Istanbul, Prague and Madrid top the list of best-value European city breaks this autumn according to research conducted by leading travel search site Skyscanner.
EDINBURGH – London ranks just behind Rome in the list of most expensive cities for sightseers leaving wallets £413 lighter before flights- a massive £256 more than Istanbul. The price of a ticket for the famous red bus city tour in London, could leave visitors feeling short-changed; as research shows a couple will pay up to 36% more in London, than if they were to take the equivalent bus tour in Dublin.
Skyscanner ranked Europe’s leading city break destinations by comparing the costs of three nights’ accommodation in a 3* central hotel, entry fees for two of the cities most popular tourist attractions and two tickets for a sightseeing ‘hop on hop off’ bus city tour.
Once flights from London are taken into account, the rankings for the best value sightseeing city, changed significantly. Dublin takes 1st position in the best value list and Vienna drops from the 5th cheapest to the 3rd most expensive. Moscow rockets from 8th cheapest to the most expensive for a sightseeing weekend, totaling a bank-breaking £784, with flights costing up to four times more than those to other European cities.
Victoria Bailie at Skyscanner comments, “Our study shows that, by choosing your destination wisely, you can make your pounds stretch further in Europe’s cultural capitals. As well as comparing flight and hotel costs, it’s worth looking at the entry fees to the top tourist attractions you plan to visit as the costs can add up. City Breaks don’t always mean splashing the cash either – there are a wealth of free attractions on offer if you do your research before you go.“
Best value European city breaks
| City | Rank | Price per couple |
| Istanbul | 1 | GBP157 |
| Prague | 2 | GBP220 |
| Madrid | 3 | GBP358 |
| Berlin | 4 | GBP271 |
| Vienna | 5 | GBP272 |
| Price includes three night’s accommodation in a 3* centrally located hotel, admission to two of the top sightseeing attractions in the city and two tickets for a sightseeing ‘hop on hop off’ bus city tour. |
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Best value European city breaks
| City | Rank | Price per couple |
| Dublin | 1 | GBP395 |
| Madrid | 2 | GBP428 |
| Stockholm | 3 | GBP434 |
| Copenhagen | 4 | GBP461 |
| Amsterdam | 5 | GBP479 |
| Price includes return flights from a London airport on 26 October, three nights’ accommodation in a 3* centrally located hotel, admission to two of the top sightseeing attractions in the city and two tickets for a sightseeing ‘hop on hop off’ bus city tour. London is excluded from the results | ||
Most expensive European city breaks
| City | Rank | Price per couple |
| Rome | 1 | GBP416 |
| London | 2 | GBP413 |
| Paris | 3 | GBP369 |
| Barcelona | 4 | GBP361 |
| Amsterdam | 5 | GBP324 |
| Price includes three night’s accommodation in a 3* centrally located hotel, admission to two of the top sightseeing attractions in the city and two tickets for a sightseeing ‘hop on hop off’ bus city tour. |
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Most expensive European city breaks
| City | Rank | Price per couple |
| Moscow | 1 | GBP784 |
| Rome | 2 | GBP667 |
| Vienna | 3 | GBP627 |
| Istanbul | 4 | GBP584 |
| Paris | 5 | GBP566 |
| Price includes return flights from a London airport on 26 October, three nights’ accommodation in a 3* centrally located hotel, admission to two of the top sightseeing attractions in the city and two tickets for a sightseeing ‘hop on hop off’ bus city tour. London is excluded from the results | ||
