Eastern Europe Offers Cheapest City Break Options

According to Post Office Travel Money’s City Costs Barometer, the Albanian capital, Tirana, is the cheapest city break destination for Brits heading to Europe this autumn.

Cities in Eastern Europe fill nine of the top 10 places in the currency provider’s 13th annual survey of prices. Lisbon is the only city in western Europe to rate among the 10 cheapest places.

In Tirana, a basket of 12 typical city break items – including drinks, evening meal for two with wine, two nights’ three-star weekend accommodation, sightseeing and city transport – costs £132.

This is one-third of the cost in the highest-priced cities in northern Europe and far cheaper than its closest competitors.

Runner-up Katowice (Poland) is 24% more expensive at £164, while prices in the third-placed Lithuanian capital Vilnius are 26% higher at £166.

All three are now emerging as city break destinations and can be reached directly from the UK on low-cost flights, said Post Office Travel Money.

A year-on-year fall in the average cost of two nights’ accommodation from £80 to £73 helped Lisbon climb six places up the top 10 into fourth place on the back of an 8% fall in prices.

Prices in the Portuguese capital are less than half those in eurozone favourites Bruges (£370), Amsterdam (£379) and Venice (£382).

Post Office Travel Money says Brits planning city breaks this autumn will get as much as 9% more foreign cash for their pounds than a year ago.

Nick Boden, head of Post Office Travel Money, said: “Sterling is currently stronger against every European currency than a year ago, which has had a positive impact on prices abroad.

“However, the wide price variations we found means Britons planning city breaks would be wise to do their homework and consider the costs they will incur abroad as well as the exchange rate.”

The top 10 cheapest city break destinations: