13.Agrigento, Italy
Mediterranean island luxury doesn’t get any more chill
Why it’s so cheap: Yes, you have to get there first. But! But! This southern Sicilian city has never been more accessible to Americans, as far as language, transportation, and price are concerned. Flights to Palermo are around $600 these days and Agrigento is accessible by train or bus for around $10. (You may want to rent a car to see the coastline -- nab one in Palermo in the $50/day zone.) Then stay, for a song. Luxurious and palatial properties can be booked for about $60 per night. The restaurants won’t break the bank, and you came here for some of the freshest, most delicious fish on the planet, so eat the fish. Eat it all.
Why you should go: The town center of Agrigento happens to be located a stone’s -- ahem -- throw from some of the most beautiful Greek ruins anywhere, like the Temple of Concordia and the Temple of Juno Lacinia. (They’re why this area is known as the Valley of the Temples, after all.) Agrigento is also an hour’s drive from the picturesque village of Sciacca, which rests on the Mediterranean and is only 20 minutes to the white cliffs known as the Stair of the Turks. But, really, Agrigento is about chilling. Sicily moves at half-speed, and it’s that Mediterranean vibe -- along with plenty of fish and olive oil -- that keeps contentedness higher than you’re likely to experience at home.
14.Split, Croatia
A discounted paradise on the Adriatic has everything except sand
Why it's so cheap: Having ventured to Split and its surroundings every year for the past decade, I still find the Croatian paradise brimming with giddy wonders. Go for a week with a good book and a pocket full of change and you will leave with a tan, a full belly, and a face aching from smiles. Return flights are just under $100 from most European international hubs. Ten bucks will get you a plate of freshly caught fish and a glass of local wine next to the turquoise blue Adriatic. A $5 ferry will take you to a lush island retreat just under an hour away from the mainland, where you’ll be blessed with miles of beaches, remote hideaways, natural parks, and some of Europe’s friendliest people.
Why you should go: That Croatia is not mobbed by thousands of tourists every year is both a blessing and a scandal. This idyllic, James Bond-esque port city has the feel of a rustic, 19th-century harbor -- albeit one with Wi-Fi and yachts. But it still holds to its wistful culture and prices that all seem to be missing a zero. Delight in the lush Mediterranean climate and journey to the beaches on the city’s edge (just know that they’re stone beaches, unfortunately; the one drawback). Hire a boat, explore old Roman ruins, and embellish your gluttonous desires with Dalmatian ham, olives, and whatever else you can gorge upon.
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