A research by Omio.com can help us plan our holiday goals for 2023, and at the same time, help us make some savings. After all, who doesn’t want their money to stretch? This is where low-budget destinations come in to play. Cities which allow us to see and experience more of what they have to offer – even on limited budgets – are always attractive.
So, in order to determine the best cities for a low-budget trip, Omio selected the 100 most popular travel destinations in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Spain. This selection was based on their internal booking data from 2022.
All cities were then examined to see whether or not they are suitable for a low-budget trip. A total of twelve indicators were selected in three fields of investigation: “Activities,” “Food & Drink” and “Infrastructure.”
The following two assumptions apply: If at least one of the factors is cheaper and there are more cheap and/or free activities, the better the city will rank. Travel costs and accommodation costs were not taken into account.
In order to ensure a fair comparison between large and small cities, a value per 100,000 inhabitants was used for some of the calculations.
Which cities emerged in the top three?
Granada, Spain
After evaluating 100 cities in Europe, Granada in southern Spain came out top as the best budget travel destination. Savvy travelers should plan their next trip to the Andalusian city as it has a wide range of free activities—112 to be exact. This includes the city’s biggest landmark, the Alhambra, where admission costs nothing and is just one of 10 museums that’s free to enter. Classic sightseeing tours in Granada also cost less compared to other European cities. Granada’s nightlife offers savings potential as well.
Bruges, Belgium
The city of Bruges, shaped by the Middle Ages, is definitely worth a visit and has lots to offer, especially for low-budget travelers. With 42 free sightseeing attractions, there’s plenty to do on the cheap, including joining one of the city’s inexpensive walking tours. Bruges is famous for being the world’s chocolate capital, and many tours focus on the culture and craftsmanship of Belgian chocolatiers. Make sure to try some praline when walking through Bruges. Be warned, this town is not for calorie counters, particularly if you want to eat cheaply, as most bargain meals come from fast food chains.
Venice, Italy
Believe it or not, it is possible to have a cheap holiday in Venice. Travelers only need to follow a few simple tricks to turn some of Venice’s most expensive places into low-budget havens. First of all, some of the most interesting places in Venice are free to visit. These include 136 sightseeing attractions, such as St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal. There’s also a total of 22 museums with free entry. Instead of buying expensive bottled water, Venice has 186 public drinking fountains. At these fountains, you can fill up your water bottle at any time for free and it’s more environmentally friendly too! These and other savings aspects show that even expensive destinations like Venice can still be one of the most affordable travel destinations in Europe.
If you wanted to take a look at all the 100 cities, here’s a handy link. Happy holidays and happy planning for 2023!
