Are you looking for an affordable city break? We tell you where to go.
May's second bank holiday is just around the corner -- and there are sure to be millions of us making a quick mini-break getaway.
With the credit crunch biting deeper, your wallet may be feeling uncomfortably light. And research suggests that an increasing number of Brits are choosing to holiday at home this year, in a bid to save a bit of cash.
But if you don't want to miss out on an overseas break, where should you head for a Foolish holiday?
According to a new study from The Post Office, Warsaw is the place to go.
Culture vultures
You can now get cheap flights to a huge range of destinations, in Europe and beyond. The financial problems often start when you actually arrive at your destination -- particularly if you're keen to take in galleries, museums, concerts and other cultural attractions.
This is where the Polish capital really comes up trumps. According to Post Office Travel Services, a trip to Warsaw will cost less than 25% of the equivalent trip to London.
This is despite the Polish zloty strengthening in the last year - and the fact that many of London's attractions (like major museums) are completely free.
This table, from The Post Office's Cost of Culture survey, shows why:
Culture | Warsaw | Prague | Rome | Paris | New York | London | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Museum/ | £1.52 | £3.87 | £11.65 | £9.98 | £9.79 | £0.00 | |
Museum/ Gallery 2 | £1.02 | £5.28 | £5.82 | £7.49 | £10.88 | £0.00 | |
Museum/ | £2.54 | £4.23 | £5.41 | £6.65 | £8.16 | £0.00 | |
Music | £10.28 | £18.31 | £32.44 | £41.59 | £41.36 | £32.00 | |
Opera | £24.12 | £33.45 | £80.69 | £96.49 | £119.71 | £137.00 | |
Ballet | £24.12 | £22.89 | £58.23 | £49.91 | £46.80 | £81.00 | |
Heritage | £4.06 | £8.80 | £9.15 | £9.98 | £10.34 | £28.50 | |
Heritage | £4.57 | £2.82 | £0.00 | £16.64 | £0.00 | £13.30 | |
Heritage | £3.05 | £3.87 | £5.41 | £7.49 | £13.60 | £16.50 | |
TOTAL COSTS | £75.28 | £103.52 | £208.80 | £246.22 | £260.64 | £308.30 |
(This is an abridged version of The Post Office's full table, which contains data for 10 cities. Data relates to exchange rates on May 8th 2008).
According to the research, Warsaw is by far the most affordable of the locations studied when it comes to music and heritage sites. In total, a culture-packed tour of the capital should set you back just £75.28.
At the other end of the price spectrum is... yup, you've guessed it - London - where the equivalent cultural activities will set you back over £300!
And the rest?
So, if you're thinking of heading east, just how much will the whole trip set you back?
Well, at the time of writing, I found a bank holiday package to Warsaw - including return flights and three nights' accommodation in a four star, city centre hotel - for £221.69 per person on Lastminute.com. Not peanuts, but for a peak time trip at short notice, not bad either.
And if you're flexible about dates and are willing to build the package yourself, you can cut that price in half. For example, I found return flights to Warsaw, including tax, for as little as £50 with Wizz Air.
Wherever you end up going, make sure you're insured to protect against unexpected happenings.
Fortunately, travel insurance is currently cheaper than ever - so there's no excuse not to get some!
More: The Cheapest Holiday Hotspots Uncovered | When Booking Last Minute Is Worth It
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