The independent research company Getsby has analyzed data and created a list of the most affordable cities in Europe for a mid-range weekend getaway. The research considered average daily costs of accommodation, food, and local transportation and excluded the expenses of flights due to their inconsistency. The results showed that Poland dominates the rankings, with several other Eastern European countries also featuring in the list.
Poland’s Affordable Travel Powerhouses
According to the research results, Poland has a claim to the title of the most affordable country in Europe for a weekend trip. Most of the capital cities and big places to visit in Poland fit into the intermediate budget category. A weekend in Poland is mainly characterized by its low costs of accommodation, food, and transport.
Wroclaw, a city called the “City of Bridges,” has the lowest price per person per night in Europe. Spending an average of only 41 euros per person per day, tourists can enjoy visiting the market place, the largest medieval market in Europe, and the Centennial Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The average cost for food in Wroclaw is 18.75 euros per day, while the local transport pass costs only 5.85 euros.
Another city with low average accommodation prices is Poznan. It has the second-lowest accommodation costs in Europe, providing an average of 42 euros per person per day. Spending around 168.5 euros for two people on a weekend, tourists can explore Poznan’s main attraction, the beautiful Old Market Square, the Poznan City Hall with its unique animal-clock figures, and Cathedral Island, considered the birthplace of Poland. In Poznan, the average daily food budget is also a low 18.75 euros, while the average accommodation costs only about 34 euros per person.
The third place among the most affordable cities in Europe to experience a weekend getaway in is Katowice, which offers an average of only 60 euros per person per day. Spending around 239 euros for two people on a weekend, visitors may enjoy local culture in places such as Silesian Museum built on the former coal mine ruins and admire a beautiful view of the city from the observation tower.
Gdansk, a famous Baltic port city, is another great destination for an intermediate-budget traveler. Accommodation in Gdansk provides an average of 69 euros per person per day, with an overall average of 275.25 euros for two people on a weekend. Travelers may enjoy local specialties, such as Baltic herring, and taste the authentic spirit of the place. The local transport costs around 54 euros for two people, while the average daily food budget is about 35 euros per person.
Finally, Krakow, a historic medieval city with outstanding attractions, fits into the intermediate-budget category as well. Spending about 295 euros for two people per night on average, tourists may visit Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter, and enjoy the view of the Sukiennice Cloth Hall and St. Mary’s Basilica, which can be reached by climbing up the winding staircase.
Other Budget-Friendly Travel Options Across Europe
Besides Poland, several other countries dominate the ranking of the most affordable countries for a weekend getaway in Europe. Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, has an average of 77.25 euros per person per day, making it the sixth most affordable city in Europe. Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, has a similar average of about 95 euros per day, ranking it among the seven cheapest cities in Europe. Malmoe, a city in Sweden, is the third most affordable city in Europe with only about 105 euros per person per day, followed by Hungary’s capital, Budapest, with 111 euros per person per day. Finally, Warsaw, the capital of Poland, has an average cost of only 112 euros per person per day, making it the tenth most affordable city in Europe.
Europe’s Priciest Weekends
Zurich, Switzerland, is the most expensive city in Europe for an intermediate-budget traveler, with a daily cost of about 331 euros per person and an overall cost of 1325 euros for two people per night. Other Swiss cities, such as Bern and Basel, follow in the second and third places with approximately 308 and 297 euros per person per day. Venice and Paris are the fifth and sixth most expensive cities in Europe for weekend getaways, with an overall cost for two people of around 1180 and 1133 euros, respectively. On average, Venetian and Parisian weekends are about 180 and 130 euros cheaper than Swiss weekends.
