Pretty and historic city named cheapest place for a weekend break – thanks to budget bars and restaurants
THE capital of Latvia – Riga – has been named as Europe’s best value city for a short break.
According to the Post Office Travel Money City Costs Barometer, which features 38 cities, a weekend away to historic city of Riga is the costs just £253, for two people.
The price includes 12 tourist items including accommodation, meals and drinks, city transport and entry to cultural attractions, Riga has risen from sixth place last year to top the chart for the first time since
2012.
According to the Post Office, this is because prices in the city have fallen by 15 per cent year-on-year compared to Vilnius in Lithuania – the runner-up city.
On average, a cup of coffee in Riga was found to cost £2.80 and beer was found to cost £3.50.
Return airport or bus transfers were relatively cheap, costing £3.50 on average.
Tourist-based activities were also affordable, with a 48-hour travel card costing £7.01, a sightseeing bus tour costing £21.90, entrance to a top heritage attraction costing £7.01, museum entry costing £4.38 and entrance to a gallery costing £7.01.
Riga is known for having beautiful buildings, a pretty cobbled Old Town and a number of spires littered across the skyline.
The city is relatively easy to get around due to having no hills.
One particularly popular spot that does require a steep climb though is the 13th-century St Peter’s church.
The church features a 400ft spire, which is Riga’s highest point and boasts panoramic views of the city below.
Another iconic spot in the city is Riga Central Market – a large marketplace which is home to five pavilions.
The marketplace is known for its fresh produce, including dairy, meat, fish and other Latvian delicacies.
Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at Post Office, the UK’s largest provider of foreign currency, said: “Although city break holidaymakers need to keep a watchful eye on exchange rates, the real challenge will be the cost of accommodation in the cities Britons are considering.
“Successive City Costs Barometers have found big swings in hotel costs depending on how many rooms are available in peak months.
“This year is no different and rising – or falling – hotel prices can have a big impact on city break costs.
“For example, Vilnius lost its top spot in the latest chart because the cost of accommodation has risen by over nine per cent since last year, while it has fallen over 20 per cent in Riga in the same period.
“When the cost of two nights’ accommodation is excluded, Vilnius remains cheaper for British visitors at around £111 compared with nearly £130 in Riga.”
The European city also got more British Airways flights last year.
Plus, one of Europe’s last remaining city break travel secrets – under two hours from the UK.