Europe presents an irresistible challenge to the budget traveller. A potent mix of culture, landscape and history on the one hand and a cash-gobbling monster on the other, sticking to your daily allowance can prove tricky.
But learn to zone out the “Spend! Spend! Spend!” siren song of its myriad restaurants, bars and shops and you’ll find that this compact little continent is simply the world’s greatest labyrinth.
There's an abundance of beautiful places in Europe which don't require much of a budget to see; and some experiences, like the infamous Budapest nightlife, combines both entertainment with local booze.
When exactly is the best time to visit Europe? Well, it depends on what you're after. Thankfully there's a year-round roster of things to do and see. We've picked out the cheapest places to travel on the continent this year (note that the "Rough Costs" below reflect per person or per night). From low budget tourist places in the world to the cheapest country to travel to, where do you think will make the list?
Want to find out more about budget travel in Europe? Check out our
Looking for Mediterranean sun and sand, but your budget doesn’t quite stretch to Capri or the Côte d’Azur? Simply head further east and you’ll find sun-drenched beaches untouched by modern development.
Sarande is almost in touching distance of Corfu and is a handy entry point from Greece. From here you can aim for the beaches of Ksamil and nearby islands. Cheap seafood, warm seas and a smattering of isolated Greek ruins and Ottoman towns: the perfect recipe for a classic European sojourn.
Where to stay
Best for being on the beach: Vila E Bardhe
Best for great views of the harbour: Hotel Real Sarande
What to do
From Saranda: Visit the archaeological park of Butrint on a private tour
From Durrës: Wine tasting and history tour in Berat
Rough costs:
Daily budget: Basic €30, occasional treat €45
Drink: Bottle of red wine €6
Food: Qoftë (minced meat rissoles) €2, seafood €6
Hostel/budget hotel: €15/€35
Travel: Bus: Tirana–Saranda €10.50; train: Tirana–Shkodra €3.30
Though the scars of
One of the most welcoming capitals in Europe, its central district of
Where to stay
Best hostel for city location: Hostel Franz Ferdinand
Best for location to tourist attractions: Hotel Europe
What to do
Best for first time visitors: A guided walking tour in Sarajevo
Best for getting out of the city: A day tour to Jajce and Travnik
Rough costs
Daily budget: Basic €28, occasional treat €45
Drink: Bosnian coffee €0.70–1
Food: Cevapcici (meat rissoles) €3–4
Hostel/budget: €10/€28
Hitting the slopes without breaking the bank can be a challenge. Especially when the main Alpine resorts are located in some of the most expensive countries in Europe! However, eastern Europe has a few intriguing ski destinations, including
The country’s main ski resort has good beginner and intermediate runs. There's a decent range of shared or private accommodation to choose from, easily making Bansko one of the best places to visit in Europe with friends. The town itself has considerable charm, with numerous traditional old pubs hidden down its cobbled alleyways.
Where to stay
Best for guest house experience: Zigen House
Best for great location: Kap House Hotel
What to do
Best for the adventurers: River rafting on the Kresna Gorge
Best to get to know the culture: Experience local traditions, dishes, crafts and stories
Rough costs
Daily budget: Basic €30, occasional treat €45
Drink: Beer (0.5l) €1.25
Food: Shopska salad €4
Hostel/budget hotel: €12/€60
Travel: Train: Sofia–Plovdiv €4–6; bus: €5
Though ever-popular Prague is not quite the dirt-cheap city break destination it once was, you’ll still find
But there's plenty of other reasons as to why it's one of the best places to visit in Europe. In
If you're heading to Prague, where you're based can make all the difference to your experience, so make the right start with our
Where to stay
Best location for hostel: Safestay Prague
Best for shopping and city centre: K+K Hotel Central
What to do
Best for history buffs: Small group tour to the Prague Castle
Best for a magical evening: Dinner cruise on an Open-Top Glass Boat
Rough costs
Daily budget: Basic €45, occasional treat €55
Drink: Pilsner Urquell (0.5l) €1.60
Food: Pork and dumplings €8
Hostel/budget hotel: €20/€45
continued below
Known for the popular city break destination of
An hour from Tallinn, 725-square-kilometre
Where to stay
Best for boutique hotel in Tallinn: The Three Sisters Boutique Hotel
Best for boutique spa in Saaremaa: Grand Rose SPA Hotel
What to do
Best for historical, Soviet heritage: Day tour from Tallinn to Naissaar, also known as Women's Island
Best for urban exploration: The Industrial Stalker Bike Tour in Kalamaja District
Rough costs
Daily budget: Basic €40, occasional treat €60
Drink: Le Coq beer €2.60
Food: Blood sausage and sauerkraut €7
Hostel/budget hotel: €15/€35
Travel: Bus: Tallinn–Saaremaa €9; Tartu–Tallinn €13
As far as Europe travel goes,
The city that kick-started the 1989 protests that led to the country’s reunification has long had a fierce, independent spirit. Over the past few years, it’s also developed quite a reputation for its thriving artist enclaves and offbeat nightlife. Its culture scene is in constant flux, with old industrial buildings, such as former cotton mill the Spinnerei, converted into cutting-edge spaces.
Best for city location: IntercityHotel Leipzig
Best for little luxury: Pentahotel Leipzig
Best for family exploration: 3hr canoe tour through the city
Best for first-time visitors: Hop-on Hop-off bus tour including walking tour
And don’t forget the open spaces: spend a day tramping across Hampstead Heath, another meandering along the South Bank or perusing East End markets and you’ll get more of a sense of city life than if you’re stuck in a queue at an overpriced attraction. For food, opt for the popular street-food markets and your budget will stretch further – you might even have enough left for an overpriced pint.
Best for being in the centre of London: The Z Hotel Piccadilly
Best for location to Southbank: Park Plaza London Waterloo
Best for stunning views: The London Eye (make sure to book your ticket ahead of time to skip the lines)
Best for the adventurers: Climb the O2 Arena
Think of budget travel in
Instead, consider
Best for beaches in Finikounta:Hotel Golden Sun
Best for location in Nafplion: Pension Eleni
Best for day tours from Athens: Nafplio and Ancient Epidaurus
Best for explorers: Self-guided virtual reality tour of Olympia
Straddling the Danube, the twin enclaves of Buda and Pest together make one of the most
Spend the day lounging by the pools in the spa, taking the occasional dip, cooling off under the fountains, and watching the old men play chess at the waterside tables. Come evening, the “r
Budapest is one of the best places to visit in Europe in the Spring (March to May) or Autumn (Sept to Nov) as the climate is at its most pleasant – ideal for those outdoor spa days and pounding the pavements.
Best for location to city centre: Arcadia Hotel Budapest
Best for a little luxury: Hotel Palazzo Zichy Budapest
Best to relax: Soak up the atmosphere at the Thermal Margaret Island Spa
Best for wine connoisseurs: Taste 7 Hungarian wines from boutique wineries
Any grand tour of Europe includes a string of beautiful Italian cities: refined
Escape from the mainland to
Best for popular attractions: Hotel Palazzo Brunaccini
Best hostel for location to the city: Balarm Hostel
What to do
Best for foodies: 3hr street food and history walking tour
Best for day trips: Explore Western Sicily with Segesta, Erice and Salt Pans
Vast, deep, Lake Ohrid is the jewel of
If you are tempted landwards it might be to hike in the nearby Galičica National Park. With cheap private rooms to rent and several waterside camping spots, the area is perfect for travellers on a budget to kick back and relax.
Best for a cosy guest house: Villa & Winery Mal Sveti Kliment
Best for views of Lake Ohrid: Villa Kale
Best for those with limited time: Day tour from Skopje to Ohrid
Best for history buffs: Private half-day city tour
Travelling cheap? Montenegro won't disappoint. The beautiful walled town of
For a view over the whole gorgeous scene, hike up to St Ivan’s castle, overlooking the town. Kotor’s annual highlight is August’s exuberant Boka Nights festival, when the whole town celebrates as a lavish display of decorated boats parade in the bay and fireworks fill the sky.
Best for boutique hotel: Boutique Hotel Astoria
Best for location to the city centre: Palazzo Drusko Deluxe Rooms
Best to get away from the crowds: 2.5h Kayak Tour in the Bay of Kotor
Best for a day trip: Boat Tour to the Blue Cave & Our Lady of the Rocks
Part beautiful Hanseatic city, part gritty port town and part Baltic riviera, the northern Polish city of
The shipyard crane dates back to the 15th century, and the city was the birthplace of the Solidarity anti-communist movement. Come summer, the action moves to the hip, coastal resort of
Best for location to the city centre: PURO Gdansk Stare Miasto
Best for great views and location to the city: Hotel Mercure Gdansk Stare Miasto
Best for nightlife: Pub Crawl with free drinks
Best for first-time visitors: Electric Scooter guided tour of the Old Town
Explore the WW2 Liberation Route with the help of a local expert >
Other highlights include the vast
Make the most of your time in Porto and book ahead to explore some of the unknown wine cellars in the city.
Best for walks along the waterfront: 1872 River House
Best for value with style: MyStay Porto Batalha
Best for day tours: Small group tour to the Douro Valley, Wine Tasting and a River Cruise
Best for iconic views: Torre dos Clérigos (skip-the-line tickets)
Think
But the region is not all fortifications and fangs – make time to
Best for visiting Vlad the Impaler: Pensiune Casa Richter
Best for visiting Piatra Craiului National Park: Pensiunea Hora cu Brazi
Best for explorers: Medieval City Exploration Game and Tour in Sighisoara
Best for those travelling in high season: Fast track tickets to Bran Castle (Dracula's castle - Romania's number one attraction)
Fancy a low-cost summer music festival?
A trip here is about more than the music, however, with a setting that leaves other festivals in the shade. The
If you don't have the time to stay longer, consider taking a day tour from Belgrade to explore Novi Sad and taste the local wines in Sremski Karlovci.
Best for rooftop views of the city: Hotel Leopold I Novi Sad
Best hostel for city location: Hostel Sova
This is serious mountain terrain, so be prepared and heed local advice. The mountains are also an inviting playground for climbers and cavers, and you’ll find mountain-bike paths, tubing and rafting, plus a full winter season of skiing and snowboarding.
Best for location to popular attractions: Penzion Reitmayer
Best for families: Apartmanovy Dom TatraTravel Smokovec
Sandwiched between Italy, Austria and Croatia, compact
Nestled below the stunning Julian Alps are the very different twin lakes of
Best guest house for views of Lake Bled: Penzion Vila Prešeren
Best for lake views: Grand Hotel Toplice
Best for adventurers: 3hr Rafting Experience
Best for wine experiences: Taste 7 top Slovenian wines in a 100-year old wine cellar in Bled
The southernmost province of Spain,
You only need to head a little further afield, to the underrated city of
Best guest house location to city centre: El Riad Andaluz
Best for style on a budget: Hotel Boutique Villa Lorena Malaga
Best for exploring arts: Guided tour through the Picasso Museum
Best for short hikes: Caminito del Rey - 3hr guided hike
Situated in the west of this vast country, within easy travelling distance of Central European cities such as Kraków and Budapest,
It revels in a mixture of Central European influences: Habsburg and Polish, Catholic, Orthodox and Armenian, with its architecture and magnificent churches reflecting this eclecticism. Ukraine regularly features on the list of cheapest destinations in Europe, and with a growing supply of backpacker hostels, appealing coffee houses and quirky bars, this is an extremely budget-friendly city with a refined edge.
Best for location to the city centre: Lviv Central Jam Hotel
Best for style on a budget: Taurus Hotel
Best for first time visitors: Lviv Old Town Walking Tour
Best for foodies with an interest in history: Communist-style Food and Bar Tour
Top image © Patteran/Shutterstock
This feature contains affiliate links; all recommendations are editorially independent.
Top image: Malaga, Spain, Old Town Skyline © S Pavone / Shutterstock