5 Amazingly affordable & underrated European cities that you need to visit this summer

Are you sick of where you live? Do you need a holiday? I know exactly how that feels! Seeing adverts for beautiful far away countries and endless bikini ranges can be depressing if you don’t think you can afford to travel, but it doesn’t need to be expensive. Read on for 5 affordable cities which you may not have even considered visiting before!

Are you sick of your city, town or village? Do you want to travel but think you can’t afford it because you’re not loaded?

I know how that feels. When I had a full-time job I hadn’t left the country in seven years and, even though I was earning money, I just didn’t think I could afford to travel. I’d look at Instagram pictures of people in California and see Facebook photos of my friends in Asia and I just couldn’t understand how they could afford it. I never thought that less than a year later I’d have quit my job and would be deep in the midst of Eastern Europe.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s 100% cheap either. I’m certainly not suggesting that you should quit a stable career for a few months of travelling. This isn’t one of those “What’s Stopping You Travelling? Why Haven’t You Quit Your Job Yet?!” posts.

I know that there are many things that might stop you travelling, and if you don’t think you can afford it at this time then you it would be really bad advice to tell you to just do it anyway. It is possible to travel for a month or longer and spend as much or less as you would at home, and budget accomodation, cheap transport and being clever about your location can certainly make it kinder on the purse strings, but extended travelling isn’t for everyone and that’s fine. You know what your priorities are and what you can and can’t afford to do at this time.

I will say this though: If you can travel, you should. That doesn’t mean you have to quit your job and trail around Asia for a year, or even for a month. Weekend trips are also good, and especially if you live in the U.K (like I do) it can take less time to get to France as it does to get to Scotland. We have so many wonderful cities right on our doorstep, so we should go and see them! Travel gives you a wider and more complete understanding of the world that we live in, and you’ll find that travelling makes you realise how capable you really are. Whether you’re a solo or group traveller, a budget or luxery traveller, or a weekender or year long traveller then read on for some amazing cities that you may not have considered before.

Note: Anywhere can be expensive if you make it expensive. If you’re planning on eating out every night and paying to visit tons of attractions then the money is going to add up. These cities can certainly be cheap, but a lot depends on you.

5. Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia is a great city which has the most accessible Wi-fi I have ever encountered. Some people aren’t crazy about Sofia because, apart from a load of old churches, it might seem like there’s not a lot going on there. However, Sofia is home to some awesome restaurants, clubs and tea houses and it is a lot bigger than you may think. If you’re not sure what to do then you should go on the free walking tour which will take you around all the major sights and show you where the major museums and attractions are.

4. Budapest, Hungary

Budapest has grown in popularity in recent years, but you still find it on these sorts of lists. Budapest is a really amazing city which is full of wonderful architecture, cheap food and beer and the legendary thermal baths! When I visited Budapest I was really surprised to find that it’s a really good place to be vegetarian and you can get these amazing vegan burgers for less than £1! There is so much to do in Budapest that a week doesn’t feel long enough,but no matter how long you’re there for you are pretty much guaranteed to fall in love with the city.

3. Lagos, Portugal

Lagos can certainly be cheap, but it doesn’t mean it has to be cheap. The best things about Lagos, i.e. the beautiful beaches, caves and coastal walks are all free and if you stick to supermarkets you can get as much beer and food as you need without hurting your bank account, but whilst the restaurants are not exactly expensive they are hardly budget either. Lagos does, however, have ridiculously cheap hostels and entrance to any of the attractions is around 2-3 euros at the most.

2. Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is another one of those cities which can be cheap but doesn’t have to be cheap. You can get hot wine in the autumn for less than £1 and amazing vegan food for a very low price, but you can also spend tons in all the museums and attractions and then treat yourself to a fancy dinner every night of your stay. The great thing about Prague is that it is so beautiful that you can happily walk around for hours and just take in this fairytale-style city without spending a penny.

1.Brasov, Romania

Brasov is a medieval style city lovated in the heart of Transyvania. This beautiful city is surrounded by mountains, it has a certain other-worldly and old fashioned vibe which definately makes you think of vampires, and it is also ridiculously cheap in terms of transport, food and accomdoation. It’s fairly small so it would be a great choice for a weekend break,and it is really close to Bran Castle (where Dracula never really lived) and other beautiful castles (where Dracula actually did live). You’ll go to Brasov for the vampires, but you’ll come back because it’s friggin awesome!