Grant Shapps discusses introduction of 'simpler' travel system

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Over half of Britons planned to take a short break overseas in 2019 and as travel bans are lifted, many are keen to get away. But which countries are the most popular in Europe for a short stay?

The Mediterranean is the most popular destination for European mini breaks with almost 40 percent of travellers seeking sunbathing and beach time.

According to the European Travel Council, Greece was one of the most popular European destinations.

Greece welcomed over six million tourists this summer, despite a hangover from pandemic restrictions.

Santorini tops a lot of tourists’ wishlists, with many choosing the romantic island paradise for a holiday.

Mykonos is another Greek island drawing crowds for those looking for a diving break or family trip.

Corfu is one of the greenest Greek islands and is another extremely popular destination with tourists.

For city break fans, Athens has plenty to entertain tourists with a wealth of ancient sites to explore.

Almost 10 percent of those surveyed were hoping to travel to Spain for a European mini break.

Spain saw almost five million international tourists in August this year, including many Britons.

Many British tourists are fans of the popular Costa del Sol area with many journeying to enjoy the region’s stunning coastline or play a round of golf at Marbella’s famous courses.

Benidorm on the Costa Blanca has also seen numbers of British tourists boom since travel restrictions were lifted.

Nightlife loving Brits are fans of Barcelona which is well known for its vibrant all night parties as well as many cultural attractions.

Italy was another top mini break destination with those surveyed with eight percent of participants choosing the country.

Italy has seen an increase of over 500 percent in flight bookings from April of this year to July while hotel bookings have also soared.

Many weekend breakers choose Rome for a holiday as the capital has fantastic cultural attractions to explore.

Food is a highlight of any Italian trip while beach lovers are likely to flock to the resort areas of Bari or the island of Sicily for gorgeous coastlines.

France remains the most visited country in the world despite the pandemic and eight percent of people chose it for a short break.

Euro Disney, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre are the top tourist attractions with most visitors heading to Paris.

Bringing up the rear, British tourists’ interest in Croatia has increased by eight percent last year.

The country’s stunning Adriatic coastline has many spots to explore with the coastal cities of Dubrovnik and Split being particular highlights.

TOP TEN PREFERRED EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS

• Italy
• Spain
• France
• Greece
• Croatia
• Germany
• Portugal
• Belgium
• UK
• Austria

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