A new study has named the European cities with the best price-to-quality ratio for a weekend: Polish destinations took all top 5 spots, while the largest tourist centers in Europe turned out to be significantly more expensive. A new study by the virtual card service Getsby identified the cities with the best price-to-quality ratio for a weekend, analyzing data from the travel website Budget Your Trip across 100 destinations. The study compared typical daily expenses for accommodation, food, and local transport for two people with an average budget to determine where your money will go the furthest. Flights were not included in the final sum, as their cost varies greatly, but if in doubt, feel free to head to Poland. This Slavic country occupied six positions in the top ten and completely dominated the top five. ## ## Poland Rules According to the data, Wrocław in Poland has become the most affordable city in Europe for a weekend for two. A trip to this "city of bridges" can expect average daily expenses of 41 euros per person and a total weekend budget of just 163 euros for two. Here, travelers spend about 18.75 euros on food and 5.85 euros on local transport per day. There is plenty to do: be sure to visit the Market Square (Rynek) - one of the largest medieval market squares in Europe, and the Centennial Hall, an impressive UNESCO World Heritage site. In second place is Poznań, where a weekend for two will cost an average of 168.50 euros, or about 42 euros per day per person. Travelers spend about 18.75 euros a day on food and 34 euros on accommodation, making the city another very affordable option for a short trip. There is much to see without spending a fortune: from the colorful Old Market to the Town Hall, where the famous mechanical goats appear daily. Be sure to visit Ostrów Tumski, which is considered the birthplace of Polish statehood. Katowice took third place: a weekend for two here costs about 239 euros, or 60 euros per day per person. Food costs about 32.75 euros a day, and hotels average 37.50 euros, keeping the total cost relatively low. One of the main attractions of the city is the Silesian Museum. Built on the site of a former coal mine, it combines art and history, and panoramic views can be enjoyed from the observation tower. Gdańsk is in fourth place: a two-day trip for two costs about 275.25 euros, or 69 euros per day per person. Visitors spend an average of 35 euros a day on food and 54 euros on hotels, with plenty of attractions for a fulfilling weekend. Start with the picturesque Long Market, and the historic waterfront at the Crane in Gdańsk gives a glimpse into the city’s rich maritime past. Kraków rounds out the top five: a weekend for two here costs about 295 euros, or 73.75 euros per person per day. Hotels account for about 83 euros of this amount, and local transport is particularly cheap - averaging just 7 euros. Once in the city, tourists can stroll through the atmospheric Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, visit the historic Cloth Hall, and see St. Mary's Basilica, where the famous trumpet signal sounds every hour. ## ## Affordability Varies Greatly Across the Continent If you have already traveled all over Poland, don’t worry - there are other very affordable destinations across Europe. Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, ranks sixth: a weekend here costs about 77.25 euros per day per person. Zagreb in Croatia follows in seventh place: the average traveler spends about 95 euros a day here. Swedish Malmö comes next with a budget of about 105 euros per day, followed by Budapest in Hungary at 111 euros. The top ten is rounded out again by Poland - the capital Warsaw, where tourists spend about 112 euros per day per person. ## ## The Most Expensive Destinations At the other end of the scale is Zurich in Switzerland, where a weekend costs a staggering 1,325 euros for two, or about 331 euros per day per person. The main expense is food: travelers spend about 112 euros a day on food, while a hotel costs an average of 359 euros. Switzerland also dominates the upper, expensive part of the ranking: Bern and Basel take second and third places. A weekend for two there costs about 1,240 and 1,189 euros, respectively. Rounding out the top five most expensive cities are Venice and Paris, where a weekend for two, including food, accommodation, and local transport, costs about 1,180 and 1,133 euros, respectively.
