Price of European city breaks is falling
6th April 2012
Weekend breaks to European cities are cheaper than this time last year, with the pound on the rise and the falling of other currencies
According to the Post Office's annual City Costs Barometer, which compares the price of
accommodation, public transport, cultural activities and restaurant meals in 23 popular cities, the cost of taking a city break is decreasing.
The good news comes for UK travellers visiting traditional favourites like Paris, Rome, as well as any euro-funded cities. These two capitals might have finished 15th and 18th in the Post Office's survey but prices have taken a tumble since last year. This is largely due to the pound's recent strength against the euro – £1 now goes 5% further than in the same month last year.
However, Eastern European cities continue to be the most budget-friendly. For the second year running, Latvia's capital city Riga was the cheapest weekend away. The Post Office looks at the price of 11 items, including one night's stay in a three-star hotel, a three course meal and a 48-hour travel pass, to discover which is the cheapest. On average, the 11 items came to £121.24 in Riga, followed closely by Budapest (£129.74) and Tallinn (£134.84).
On the other end of the scale, Stockholm was dubbed the most expensive city, with an average cost of £298. London and Bruges had the most expensive airport transfer cost, at almost £30.
The best cultural bargains can be found a little closer to British shores in Dublin and Belfast, where the top museums and art galleries are free of charge.
The full 11 items included are as follows: cup of coffee, bottle of lager, can of cola, three-course evening meal, return transfer from airport, 48-hour travel card, sightseeing bus tour, entrance to a top heritage attraction, museum and art gallery, one night at a three-star hotel.
Want to take your own budget trip? Look out for the next issue of Wanderlust (on sale Thursday 26 April) for our short breaks special feature: 25 trips for under £250.
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