Are you looking for a vacation in Europe that won’t put a dent in your savings? Our users have given these five cities a high rating due to their favourable cost-to-benefit ratios.
Kraków, Poland
Krakow came in first place on our list of the best cities in Europe thanks to the abundance of Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches that can be found around every bend, in addition to the numerous outdoor cafes that are scattered across the city’s cobblestone streets.
But what about the best part? Krakow has not given in to the temptation of taking advantage of tourists by charging them exorbitant prices. The most popular destination in Eastern Europe was the only city in our survey to receive all five stars for providing excellent value for the money spent there. Not only does a standard hotel room cost only £63 per night on average, but going out to eat is also a bargain.
If you steer clear of the overpriced establishments in the main square, you should be able to enjoy a satisfying meal for less than ten pounds and pay no more than two pounds for a pint of beer. Before we go undercover and investigate a location for one of our destination features, we ask our readers about their favourite places to visit so that we can base the feature on their actual insights.
Bologna, Italy
Beautiful Bologna is a destination that many tourists planning trips through Italy fail to take into account because of its low cost of living. The city offers affordable flights and is home to the oldest university in Europe; as a result, it has prices that are designed to appeal to its student population.
In this location, friendly locals congregate in bars with reasonable prices that are tucked away in alleyways that date back centuries and are lined with mediaeval buildings. The food, on the other hand, is the real star of the show.
Bologna is the birthplace of tortellini, mortadella (which is a spiced pork sausage), and tagliatelle al ragù (don’t try to order our second-rate copy, spaghetti Bolognese). Bologna also has restaurants, delis, and markets that offer some of the very best cuisine in all of Italy.
So go ahead and splurge on some of the delectable dishes that the Emilia-Romagna region has to offer because the prices are much more reasonable than those in Rome, Florence, or Venice.
Budapest, Hungary
The city of Budapest, which is located on both sides of the Danube, is a fan favourite among the readers of Which? Travel. The city received an impressive 89% score in our survey of European cities.
Walking along the picturesque riverbanks of Budapest and taking in the city’s imperial mansions and other examples of turn-of-the-century architecture are just two of the many free things to do in Budapest.
Its grand cafés and trendy ‘ruin’ bars (literally built in the ruins of abandoned buildings) are reasonably priced too, with a glass of wine starting at £2.50.
The Széchenyi Thermal Bath is without a doubt going to be one of the most memorable parts of any trip to Budapest.
This palatial spa has been open since 1913 and is one of the largest in Europe. It takes opulence to a new level with its wedding cake columns and sun-terrace tiers, which are scattered with 16 picturesque pools heated to different temperatures.
The cost of admission for the entire day is just £14, and a soothing massage will set you back £32 for 45 minutes. This is an especially good deal considering the opulent, neo-baroque atmosphere of the venue.
Funchal, Portugal
The island of Madeira, which is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 1,000 kilometres away from the mainland of Portugal, has been luring tourists from the United Kingdom for hundreds of years.
It also has a city score of 85%, indicating that our members think highly of it as a destination. The undulating capital is a lovely base from which to explore both the city and the island itself, which has many walking trails to choose from, thanks to its topography.
Because the island is home to a plethora of free attractions, such as the cathedral, beaches, museums, churches, parks, and municipal gardens, our readers awarded it a very respectable four stars for value for money. This is no doubt why they gave it such a high rating.
Better yet, a pint of beer will only set you back $1.65, while a three-course dinner for two that includes wine will only set you back $40. This leaves you with a little bit of change. That ought to put the fun in Funchal, that’s for sure.
Valletta, Malta
Valletta, which will be one of the European Capitals of Culture in 2018, may be a small city, but despite its size, it is absolutely jam-packed with historic buildings and attractions. The city received an 83% rating from our group’s visitors, who came to gawk at its facades from the 16th century.
Due to the fact that it is such a small city, Valletta is the ideal location for a long weekend, and the cost of doing so is ideal as well. The typical cost of an evening out will be 20% lower than it would be in London, and the cost of transportation will be a staggering 60% lower. The city’s public gardens, which can be explored without cost, are among the most well-liked places to visit in the metropolis:
The Upper Barrakka Gardens are a popular destination year after year due to the breathtaking views that they offer of the Grand Harbour.
