Cheap villa holidays are easy to find these days all over Europe, and offer a more secluded break away than a stay in a hotel.

On a villa holiday, you have your own space for the duration of your stay in which to relax in. You cater for yourself, something you can't do when staying in a hotel, and you are not in close proximity to other holiday makers.

Luxury villa Mykonos

Depending on the sort of deal you book, hotels can work out more expensive than villa holidays, because you have to pay to eat out for meals, whereas when you're self catering you can stock up on whatever you need at the local mood market as make your own meals.

You can stock your fridge with beer and wine and enjoy a tipple on your balcony whenever you please, avoiding the high prices of a hotel bar and, depending on the deal you secure, you may even have your own private pool which is so much more enjoyable than sitting around a cramped hotel pool.

It's easy to secure cheap villa holidays in Europe; with the very reasonably-priced flights available on budget airlines and the flexible holiday dates available, the most difficult part is deciding where to go.

Spain has always been a favourite among the British for cheap villa holidays because not only was the weather practically guaranteed to be excellent, the cost of living was very reasonable too. This has changed somewhat in recent times due to the currency fluctuations which meant the Euro gained in strength against the pound and prices are no longer as cheap.

Mykonos villas for rent

You can still have a cheap holiday in Spain, just bear in mind that the prices of eating out won't be as cheap as they were three years ago.

Why not look for cheap holidays in Malta? This island lies in the Mediterranean between Sicily and Tunisia, and has hot, dry summers. There is also much historical interest to be found on Malta, including ruins and ancient pottery.

Portugal's Algarve was once a very expensive place to holiday, but is now a popular place for those looking for cheap villas as prices have come down in recent years. It's a great destination if you're fond of seafood, as the rugged coastline produced a vast amount of fresh fish that you can find cheaply in local markets; perfect for cooking in your own villa.