Rising travel costs and higher airfares are prompting more travellers to seek affordable short-haul destinations, and new research suggests a number of European cities still offer good value for money.
According to a study by Thomas Cook, 13 destinations across Europe can be visited for less than €100 per person per day, based on the combined cost of accommodation, food, local transport, drinks and tourist attractions.
The travel company analysed more than 50 popular destinations, calculating average daily costs using factors including three-star hotel prices, inexpensive restaurant meals, coffee, public transport passes and admission to paid attractions.
Tirana tops the rankings
The study found that Tirana, Albania's capital, offers the best value, with an estimated daily cost of €59 per person.
Average accommodation costs were calculated at €32 per person per night, while a meal at a budget restaurant costs around €8.50 and a local beer approximately €1.50.
Eastern Europe and Turkey dominate
Bucharest ranked second with an estimated daily cost of €66, helped by low transport costs and affordable dining options. According to the study, a meal at a budget restaurant costs just over €12, while a daily public transport pass is around €1.50.
Two Turkish destinations featured in the top five. Antalya shared third place with Warsaw, with both cities recording estimated daily costs of €78, while Istanbul ranked fifth at €82 per day.
Hotels in Istanbul were among the most affordable surveyed, averaging €28 per person per night, while inexpensive restaurant meals typically cost between €8 and €9.
Nicholas Smith, director of dynamic packages at Thomas Cook, said destinations in Eastern Europe and Türkiye continue to offer strong value for travellers.
"Eastern European and Turkish city destinations consistently deliver affordability and, with growing tourism numbers, they won't remain a secret for long," he said.
Europe's best-value city breaks
The study's ranking of destinations costing approximately €100 or less per day per person was:
- Tirana, Albania – €59
- Bucharest, Romania – €66
- Antalya, Turkey– €78
- Warsaw, Poland – €78
- Istanbul, Türkiye – €82
- Muğla, Türkiye – €87
- Krakow, Poland – €87
- Vilnius, Lithuania – €90
- Frankfurt, Germany – €90
- Lyon, France – €91
- Tallinn, Estonia – €93
- Heraklion, Greece – €99
- Porto, Portugal – €100
The findings suggest travellers looking for a European getaway this autumn may find the best value in destinations across Eastern Europe and Turkey, where accommodation, food and transport costs remain comparatively low despite growing tourism demand.
Source: Euronews
