
10 cheapest Europe city breaks with 3 course meal with wine for €27
The 2025 Post Office Travel Money City Costs Barometer has been released. The annual survey compares the cost of short breaks in 38 popular European destinations and it's packed with positive news for those seeking a bargain.
The detailed report ranks cities based on the average cost of 12 tourist essentials - such as hotel stays, meals, drinks, transport and cultural attractions - for two people over a weekend. While prices in some cities, including Dublin, have skyrocketed, others are emerging as surprisingly affordable treasures.
Dublin ranks as the 7th most expensive city on the list, with a weekend for two totalling £568.34 (€658.98). This is largely due to exorbitant accommodation costs - a two-night stay in a 3-star hotel averages at £411 (476). That's nearly four times more than what you'd pay in the cheapest city on the list, reports the Irish Mirror.
This year's top spot for affordability goes to Riga in Latvia, where a full weekend for two will only cost you a mere £252.63 (€292) - less than half the price of an equivalent trip to Dublin. This includes two nights' hotel stay, local travel, a sightseeing bus tour and even a three-course meal for two with a bottle of wine for just £65.95 (€76.47), which works out at about €38 per person.
Other cities making the cut for Europe's most affordable city breaks include Vilnius in Lithuania, Warsaw in Poland and Podgorica in Montenegro. Completing the top five is Lisbon in Portugal, where you'll find exceptional value when dining out.
A three-course meal with wine for two people comes in at £46.68 (€54) - that's just €27 each. Lisbon also offers significant savings on beverages. A 330ml bottle of beer is priced at just £1.93 (€2.24) - considerably cheaper than the £5.26 (€6.10) you'd pay in Dublin.
Coffee aficionados will also appreciate the price difference. A cup in Lisbon costs just £1.23 (€1.43), compared to £3.28 (€3.80) in the Irish capital.
Top 10 cheapest city breaks in 2025
According to the report, here are the top 10 cities offering the best bang for your buck this year:
Riga, Latvia - £252.63 Vilnius, Lithuania - £254.32 Warsaw, Poland - £277.39 Podgorica, Montenegro - £281.70 Lisbon, Portugal - £292.27 Lille, France - £293.26 Gdansk, Poland - £297.09 Krakow, Poland - £300.24 Porto, Portugal - £304.66 Zagreb, Croatia - £310.56
The report also delved into the 10 cities which are the priciest to visit.
Top 10 most expensive city breaks in 2025
On the flip side, these locations have been ranked as the most expensive city breaks this year - with Dublin featuring on the list:
Oslo, Norway - £636.20 Copenhagen, Denmark - £628.64 Edinburgh, Scotland - £601.50 Venice, Italy - £591.12 Amsterdam, Netherlands - £582.79 Geneva, Switzerland - £570.04 Dublin, Ireland - £568.34 Barcelona, Spain - £561.90 Florence, Italy - £561.86 Nice, France - £540.09
For a comprehensive breakdown of costs such as coffee, beer, soft drinks, airport transfers, and activities in each city, click HERE.
Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .
For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Extra.ie
4 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
Irish tourists on high alert as wildfires rage across the Mediterranean
Irish tourists in Cyprus have been urged to stay on high alert as wildfires continue to tear through the Mediterranean – and to contact the Irish Embassy in Nicosia if they need help. More than 1,700 people have fled their homes in Turkey, with civilians running for their lives as infernos raged across major highways and ripped through neighbourhoods. A firefighter was killed battling the blazes which have ravaged cities across the country, with Bursa, Karabuk, Usak and Kahramanmaras the worst hit. Irish tourists in Cyprus have been urged to stay on high alert as wildfires continue to tear through the Mediterranean – and to contact the Irish Embassy in Nicosia if they need help. Pic: Costas Baltas/Anadolu via Getty Images President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was 'faced with a truly great disaster', as 25,000 personnel fought fires across the country. Neighbouring Greece is battling five major wildfires sparked by 44C heat, with the islands of Kythira and Evia among the most affected. Dramatic pictures showed a Greek firefighter screaming from the roof of a burning house in Krioneri, near Athens, as emergency teams responded to the blaze from the air and on the ground. Meanwhile, Cyprus has been hit by the worst wildfires in half a century, which have burnt two people alive and destroyed 70 houses. Irish tourists in Cyprus have been urged to stay on high alert as wildfires continue to tear through the Mediterranean – and to contact the Irish Embassy in Nicosia if they need help. Pic: Etienne Torbey / AFP / Getty Images The Department of Foreign Affairs said it stands ready to provide consular assistance. It advised citizens travelling abroad to consult the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Travel Advice page to assist with making informed decisions when planning a trip. Families holidaying in the area have also been told to register their phones to receive emergency alerts and, if they see a fire, to dial 112. Irish tourists in Cyprus have been urged to stay on high alert as wildfires continue to tear through the Mediterranean – and to contact the Irish Embassy in Nicosia if they need help. Pic: Costas Baltas/Anadolu via Getty Images Officials at the Acropolis in Athens announced it is shut between midday and 5 pm because of high temperatures 'for the safety of employees and visitors'. Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote on social media that anyone who lost possessions 'should know that the state will be by their side'. He said the struggle to block flames had been 'titanic'. Fire brigade spokesman Vasilios Vathrakoyannis said teams waged an 'all-night battle' on Saturday and warned there is an 'extremely dangerous' risk of new fires. Some 67 firefighters were attending a fire on Kythira yesterday, where about 20% of the island has been affected by fires and evacuation alerts. Mr Vathrakoyannis said 100 of his men were attending fires in Messinia as high winds continued to fan the flames. Greece has requested assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for six firefighting aircraft. Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 50.5C in the city of Silopi, surpassing the previous record of 49.5C. Blazes killed ten people in Eskisehir last Wednesday, and Turkish authorities are bringing in local restrictions on water consumption. Last week, Englishwoman Lucy Armstrong, 37, was seen in tears as she returned to the smouldering remains of her family's Cyprus villa. She had been forced to flee with her husband, Ben, and son, Ethan, three. Irish citizens in Cyprus who require consular assistance can contact the Embassy of Ireland in Nicosia at +357 2281 8183. For information, visit


RTÉ News
7 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Train derailment kills three in Germany
Three people have been killed and several others were injured when a regional passenger train derailed in a wooded area in southwestern Germany, police said. About 100 passengers were aboard the train, when the incident occurred at around 6:10 pm (5:10pm Irish time) near the town of Riedlingen in Baden-Wuerttemberg state. Contacted by AFP, police initially said four people had been killed before correcting their statement to three victims. Authorities declined to elaborate on the number of injured or how seriously hurt they were, but tabloid Bild cited emergency workers saying there were 50 injured. German rail operator Deutsche Bahn confirmed several deaths and numerous injured. It added that two train carriages had derailed "for reasons yet unknown". Authorities were currently investigating the circumstances of the incident, the operator said, and traffic had been suspended over a 40km stretch of the route. German media reported that a landslide might have caused the incident as severe storms swept through the region, according to weather services. The passenger train was travelling from the German town of Sigmaringen to the city of Ulm when it derailed in a forested area. In a post on social media, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his condolences to the families of those killed. He added that he was in close contact with both the interior and transport ministers, and had asked them to "provide the emergency services with all the support they need". Footage from the scene showed yellow-and-grey-coloured train carriages lying on their sides, as firefighters and emergency services tried to get to the passengers. According to local TV station SWR, helicopters arrived shortly after the incident to transport the injured to hospitals in the area, and emergency doctors from nearby hospitals were alerted. German transport is regularly criticised by passengers for its outdated infrastructure, with travellers facing frequent train delays and various technical problems. The government has pledged to invest several hundred billion euros over the next few years, in particular to modernise infrastructure. In June 2022, a train derailed near a Bavarian Alpine resort in southern Germany, killing four people and injuring dozens. Germany's deadliest rail incident happened in 1998 when a high-speed train operated by state-owned Deutsche Bahn derailed in Eschede in Lower Saxony, killing 101 people.


The Irish Sun
16 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Rosanna Davison shares ‘genius' parenting hack for ‘long road trips' as fans all say ‘this is brilliant'
ROSANNA Davison has unveiled a parenting hack that's going down a storm with her followers — and it's tailor-made for those long car journeys with little ones. The former Miss World is a doting mum to three kids, Sophia, five, and twins Hugo and Oscar , four. 2 Rosanna Davison has shared her 'genius' parenting hack 2 Rosanna's fans all called the tip 'genius' tips and tricks. Previously, the Irish star has suggested hiding sweets in frozen veg bags to keep kiddos out of treats and bringing essential snacks and toy planes on flights to manage toddler chaos. In a recent video posted to her road trip. The beauty queen started off by taking out a fish net and placing a variety of kid-friendly snacks into it. READ MORE IN ROSANNA DAVISON The businesswoman then began to pass the fish net back to her kids in the back of the car — without having to turn around or stop the car. Once the small hands grabbed the snacks, Rosanna pulled the fish net back to the front of the car and proudly smiled. She wrote in her caption: " Road trip snack hack for parents. Because sharing is caring and it's a long summer !" Rosanna's latest video is proof that parenting doesn't always need to be complicated — it just needs a little spark of creativity. Most read in Celebrity And fans were all left gushing over the simple yet effective tip as they ran to the comment section. star Jenny Lee Dixon wrote: "OK genius I'm using that!" Rosanna Davison shares 'beautiful' snaps from sun-soaked family holiday Kate exclaimed: "THIS IS GENIUS!" Tanya added: "The way the net came back with nothing is making me howl." Tammy said: "Ahahahah that's brill." While Angela remarked: "Thank you for this." This comes after Rosanna added to her ever-growing CV as she science course. BRAIN BOX Taking to family got up. The mum-of-three posted a snap of her laptop screen showing she was doing a deep dive into a research article. The essay on the screen was titled 'Effect of erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus supplementation on cognition: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study'. The 41-year-old captioned the snap: "Anyone else get up before their family to savour the peace and quiet? Bliss. "It's also the only time I have at weekends to get any study done for my BSc degree - working on a Mycotherapy case study at the moment, which has been very interesting."