‘You’ll have your own cove’: readers’ favourite budget beach stays in Europe

From a pine-shaded eco-resort in Croatia to a campsite in Portugal, our tipsters share their favourite breaks
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Albania might not be the first place that springs to mind for a beach holiday, but the resorts just half an hour from Tirana offer golden sands, calm seas and cheap hotels. The long sweep of the crescent-shaped coastline offers all-day sun and Albania’s opening up, after years of restrictions, helps keep prices competitive, especially once you convert your pounds to the local leks. A cheap option to get there is to fly into Corfu then take a ferry over for about €20 each way. We based ourselves in Dhërmi where you can try a different beach every day. A picnic basket for four costs around £20 and lunch at a nice restaurant starts from £8.
Nigel Cox