If you've returned home from your bank holiday weekend wondering where all your money has gone, you may be eyeing up cheaper alternatives for the summer holidays. Luckily, there are plenty of options to consider - some of which you may not have thought of before.

The key to saving money in Europe is entertain the idea of avoiding traditional western European hot spots. For example, if you want mountains and skiing, choose Slovakia over Switzerland. If you're looking for baroque architectural beauty, think about the Czech Republic, not Austria. And if you're looking for charming old towns steeped in history, give Hungary a chance over Italy. You may well be surprised at how much these countries offer - and often for a lot less than more developed nations.

Here are startrescue.co.uk's top ten cheapest European countries:

• Armenia, using home stay

• Ukraine, using home stay

• Moldova

• Bulgaria

• Slovakia

• Romania

• Albania

• Lithuania

• Latvia

• Estonia

Some of these countries are likely to challenge you a little more than established areas in say, France, Spain or Italy, but all have decent roads, cheap hotels and petrol that is more affordable than the UK. Above all, you may well find these countries are especially friendly - something that can mean the difference between a good holiday and a great holiday. Make sure you have your short term European cover sorted out before you go!