Prague’s value breaks win
A short break to a European city is within many peoples’ budgets for their annual holiday, especially if they choose Prague: cheap, incredibly cultural and the most popular destination.
City breaks have become popular with working Brits who may not have the time or money to take more than one long holiday a year. A short break to a European city is a much needed tonic and a treat that most people can afford, especially if they choose a cheap but incredibly cultural Prague.
With city breaks coming second only to sunny summer beach holidays, European cities are well travelled by British tourists. The checklist to ensure a city’s favour with Brits includes cheap air travel, cheap food and drink, plenty of culture and quality accommodation on a budget.
Specialist travel agent Barry Moxley recommends Berlin, Paris and Tunis, the Tunisian capital, for a short break. He also reports that an increasing number of tourists are requesting unusual and off-beat city break ideas compared to traditionally popular destinations. Some are prepared to travel as far afield as Hong Kong, Montreal and Washington DC.
For most city breakers, it is value for money that wins every time, which is why Prague often tops the list of top destinations for travellers. In Prague you can enjoy quality accommodation along with plenty of food, drink and culture at low Eastern European prices.
Louise Camilleri Torm of Corinthia Hotels International comments, “The city break market has really expanded quite dramatically over the past two to three years, driven to a large extent by the rise in low cost airlines. We’ve experienced strong growth in cities such as Prague, Budapest and Lisbon, which represent excellent value for people travelling from the UK.
“It’s clear that many city breakers are looking for five-star accommodation: ‘fly cheap, stay chic’ seems to be the prevailing theme.”
A recent survey by Travelcare found that Prague is number one in the top ten “most-booked cities”. Budapest was also featured highly, along with Western European capitals such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Rome, and even New York.
Travelcare compared the cost of a standardised city break, including a double room at a four-star hotel for two nights, taxi from the airport to the city centre, a sightseeing bus tour, one-day city transport pass, entrance to a major museum/art gallery, a medium cappuccino, a pint of Guinness, and a three-course meal in a hotel. The survey valued a typical city break in Prague at around £204, with Budapest coming a close second at a cost of £207. Paris was the most expensive of all, costing a whopping £577. This means that, excluding air fares, you could go to both Prague and Budapest for two weekends for the same price as a weekend in Paris.
Picture caption: Prague is the number one city break.
