Cheap Getaway Classics

Even those unaffected by the current recession and the need to save every penny possible enjoy getting a bargain, then telling their friends and relatives what a bargain they have got. Currently it would seem the most fashionable type of bargain is making a huge saving on travelling abroad.

Thankfully, throughout Europe there a number of destinations offering great value excursions, with a great deal of competition for your tourist buck. You can go for a few weeks still be able to live the luxury lifestyle, but manage it on a student's budget.

Here are some of the best value holidays in Europe:

Amalfi, Italy
Amalfi may appear to widely ignorant of the global recession, and so it should be. This is a spot known for its glamour and sophisticated decadence, awash with fancy boutiques and expensive cocktail bars. Yet if you scratch the surface you will find you are able to do Amalfi on a shoestring, there are after all some cheap places here to wine and dine yourself in. Yet if you really desire to save, the best way is to allow yourself to take in the beautiful sights here, but self-cater. You find some lovely Italian villas here at very reasonable prices, in the evening relax with a cocktail on your balcony.

St. Tropez, France
This may not seem like such an obviously low budget holiday, but renting a boat along the French Riviera can be a very reasonable way to spend your vacation. If you remain mostly static you can offset a lot of the charges that often come with this rather refined mode of holiday. Moorings are available in Cannes and Monaco, allowing you to spend the week in French luxury for a song. You can hire a boat for 195 Euros per person per week.

Menorca, Spain
Menorca really pulls out all the stops to give you great value for the money you shed on your holiday. Dining here is good and cheap, and holiday commodities are very reasonably priced. Furthermore with the vast amount of Menorca villas, accommodation is fiercely competitive and fighting for your cash. Villas offer a great way to house a large family for a fixed rate.

Cruise the Med
While the notion of a cruise does not instantly bring to mind notions of austerity, there are some very reasonable offers to be found. With an over capacity on many liners there are often spare places to be picked up at the last minute. So you can end up travelling around some of Europe's hippest and hottest places for half the price of what you'd pay normally.

Alghero, Sardinia
In this notoriously lavish and expensive part of the Mediterranean, there is one small vista that stands out as quite removed from the heavy over pricing of the rest of the region. Alghero is served by low cost budget airlines and offers cheap dining. The Sardinia villas are at very reasonable prices and it is located just far enough away from the questionable pleasures of the Costa Smerelda's Billionaire club.