Worth the Hype? These Are The Worst European Holiday Destinations

We all know what it’s like to plan a holiday only to discover that it’s nothing like what you envisioned. But with social media and tourism ads constantly selling us fantasy images, it’s easy to end up spending a fortune visiting somewhere - and not getting your money’s worth.

MoneyTransfers.comwants to help you avoid that. So we’ve analyzed Brits' biggest fantasy European holiday destinations - to discover which are most expensive, dangerous and polluted.

Bergen is the most expensive European holiday

Every holidaymaker will have their own specific daily habits, so there are endless ways to calculate how expensive a given city would be. We’ve used the price of a single 500cl beer as our comparison point, as this correlates with the average monthly cost of living - and makes it easier to imagine your daily expenses.

The results show a clear winner, with Bergen (Norway) coming out as by far the most expensive holiday destination, followed by Mykonos, Cannes, Marseilles and Florence. For those looking to save this summer, Porto, Seville and Lisbon offer the lowest living costs.

Mykonos is the most dangerous destination

Few holidaymakers expect crime to be an issue when they take their annual holiday. But official crime statistics reveal that some destinations which are portrayed as tranquil actually involve surprisingly high level danger.

Mykonos, for example, has the highest crime rate of Brits’ dream European holidays, despite its reputation for providing sun-soaked relaxation. It is followed by Marsellies, Naples, Athens and Barcelona. The safest destinations are Dubrovnik, Corfu and Bergen.

*all values are as a percentage

This data shows that the reality sold by travel companies may not always reflect reality, and that more informed travel decisions can produce big financial, health and security savings.

Jonathan Merry, international travel expert at MoneyTransfers.com

The most most polluted holidays

Air quality and pollution are major issues in big cities, but many holidaymakers overlook the effect this will have on their health and daily experience. Using air pollution levels as our comparison point, we’ve found that some of Europe’s most prestigious holiday destinations are also some of its most heavily polluted.

The worst air quality is found in Naples, followed by Marseilles, Rome, Barcelona and Venice. Those who are particularly concerned about air quality may opt for Croatia, as Dubrovnik and Split come out as the two destinations with the lowest air pollution rates.

*all values are as a percentage

Where should you go this August?

Of course, holidays are all about escaping normal life for a while. For many people, that means worrying about the cost of living or air quality is less important than going somewhere you really want to go.

However, we hope this data empowers Brits to make more informed decisions about their travels - and feel more in control this Summer.

You can check out our other guide on the best destinations to go this year!