The beautiful European city named the cheapest Christmas market holiday for Brits

Bratislava has topped the charts as the number one destination for UK travellers on the hunt for a cost-effective Christmas market getaway, according to Post Office Travel Money's analysis. The Slovakian capital emerged as the most budget-friendly among 14 European hotspots for a cosy two-night festive package.

Boasting the best bargain at just £510, Bratislava beat Denmark's Copenhagen, the priciest city, where splurging on identical trip essentials skyrockets to £989.

Eastern Europe dominated the value leader board, with nine out of ten of the most wallet-friendly festive breaks found there—Vilnius, Lithuania, snagged second place (£511) closely followed by Latvia’s Riga at third (£546).

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And while the pound has grown in value in the past year against currencies like the Hungarian forint (up 12 per cent), Czech koruna (up 8 per cent) and euro (up 4 per cent), not all holiday hopefuls will see their budgets stretched further.

Flight costs have risen due to capacity constraints on some routes, meaning holiday prices fell in only three out of 11 destinations also surveyed in 2023.

Only those eyeing Krakow, Poland (down 20 per cent), Budapest, Hungary (down 10 per cent), or Prague, Czech Republic (down 5 per cent) will actually find prices plunging compared to 2023.

Prices fall in some European cities

Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at Post Office, said: “Sterling has risen in value against European currencies, which means that holidaymakers visiting a Christmas market will have more cash to spend.

“However, the price variations revealed by the latest barometer show just how important it is for people planning trips to check prices and factor in all the costs they are likely to incur.

“While emerging cities like Bratislava and Vilnius offer outstanding value, Prague and Budapest are also great options for bargain hunters because of the price falls we found in these more established favourites.”

Cheapest European cities for a Christmas holiday

Here is the ranking of the 14 destinations analysed by Post Office Travel Money, with the total cost in brackets:

1. Bratislava, Slovakia (£510)

2. Vilnius, Lithuania (£511)

3. Riga, Latvia (£546)

4. Gdansk, Poland (£596)

5. Prague, Czechia (£606)

6. Budapest, Hungary (£639)

7. Zagreb, Croatia (£649)

8. Krakow, Poland (£678)

9. Stockholm, Sweden (£737)

10. Tallinn, Estonia (£749)

11. Berlin, Germany (£885)

12. Lille, France (£886)

13. Vienna, Austria (£950)

14. Copenhagen, Denmark (£989)