A new study examined more than 50 destinations in Europe to find where you can enjoy the most vacation for the least money. Leading the list is Tirana in Albania, with an estimated cost of hotel, food, transportation, and attractions at just about 59 euros per person per day. Following are several surprising destinations, including one well-known to Israelis.
The summer break is ending, September is already here, and if you’re among those who can afford to travel after the peak summer season, there are a few destinations worth knowing.
And no, Greece or Cyprus are not in the first place.
A study by the travel company Thomas Cook examined 51 popular destinations in Europe to discover where you can enjoy a city vacation on the lowest budget during September.
Leading the list is Tirana, the capital of Albania, where the estimated daily cost is about 59 euros per person.
And this amount doesn’t just refer to coffee, food, and transportation.
Accommodation is included as well.
59 euros per day including hotel
To reach the ranking, several major expenses that make up a vacation were examined: accommodation in a three-star hotel, a meal at a cheap restaurant, coffee, public transportation, and tickets to paid attractions.
In Tirana, for example, a night in a three-star hotel was estimated at about 32 euros per person, a meal at a cheap restaurant at about 8.50 euros, and a local beer at approximately 1.50 euros. Entry to a paid attraction was estimated at an average of 4.50 euros.
When adding up the examined expenses, it amounts to about 59 euros per person per day.
In other words: according to the study averages, a couple can manage on about 118 euros per day at the destination, including accommodation.
Of course, this is an average and not a price guarantee, and the actual amount depends on the hotel you choose, the restaurants, the attractions, and your vacation style.
So what is there to see in Tirana?
Anyone still thinking of Albania as a destination off the European tourist map has probably missed what has happened there in recent years.
Tirana has become a colorful and relatively cheap urban destination, with cafes, restaurants, nightlife, and extraordinary history.
You can stroll in Skanderbeg Square in the city center, visit the vibrant Blloku area, explore the Bunk’Art museums established in bunkers from the communist regime era, and of course, use the city as a starting point for a broader tour of Albania.
And the low prices apparently haven’t remained a secret: according to Thomas Cook, the company’s bookings for vacations in Albania have increased by more than 300% compared to the previous year.
Second place: Bucharest
While Tirana won, the gap between it and the second place is not large.
Bucharest in Romania came in second with an estimated daily cost of about 66 euros per person.
Here too, it’s a city that can be particularly interesting for a short vacation: an old center, restaurants and cafes, nightlife, and the famous Therme Bucharest baths outside the city center.
According to the study, a cheap meal in Bucharest costs on average a little more than 12 euros, and a daily public transportation ticket about 1.50 euros.
Warsaw and Antalya share third place
In third place, there’s an interesting tie: Warsaw and Antalya, with an estimated cost of about 78 euros per person per day in each.
And this already shows that the list isn’t just made up of small cities or lesser-known destinations.
Antalya is one of Turkey’s major vacation destinations, while Warsaw has become a popular city-break destination in recent years with a modern urban center alongside the restored old city.
Antalya also stands out in food prices: a cheap dinner was estimated at about 9 euros and lunch at 8 euros.
Istanbul still surprises with prices
In fifth place is Istanbul, with about 82 euros per person per day.
Hotel prices in the city particularly stood out in the study: accommodation was estimated at about 28 euros per person on average, while a cheap meal can cost about 8–9 euros.
Following are Mugla in Turkey and Krakow in Poland, both with a cost of about 87 euros per day.
Then comes a surprise from Germany
Next are Vilnius in Lithuania and Frankfurt in Germany, with about 90 euros per person per day.
Frankfurt is probably one of the biggest surprises on the list. Germany isn’t exactly perceived as a destination where you can have a particularly cheap vacation, yet Frankfurt managed to sneak into the top ten, ahead of many cities in Europe.
Immediately after is Lyon in France, with a daily cost of about 91 euros, followed by Tallinn in Estonia, with about 93 euros.
And Greece also made it – but only towards the end
And here we come to a destination much more familiar to Israelis.
Heraklion in Crete ranked 12th, with an estimated cost of about 99 euros per person per day.
While it’s much more than the 59 euros of Tirana, it still places Crete on the list of destinations where, according to the study’s methodology, you can stay around 100 euros per person per day.
The list is closed by Porto in Portugal, with a cost of exactly 100 euros.
So who is the cheapest? Here’s the order
For those who want the full picture without a table: Tirana leads with 59 euros per day, followed by Bucharest with 66 euros, Antalya and Warsaw with 78 euros, Istanbul with 82 euros, Mugla and Krakow with 87 euros, Vilnius and Frankfurt with 90 euros, Lyon with 91 euros, Tallinn with 93 euros, Heraklion with 99 euros, and finally Porto with 100 euros per person per day.
Just before booking – there’s an important note
It’s important to emphasize that the study doesn’t say a whole vacation in Tirana costs 59 euros.
The calculation refers to the expenses examined at the destination itself, including accommodation, food, coffee, transportation, and attractions. The flight price is not part of this budget, and expenses like luggage, travel insurance, airport transfers, tourist taxes, and shopping can, of course, increase the final cost.
Additionally, these are average prices. A popular hotel on the weekend
