Celebrating the end of year holidays abroad? A prospect of wonderful moments, provided you have the budget. However, that of the inhabitants of France is particularly tight this year. According to the 8th edition of the Cofidis “The French and Christmas” survey, it is €497, or €52 less than in 2023. But those who wish to treat themselves to a winter getaway can rest assured: certain European destinations are appear to be more economical than one might think.
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Cheap flights, hotels, restaurants: the ranking of the cheapest European destinations in winter
A ranking established by the car rental company DiscoverCars.com reveals that several cities in the Old Continent are relatively affordable in winter, among the 10 studied.
To create this list, the average prices of the plane ticket and the best rated hotels were logically used. But other criteria were added to deepen the analysis: the average cost of car rental, the number of inexpensive restaurants and the price of entry to the most famous attraction. A score out of 50 was then assigned to each destination.
Verdict? It’s a particularly popular city during the holidays that rises to the top of the ranking: Prague!
Cheap restaurants and affordable hotels
Staying in a hotel for a week in the Czech capital costs just €706 in winter, compared to €1,329 in Amsterdam and €1,431 in Copenhagen. Likewise, renting a car in Prague is particularly economical: it costs just €52.90 per week, compared to €209 in Paris and Berlin.
The city nicknamed “the city of a thousand towers and a thousand bell towers” is also full of inexpensive restaurants: 1,024, compared to only 175 in Tallinn and 294 in Copenhagen. All year round, Prague is also the European city where beer is the cheapest*, the 7th where 5-star hotels are the most affordable** and the 8th which offers the most free activities***.
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A magical destination during the end-of-year holidays
The capital is teeming with sites to visit all year round: Prague Castle, the National Gallery museums, the Old Town, the Notre-de-Loreto church, the Mála Strana district…
But Prague is particularly magical during the end-of-year holidays. The gourmet scents of the Christmas markets fill the streets (roasted smoked ham, pastries rolled on a spit), the Charles Bridge sees its gas street lights lit by a lantern and the traditional restaurants offer festive recipes, such as breaded carp and creamy fish soup.
*Statista data, July 2024.
** Kayak data, 2022-2023.
*** According to a ranking of the cheapest European cities to visit produced by Top10desCasinos.com.
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