As someone whose happiness levels heavily depend on how many holidays they have booked, the prospect of a winter getaway that doesn’t resemble the cost of a small mortgage is a pretty darn delightful one. And luckily for me, the travel experts over at Hoppa have scoured every corner of the continent to uncover which European spot is the most cheap and cheerful of all. So, if you’re looking for an affordable mini break this festive season, you’re going to want to hear this.
The airport transfer aficionados analysed dozens of European winter getaway destinationsgiving each of them a score out of 10. A number of factors contributed towards the scores, including the average cost of a hotel, the average price of a pint (good to see they have their priorities in order), and Tripadvisor reviews. The numbers were crunched like a selection box of Fox’s biscuits, and the most affordable winter getaway was revealed. Drum roll, please…
Prague, Czech Republic
The gasp-inducingly gorgeous city of Prague topped the cheap and cheerful charts, offering beauty and a bargain (just the way we like it). With its stunning buildings, cobblestone streets, and historic Old Town Square; Prague is a pretty great place to visit all year round. But (much like myself), it particularly thrives at Christmastime.
Prague is home to a Christmas market that is so picture-perfect, it’s been named the most photographed Christmas market in Europe. And alongside a very good-looking Christmas market, you can expect to find a rather impressive 4,811 attractions to keep you amused. Scoring 7.5 out of 10, the average cost of a 3-star hotel in Prague is just £74 and the average cost of a pint is (hold on to your hats, folks) £2.17.
Bansko and Bulgaria narrowly missed out on the crown, receiving an overall score of 7.32, despite serving up pints for just 90p (yes, really). Another Bulgarian spot completed the podium, with Sofia snapping up the third place spot.
The 10 most affordable European winter getaway destinations:
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Bansko, Bulgaria
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Budapest, Hungary
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Krakow, Poland
- Tirana, Albania
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Vilnius, Lithuania
