Cheap destination in Europe

I spoke to you in a previous article about possible weekend ideas in Europe, in this article I will talk to you about cheap destinations in Europe.

Cheap destination in Europe

With the emergence of low-cost airlines, you can get a ticket or a round-trip flight for less than 100 euros, which is the price of a train ticket from Paris to any city in the south of France or 3 hours from Paris if you book 2 weeks before departure.

Each of the cheap destinations in Europe that I present to you below are destinations where you can just visit the capital or spend several weeks for vacation. It is possible to make the trip by bus after landing in the main city.

Ukraine: the Slavic country of the Black Mother

Kiev:

You can go to Maidan, see the Independence Square, head to the Saint Sophia Cathedral then go a little further north to visit a monastery and church.

The other choice is to go near the botanical garden, see the Motherland statue, visit the Museum of the History of Ukraine (there are other interesting museums in the neighborhood) then see the Orthodox monuments such as the Kiev Pechersk Lavra,

You can also take a day trip and go to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant from Kiev.

For a few more days in Ukraine:

I would spend a few days in Lviv or go to the Black Sea coast in Odessa, which is a very popular place in summer for Ukrainians.

Why go to Ukraine? For the price, the country’s history, the pretty girls, the Orthodox side.

Bulgaria: the country of the Balkans

Sofia:

You can visit the district with the cathedral and Saint Sophia Basilica, and that of Alexander, it is accessible on foot and you can see many religious monuments.

You can take another day to stroll in Borisova Park or Zaimov Park and go to the history or military museum.

For a few more days in Bulgaria:

I would go to Veliko Tarnovo then to Varna on the Black Sea coast or even to the 7 lakes region in Rila. See my article where I give my opinion on Bulgaria.

Hungary: the country of 1000 hot baths.

Budapest :

In this city, you can find a sense of relaxation with baths and hot springs all over the city, the largest baths are the Széchenyi baths worth seeing. You can also visit various buildings, the Budavar Palace, the Fishermen’s Bastion, and the Parliament.

One thing to do is to go to the ‘Landid’ suspension bridge to see the sunset on the banks of the Danube where you can take a cruise during the day.

Budapest is also known for its ruin bars, which are bars in ruins with rather kitsch decoration.

For a few more days in Hungary :

I also recommend going to Lake Balaton, two hours’ drive southwest of Budapest.

Poland: one of my favorite countries in Europe

It’s the only country in the selection where I have been twice 😀 and I definitely plan to return.

Krakow :

I could have introduced you to Warsaw, the capital, but I think Krakow is much more interesting for tourism. There is the Kazimierz Jewish district where everything started for the Auschwitz camps. You can also go to the salt mine or stroll around the center to see the old town of Krakow, St. Mary’s Basilica, or the castle or even the market square. You can walk either in the old town park or along the “Vistula” river. Krakow is a very student city where you can party.

For a few more days in Poland :

I would go either to Warsaw or to the mountains in Zakopane from Krakow. To read about Poland: Review of Poland

Other cheap countries and cheap Europe destinations

Serbia: the most populous country of the former Yugoslavia

Belgrade :

One thing to do in Belgrade is to go to the Belgrade fortress and visit the largest park in Belgrade at Kalemegdan for a walk.

You can then go to the Museum of Yugoslav History and the Church of Saint Sava.

For a few more days in Serbia :

I would go to the Uvac Gorge in the southwest of Serbia or to Tara National Park by car.

Romania: the cradle of the Carpathians

Bucharest:

The interesting monuments are quite scattered, visiting the government palace and walking in the old town is what I can recommend to you, which has a particular architecture. Otherwise, you only have the museums left to visit according to your wishes.

For a few extra days in Romania:

I would recommend going to Constanta, or to the mountains in Romania at Mount Bucegi, either in the town of Sinaia or Busteni. Here is my article giving: My opinion on Romania

Lithuania: the Baltic country of my selection

Vilnius:

During your first days, you can stroll in the Bernardinai park and visit the museums including the national museum, Vilnius cathedral, Gediminas tower, Saint Anne’s church of Vilnius.

You can also go to the Vilnius tower, or to the Pavilniai regional park.

For a few extra days in Lithuania:

I would head towards the coast by visiting Kaunas and going to the coast at Klaipeda, these places may seem less interesting in terms of tourism but if you want to see a bit more of the country.

Destination	Budget/day	Round-trip flight Paris	Best period
Bulgaria (Sofia)	30 €	80-150 €	May-Oct
Romania (Bucharest)	32 €	70-130 €	Apr-Oct
Poland (Krakow)	35 €	60-140 €	May-Sept
Hungary (Budapest)	42 €	80-150 €	Apr-Oct
Baltic countries	45 €	100-180 €	June-Aug
Portugal (Lisbon)	55 €	80-180 €	May-Oct

Portugal: the Mediterranean country.

Lisbon:

A lovely city that will satisfy lovers of culture, sunshine, and good food. You can stroll through the city full of history, go to Belem and see the Jerónimos Monastery, walk along the coast to see the Belem Tower, or visit the pastry shop where you can taste the best pastéis de nata in the world—I was personally captivated.

You can go to Sintra, the palace area an hour from Lisbon, or visit the easternmost point of Europe to see a beautiful sunset.

Lisbon is also home to the ‘Bairro Alto‘ area with a hundred bars, ideal for starting the evening to celebrate the festivities.

For an extra week in Portugal:

I would do a road trip along the coast from Lisbon to Porto to sample the wines. To read about Portugal: Review of Portugal

Conclusion on the cheapest countries and destinations in Europe

If you are looking for short formats, weekend ideas in Europe compiles several affordable city breaks. To optimize travel on site, how to get around in Europe compares buses, trains, and low-cost options. And to go further in detail, reviews on Poland and the Baltic countries remain good reading before booking.

Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, and Bulgaria are the cheapest in the selection. Portugal, Lithuania, Poland, and Serbia are slightly more expensive but still very affordable. If I had to select my top 4: Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Portugal.

For each of these countries, you can stay in a hostel for 10 euros a night, eat for less than 10 euros a day, and go out at night for not very expensive prices.

Having a budget of 30 to 40 euros per day in these countries is doable.

I could also have suggested cities in Spain and/or Italy, but I wanted to offer you less well-known destinations. And you? What would be your destination or your cheap weekend in Europe?