Best budget city breaks this autumn

The best capital cities across Europe for budget-friendly mini-breaks this autumn have been revealed, with Warsaw in Poland taking the top spot.

It is no secret that autumn is an ideal time for short breaks, with fewer crowds, more pleasant temperatures and cheaper prices making it a popular choice for many travellers. And with half-term just around the corner, there are plenty of family-friendly destinations brimming with culture and sights that will make for a memorable getaway.

Travel insurance experts at CompareNI.com have crunched the numbers to determine the best budget city breaks, using the 12 most visited capital cities across Europe to form an index of the most affordable holiday locations.

The cities were ranked based on several factors that budget-conscious holidaymakers should look out for, including tourist tax, hotel costs, the price of a meal and beer, public transport ticket costs, and distance from the airport.

Warsaw has been crowned the best city for an affordable autumn getaway. The Polish capital, famed for its beautifully and meticulously reconstructed Old Town, has the cheapest hotel prices at £35.85 per night, while an inexpensive meal will set travellers back just £8.15.

The vibrant medieval city of Zagreb, Croatia, is ranked a close second place, where visitors can find beer priced at just £2.59 and a public transport ticket for only 46p.

Istanbul takes the third spot, with the Turkish capital boasting the cheapest meal prices at just £8, while Madrid, Spain – which charges no tourist tax – comes in fourth on the index.

At the other end of the scale, Paris has been named as the least affordable capital city in Europe. Despite being one of the quintessential European destinations due to its iconic architecture and rich culture, the French capital has some of the highest hotel room costs (£101.37 per night), although it does have reasonably cheap public transport tickets at £2.16.

Amsterdam, renowned for its enchanting canals and historic landmarks, charges visitors the most tourist tax in Europe and has the second most expensive hotel costs at over £95.80 a night, meaning it ranks as the second most expensive destination overall.

Rome, ‘the Eternal City’, is a paradise for foodies and history buffs, but it ranks as the third most expensive location due to the high tourist taxes (£5.19 per night) and hotel prices (£72.48 per night). It is also the furthest city away from the airport at 37km.

Despite not charging tourists any overnight taxes, London comes in as the fourth most expensive city. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the British capital has the most expensive food and drink prices out of all 12 cities on the index, as visitors can expect to pay £19.98 for a meal and £6.50 for a pint.

Ian Wilson, travel insurance expert and Managing Director at CompareNI.com said: “Autumn is a popular month for travelling and many people will be opting for a city break that doesn’t break the bank. There are so many European cities that are ideal destinations for a short stay, with breathtaking medieval castles, charming cobblestone streets and picturesque main squares, creating the perfect atmosphere for couples as well as families.

“Our research is designed to help narrow down the choices, showing best value and a wide range of factors for you to consider. It’s crucial you look at all the costs when budgeting for your holiday, as there could be some expensive surprises you weren’t expecting – such as tourist tax.

“It is also sensible to not overlook travel insurance, even if it’s just for a mini break. Flight delays, disruptions and cancellations are increasingly common, and pickpocketing is a big concern when visiting some of these popular city destinations. Having the right cover in place will give you peace of mind that you are financially protected if your trip doesn’t go as planned.”

Whichever city travellers choose to visit this autumn, CompareNI.com can help people compare and find savings on travel insurance.

Best budget city breaks:

References:

• The 12 countries analysed are the most internationally visited European countries –  https://www.statista.com/statistics/261729/countries-in-europe-ranked-by-international-tourist-arrivals/
• Hotel cost per night for each capital city – https://www.budgetyourtrip.com/
• Average price of an inexpensive meal in each capital city – https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
• Average price of 0.5 litres of draught beer in each capital city – https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
• Average cost of a one-day local transport ticket for each capital city – https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
• Distance from the airport to the capital city (the driving distance in km was used, except for Istanbul where the straight-line distance in km was used. – https://www.mapdevelopers.com/distance_from_to.php
• Tourist tax for each capital city. (The tax in Istanbul, Amsterdam, Berlin and Vienna is based on a percentage of the accommodation charge. This was calculated by using the hotel price on our index) –
• Warsaw – https://www.johnlewisfinance.com/currency/travel-guides/poland.html
• Zagreb – https://www.firstchoice.co.uk/holiday/tourist-taxes
• Istanbul, Lisbon, Vienna, Berlin & Amsterdam – https://radicalstorage.com/travel/tourist-tax-by-country/ 
• Madrid – https://wise.com/gb/blog/tourist-tax-in-spain
• Athens – https://trippz.com/tourist-tax/greece
• Rome – https://wise.com/gb/blog/rome-city-tax
• London – https://discover.passportindex.org/policy-and-regulations/london-tourist-tax-impact/
• Paris – https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/tourist-tax-a616

The tourist tax prices, hotel cost, price of an inexpensive meal, price of 0.5L of beer, one-day local transport ticket price, and the distance from the airport to the capital city have all been analysed for this index.

Each city was given a nominal score which was totalled up to give a final ranking.

All prices were converted into £ before calculating the index.

This article is intended as generic information only and is not intended to apply to anybody’s specific circumstances, demands or needs. The views expressed are not intended to provide any financial service or to give any recommendation or advice. Products and services are only mentioned for illustrative rather than promotional purposes.