10 Cheap European City Breaks to Take This Autumn

Lisbon, Portugal

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 3h

Lisbon is a city with character, where age-old traditions and architecture seamlessly blend with a cutting-edge tech scene and cultural attractions. Go for the sea views, the lovely walks, the cuisine – which, by the way, is much more than the famous bacalhau (salted cod) and pastéis de nata – and the wine! 

Vilnius, Lithuania

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 3h

The capital of Lithuania celebrated its 700th birthday in 2023. The city is mostly known for its Old Town, one of the largest and best preserved surviving medieval old towns in Northern Europe, in contrast with its new City Centre, a business and commercial area that is being developed and is expected to become the city's main administrative and business district.

Famous for its Baroque architecture, with preserved old buildings built of wood, stone, and clay that were built as far back as the 13th century, a visit to Vilnius must include a (free!) walking tour of its streets, as most of its attractions are within a matter of minutes of each other. Locals also say that walking is the best way to discover and admire the many courtyards the city has to offer behind its main streets. That is, of course, if you’re not feeling adventurous enough to explore the beauties of Vilnius by floating a kilometre above the city, in a hot-air ballooning over Vilnius Old Town.

Budapest, Hungary

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 3h

Another great destination for a cheap European city break is Budapest, the capital of Hungary and a city with many nicknames, such as the “Paris of East”, “Pearl of the Danube” and “City of Bridges”. Home to more than 1.7 million people, the city got its name after the unification of the previously separate towns of Buda, Óbuda, and Pest in 1873, and today is considered one of the most beautiful cities in central Europe due to its mix of eastern and western architecture.

Budapest is also renowned for its spas and thermal water baths spread all over the city whose history dates to the Roman occupation era. And, of course, no cheap city break is complete without a taste of the local street food delights, so go for the goulash soup, the paprika chicken, the lángos (a kind of deep-fried flatbread – what’s not to like?), and the palinka, the fruit spirit Hungarian version of brandy.

Check out Budapest Info for more tips on cheap city breaks to Budapest.

Planning more than one getaway away this year? 

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Athens, Greece

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 4h15

The “capital of culture”, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, with a history spanning over 3000 years. It is one of the most famous and visited destinations in Europe, due to attractions such as the World Heritage Site of the Acropolis, the Parthenon or the Panathenaic Stadium (home of the very first Modern Olympic Games). 

Despite being very touristy, Athens offers some relatively cheap options for those on a budget, with a wide range of choices of street food (you can get lunch/dinner for an average of €6-€8 depending on your taste), and while the top attractions are likely to set you back €20 per visit, you can still save with a combined ticket and get it all bundled with a much better price. 

Sofia, Bulgaria

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 3h30

The capital and largest city of Bulgaria, Sofia is also one of the oldest European capitals and has been home to several different groups, from the Huns, Goths and other Barbarian tribes to the Romans and the Ottomans. The result is now a vibrant, multicultural city, bursting with friendly people, cheap drinks, and delicious food.

The city's main attractions are a testament to its rich heritage, with a wide variety of monuments and historical places. The clearest examples are the stunning Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a magnificent Neo-Byzantine masterpiece, standing as an iconic symbol of Sofia, and the Banya Bashi mosque - a remnant of the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria. Add sights like these to your walk around town, with a stop or two for some banica (cheese pastry) for as little as 1.50 Lev, or a hearty hopska salad (a salad with tomato, cucumber, and cheese; similar to Greek salad) for about five Lev.

Check Visit Sofia for more tips.

Prague, Czech Republic

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 2h30

If you think of Prague and only think of beer, think again. Some consider Prague as the equivalent of Paris in terms of beauty, due to its magnificent scenery (it is one of the few cities that were not hit by WWII’s bombings) and landmarks – like the fairy-tale Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in the world, or the St Vitus Cathedral, which took 600 years to be completed. 

But of course, any (adults only, please) Prague visitors have to try the local beer, as the Czechs were the creators of the world-famous pilsner beer. If you stay a little off the grid of the main tourist streets, Prague can reveal great surprises such as souvenirs for half the price or the “discounted lunch menu” in restaurants on weekdays.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 3h15

Croatia has been growing in popularity among European travellers (and the rest of the world) in the recent years - maybe because it served as a prominent filming location for the hit series Game of Thrones. The trademark of the city is the 2km-long Walls of Dubrovnik, which surround the Old Town.

Due to its increasing popularity, prices have been also increasing over the past few years, but you still can enjoy just as much for less if you expand your trip to Dubrovnik’s surrounding cities, such as Split (which has its own Old Town as well, and a Game of Thrones Museum) and Šibenik, home of two UNESCO world heritage sites: the Cathedral of St. James and the St. Nicholas Fortress.

Check Visit Dubrovnik for more tips on how to book a cheap city break.

Kraków, Poland

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 2h50

One of the underrated destinations on our list, Krakóv can be considered a “hidden gem” due to being a smaller (and cheaper!) version of many other European cities. Famous for its Wieliczka salt mine and proximity to the Auschwitz camp museum, Krakóv has been listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites since 1978 and (same as Prague) was one of the only major cities spared by the WWII destruction, which means it still has most of its hundreds of millennial-old monuments intact.

Other than great city sights, you’ll find the best of hearty, fully satisfying Polish cuisine in Krakóv at affordable prices – from mere cents for a traditional Krakovian obwarzanek (a ring-shaped bread like a bagel) to a couple of euros for a hot chocolate spiked with cherry vodka (!!) or a meal of pierogis (filled dumplings, one of Poland’s most popular dishes) at a traditional milk bar.

Istanbul, Turkey

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 4h30

Meet Constantinople, once the “capital of the world” (the world being the Roman Empire) is today the largest and most important city of Turkey, uniting two continents: half of it in Europe, the other half in Asia, divided by the Bosporus strait. From mosques and markets to monuments and traditional Turkish street food, a trip to Istanbul might be a bit more expensive now than it used to be, but it certainly is still worth the price.

Dive into the Grand Bazaar (it’s free anyway!) for a taste of the East, with its multitude of decorated and rich windows of all shapes and colours – and, of course, don’t forget to try the world-famous Turkish coffee. By the way, Turkey is much more than Turkish Delight (they call it lokum, by the way) and the Baklava: street food is available everywhere, and for a mere couple of euros you can feast on kebabs, meat balls and skewers with a variety of meats.

Naples, Italy

Flight from Dublin: Direct, approx. 3h25

No guide like this is truly complete without a stop in Italy – and Naples was the obvious choice. Raw, vibrant, colourful, beautiful… and one of the cheapest “main” cities in the country. 

From breath-taking scenery and attractions, like the Duomo and the complex of San Lorenzo Maggiore all the way to Capri and the Amalfi Coast, Napoli and the Campania region have plenty to offer.

And the food? Well, they call it pizza Napoletana for a reason, right? 

Planning to rent a car while travelling abroad? 

Having a rental car to get from A to B on your break can make the trip easier for you and your family. If you choose to rent a car abroad with Aviva travel insurance, you can drive with some additional peace of mind. Aviva Car Hire excess can be added to your European travel insurance policy for as little as €2.39/ per day or €39.99/per year. So, with Aviva, you can get reimbursed for any excess paid towards the repair costs you accidentially incur on your trip. 

No matter where you decide to go on your next city break, make the trip as seamless as possible with travel insurance from Aviva – get a online quote today!