Athens was ranked as the cheapest place for a city break on the continent, ahead of traditional and budget Eastern European destinations.
Analysis of a dozen typical tourism costs for UK visitors to 20 popular cities by Post Office Travel Money found prices in the Greek capital have fallen by 15% since 2021.
The bill for expenses, including two nights’ hotel for a couple, meals, attraction tickets and local transport fares, came to £207, compared to £218 for second-placed Lisbon.
Both cities were ahead of eastern destinations generally known for their low prices, such as Krakow in Poland (£219), Riga in Latvia (£220) and Budapest in Hungary (£221).
La Poste said it was the first time in 15 years of analysis that a western European city was the cheapest.
Nick Boden, head of Post Office Travel Money, which accounts for a quarter of UK foreign exchange transactions, said: “Established favorites like Paris, Amsterdam and Venice may be the top picks among holidaymakers we surveyed, but they are also expensive places to visit. , and people who are willing to move to a city with a lower cost of living can bulk up their extra pounds.
“Athens and Lisbon are half price and offer sunny autumn weather as well as low prices. Our advice to holidaymakers is to do their homework and check prices before booking.”
Great low prices in Athens include £38.96 for a dinner for two with wine, £89 for two nights’ accommodation in a three-star hotel and £7.79 for a 48-hour public transport pass.
More than two in five of those planning overseas trips will take a city break, according to Post Office Travel Money, making it the most popular type of overseas vacation for the fifth consecutive year,
The Lisbon ranking comes despite a 21% increase in prices since last year.
Boden said: “Britons should be aware that rising prices in Lisbon are typical of what we have found across Europe, fueled by steep increases in accommodation charges.”
Accommodation costs surged across Europe earlier this year as demand surged above pre-pandemic levels following the easing of travel restrictions.
Six of the cities analyzed are more than twice as expensive as Athens.
These are Stockholm (£421), Paris (£423), Dublin (£436), Copenhagen (£456), Venice (£457) and Amsterdam (£593).
A separate Post Office Travel Money study published in July found that Sunny Beach in Bulgaria and Marmaris in Turkey are the cheapest of 16 popular European resorts for summer holidays.
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