Families looking for a last-minute summer holiday bargain should head to the Turkish resort of Marmaris according to the Post Office, as the sun-kissed beach location is the best value European hotspot for 2018.

As schools break up for the summer, the Post Office Travel Money Family Holiday Report has revealed that travellers heading to some of Europe’s most popular destinations can look forward to their pounds stretching further this season.

Comparing 15 resorts, which include Corfu, Crete, Algarve, Paphos and Marmaris, the research found that a massive slump in the value of the Turkish lira against the pound makes Marmaris the biggest bargain.

Prices in the resort are 36 per cent cheaper than last July, which means that 13 typical holiday items (bucket and spade, mask and snorkel, inflatable lilo, suncream, insect repellent, ice cream, sun lounger, pedalo, banana boat, bottle of beer, glass of grape, bottle of coke and a family meal for four) come in at just £79.81 (approximately Dhs385) in the Mediterranean resort town.

While one of the most popular locations for a holiday, Turkey has seen a number of terrorist attacks in recent years, deterring some tourists from visiting, but Club Med recently reported a 94 per cent increase in bookings and TUI says the country is its third most-favoured spot in Europe this year after Spain and Greece.

The Foreign Office says most visits are ‘trouble free’ but tourists should be alert to their surroundings and “remain vigilant in crowded places popular with foreign nationals, including during festival periods”.

If Turkey doesn’t take your fancy this summer, Bulgarian beach resort Sunny Beach is the second best value destination at £83.99 (approximately Dhs405) for the 13 resort items.

Meanwhile, the Eurozone has seen a massive drop in resort costs this summer, with the Costa del Sol named its cheapest destination (£97.09, approximately Dhs468). Corfu is also 24.2 per cent cheaper than last year at £132.04 (approximately Dhs636) and Paphos is looking more affordable compared to 2017, with the 13 items priced at £132.94 (approximately Dhs641).

While prices were down in two thirds of the 15 resorts that Post Office researched, the report found that prices were higher this summer compared to last year in the Algarve, Limassol and Porec.

H/T Cosmo UK