Europe does not have to be expensive. While Paris, London or Zurich can drain a travel budget fast, plenty of budget-friendly European cities offer great culture, architecture and food for much less. Here are seven cities where your money goes further – with ideas for cheap eats, free sights and where to stay.
Prices change with the season and the exchange rate, so treat this as a guide to where Europe is good value rather than a price list – and check current fares and tickets before you go.
1. Krakow, Poland
Krakow combines a beautiful medieval centre, a lively nightlife and prices that are generally lower than in Western European capitals.
- Eat cheaply: milk bars (bar mleczny) serve simple Polish dishes such as pierogi at low prices. Poland’s first milk bar opened in Krakow in 1948.
- Free sights: walking the Old Town costs nothing, and the grounds of Wawel Hill and the castle’s arcaded courtyard are free to enter; you only pay for the exhibitions inside.
- Don’t miss: Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter, for bars and food. The round market hall on Plac Nowy is famous for zapiekanki, the open-faced baguettes that are Krakow’s classic late-night snack.
Compare places to stay in Krakow, from hostels to apartments near the Old Town.
2. Porto, Portugal
Porto offers colourful streets, river views and port wine, and is often a little gentler on the wallet than Lisbon.
- Eat cheaply: try a francesinha, Porto’s famously heavy sandwich, or a set lunch in a local tasca.
- Free sights: walk across the Dom Luís I Bridge for views over the river and the old town.
- Good to know: the famous Livraria Lello bookshop charges an entry voucher, but its value is deducted if you buy a book there.
- Don’t miss: the port wine cellars across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia, many of which offer tastings.
See places to stay in Porto, or compare flights on Trip.com – booking early usually helps.
3. Budapest, Hungary
Budapest pairs grand architecture and a famous thermal bath culture with good-value food and nightlife.
- Eat cheaply: local restaurants serving Hungarian dishes and lunch menus are easy to find, and the Great Market Hall is a good place to try local food.
- Thermal baths: a day at a bath such as Széchenyi is the city’s signature experience and costs far less than many spa days elsewhere in Europe. Ticket prices differ by day and type, so check the bath’s own website.
- Getting around: if you will use public transport a lot, a multi-day travel pass is usually better value than single tickets.
- Don’t miss: the ruin bars of the old Jewish Quarter. Szimpla Kert is widely seen as the original that started the trend in the early 2000s.
Find thermal bath tickets and tours in Budapest or places to stay in Budapest.
4. Athens, Greece
The islands can be pricey in summer, but the Greek capital still offers ancient sites, great food and lively neighbourhoods at a fair price.
- Eat cheaply: souvlaki and gyros are filling and inexpensive, and family-run tavernas offer good value.
- The Acropolis: tickets are sold with timed entry through the official ticketing site, hhticket.gr, where you can check the current price. EU citizens under 25 enter free with a zero-value ticket.
- Free views: walk up Lycabettus Hill for a panorama over the city.
- Stay central: neighbourhoods such as Psiri and Koukaki put many major sights within walking distance.
Athens is also the natural starting point for island hopping. See places to stay in Athens.
5. Valencia, Spain
Valencia gives you beaches, striking modern architecture and the home of paella, usually for less than Barcelona or Madrid.
- Eat cheaply: paella was born in the rice fields of l’Albufera next to the city; look for a weekday lunch menu (menú del día) for the best value.
- Free sights: the Turia Gardens, a park of around 9 km in the old riverbed, run through the city and are free; you can admire the City of Arts and Sciences from outside and walk to the beach.
- Don’t miss: the Central Market for local produce and a quick, affordable bite.
See places to stay in Valencia.
6. Ljubljana, Slovenia
Slovenia’s small, green capital has riverside cafés, a car-free centre and easy access to the Alps and lakes.
- Eat cheaply: weekday lunch menus in local restaurants are good value, and on Fridays from spring to autumn the Open Kitchen (Odprta kuhna) street food market fills Pogačar Square next to the Central Market.
- Free sights: the compact, pedestrian centre and the architecture of Jože Plečnik along the river are free to explore on foot.
- Don’t miss: Metelkova, the alternative cultural quarter, and a day trip to Lake Bled.
See places to stay in Ljubljana.
7. Tbilisi, Georgia
At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Tbilisi is a favourite of travellers looking for great value, with an old town full of character and a famous food and wine culture.
- Eat and drink: try khachapuri (cheese bread) and khinkali (dumplings). Archaeological finds put Georgian winemaking at around 8,000 years old, and the traditional qvevri clay-vessel method is on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list.
- Sights: Narikala Fortress overlooks the old town, and below it lies Abanotubani, the historic bath district, where several sulphur bathhouses still operate.
See places to stay in Tbilisi.
How to keep a European city trip cheap
- Travel in shoulder season – spring and autumn often bring milder weather, fewer crowds and lower prices than midsummer.
- Eat your main meal at lunch – set lunch menus are usually much cheaper than dinner.
- Walk – all seven cities have compact centres where many sights are within walking distance.
- Check official sites for free-entry days and current ticket prices before you go.
To keep track of the money side, the ToTourist app gives each trip a budget, day plans with walking times and an offline map, and its currency converter keeps working offline with the last rate it downloaded. It is free on Android, with no sign-up.
Looking for more ways to save? Read our budget travel tips. And what is your favourite budget-friendly European city? Share it in the comments.
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