……. AND BELFAST SNEAKS IN TO TOP 10 AT NUMBER 10!
THE cost of city breaks for UK travellers to many of Europe’s most popular destinations has tumbled due to the coronavirus pandemic, a new report has revealed.
Post Office Travel Money’s annual City Costs Barometer found that prices in cities whose countries are currently on the UK government’s non-quarantine list are as much as 26 per cent lower than a year ago. Prices have also dropped by up to 26 per cent on pre-lockdown levels in early March.
And top for value is the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, served by Central European carrier Wizz Air from Belfast International Airport. But the bad news is that from August 18 British nationals resident in the UK travelling to Lithuania will need to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.
Vilnius is followed by Poland’s capital Warsaw while another Polish city Katowice is the third cheapest city for UK travellers to take a city break.
At the other end of the scale is the Danish capital Copenhagen which was found to be the most expensive.
The Post Office City Costs Barometer reveals that prices are lower than a year ago in two thirds of the cities, with the biggest falls of almost 26 per cent in Reykjavik and Oslo.
On the local front costs also fell significantly in Belfast, by 23.7 per cent and Dublin, 19.3 per cent.
The Post Office survey found that more than 90 per cent of the 24 cities surveyed saw falls in their Barometer cost when prices researched in August for meals, drinks, city transport, sightseeing and accommodation were compared with those collected before lockdown in March. Italian cities saw some of the biggest falls but the biggest drop of 25.5 per cent was in Dublin.
Greater hotel availability has led to a big drop in hotel prices with rates plunging by more than 20 per cent led by Dublin, Belfast and Rome. Eastern European cities dominate the city costs Barometer however, taking seven of the top 10 places.
Just a pound separates best value Vilnius (£166.36) and second place Warsaw (£167.43). while Warsaw is one of the three Polish cities in the top 10, the other two being Katowice (2nd) and Krakow (7th).
Other cities in the top 10 are Lisbon, (4th), Porto, (fifth), Bratislava, (6th), Tallinn, (8th), Athens, (9th) and Belfast, which sneaks in at number 10.
Among the cost of things considered for the travel basket for each destination are the price of a cup of coffee, beer, coke, a three-course evening meal for two, cost of transfer from the airport, a 48-hour travel card, sightseeing bus tour, top tourist attractions, museum, art gallery and two nights three-star accommodation.
The Belfast cost was calculated at £252.65p.
The 'Travel' Life of Brian 