Bratislava crowned the best city for a bargain Christmas market in Europe

Bratislava has been crowned the top destination for UK holidaymakers seeking a budget-friendly Christmas market getaway. The Slovakian capital boasts the lowest prices for a two-night package holiday for two, according to an analysis by Post Office Travel Money of 14 European destinations.

The study factored in costs such as return flights, transfers, bed and breakfast accommodation, meals, and market-bought refreshments. With a total cost of £510, Bratislava was nearly half the price of Denmark's Copenhagen - the priciest destination analysed - where the same items amounted to £989.

Eastern Europe dominated the list of the 10 most affordable locations for a Christmas market break, with Vilnius, Lithuania (£511) and Riga, Latvia (£546) taking second and third place respectively. Despite sterling strengthening against all currencies used in the cities analysed over the past year, including the Hungarian forint (up 12%), Czech koruna (up 8%) and euro (up 4%), increases in flight costs due to capacity constraints on some routes meant that overall holiday prices have only dropped in three of the 11 destinations also surveyed in 2023.

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These were Krakow, Poland (down 20%), Budapest, Hungary (down 10%) and Prague, Czech Republic (down 5%). Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at Post Office, commented: "Sterling has risen in value against European currencies, which means that holidaymakers visiting a Christmas market will have more cash to spend."

The latest barometer has uncovered significant price variations for travelers, underscoring the need for careful financial planning. As noted: "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."

Additionally, the value presented by some cities was highlighted: "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."

Here is the Post Office Travel Money ranking of the 14 evaluated destinations, with total costs included:.

1. Bratislava, Slovakia (£510).

2. Vilnius, Lithuania (£511).

3. Riga, Latvia (£546).

4. Gdansk, Poland (£596).

5. Prague, Czech Rep (£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).