The most cost-effective vacation: Europe's best-value destination in 2025 is Andalusia.

It offers "the perfect balance between nature and urban life." The city to which this praise applies is called Granada , and according to Travel and Tour World, it is the most affordable wellness destination in Europe by 2025, ahead of Athens and the Canary Islands.

The article, published earlier this month and aimed primarily at Britons, suggests "budget-friendly trips to Spain's historic jewel," highlighting, of course, its main attraction, the Alhambra . Seeing the monumental complex from end to end, from the Generalife gardens to the Nasrid palaces, is a source of well-being for all the senses. Anyone who has any doubts about this need only visit.

But wellness encompasses much more. In fact, there is a flourishing wellness industry with so many ramifications that it would be impossible to condense them in such a short space, but it fundamentally focuses on the goal of achieving physical and mental balance, a state of relaxation, happiness, and harmony with our surroundings. And Granada also has a lot to say about that.

For example, and the Travel and Tour World article specifically mentions it, there are several Arab baths in Granada. The tradition of the hammam dates back to the time before Christians had yet arrived in the city. The hammam is, essentially, a hot steam bath that serves to regenerate and purify the body.

It turns out that, over time, specialists have been able to twist that initial concept and offer that and much more. There are several Arab baths in Granada, but without a doubt the most complete and satisfying is the Al Ándalus , which has been operating for 27 years and has branches in Málaga, Córdoba, Madrid, and Palma de Mallorca . National Geographic magazine considers it one of the best in the world.

It's an unforgettable experience . The user can enjoy more than just a steam bath; that's almost a mere anecdote given the wealth of possibilities available. It offers cold, warm, and hot water pools, as well as a sauna, so the user can combine them as they wish, all in an atmosphere of absolute calm where whispers are the only sounds heard, and the peaceful flow of water and soft, relaxing music.

The pool session is combined with various types of massages that serve as an indispensable complement and leave the traveler – they prefer to call it that, because they consider the visit as an initiation journey into a world of sensations – absolutely restored, different from the person who entered and undoubtedly better .

When talking about balance, the aforementioned magazine emphasizes that Granada offers travelers the opportunity to immerse themselves in a city bustling with street life, but also the opportunity to relax in natural spaces. In this context, it would be a shame not to mention Sierra Nevada , just over a half-hour drive from the capital and a green lung not only for Granada but also for Andalusia.

The Sierra Nevada is famous for its winter resort, the southernmost in Europe, where skiing is practiced for much of the year, usually from December to April or May. While that's a difficult attraction to reject, the mountains offer much more, starting with its pure air and continuing with the hundreds of hiking trails that branch out from there and reach many other points in the province.

Like the Alpujarras , another place where finding well-being is no challenge, as it's found around every corner. The region offers dreamlike landscapes and villages that have been preserved virtually intact for over a century. That image of the white tinaos (a typical construction there, somewhat similar to sheds) with a chimney rising from the top is not yet officially considered a World Heritage Site, but it has plenty of merit.

All of this, moreover, is offered to travelers for very little money. The value for money is unbeatable. Visitors don't need to "spend a fortune," as the article says. And it's true: although hotel and restaurant prices have been rising in recent years, it's still possible to find real bargains , places where a good lunch costs less than twenty euros per person, and comfortable accommodations with great views—or without them, like the Guadix caves, which are also charming—for well under one hundred euros a night.

The English publication doesn't say it verbatim, but the conclusion is easy to infer: Granada is a destination that won't disappoint , offering well-being and charm in abundance, and is also considerably more affordable than others. Many already know this, because Granada is no hidden gem, and tourists are certainly not lacking. But for those who don't know, or for those who knew about it and for whatever reason forgot, the invitation is there, within reach.