Ibiza sunset, Spain by Steven Straiton

That has just told you roughly how old I am now, and to be honest yes I am forcing myself to calm down a bit and start to act my true age, yet I am still going to be heading out there next year.

The main issue that stops some people from going to Ibiza is that they imagine it is an expensive holiday, and in all honesty it can be. Not so much the flights, as there are plenty of budget options, but the costs of the clubs, the accommodation etc.

It really doesn’t have to be that expensive though, the first time I went, I lived on a campsite. This wasn’t my preferred choice, it was just that the hotel my friend was staying at had some extra alert security so there was no way I was going to be sneaking into his room.

Let Me Give You Some Quick Fire Tips To Enjoying A Cheap Holiday To Ibiza:

• When To Fly Out – You will normally get the best deals on flights in either June or September especially if you book as early as possible. Additionally flights are always cheaper if you fly on either Tuesdays or Thursdays. You will also be able to pick up a cheap hotel in San Antonio for around £20 per night.

• Where To Kip – Depending on your budget you can get excellent deals, whether it is for a hotel, villa, apartment or campsite. For example, in August campsites usually go for around $4 per night, the three most popular campsites are in San Antonio, Cala Bassa and Es Canar.

Another tip is to try and find some last minute deals with people offering private holiday homes browse the internet and see what you can find. I once managed to get a booking for me and 12 of my friends a Villa for just £500 for a week’s stay.

• Cheap Grub – If your budget is tight, simply use supermarkets and spread the cost amongst your friends. You could easily eat pasta during the day and supply your own sandwiches during the day for as little as £20 a week each. If your budget allows for more, then there are some seriously nice restaurants in town.

• Getting Around – Don’t be ashamed to use buses, these are cheap and reliable (the UK could learn something here). If your destination is further afield, share a taxi with your friends to reduce the cost.

• Party Time – This is probably the most expensive part of the holiday, the bigger clubs here really are not cheap. This is most likely the reason why you have been scrimping on every other cost, simply so you can afford the clubs.

However, you do not even need to spend a fortune here; there are many free parties around the Island which even have some of the biggest DJ’s. An idea would be to keep an eye on Ibiza forums; this is where free parties will usually be advertised.

So as you can see a holiday to Ibiza doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, there are ways to have a good time without spending the cash. For cheap flights Ibiza is one of those destinations that is right at the top of the list, so start saving for the clubs from the word go.

The post Holidays on a Shoe String – Ibiza appeared first on Best of European Union.

Holy Monastery of Rousanou, Kalambaka, Greece by Dennis Jarvis

Affordability

Because of the declining tourist market, there has been an increase in the sale of holiday homes in Greece due to dwindling interest and falling rental incomes, often at a loss. This has also had the effect that there has been an increase in interest for people looking to buy a holiday home. At the moment, there has been an influx of property sales in northern Greece from people from neighbouring Bulgaria. The city of Thessaloniki is a popular tourist destination for many Bulgarians, so people are snapping up the chance to purchase their own holiday home at a lower price. Us Brits are starting to take notice too; although many are employing a ‘wait and see’ tactic when it comes to Greek holiday homes, there has been a steady increase in interest.

Know your turf

If you’re thinking of taking advantage of the situation and you’re looking to buy your dream holiday home, make sure you do your research. If you can, talk to locals and ex-pats to get a feel for how the financial crisis is impacting the area. This will also put you in good stead when navigating the sea of red tape that comes with buying a second home in another country. It could be that what you see as a potential honey pot is actually going to cost you more in the long run.

Financing the dream

If you think you’re onto a winner, then you should look to protect yourself in the event that things take a turn for the worse. The current big worry is that Greece will secede from the EU and renounce the Euro as its currency, reverting back to drachma. If you borrow Euros in order to buy a Greek second home, then you will still owe Euros even if the country reverts to drachma. With fluctuating exchange rates, this could potentially put you out of pocket.

One of the most classical photos from Santorini: the boat at Firostefani by Klearchos Kapoutsis

With the current tourist market the way it is, it is likely that any holiday home you purchase will be left unoccupied for a while until things stabilise a little more. With that, it’s a good idea to look into holiday home insurance, which protects the house during periods of vacancy and can also help during times when your rental income is in jeopardy.

Depending on which area of Greece you’re looking at, going for a second home as a source of rental income isn’t going to be the best short term objective. If you’re willing to wait out the crisis, you can grab a potential bargain and enjoy a few weeks or months soaking up the Greek sunshine in your new Greek home.

Written by J. R. Gibbs,  armchair explorer and writer at large for holiday home insurance comparison site Confused.com

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