Cheap European Vacations – Where To Go This Summer
We get a lot of emails from people asking for advice on their planned Europe trips, and the most common question we get is about how much it will cost to travel to the destinations they have planned, and then also if we have some tips for other cheap European vacations they can take instead.
After having traveled extensively through Europe in the last few years we have found that prices vary highly between every country, and depending on where you go you can either make or break your budget.
Also remember that it’s not just the destination that decides the price of your trip – to make sure you stay on budget, don’t be cheap with your travel insurance. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and to spend a little extra money on getting travel insurance with medical conditions (if you have them) – since if you risk it and something bad happens, your trip will certainly be one of the most expensive you’ve taken..!
A General Rule For Cheap European Vacations
As a general rule, countries in Eastern Europe tend to be cheaper – there are some great places to visit in the Balkans and Baltics.
A few exceptions in Eastern Europe is Turkey and Greece, which from our experience are quite expensive to travel in.
Here are some great destinations for those looking for cheap European vacations this summer…
Bosnia
Bosnia is a true gem in the Balkans, with some fascinating cities, beautiful nature and charismatic people.
Traveling by bus around the country is cheap, and a great way of seeing the countryside.
Eating local food and in local restaurants (i.e not the touristy ones) is very cheap; a coffee and Borek (a traditional savory pastry) is about €2, and you can get a descent meal with drink for €5.
Sarajevo and Mostar are two great places we recommend to check out, but there are many other places to see and things to do – like white water rafting in Neretva river.
Portugal
Portugal is one of my favorite cheap European vacations in western Europe, with charming cities, lovely people and fascinating food.
There is a great variety of things to do in Portugal, from surfing in the south, to exploring the Fado restaurants in Lisbon, or wander the narrow streets of the picturesque town Porto in the north.
There are some great deals to find in Portugal, especially in Porto.
There are plenty of cheap snacks to buy in the corner shops, and there are hostels offering amazing value.
Croatia
Croatia isn’t as cheap as many other Eastern European countries, but for a beach destination, Croatia is the perfect alternative to Greece (which for the record, doesn’t seem to have gotten any cheaper despite the economic crisis).
The coastline is incredibly beautiful, with quaint fishing villages and islands with awesome nightlife.
Food, accommodation and drinks come relatively cheap, and you can travel cheap both on the mainland as well as go island hopping between the islands.
The capital city Zagreb (which generally seems a bit cheaper) and the historic city Dubrovnik offer amazing culture and history for when you’ve had enough of the beach life.
In all, it’s one of the best cheap European vacations for both sun worshippers as well as culture and history fanatics.
Estonia
Estonia is our favorite among the Baltic countries – the capital city Tallinn is adorable, with charming cobble stoned streets, interesting attractions and friendly people.
It’s on our list of cheap European vacations because accommodation, food and transport is cheap, and because there are many free sights to check out.
Don’t miss out on trying the huge delicious pancakes at Kompressor (Rataskaevu Tänav 3, in the Old Town) which at €1-5 is a steal!
Berlin (Germany)
I say Berlin instead of Germany because the rest of Germany isn’t as cheap as Berlin.
Summers in Berlin don’t get as hot and unbearable as in many other cosmopolitan cities in Europe, so if you are looking for a shopping weekend getaway, you will find summer a perfect time to visit and get the best of the city.
You can find some great value on accommodation, and there are cheap restaurants, bakeries and bars everywhere.
Berlin is the perfect choice for cheap European vacations for tourists who enjoy boutique shopping, underground partying and museums.
Czech Republic
Some people might complain about how Czech republic isn’t as cheap as it used to be, but in the big picture it’s still cheap and still deserves a spot in the list of cheap European vacations.
You can get a nice hotel room in the city center for the same price as a hostel in other countries in Europe, their famous beer can be enjoyed for €1,5 and you get large portions of their hearty cuisine for well under €10.
The country itself is beautiful and has some interesting places to visit, Prague being the most popular, nicknamed the “city of a thousand spires”.
What is you favorite cheap destination in Europe?
Greece is not expensive , especially if you know HOW to budget for a trip. Bulgaria is definitely cheaper but not as pretty.
Just a correction: Portugal is not in Eastern Europe, as you said.
Check it here http://mapofeurope.com/
Hey Mario, thanks for the comment, but we never mentioned Portugal was in Eastern Europe
Croatia is definitely on our “must see” list. If you stay away from Prague, Czech Republic is still cheap.
Croatia is an amazing place to visit and Czech Republic also has many things to offer any type of traveler.
Thanks for the advice – we were thinking about Greece this fall, but maybe Croatia’s beaches (and prices) might suit us better
Live on Island Vis nice beaches very romantic, close are lots of islands…book in advance for July and August, June and September are nice and cheap
Hey Mel – thanks for sharing your tips
Croatia’s beaches really are wonderful – I am sure you will have great time there
will you also go inland? there are many great things to see in the whole of Croatia.
I have been living in Prague since 2004. Yes, it has become more expensive. Though beer and alcohol are still way cheaper than in many Eruopean countries. Food as well, you can easily eat for 5EUR, good big meal. The main thing is to stay away, not from Prague, but from the main torusitc areas, and then you are fine. Considering we have one of the best trasnporation system and the size of PRague, you don’t even need to stay in the center.
If you go to Prague, i can give some advice regarding good very affordable places to taste Czech beers and eat good Czech food.
Though I cannot agree with you about Turkey(and it is not Easter Eeurope
). I was there last May and I cannot say it is expensive. I am going there in August, we’ll see.
Gosh I haven’t visited any of these places (minus Germany, but not Berlin)! I really need to see more of Europe!!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Eastern Europe and have written a comprehensive guide to Slovenia (not included here). I am also a big fan of Portugal. This is a great list and I would have included many of these same places (plus Slovenia).
we also LOVE Eastern Europe – so much culture and things to see – have to agree Slovenia is also a wonderful country to visit – we really loved our time in Bled.
Hey Andi – YES you really do need to see more of Europe – so many great and diverse counties to visit
Prague has been on my list for a long time…glad to hear it also wont hurt my wallet!
Prague is a wonderful city, we could easily go back there many more times – so much to see and do
Nice!!!!
thanks
I would have included Slovenia in here as well. On Monday, I am doing a list of European destinations that tell a story – and have included places in Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, and Estonia.
I’ve got a lot of history and connections with Estonia – first country I ever visited. I definitely agree with this list and need to make it to Bosnia.
I love Slovenia, such a beautiful country and the people were honestly among the loveliest I’ve met in Europe, very straight forward
These are all great ideas… I especially like the ‘not as hot’ suggestions, because it can get crazy warm during peak season!
Of course this time of the year (early spring) would be the best time to invest on this kind of lifetime experience. I would vote for this tip to further cut your suppose budget allowance and make it achievable.
I have travelled to the countries you suggested,except estonia. I really agree your advice and i think croatia is unique and more beauitul than my expectation! Also, sarajevo is a very special place and i went to there at the beginning of this month. It’s historical story is very attractive and touching. Also your video is so great and professional, i like it so much!!^_^
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How lucky you are as you have already got into these places.I could not wait anymore.I am currently making my plan to spend the next summer traveling these places
travel deals
I agree that Eastern Europe can be cheaper than Western Europe. I went to Germany a couple of years ago (not Berlin). I found it cheaper than France, Italy and England but still had a great time
I think you should also consider the smaller less well known cities. I went to Heidelberg and Cologne.
Croatia and Czech Republic are always on my list. They are relatively cheap to explore but its getting there that makes it really pricey, if you don’t live in Europe.