💶 Low-Cost Euro Trips with Direct Flights
If you're craving a European getaway without breaking the bank, you're in the right place. Whether you’re into spa days, medieval towns, or bar-hopping on a budget, here are some wallet-friendly destinations with direct flights from the North West—plus what you can expect to spend over a weekend.
🇭🇺 Budapest, Hungary
Why go? Think dramatic architecture, riverside walks, steamy thermal baths, and a buzzing ruin bar scene—all at budget prices.
✈️ Flights: £40–£70 return
🛏️ Accommodation: £25–£50 per night
🍽️ Meal out: £8–£12
🍺 Pint: £1.50–£2
💸 Weekend total: ~£170–£220
Must-do:
🧖 Soak in the Széchenyi Baths—go early or at night for fewer crowds.
🌉 Stroll across the Chain Bridge and climb up to Buda Castle for sweeping views.
🍻 Sip cocktails in old communist buildings at Szimpla Kert and other quirky ruin bars.
🚢 Take a Danube river cruise at sunset—cheap, scenic, and super romantic.
🇵🇱 Kraków, Poland
Why go? Kraków mixes history, nightlife and culture with super low prices. The food is hearty, the beer is cheap, and the old town is absolutely gorgeous.
✈️ Flights: £30–£60 return
🛏️ Accommodation: £20–£40 per night
🍽️ Meal out: £6–£10
🍺 Pint: £1.80
💸 Weekend total: ~£150–£190
Must-do:
🏰 Wander through the cobbled streets of Kraków Old Town and visit Wawel Castle.
📸 Take a walking tour—most are free, just tip your guide!
🍽️ Try pierogi (Polish dumplings) at Pierogarnia Krakowiacy.
🕯️ Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau or the Wieliczka Salt Mines for a day trip—moving and fascinating.
🇷🇴 Bucharest, Romania
Why go? Bucharest is underrated and incredibly cheap, with cool bars, grand architecture, and the biggest spa complex in Europe.
✈️ Flights: £40–£70 return
🛏️ Accommodation: £20–£40 per night
🍽️ Meal out: £7–£10
🍷 Wine: £2
💸 Weekend total: ~£150–£190
Must-do:
🧖♀️ Spend half a day at Therme Bucharest—palm trees, thermal pools, saunas, and water slides just 20 minutes from the airport.
🏛️ Walk around the Palace of the Parliament—one of the heaviest buildings in the world.
🕍 Explore Lipscani, the Old Town, packed with bars, bookshops, and buzzing cafes.
🧛 Take a day trip to Bran Castle (aka Dracula’s Castle) if you’re staying longer.
🇱🇻 Riga, Latvia
Why go? A beautiful Baltic city with art nouveau buildings, a huge central market, and cheap eats and drinks.
✈️ Flights: £35–£60 return
🛏️ Accommodation: £25–£40 per night
🍽️ Meal out: £6–£10
🍺 Pint: £2
💸 Weekend total: ~£160–£200
Must-do:
🏙️ Take in the skyline from St. Peter’s Church Tower.
🍷 Wander the Central Market in old Zeppelin hangars for tasty local food.
💃 Check out the nightlife scene—Riga punches well above its weight for bars and clubs.
🏖️ In summer? Head to Jūrmala Beach, just a quick train ride away.
🇸🇰 Bratislava, Slovakia
Why go? A compact capital with fairytale vibes, budget-friendly prices, and a castle overlooking the Danube.
✈️ Flights: £30–£60 return
🛏️ Accommodation: £25–£45 per night
🍽️ Meal out: £8–£12
🍺 Pint: £1.50
💸 Weekend total: ~£160–£200
Must-do:
🏰 Climb up to Bratislava Castle for panoramic views of the city and the river.
🚶 Wander the colourful Old Town streets and check out quirky statues like Cumil the Sewer Worker.
🍻 Have drinks at Sky Bar or join a pub crawl—there are loads of good ones for solo travellers.
🚤 Got extra time? Take a boat trip along the Danube to Devin Castle.
