Thanks to its rich history, diverse cultures and incredible cuisine, it’s no wonder Europe tops many a traveler’s bucket list.
If you’re putting your European dreams on hold because you think a trip would be out of your financial reach, get ready to rethink (and pack your bags)! Quite a few European cities are more affordable than you might imagine.
We’ve rounded up five picks for a budget-friendly European getaway.
Berlin
The German capital is filled with historic buildings and landmarks, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to visit, either: On average, the city costs about $120 per day to visit, according to the Europe 3-Star Traveler Index. Expect to pay around $30 per night for a decent three-star hotel.
Lisbon
Portugal’s capital city maintains an old village charm, thanks to a setting filled with quaint, tree-lined streets, Gothic cathedrals and old-style cafes. Lisbon also comes in at around $120 per day on the Europe 3-Star Traveler Index.
Prague
The Czech Republic’s capital city is one of Europe’s finest cities, best known for incredibly beautiful sights like the stonework of the Charles Bridge floating over the Vltava River and the cobblestone streets leading to Prague Castle. Best of all, Prague comes in at a steal at only $90 per day on average.
Budapest
For around $55 per day, you can soak up the thermal baths, baroque architecture and history of this Hungarian city. There are plenty of cost-saving hostels and backpacker hotels, and you won’t have to budget too much for eating in Budapest, either.
Sofia
If you need to keep your travel budget to less than $50 per day, put Sofia, Bulgaria at the top of your list. Public transportation, food and hotel rooms are more than affordable, so you won’t have to bleed out of your wallet to soak up the rich culture that brews in this Bulgarian city.
(Main image: 401(K) 2013 used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
