LUXURY TRAVEL NEWS SEPTEMBER 2026 HEADLINES / Family Holiday Report 2026: Best Value And Most Expensive Family Breaks Revealed / Report By Postoffice
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Understanding family holiday costs in Europe
When you plan a family holiday, it’s easy to focus on flights or the price of the trip. But the money you spend when you get there can make a big difference too. Food, drinks, days out, family activities and other extras can all add up fast.
That’s why Post Office Travel Money compares the cost of popular European beach spots for UK families every year.
Created with TUI, our 18th Family Holiday Report compares the cost of meals, drinks and everyday holiday items in 22 resorts across Europe. This includes six places added to the research for the first time.
Read the main findings here or download the full Family Holiday Report 2026 for more detail.
In this guide
- Top 10 best value family holiday destinations
- Top 10 most expensive family holiday destinations
- Why do families overspend on holiday?
- Getting your travel money ready
- Don’t forget your other travel essentials: we can help with that
- Common questions
Top 10 best value family holiday destinations
The Algarve takes the top spot this year, after coming third in 2025. Prices there have fallen slightly, while prices in several other places have gone up.
Spain has the most places in the top 10, with six destinations on the list. Four of them are new to the report this year, which shows how popular Western Mediterranean holidays are with families.
Position | Resort | Barometer cost total |
|---|---|---|
1 | Algarve, Portugal | £139.65 |
2 | Sunny Beach, Bulgaria | £142.16 |
3 | Lanzarote, Canary Islands | £147.42 |
4 | Menorca, Balearic Islands | £151.28 |
5 | Costa Brava, Spain | £155.02 |
6 | Tenerife, Canary Islands | £158.31 |
7 | Marmaris, Turkey | £158.33 |
8 | Costa del Sol, Spain | £163.17 |
9 | Costa Blanca, Spain | £173.41 |
10 | Paphos, Cyprus | £177.18 |
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Top family holiday destinations: what to expect
Now you know the cost of spending at these top 10 European destinations, you’re probably wondering what they’re like for families. We’ve shared a quick summary of each to help you decide what place might suit you and your family this year for a holiday to remember.
Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve is a great choice if you want an easy family beach holiday with plenty nearby. Albufeira is one of its busiest family spots. It has wide sandy beaches, calm water, family-friendly places to eat and lots of places to stay.
Away from the beach, you can take a boat trip from the marina, visit nearby water parks or spend a day at Zoomarine for sea life, shows and water fun. The Algarve also offers strong value. It tops this year’s Family Holiday Report and ranks highly in the Children’s Beach Barometer.
Sunny Beach, Bulgaria
Sunny Beach is built around a long Black Sea beach and has everything you’d expect from a family resort. You can enjoy beach days, watersports, places to eat by the sea and evening entertainment.
Action Aquapark is one of the main places to visit, with water slides, a lazy river, pools and play areas for younger children. TUI also mentions pirate cruises and hotel waterparks as popular family choices. Low prices help Sunny Beach take second place for value in this year’s survey.
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Lanzarote is different from many beach destinations because it has family attractions and volcanic scenery. Families can visit Timanfaya National Park to see volcanic craters, lava fields and heat from under the ground.
There are also beaches, boat trips, Costa Teguise Aquapark, Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park and places created by César Manrique, such as Jameos del Agua. Lanzarote takes third place this year, making it one of the best value family holiday spots in the report.
Menorca, Balearic Islands
Menorca is a good choice for families who want a quieter holiday. The island is known for sheltered coves, clear water and smaller resorts.
Beaches such as Cala Galdana, Son Bou and Es Grau are popular with families because the water is calm and there’s plenty nearby. Away from the beach, you can visit coastal towns, take walks and explore cultural sites. Menorca takes fourth place this year, showing families can still find good value in the Mediterranean.
Costa Brava, Spain
Costa Brava gives families more than a beach holiday. The coast is known for cliffs, coves, sandy beaches and old seaside towns.
You can spend time on the beach, visit water parks, take boat trips or go snorkelling around the Medes Islands. Tossa de Mar is also worth a visit. Its old walled town looks out over the beach. Costa Brava also stays one of the best value choices in Western Europe.
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Tenerife works well for families who want big attractions and time on the beach. The island is home to Siam Park, Loro Parque, Aqualand Costa Adeje and Teide National Park.
You can also book whale and dolphin watching trips or explore volcanic scenery. Well-known beach resorts, such as Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos, make Tenerife a good family holiday spot. Even though it’s popular, Tenerife is still one of the best value destinations in the report.
Marmaris, Türkiye
Marmaris is a lively resort with a marina, beaches and lots of boat trips. Families can spend time on Marmaris Beach or nearby İçmeler. You can also take a boat trip to bays such as Turunç or Kumlubük, or visit water parks like Atlantis and Aqua Dream.
The resort also has a seafront promenade, a castle, an old town and day trips along Türkiye’s turquoise coast. Marmaris has dropped from first place, but it still offers good value and stays in the top 10.
Costa del Sol, Spain
Costa del Sol is a popular place for family holidays. It has lots of beaches, resorts and things to do. Popular places to stay include Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Marbella and Estepona.
You can enjoy the beach, visit water parks or explore places like Bioparc Fuengirola, Sea Life Benalmádena, Selwo Aventura and the Nerja Caves. You can also take easy trips to nearby resorts. Costa del Sol is still one of the better-value places in the report.
Costa Blanca, Spain
Costa Blanca is a good choice for families who want beaches, theme parks and easy places to stay. It runs along the coast near Alicante and includes popular holiday spots like Benidorm, Alicante and Torrevieja.
You can visit places like Aqualandia, Aqua Natura, Terra Mítica, Terra Natura and Mundomar. Or you can keep things simple with long sandy beaches and relaxed days at the resort. Costa Blanca is another Spanish destination in the top 10.
Paphos, Cyprus
Paphos is a good choice if you want beaches, history and family days out. You can visit Coral Bay, Paphos Castle, the Tombs of the Kings and the UNESCO-listed archaeological park.
For busier days, there’s Aphrodite Waterpark, Paphos Zoo, boat trips and coastal trips to places like the Blue Lagoon. Prices have gone up, but Paphos still sits in the top 10 for overall value.
Top 10 most expensive family holiday destinations
These are the most expensive places in the report. Meals, drinks, places to stay and holiday extras can cost more here, so your family budget may not go as far. Sorrento and Madeira stand out, with resort costs almost twice as high as the Algarve in Portugal and Sunny Beach in Bulgaria.
Position | Resort | Barometer cost total |
|---|---|---|
22 | Sorrento, Italy | £268.23 |
21 | Funchal, Madeira | £260.21 |
20 | Crete, Greece | £221.57 |
19 | Majorca, Balearic Islands | £219.65 |
18 | Ibiza, Balearic Islands | £211.90 |
17 | Zadar, Croatia | £211.90 |
16 | Corfu, Greece | £204.34 |
15 | Puglia, Italy | £203.05 |
14 | Porec, Croatia | £199.68 |
13 | Rhodes, Greece | £186.10 |
Why do families overspend on holiday?
The Family Holiday Report found that many families spend more than they plan to on holiday. On average, families set aside £771 for things like meals, drinks, days out and entertainment. But 85% spent more than their budget. Of those who overspent, the average extra amount was £380.
Food and drink costs add up quickly
The biggest area of spending on a family holiday is food and drink. This cost can add up quickly, especially for larger families. The report revealed families spent an average of:
- £165 eating out
- £101 on food and drink from shops and supermarkets
- £93 on drinks
Activities and excursions can stretch budgets
While there might be things to do at your beach resort, there is always interesting and exciting excursions and days out you might want to book. It’s a great way to make memories on your family holiday and explore the local area. It was found that families also spent an average of £93 on sightseeing and day trips.
Children’s holiday treats have a bigger impact than expected
Buying the children treats on holidays to make them smile is another cost you might forget to budget for. Ice creams, beach toys and water park visits can all contribute to overspending. Four in five parents bought ice creams during their holiday, while many also paid for beach equipment, snorkels, pedalo rides and other water activities.
The report highlighted that these extras alone can cost between £182 and £291 for a family of four over a week’s holiday.
Getting your travel money ready
Having your spending money sorted before you travel can help you stay in control of your budget.
Buying your travel money before you get to the airport is usually cheaper. It also means one less thing to think about when you arrive, meaning you’ve got more time to get through security, pick up any last-minute bits, eat and avoid rushing to the gate, especially with young children.
With Post Office, ordering foreign currency allows you to:
- Pick from a choice of over 60 foreign currencies
- Order it online and benefit from competitive rates for added convenience
- Get readily available currencies, including the euro, in selected branches
- Enjoy a better rate the more currency you buy
- Collect your chosen currency from your local branch for convenience
The convenience of using card on a family holiday
If you don’t want to bring lots of cash with you, it’s a good idea to take a Post Office Travel Money Card. It’s a convenient, prepaid and reloadable travel card with plenty of benefits including:
- Load it with any of 22 supported currencies including euros and US dollars
- Benefit from fixed exchange rates whenever you top up via the free travel app
- Use it anywhere in the world where the Mastercard Acceptance Mark is present
- Simply manage and track spending in the app, or freeze the card if it gets lost or stolen
Remember, checking the exchange rate before you go can help you get more holiday money for your pound and family.
Don’t forget your other travel essentials: we can help with that
To make sure your family break is stress free, you’ll want to tick these off your list before you go to save time and hassle later.
- Passports: Make sure your family’s passports are in date and meet all entry requirements
- UK Global Health Insurance Card (Ghic): Covers some emergency healthcare in European countries, for free or at a reduced cost
- Travel insurance: Helps protect you if things don’t go to plan
- Travel eSIM: Use data abroad without high or unexpected roaming costs
- Travel extras: Book car hire, airport hotels, parking and transfers ahead of your family holiday
Get money for your family holiday sorted before you go
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