Cost of city breaks in Europe falls for UK tourists

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/mar/28/city-breaks-europe-more-affordable-for-uk-tourists

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The cost of a European city break for UK tourists has fallen dramatically over the last year, driven by cheaper prices across Europe and the soaring value of sterling, according to the latest survey by Post Office Travel Money. Thanks to the strong pound, UK travellers will have up to 22% more to spend than a year ago.

The study, which compares the cost of common holiday expenses in 28 popular city-break destinations, reports a drop in prices at three-quarters of the cities that were studied. The biggest fall in prices is in the Austrian capital of Vienna, where prices have plunged 22.2% year-on-year. A weekend stay in Vienna is now markedly cheaper than one in Amsterdam, Copenhagen or Paris.

Although Stockholm has also seen prices fall significantly, with a 14% reduction overall, it remains the most expensive city-break destination in Europe for the third consecutive year. On the other hand, Vilnius has emerged as the most affordable city in Europe – after a year-on-year price drop of 15%. Visitors to the Lithuanian capital require £100 in order to cover a three-course evening meal for two with wine, drinks, two nights’ accommodation, airport transfers, sightseeing attraction costs and public transport.

Cities in eastern Europe and the Baltic continue to be among the cheapest destination in Europe. In Prague, dinner for two can cost just £23.94, – £50 less than the equivalent meal in Stockholm.

Accommodation prices tell the same story. Two nights in a three-star hotel in Riga costs £36, while cities such as Tallinn , Vilnius, Budapest and Athens also offer the same for around £50. Tourists visiting cities such as London, Barcelona or Rome can expect to pay 2-3 times this price.

Venice, Italy, is the most expensive destination to get around in. A 48-hour travel card costs visitors £22. London is the fifth most expensive city in this category, with the cost of the equivalent travel card priced at over £15. In Riga and Tallinn, however, a weekend zipping around on public transport will cost you £3.74.

Look at the price of beer and it’s easy to see why Lisbon is a popular party destination. In the Portuguese capital a bottle of local lager will cost you on average 97p. Lisbon is the most affordable in this category, closely followed by Vilnius, Prague and Krakow. In cities such as London, Venice, Paris and Rome you can expect to pay between £3-£4.

“It’s a win-win situation for UK holidaymakers this year in European cities because prices are down in the majority of cities we surveyed, thanks to the soaring value of sterling,” said Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money.

“However, prices continue to vary significantly in different cities. The low prices in Prague, Athens and Budapest will make these cities strong contenders for a bargain break to rival the Baltic states,” he said.