Published 11 October 2026 | Updated 11 October 2026 by Kate Acaster
Which are the cheapest cities in Europe for a UK city break? We priced nine popular destinations for the same March weekend in 2027. Krakow is the cheapest of the nine: the cheapest well-rated three-star hotel, rated 8.0 or higher, costs £116 for three nights for two sharing, about £39 a night. Dublin is the dearest at £313, more than two and a half times as much.
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How we priced it
- DatesFriday 5 to Monday 8 March 2027, three nights
- TravellersTwo adults sharing one room
- PricesExpedia UK, taxes and fees as shown. The cheapest hotel in the city rated 8.0 or higher with at least 50 reviews
- Read on11 October 2026. Flights, food and transfers are not included
The cheapest cities in Europe: nine ranked by three-star hotel price
Each figure is the total for three nights. We ranked on the three-star column because it is the most common mid-priced grade, and show four stars alongside. Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Copenhagen are missing: Expedia's search for each returns suburbs and nearby towns before the city itself, so we could not price them fairly.
| # | City | 3-star from | 4-star from | 3-star a night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Krakow | £116 | £132 | £39 |
2 | Athens | £129 | £132 | £43 |
3 | Prague | £135 | £157 | £45 |
4 | Porto | £150 | £150 | £50 |
5 | Vienna | £160 | £182 | £53 |
6 | Seville | £162 | £207 | £54 |
7 | Berlin | £176 | £195 | £59 |
8 | Brussels | £204 | £243 | £68 |
9 | Dublin | £313 | £310 | £104 |
"Athens shows what the lowest price can hide: the lowest three-star is £81 and scores 7.4. The best-value pick scoring 8.0 or higher is £129 and scores 8.6, so the extra £48 is £16 a night for a hotel guests rate 1.2 points higher. Don't look at the price before the rating and the review count."
Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
The cheapest room is not the best value
In some cities the cheapest hotels are also the lowest rated, so we ranked on well-rated hotels only.
- Athens: the lowest three-star hotel is £81 for the three nights, rated 7.4 from 648 reviews, so the score is no fluke.
- Porto: the lowest three-star hotel is £117, rated 7.8 from 175 reviews. The cheapest rated 8.0 or higher is £150, rated 8.8.
- In Krakow the lowest three-star, £116, already clears the bar: rated 8.8 from 789 reviews.
- Dublin sits far above the rest: its cheapest well-rated three-star is £313, £109 above the next dearest, Brussels.
Four stars cost almost the same in three cities
Seville has the widest gap between three and four stars. Porto has none.
- In Porto the cheapest well-rated four-star is £150, the same as the three-star.
- In Athens the gap is £3, from £129 to £132 for the three nights.
- In Dublin the four-star, £310, is £3 cheaper than the three-star at £313.
- Seville has the widest gap, £45: from £162 to £207. Brussels is next at £39.
One cost to plan for in each city
The room is one part of the bill. Each figure comes from our city guides, which name the source. Prices are in local currency except where we convert. Our hotel links search the same March weekend.
| City | One cost to plan for | Check hotel prices |
|---|---|---|
| Krakow | A plate of pierogi costs 40 to 60 złoty. | |
| Athens | The standard Acropolis ticket is €30, up from €20 before April 2025. | |
| Prague | The Prague Castle main circuit costs 450 CZK (£15.50). | |
| Porto | A francesinha, the Porto sandwich, runs about £8 to £12. | |
| Vienna | The Schönbrunn Grand Tour is €28, or €22 for the shorter Imperial Tour. | |
| Seville | A flamenco peña costs €10 to €15 including a drink. | |
| Berlin | The Museum Island day pass is €24 and covers the open museums. | |
| Brussels | The Atomium costs €17. | |
| Dublin | Entry to the Book of Kells at Trinity is €25. |
How to spend less on a city break
| Do this | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Start with Krakow, Athens or Prague | They are the three cheapest on the three-star measure, at £116, £129 and £135 for the three nights. |
| Check four stars in Athens, Porto and Dublin | The cheapest well-rated four-star there costs £3 more, the same, or £3 less than the three-star, so compare both grades. |
| Skip Dublin on a tight budget | On the same weekend Dublin cost £197 more than Krakow for a three-star, £313 against £116. |
| In Prague, stay a tram stop away | Our Prague guide says hotels near the tourist core can run 30 to 50 per cent above equivalent rooms one tram stop away. |
Our cheapest Greek islands ranking prices seven islands on the same Expedia basis.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the cheapest city in Europe for a UK city break in 2027?
Krakow, of the nine we priced: a three-night stay for two in a well-rated three-star hotel starts at £116 for 5 to 8 March 2027. Athens is next at £129, then Prague at £135.
Is Prague cheaper than Krakow?
Not on hotels. Prague starts at £135 for the three nights against £116 in Krakow, for a three-star rated 8.0 or higher.
Is Athens a cheap city break?
On hotels, yes: £129 for three nights at three stars, second only to Krakow. Our Athens guide notes the Acropolis ticket has been €30 since April 2025.
Why are Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Copenhagen not ranked?
Expedia's search for each shows suburbs and nearby towns first, so we could not isolate the city's own hotels. We left them out rather than print a figure we cannot support.
Do these prices include flights?
No. They cover the hotel room only, with taxes and fees as Expedia shows them. Flights, food and transfers cost extra.
More city guides
Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.
Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.
How Kate works
Kate checks the details that can change the value of a trip, including cabin-bag rules, airline fees, hotel location, seasonality, travel dates and booking conditions. She is especially interested in offers that look useful on the surface but need a proper reader-first check before they are worth recommending.
Editorial standards
Flight Tribe covers deals and travel advice for readers first. Affiliate links do not decide whether an offer is worth writing about.
