Summer 2026: Greece Still Tops List, Early Booking Saves
Serbs again pick Greece above all this summer, and early bookings cut costs by up to 20 percent. Here is where prices are lowest and which dates to skip at the border.
- Serbs again pick Greece above all this summer, alongside Montenegro, Turkey and Egypt.
- Early bookings cut costs by up to 20 percent compared with full-season prices.
- The cheapest windows are May, early June and September, while July and August bring the worst crowds.
- The EES border check at Greek crossings will be suspended from June 1 to August 30, right through the peak rush.
Want the sea but cannot afford to overpay? Then the answer is simple: book early and choose your dates carefully. Just before the peak season, travel agencies report that Serbs once again favour Greece above all, and those who paid in time have already saved up to a fifth of the price.
Greece stays at the top, but it is not the only option. The list of most-wanted destinations also includes Montenegro, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, Italy and Bulgaria. Even so, nearly a million Serbian tourists are expected in Greece this summer. The reasons are familiar: it is close, the sea is clean, and accommodation is still available across every price range.
How much does a week on the Greek coast really cost?
Let us be specific, because numbers say more than promises. In Paralia, a four-bed studio for ten nights, with your own transport, costs around 1,000 euros once extras are factored in, but the headline figure sits near 700 euros. On Thassos and in Sarti the same type of accommodation runs from 900 to 1,200 euros, which is a rough estimate for that part of Sithonia rather than a fixed price. A difference of a few hundred euros per family is not small, so it pays to compare several offers before you set off.
The biggest swing in price comes from timing. The cheapest windows are May, early June and September, when prices are much lower and the beaches less packed. July and August cost more and bring the worst crowds, both at the resorts and at the border. If you have any flexibility, shifting your holiday by just two weeks outside the peak can save you serious money.
Our advice is not to leave the booking until the last minute. Early-bird prices had already vanished at most agencies by spring, and what remains in June and July is mostly full price. Anyone planning summer 2027 should start watching the offers as early as February.
What should you know about the border this season?
Queues at the crossing into Greece can ruin the first day of any holiday. The good news for this season: the new EES control system, which normally lengthens stops at border crossings, will be suspended for Serbian citizens from June 1 to August 30. In other words, during the busiest weeks there will be no extra scanning slowing down the lines.
That does not mean the borders will be empty. Weekends in July and August still bring the longest waits, so if you can choose, travel on a weekday in the early morning hours. Before you leave, check the situation at the crossing and pack enough water and snacks for the children, because the line can drag on.
For those driving themselves, planning is half the job. Booked accommodation, a chosen off-peak date and a checked border status mean the holiday begins the moment you get in the car, not when you finally reach the sea.
So, where are you planning your holiday this year, and did you manage to catch an early price?
