If you’re heading to the Mediterranean this summer in search of that dolce vita and picture-perfect coastal towns hugged by turquoise seas, but you’re not exactly willing to break the bank whilst you’re at it, you might be feeling like you’re running out of options.
From Barcelona to Amalfi to Greece’s jam-packed Santorini, it’s easy to feel as if the only way to explore the ancient sea’s wonders is by spending thousands upon thousands of dollars.
Being Travel Off Path, your leading source for underrated destinations that have yet to be overly commercialized, this is not travel propaganda we’re willing to fall for.
Though they’re largely unheard-of in America, these 4 Mediterranean spots offer all that summer idleness you so desperately crave, minus the jaw-dropping prices:
Antalya, Turkey


Turkey’s number one resort city, Antalya has been hugely-popular with vacationing Germans and Brits for decades, but it’s only recently captivated their American counterparts. You know what they say, better late than never.
Combining Old World timelessness and modernity, Antalya is best known for its well-preserved Kaleiçi, a lived-in, authentic Old Town still enclosed by Roman city walls and dotted with Ottoman-era buildings, and hotel-lined Konyaaltı Beach.
Now, it’s not like Antalya is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered: as we’ve pointed out before, it’s ‘yesterday’s news’ for most Europeans, but it does feel a lot more chill and laid-back than your average European resort—and of course, it’s fairly inexpensive:


Average Prices In Antalya, Turkey
Category | Average price (USD) |
Budget meal | $6–8 |
3-course meal | $20–30 |
Fine dining | $50–80+ |
Budget accommodation (hostel) | $15–25 |
3-star hotel / B&B | $40–70 per night |
5-star hotel | $150–300+ per night |
Public transportation | $0.70–1.00 per ride |
Rhodes, Greece


A stone’s throw away from the Turkish mainland, Rhodes is one of the largest in the Dodecanese archipelago, and one of Greece’s most affordable island destinations, where a souvlaki dinner will set you back a mere $4.90.
On top of that, Rhodes a cultural centerpiece of Greece: its capital, Rhodes Town, has cobble-paved streets and a unique mix of Byzantine, Norman, and Ottoman architecture, and it’s often described as the largest inhabited medieval city in Europe.
Other must-see sites in Rhodes include Lindos, a small whitewashed town at the foot of an Acropolis, with far fewer crowds than Athens, the lush Valley of the Butterflies, a nature trail leading to cascading waterfalls, and a golden-sand Faliraki Beach.


Average Prices In Rhodes, Greece
Category | Average price (USD) |
Budget meal | $5–12 |
3-course meal | $22–28 |
Fine dining | $30–55+ |
Budget accommodation (hostel) | $17–38 per night |
3-star hotel / B&B | $55–89 per night |
5-star hotel | $105–168 per night |
Public transportation | $3–4 per ride |
Budva, Montenegro


Dreaming of the Adriatic’s ocher-colored towns straddling turquoise seas? Forget about the Croatian tourism hotspots of Pula and Split, and definitely steer clear of Dubrovnik: over in Budva, in the much smaller Montenegro, you’ll get all that Dalmatian charm, except the maddening crowds aren’t there.
The Montenegrin coast is a direct continuation of Croatia’s, and Budva is the epitome of the European summer: narrow pathways flanked by stone-built townhouses and inviting gelato shops, alongside a picture-perfect waterfront.
If you’re wondering what some of Budva’s unmissable spots are, there’s the Citadel, a medieval fortification that commands sweeping views of the Old Town, a blue-flagged Mogren Beach, and even the paradisaical Sveti Nikola Island, with uncrowded sandy beaches, a 10-minute boat ride away.


Category | Average price |
Budget meal | $7–14 |
3-course meal | $15–30 |
Fine dining | $35–60 |
Budget accommodation (hostel) | $9–20 per night |
3-star hotel / B&B | $45–75 per night |
5-star hotel | $90-160 per night |
Public transportation | $1.60–2.60 per ride |
Ksamil, Albania


The last true unspoiled jewel of the Mediterranean, Ksamil is an up-and-coming resort town in Southern Albania that’s risen to fame recently as the Maldives of Europe: make no mistake, there are no floating hotels and friendly sharks here, but the seas are just as crystalline.
The main beach in Ksamil is also sandy, and white sand at that, and there are a number of welcoming beach bars on site, where you can get drinks from as cheap as $6.60, and rent loungers from around $16 for the entire day—check out Black Pearl Beach.
Summery vibes aside, part of Ksamil’s appeal is the ancient culture that surrounds it: the ruined Greco-Roman city of Butrint, home to a well-preserved amphitheater, is a 10-minute taxi ride away, and the Greek island of Corfu, visible from the coastline, is a 30-minute catamaran ride away.


Category | Average price (USD) |
Budget meal | $4–7 |
3-course meal | $15–25 |
Fine dining | $30–50+ |
Budget accommodation (hostel) | $12–20 per night |
3-star hotel / B&B | $40–70 per night |
5-star hotel | $90–160+ per night |
Public transportation | $1–2.50 per ride |
Heading to the cheaper side of the Mediterranean this season?
Check all entry requirements, as well as safety advice, for traveling to Turkey, Greece, Montenegro, or Albania using our TOP Entry Checker.
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