Post Office Travel Money’s analysis of 20 cities found the Greek capital outperforms more traditional lower-cost destinations in Eastern Europe across a range of typical tourist expenses. The total bill for a break, including meals, hotel accommodation, attraction tickets and local transport, was £207, compared to £218 for Lisbon, Portugal, which came in second place. Low prices in Athens include £38.96 for an evening meal for two with wine, £89 for two nights in a three-star hotel and £7.79 for a 48-hour public transport card. The next three cheapest places were Krakow in Poland at £219, Riga in Latvia at £220 and Budapest in Hungary at £221. At the other end of the spectrum, six cities were at least twice the cost of a trip to Athens, with Amsterdam in the Netherlands costing £593. It was followed by Venice, Italy at £457, Copenhagen, Denmark at £456, Dublin, Ireland at £436, Paris, France at £423 and Stockholm, Sweden at £421. Nick Boden, head of Post Office Travel Money, said two in five of those planning trips abroad this year will take a city break, making it the most popular type of holiday to take, so he advised travelers to “do their homework and check prices before booking”. “Established favorites such as Paris, Amsterdam and Venice may be top choices among the holidaymakers we surveyed, but they are also expensive places to visit and people who are prepared to move to a city with a lower cost of living can make the their pounds to stretch too much. further,” he added. “Athens and Lisbon are half the price and offer a sunny fall climate as well as low prices.”
