If you – like me – are having an extremely hard time coming to terms with the fact that the end of summer is almost upon us, it turns out that we’re not the only ones. Searches for ‘September holidays’ have supposedly increased by a whopping 109% in the past three months – and so it seems that there are a fair few of us desperately trying to cling on to the sunny season for dear life.
The Co-operative Bank have well and truly read the room on this occasion. The banking-buffs have scoured the length and breadth of the continent in search of the most underrated destinations for a September holibobs. They had a good old rummage through Europe’s treasure trove of hidden gems, putting over 35 destinations under the microscope.
They analysed each spot based on factors including affordability, things to do, safety, social media popularity, and average temperatures to uncover under-the-radar spots that are well-worth knowing about. And topping the charts as the most underrated September city break of all is – drum roll, please… Santander in Spain.
Santander, Spain
This scenic city is picture-perfectly perched on the northern coast of Spain and has a whole lot going for it. The research revealed that Santander has a relatively low social media presence compared to other nearby hotspots, but still boasts plenty to see and do. Santander earnt itself one of the highest ‘safety scores’ on the list (76.62) and also offers some of the most affordable food and drink options. The study showed that the average cost of a meal for two in Santander would only set you back £43, and a pint would see you coughing up just £2.58 – pretty mind-blowing for us Londoners, hey?
Accommodation in Santander isn’t the cheapest on the continent, with five nights costing £871 on average, but the flights from London are pretty cheap and cheerful. The exact price, of course, depends on the dates you wish to fly, but there are return flights in September for as little as £68.
The most underrated European destinations for a September getaway:
- Santander, Spain
- Jersey (St Helier), Channel Islands
- Cologne, Germany
- Mechelen, Belgium
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Carcassonne, France
- Porto, Portugal
- Leuven, Belgium
- Lucerne, Switzerland
- Zermatt, Switzerland
