7 of the cheapest European cities to add to your bucket list
Spending time in any city can be one of the most effective ways to tap into that country’s culture. Whether it’s a fast-forward weekend or two weeks getting to know a new neighborhood, city breaks offer a complete, in-depth immersion that beach resorts and remote country hotels rarely can.
In this article, we’ve selected some of the cheapest European cities to add to your list of city breaks in 2023.
Athens, Greece
Greece’s historic capital is considered the cheapest location for an autumn city break in Europe. Hotels in Athens are particularly good, with lots of small, family-friendly places – choice bedrooms and boutiques.
Lisbon, Portugal
While the beautiful Portuguese capital is known for its award-winning restaurants, travelers can still dine on the cheap – after Athens, it’s the cheapest city for a three-course meal.
Klagenfurt, Austria
Klagenfurt is one of Austria’s most affordable cities to visit (main meals cost around €6; the Benediktinerplatz farmers’ market is a great spot for local bargains), and its spectacular setting on the eastern shore of Lake Wörthersee makes one of the most picturesque. June is the cheapest time to go, before the summer crowds and wild swimmers descend on the waterfront.
Kaunas, Lithuania
Vilnius has long topped lists of the cheapest places to go on holiday, but Kaunas in the west is even less expensive and earlier this year was named one of the 2022 European Capitals of Culture for music , art and theater. Its annual CityTelling festival hosts a wide variety of performances and exhibitions that put the city’s Jewish heritage in the spotlight, and entry to most events is free, while four-star hotel rooms cost just €60 a night. For the best views of the Baltic city, a funicular up Aleksoto Hill will cost just a few euros. Best bargain in town? Spurgos (or doughnuts) €0.75 from SpurginÄ—.
Riga, Latvia
Riga is one of the cheapest cities in Europe, closely followed by Dublin for culture and Athens for accommodation. Take a stroll through the narrow alleys of the charming old town, find €2 samsa for lunch at the covered central square located in the converted Zeppelin hangars, catch free live music in Dome Square and see stunning architecture such as the House of the Black Dots (€ 6 entrance) and the Swedish Medieval Gate. But one of the most underrated ways to see Riga is on the water – rent a paddleboard for just €15 on the banks of the Daugava River.
Berat, Albania
Like the trulli of Puglia or the blue buildings of Chefchaouen, the unforgettable Ottoman white houses of Berat are totally unique in their collective existence and visual impact. The simple and traditional rooms inside also offer a very affordable way to stay here, as many are independently run guesthouses or hotels. Climb the steep cobbled streets to see the 13th-century Berat Castle (admission is free) and admire the ‘city of a thousand windows’ from the top.
Brasov, Romania
A cheaper alternative to Bucharest (which is still, by European standards, incredibly good value), BraÈ™ov is surrounded by the picturesque Carpathian Mountains. A cable car to the top of Mount Tampa costs just 20 lei for aerial views of the red brick roofs, while local tour operator Walkabout offers a free walking tour every morning at 10:30am, starting from the fountain in Council Square. Grab the local delicacy kürtÅ‘skalács (a sugar-coated ‘chimney cake’) to keep your energy levels up from the stall nearby.
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