One of the best budget getaways in Europe for winter has been revealed and pints are 90p
IF you’re looking for a winter getaway that really won’t break the bank, then look no further than this Bulgarian town.
The experts at hoppa analysed dozens of European locations to find the most budget-friendly depending on factors like cost of a hotel and possibly what matters most to Brits – the average price of a pint.
Coming in second place, but having the cheapest price of pints of all of them was Bansko in Bulgaria.
The town is two hours away from the capital of Sofia and is known for its ski resorts and a beautiful mountain landscape.
In the pretty Bulgarian destination, hoppa found the average cost of a pint to be just 90p.
Some of the highest rated bars include Pirin 75 which has been praised for its cocktails, and the Happy End Bar which one visitor described as a “cracking apres ski bar”.
Other affordable aspects include a stay in a 3-star hotel which averages out at £57.
Sun Travel found a five-night stay between December 15-20 at the Hotel Tanne in Bansko works out at just £47.60 per person per night.
The four-star hotel is found at the foot of the Pirin Mountains and is perfect for skiers as it’s 300 metres from the gondola lift.
Rooms have mountain views and guests can relax at the on-site spa centre which has a hot mineral water pool, salt room, herb sauna, an outdoor Japanese bath and a pool with hydro beds and water cannons.
There’s also a gym, café, Viennese lounge and piano bar.
If skiing is the type of holiday you’re after, then Bansko is a great option as it came in third in the Post Office Travel Money Ski Report 2025.
It’s even become cheaper and moved from sixth to third place after a 2.8 per cent drop in costs.
In the study, the average cost of a six-day ski pass and ski/boot hire for one person plus ski school (five-six half days), a range of drinks and lunch on the slopes cost £572.14 in Bansko.
Whereas in the likes of Cervinia, La Thuile and Sestriere in Italy all costs came in at over £700.
The most expensive was in Zermatt in Switzerland which came in at £1,345.76pp.
Away from the slopes, other popular activities in Bansko include trekking up Vihren, exploring Pirin Street, visiting the Neofit Rilski Museum and Velyanova House.
The one downside to Bansko is that it doesn’t have an airport.
However, the closest one is in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria where flights in December are as little as £16.
Certain places like Hotel Tanne will supply airport shuttles with journeys taking around two hours.
For more European breaks on a budget, check out these five holidays that are cheaper than a UK train fare – with £2 prosecco and stunning beaches.
And find out our travel team’s favourite affordable Europe holidays including hidden islands, quiet beach towns and cheap cities.
Here are the best budget getaways in Europe…
Here’s the full list of the cheapest breaks in Europe from hoppa
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Bansko, Bulgaria
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Budapest, Hungary
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Krakow, Poland
- Tirana, Albania
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Vilnius, Lithuania