From Lisbon to the capital of Lithuania, following an analysis by English specialists, a list of the most accessible European cities for weekend tourism emerged, including one from Romania.
The cheapest European destinations for a city break in 2024 Collage
If Vilnius is this year the city with the best price for lovers of city breaks, the costs being less than half compared to 17 other tourist destinations, Romania is also in this European ranking made following a survey that analyzed 37 cities in Europe.
The survey was carried out by a British institution, which compared the prices of city break holidays, both in general and for specific items such as accommodation, meals and cultural attractions, etc.
The top 10 is dominated by Eastern European destinations, mostly country capitals. Brașov, the only destination in this European ranking of the cheapest cities, ranked 15th.
How the survey was conducted
Even though inflation has affected everyone, travel remains a priority for many who seek respite from everyday stress. And city breaks are still one of the most effective ways to access a country's culture.
Ahead of the summer break, the United Kingdom Post Office (a UK Department of Business and Trade public corporation) released its annual City Costs Barometer in each city reviewed, showcasing the most affordable European destinations for a city break.
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For the 17th consecutive year, the Barometer took data from dozens of different European cities and analyzed prices. Thus, the average cost for a two-night weekend stay was calculated, taking into account the rates for a visit to a top heritage tourist attraction, a museum, a tourist bus tour, and a public transport travel card. .Food and drink costs ranged from a regular cup of coffee to a three-course dinner for two, including house wine.
The information from this survey should prove useful to those looking to book a cheap destination holiday this summer, building on the growing interest in city breaks.
From the data obtained, it was also found that prices have decreased in 60% of the cities analyzed, due to significant decreases in accommodation costs across the continent.
Brașov Romania, a cheaper alternative than Bucharest that remains in trend
According to European standards, the Capital of Romania, Bucharest, still has a fairly attractive and competitive urban cost for foreign tourists. Another Romanian city, extremely popular, surpassed it, however, in this category – Brașov, considered a cheaper alternative for a city break.
Brașov received the special award at Destination of the Year 2024 Photo Destination of the Year
“Brașov is surrounded by the picturesque Carpathian Mountains. A cable car to Tâmpei Peak costs just 20 lei (£3.55) for aerial views of the red-brick rooftops, while the local tour operator offers a free walking tour every morning , at 10.30, starting from the fountain in Piața Sfatului. Grab local delicacies kürtőskalács (a sugar-coated 'funnel cake') to keep your energy levels up from the nearby stall”tourists are advised to discover one of the most beautiful cities in Romania.
In this top tourist destinations year after year, both nationally and internationally, there are also other Romanian cities, such as Cluj Napoca or Sibiu, which won the Grand Prize for “Destination of the Year 2024”. At the same competition, Brașov county obtained the special prize for seven winning destinations.
The cheapest tourist destination for a city break
The capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, gets, not for the first time, the title for the cheapest European city break. It has been in this list of cheap cities for several years, even in the first position (2015, 2019, 2020 and 2024) thanks to low prices for food, public transport and cheap flights.
This year he played a round with Lisbon, which is now in second position in the ranking. According to the survey, a city break in Vilnius, “one of Europe's most underrated cities to visit”, reaches 275.05 euros. The surrounding countryside offers epic views of the city.
At the opposite pole was Amsterdam, which, for the second consecutive year, offers the most expensive city-break in Europe among the analyzed cities. The barometer did not take into account destinations such as Kiev, affected by the War in Ukraine, or those in Russia.
Vilnius Photo source Profimedia
The second position in the ranking is occupied, as I said, by the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, with a total cost of 306.73 euros, being one of the three cities in Western Europe that are in the “Top ten”.
Lille-France rose spectacularly to third place, seven places compared to 2023, thanks to a 30% decrease in costs (323.63 euros). The prices of this French city compared to those of Paris, but also its proximity to London – less than 90 minutes by Eurostar train – make Lille an extremely attractive tourist destination.
Other affordable top destinations for tourists
The fourth position in this ranking is occupied by a city from Poland, the only country that has two destinations in the top 10 places. It is about Krakow (324.31 euros), followed by the capitals of Greece – Athens (336.56 euros), Latvia – Riga (345.63 euros), Hungary – Budapest (361.53 euros), Slovakia – Bratislava (367 euros), Czech Republic – Prague (370.32 euros) and Poland – Warsaw (371.48 euros).
In the following positions, in addition to Brașov, we also find destinations for a cheap city break such as: Istanbul – the only settlement on two continents – and Izmir, both from Turkey, Tirana – Albania, Mostar – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zagreb – Croatia, Klagenfurt – Austria, Kaunas – Lithuania, Berat – Albania, Sofia – Bulgaria and Tbilisi – Georgia.
The 10 most expensive European cities in 2024
The most expensive tourist destinations for a city break in 2024 are the following European cities / capitals: Vienna (640.20 euros), Geneva (647.68 euros), Oslo (656.61 euros), Copenhagen (669, €92), Dublin (€673.10), Venice (€677.21), Helsinki (€682.53), Edinburgh (€700.52), Belfast (€731.11), and Amsterdam (€778.49).
