As travel prices in the UK continue to spiral out of control and the cost of living crisis pushes even modest day trips out of reach, Brits in search of a bargain have come up with a crafty hack; going abroad.
It turns out that for far less than a train fare from London to Birmingham or Manchester there are European destinations with better weather which can be visited.
Travelling on a red-eye flight to the Mediterranean city of Tirana, in Albania the Express found two young people embarking on a very cheap day trip. Ryan Chapman, 19, and Becky Robinson, 20, revealed they paid just £41 each for a return ticket.
The pair explained that when looking for places to visit for the day there were simply better options available outside Britain.
“There were a few options in the UK,” Ryan said on the flight out to Albania. “But there were plenty of choices abroad. So we found these cheap tickets to get here for a day. We’ve got about 10 to 11 hours so we were looking to explore, take photos. Just have a nice little time and really chill.”
Although they booked their Albania trip as something of an impulse, Ryan and Becky soon realised that the Balkan nation had more benefits than just being under three hours from the UK.
They soon discovered the similarities in food and landscape the country shares with Greece and Italy come at a fraction of the price.
Dinner in Albania costs as little as £10 to £15, whilst coffees or beers come for just a couple of quid. This weekend, with March having not even ended, Tirana is also set to be a scorching 26C while most of the UK gets yet more rain.
The affordability was just one of the many enjoyable aspects of the friends’ day in Tirana.
Ryan explained once back in Britain: “We had a great trip, got lots done and really enjoyed being away from the UK.
“We started with a bus into the city, which was very busy but good value. We explored the city, visiting its pyramid and mosque, and had lunch in a local restaurant.
“[We then] walked south through the woodlands of Tirana Park, exploring the war memorials and having a drink by the scenic lake. We walked most of the way around the lake, deviating off towards the end to visit the Olympic Park and back into the west side of the city.
“To finish the day, we visited the bunkart [a former Soviet-era bunker turned art gallery] and the shopping centre, then packed up to catch the 9pm bus back to the airport and arrived back in the UK just after 1am.
“[It] was a very full day with over 35,000 steps walked and many hours of exploring, but a lot of fun. [It] was nice to experience a new culture and way of living.”
The only negative, he said, was the confusing and chaotic traffic they found in Tirana, which for a couple of newcomers to the city could be hard to navigate. But this was more than compensated for by the helpful locals.
“While we didn’t have loads of interactions, the people of Albania that we spoke to were very friendly and helpful, one of whom I met on the plane into the country who gave me advice on where to go,” Ryan added.
A keen photographer, Ryan found himself snapping away throughout the day and plans to document his experiences on Instagram over the coming weeks.
Given the price he paid to get there it might not be the last foreign destination he posts pictures from.
Have you got a money saving hack that MUST be shared? Contact zak.garnerpurkis@reachplc.com
