Weekend City Trips Under €100: How to Do It

The €100 weekend city trip is not a fantasy. It requires flexibility, the right destination, and booking at the right moment — but it happens regularly. Here is a practical framework for making it work.

The cost breakdown

A €100 total budget for a weekend trip covers:

• Flights (return): €30–60
• Accommodation (one or two nights): €20–50
• Transport to/from airport: €10–20

That leaves very little for food and activities, which is why destination choice is critical. Some European cities are genuinely inexpensive day-to-day; others are not.

Best cities for sub-€100 weekend trips

Riga, Latvia

One of the cheapest cities in the EU for accommodation, food, and drink. Ryanair flies direct from several UK airports. A hostel private room costs €15–25/night; a restaurant meal is €6–10. The old town is compact and walkable.

Krakow, Poland

Extremely popular for weekends and for good reason: cheap flights (Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air from multiple UK airports), €15–30 accommodation in well-reviewed hostels and budget hotels, and food and drink prices well below Western European averages.

Porto, Portugal

Further but frequently served by budget airlines at very low fares, especially off-peak. Porto's city centre is walkable, wine is cheap (port wine at source, genuinely), and the food scene is excellent at modest prices.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Often overlooked, Bratislava is a short flight from London and exceptionally cheap. The Old Town is lovely, beer costs under €2, and accommodation is easy to find under €30/night.

Gdansk, Poland

A beautifully preserved Hanseatic city on the Baltic coast. Flights from the UK are direct (Ryanair, easyJet). Accommodation and food at Polish prices. Under-visited compared to Krakow.

Making the flights cheap enough

A return flight under €60 requires:

• Booking 4–8 weeks ahead for European short-haul
• Travelling midweek (Tuesday to Thursday departure) or with an early Saturday outbound and Monday return
• Flying from a secondary airport (Stansted, Luton, Bristol) rather than Heathrow or Gatwick
• Taking hand luggage only — no checked bags, no cabin bag upgrade needed

FairFares monitors prices for hundreds of European routes and flags when fares drop below historical median. A return to Krakow for €25, or Riga for €30, appears several times per month if you monitor consistently.

Accommodation under €30

For two nights:

• Hostel private rooms in Eastern European cities typically run €12–20/night. Generator, St Christopher's, and independent hostels all maintain good standards.
• Budget hotels in the same cities (ibis Budget, B&B Hotels, local independents) are often €20–30/night, comparable to or cheaper than hostel private rooms.
• Booking.com and Hostelworld are reliable for this range.

What to skip

On a sub-€100 trip:

• Skip airport transfer taxis — public transport (tram, bus, train) from airports in Krakow, Porto, and Riga is cheap and direct.
• Skip tourist-trap restaurants near the main square — a ten-minute walk typically halves food prices.
• Skip paid attractions on one of the two days — most European city centres have excellent free walking routes.