Is there any better feeling than sipping a glass of fizz on the first night of your holiday?
Well, yes. It’s sipping a glass of fizz that isn’t wildly overpriced.
Prices are rising everywhere, and the situation for wine producers is no different. Luckily, there are plenty of gorgeous holiday destinations where you can still find some bargain bubbles.
Here are seven spots where you can grab a glass of glorious sparkling wine for under £5 — and you can reach them all from UK airports in less than three hours, so they’re ideal for a weekend trip.
Veneto, Italy
We couldn’t not start from the home of Prosecco in Italy’s Veneto region.
In fact, although the word ‘prosecco’ is sometimes (incorrectly) used to describe sparkling whites, this wine is a protected product, meaning that only bottles produced from Glera grapes in north-eastern Italy can legally use this name.
In 2023, Veneto produced 735 millions of bottles, with a tradition that goes back over 3,000 years.
The very best quality doesn’t mean you have to pay a premium, though.
In the picturesque city of Treviso, which is often dubbed ‘Little Venice’, you can find Prosecco on offer for £2.52 a glass.
As well as bar hopping, you can spend your day exploring the city’s medieval architecture and wandering through its canals.
Take a trip through Strada del Prosecco, or the Prosecco Road, which weaves through lush vineyards and family-run wineries, and check out Osteria Senz’Oste, an iconic self-serve hillside farm on the road that has a Prosecco vending machine.
How to get there: There are direct flights to Treviso from London Luton and Birmingham Airport from £28 return.
Costa del Sol, Spain
Sure, some parts of the Costa del Sol might be packed with overpriced bars, but if you know where to look, you can find some boozy bargains.
In fact, research by Travel Supermarket found that the average glass of sparkling wine costs just £3.01 – making it one of the cheapest places to buy bubbly in Europe.
In the gorgeous mountain town of Mijas, which is famous for its white houses, one bar, Olivia’s La Cala, offers unlimited Cava for two hours for just £8.42.
While you’re in the area, you can go hiking in the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park and see historic caves at Cueva de Nerja.
If rest and relaxation are more your thing, head to one of the region’s dreamy beaches, like Playa de Casablanca and Playa La Carihuela.
How to get there: Direct flights from airports across the UK to Málaga are available for as little as £28 return.
Paphos, Cyprus
With crystal clear water and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Paphos on the island of Cyprus is already a dreamy holiday destination.
The only thing that makes it dreamier? Cheap Prosecco.
According to Travel Supermarket, you can find a glass of the good stuff for just £3.87.
If you want to escape the city, head out of Paphos to the Diarizos Valley, which is home to several stunning vineyards.
Tsangarides Winery sells bottles of award-winning organic wine for £8.42, including its own bubbly.
When you’re done wine tasting, head to the Kato Paphos Archaeological Park for a culture hit. It’s home to well-preserved mosaics, an amphitheatre and the remains of five Roman villas.
How to get there: Direct flights from the UK to Paphos International Airport start from £28 return.
Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Of course, champagne remains the go-to sparkling wine in France.
But if you’re on a budget, look for Cremant on the menu.
It’s made using the same methods as Champagne — the main differences are that Cremant is not made in the Champagne region, and uses a wider variety of grapes.
Cremant de Limoux is a type of sparkling wine from the southwest region of Languedoc-Roussillon, home to the medieval fortress of Carcassonne and a great pick for history buffs.
Most bars and cafes in the picturesque surrounding villages offer Cremant, as well as another local sparkling wine called Blanquette de Limoux, for under £5 a glass.
And if you’re after a boozy day out, lots of family vineyards offer affordable tours.
At Domaine La Louvière, a vineyard just outside of Limoux, you can do a wine tasting for just £4.20. According to the vineyard website, there are seven to 10 wines on offer in the tasting.
How to get there: Montpellier, Nimes and Carcassone all have airports with direct flights from the UK, starting at £28 return.
Costa Dorada, Spain
If you’re after some sun, Costa Dorada is a great pick — its dry, warm weather is the perfect climate to sit back with a bottle of fizz.
The average glass of sparkling wine costs just £3.01 on the coast of Catalonia.
Travel influencer Chelsea Dickenson went on a ‘Cava tour’ of the Costa Dorada town of Tarragona to put the statistics to the test.
She found that the cheapest glass of sparkling wine was just £2.10, at a bar called Can Peret.
She also recommended La Tapisseria De La Meri and El Ceibo for some budget bubbly.
How to get there: Flights to Reus from London and Manchester start from £37 for a return.
Moravia, Czechia
Czechia might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of a bottle of bubbly, but the landlocked nation has a buzzing wine industry.
It’s a great option for a budget traveller who wants to get off the beaten track and its wine region, Moravia, has even been compared to Tuscany.
A glass of wine in the town of Znojmo will set you back 50p. Sounds like this round is on us!
While you’re there, visit the neo-Gothic Bítov Castle and the stunning Podyjí National Park.
How to get there: The closest airport is Brno-Turany. Flights from London Stanstead strat at £28.
Algarve, Portugal
Forget Prosecco and Champagne – Portugal’s own sparkling wine, Espumante, is a secret that wine snobs don’t want you to know about.
Pronounced ‘spu-mant’, it’s made in Portugal’s sunny Algarve region and comes in red, white and rosé varieties.
On average, a bottle of wine in Portugal costs £4.22, according to data from Numbeo, making it a great budget pick.
There’s plenty to do in the region, including surfing, kayaking, and going on a dolphin-spotting boat ride.
If you want to chill out on the beach, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Burgau, a short drive from Lagos, is great for relaxing, and Carvoeiro has buzzy bars and restaurants near the shoreline.
How to get there: Fly to Faro from airports across the UK, with prices starting from £28 for a return.
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