands, and thankfully, many of them are very budget-friendly, such as Crete. Crete is one of the southernmost islands of Greece, and there are a lot of reasons to be attracted to this affordable place.

First, the weather is wonderful pretty much all year round. The temperature sticks around 65 °F to 75 °F in Crete and sunny skies are common outside of the rainy season in December. Visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to beaches on Crete because places like Balos Beach and Falassarna Beach look like they jumped off a movie screen with how gorgeous they are. Imagine soaking in that coastal environment for one to two weeks, eating as much Greek salad as you can handle and floating in the warm waters for hours on end.

The second amazing thing about this European island is that it is incredibly cheap, even if you're really living it up and treating yourself. One traveler tracked all their expenses during their trip to Crete including flights, hotels, food, activities, and a car rental. At the end of the trip, they spent less than $1,200 on everything and even visited the island near the peak season.

Although the island of Hvar gets a few months of colder weather, most of the time, it is a relaxing, warm-weather place with temperatures that stay around 75 °F. The only point when it gets a little bit colder on the island is from December to February. Even during this brief period, it's still hotter than most places, with the weather never dropping below 40 °F. With it being so comfortable throughout most of the year, Hvar, Croatia, is a very enticing place to escape for a vacation.

Many of the best things to do on this island are outdoor activities that take advantage of the beautiful weather, such as sailing, snorkeling, hiking, bike riding, and swimming at the local beaches. It's also an ideal spot for travelers on a budget because a week-long Hvar trip will typically only run you a mere $775 a person, which is an absolute steal for a European island vacation. One Tripadvisor user explained that there are plenty of budget-friendly places to eat in Hvar. They also recommended that visitors try buying groceries to make their own meals to help cut costs when spending time on this island.

Another sunny, fairly cheap island destination in Europe is the Azores. This stunning Portuguese island chain is known for whale watching and lush landscapes with endless hiking trails weaving through them. While a trip to the Azores might seem out of reach, it can cost surprisingly little to visit these islands if you're mindful of your budget.

One Reddit user explained that some things in the Azores are much cheaper than other places in Portugal, but others are a little pricier, so you have to be careful with your planning. "The food was definitely cheaper than on the mainland ... Our rental car was really expensive," they contrasted. While things like renting a car might be pricier than you usually expect, the other cheap aspects of the Azores still qualify the area as budget-friendly.

One visitor tracked their expenses throughout their trip to the Azores Islands in May 2023 to figure out exactly how much their adventure cost them. After two full weeks of living it up on the islands, including renting a car, accommodations, and the flight, this person only spent a little over $1,000. That's not too bad for an all-expenses-paid vacation in a European paradise.

Italy isn't necessarily known as an affordable tourist destination, and it's true that many of the places to visit in the country are expensive. Visitors can spend upwards of $3,000 per week on average in Milan, for example, and that price gets even more astronomical if you travel as a family with children. However, Elba is the exception to this rule.

Elba is a tropical island located about 10 kilometers away from mainland Italy, and it takes one hour by ferry to reach the land mass. Once you do, you'll be greeted with a wealth of zero-dollar activities, such as spending time on its lovely beaches. All the beaches along Elba's coastline are public and free for visitors. Although you may have to pay for parking during the high season if you don't arrive early enough in the morning to nab one of the free spots.

Besides the terrific climate and plentiful wallet-friendly entertainment options, the accommodations on the island can also be quite reasonably priced. Most hotels in Elba generally cost under $150 per night, depending on the season. While visitors get a deal on the costs, Elba's hotels can still provide an experience that feels deluxe. This makes it a charming and very budget-friendly honeymoon destination.

Greece is the king of affordable islands with enjoyable weather, and Lefkada is an ideal example of this. Although temperatures there dip down a bit in the winter season from December to February, it is pleasant most of the time and very sunny throughout much of the year. It provides the perfect environment for relaxing and recharging on a European vacation without the usual high costs.

A two-week trip around Lefkada will run you approximately $1,293 for everything on average, which is an absolute steal for a tropical island vacation. One couple on Tripadvisor said that they allotted $120 per day for everything on their trip to Lefkada and that it was plenty of money to have a blast with. "We rented a boat on one day, ate 3 meals a day of the local cuisines, even went to a few museums. It was more than enough," the user explained.

Plus, there are lots of ways to limit expenses while you're on the Greek island to make it even more affordable. On a Reddit post about the best islands in Greece for a budget trip, users recommend that visitors avoid taking taxis when possible, book accommodations in advance, and time their visit for during the off-season from October to May when everything is cheaper. Following these guidelines can make your time in Lefkada even more affordable than it would be otherwise.

Usually, a popular tourist destination like the Canary Islands would come with a high price tag. However, this warm-weather Spanish territory can be a prime destination for budget travelers because it costs much less than you might expect for such a well-known place to visit. On average, tourists will likely spend under $1,000 on a one-week-long trip to the island's capital of Tenerife without trying very hard to limit their expenditures. One Reddit user summed it up very nicely by saying, "The Canaries are extremely popular, gorgeous, cheap and a perfect place to go to escape winter."

The Canary Islands enjoy average temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees, making it easy to take advantage of the many activities available year-round to keep you entertained on a budget. Reddit commenters shared that there are a myriad of free places to go swimming or hiking, and they can all be easily explored by driving around in a rental car. Not to mention that renting a car can be very affordable on a trip to these islands, too. It can even cost as little as $10 per day. Time your visit for the spring or fall for fewer tourists, though the winter and summer remain the most popular travel windows.

The most expensive part of traveling tends to be where you stay for the duration of your trip. A place with lots of cheap hotels is a budget traveler's best friend, and Brač fits that description to a T. This Croatian island has long, dreamy summers with temperatures that get up to the 80s. While somewhere that looks like Brač seems like it should cost an arm and a leg, affordable accommodations are plentiful on this European island.

On Booking.com, you'll find pages of gorgeous hotels and villas available for less than $100 per night. For instance, Vila Dora Supetar has beachfront access and impeccable reviews, but it only costs around $59 per evening. There are lots of affordable food options all over Brač, too, such as Restoran Punta and Argento.

Additionally, you'll have plenty of activities to keep you occupied during your time on the island. A user on Reddit gave a thorough breakdown of the best things to do around Brač. Many of their top recommendations were budget-friendly options, such as spending time at Zlatni Rat Beach in the town of Bol, visiting the historical landmark of Dragon's Cave, and hiking to the top of Vidova Gora, the highest point of the Adriatic Islands.

We used a three-step process to create our list of the best warm-weather European islands for a budget-friendly vacation. First, we found island destinations in Europe that enjoy a warm climate for the majority of the year. From there, we narrowed down the list to only the cheapest islands to visit based on the average cost of a one-week trip and reviews from real travelers or locals on websites like Reddit and Tripadvisor. We also considered which islands had the most budget-friendly food and activities available, such as free hikes or beaches. We then conducted further research into the specifics of how visitors can experience each location for the lowest overall cost.