Booking a late holiday? Where will your Pounds go furthest?

The Pound touched a 13-month high against the Euro on 15 July, has since slipped 1.4% but still sits above the 12-month average. Against the Dollar it hit a 2-month high the same day, down just 0.4% since. For anyone booking a last-minute summer trip, the real savings aren't in the flight price, they're in what your money buys once you land. Within the Eurozone, the Algarve and coastal Spain remain the value picks, with cheap dining and groceries offsetting steep accommodation. Step outside the Euro and Bulgaria's Sunny Beach or Tirana go further still. But the standout story is further afield. The Pound has never bought more Turkish Lira than it does right now, and against the Yen it's sitting at levels not seen since 2007.

The pound is holding up reasonably well, at around €1.17 and $1.35, but exchange rates should never be viewed in isolation. A favourable currency can be wiped out by expensive hotels, school-holiday flights and inflated resort prices.

For families wanting a beach break, the Algarve currently offers standout overall value, with Sunny Beach and Lanzarote also performing strongly. Outside the Eurozone, Turkey remains compelling, while Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Serbia can make everyday spending stretch much further. Sarajevo, Bucharest and Tirana are particularly strong options for affordable city breaks.

The smartest last-minute choice is not simply where the pound is strongest, but where the exchange rate, accommodation and local costs work together. Holidaymakers should compare the full trip cost, pay in the local currency, reject dynamic currency conversion and avoid exchanging money at the airport.