‘Underrated’ city 3 hours from UK has magical Christmas market with Europe’s cheapest mulled wine for 82p a cup
IT’S easy to get into the festive spirit at a Christmas market and they’re even better on the cheap.
In one city that Brits can reach in three hours for less than £30, hotels are £15 per night, and mulled wine at festive stalls is as little as 82p.
Sibiu in Romania is the ideal city for a festive break and it was even named as the 18th most underrated destination by Time Out last year.
Not to mention it’s cheap, eurochange has compared the prices of mulled wine across 55 Christmas markets across Europe, and Sibiu came out on top.
A warm cup of infused red wine can be bought from 82p which is hugely cheaper than in the UK, where it can more than £7 a cup.
And you’ll be able to buy it soon too, as its Sibiu Christmas Market is set to open on November 13 all the way through until January 3, 2027.
Held in the Grand Square, the Christmas Market is completely free to enter.
There’s plenty to do, from hopping on the Ferris Wheel, to visiting Santa in his workshop, ice skating, and relaxing at the Chalet where festive drinks (including mulled wine) are served.
On certain evenings, the Chalet will even turn into a party spot with a live DJ.
One visitor described is as ‘magical’ and a ‘photographer’s playground’.
Outside of the Christmas market, there’s lots to see like The Bridge of Lies which has lots of legends and myths behind it – and when lit up at night, can make for a great picture spot too.
Another must-see spot in Sibiu is Muzeul Astra, the largest open-air museum in Europe.
Talking to Sun Travel, one Wizz Air flight attendant explained why Sibiu is a must-visit destination.
Niko said: “I’ve been to Sibiu in Romania several times already.
“You have the mountains, so there’s lots of nature, the food is amazing, everything is cheap and the people are so friendly.
“And you should try Papanasi. It’s a Romanian dessert that’s like a doughnut. It tastes amazing, but not good if you’re on a diet.”
It’s not just mulled wine in Sibiu that’s affordable – the price of a local pint of beer is less than £2 on average, according to Wise.
The price of a meal can be bought for less than £5 and coffee on average is also less than £2.
Brits can fly directly from London Luton to Sibiu three times a week with Wizz Air and one-way fares start from £26.99.
On Booking.com, one-night stays during November in Sibiu can cost less than £30 per night – or £15 each.
Here are the cheapest place for mulled wine in 2026…
Here are eurochange’s cheapest places for mulled once – and the average price of a cup…
- Sibiu, Romania – 82p
- Brașov, Romania – £1.63
- Craiova, Romania – £1.63
- Sofia, Bulgaria – £1.76
- Olomouc, Czechia – £1.77
- Brno, Czechia – £1.77
- Gothenburg (Christmas at Liseberg), Sweden – £1.89
- Bucharest, Romania – £1.96
- Plzeň, Czechia – £2.12
- Strasbourg, France – £2.57
- Mulhouse, France – £2.57
- Vilnius, Lithuania – £2.57
- Liège, Belgium – £2.57
- Warsaw, Poland – £2.59
- Graz, Austria – £3
