Booking hacks for cheap city breaks to Europe

Dreaming of jetting off to Europe without spending a fortune? While weak exchange rates, Brexit and COVID have made cheap European travel more tricky, it’s not completely out of the question! Join us as we reveal our top booking hacks for cheap city breaks to Europe.

Find out which European cities are cheap to visit

When planning a cheap city break to Europe you need to consider the cost of the entire trip. While some airlines might offer cheap flights to certain destinations, it defeats the object of taking a budget trip if the city itself is expensive to visit.

Do your research and find out the cost of everything from flights, transfers and transport to food and experiences. And don’t forget to check entry requirements to your European destination before you travel.

Avoid European tourist hotspots

If everyone and their mother is visiting a certain European city it’s not likely to be a budget-friendly option. Airlines and hotels keep up with the trends. They know where the hotspots are and they’ll ramp up their prices as demand soars.

Keep it cheap by looking for alternative city breaks in Europe. For example, you can experience France without the Paris prices with a cheaper trip to Lyon, Montpellier or Nancy.

Be less picky about flight times

While booking a flight early in the morning or very late at night isn’t always the most appealing option, it might save you some money. Just make sure you can get a lift to and from the airport to keep your costs low if public transport isn’t running. There must be someone that owes you a favour!

It’s also worth looking at which days of the week offer the cheapest flights to European cities. You’ll likely find that flying mid-week is cheaper than on a Friday. Airlines need to fill their seats so they’re much more likely to offer an attractive price on quieter days and during off-peak times.

Consider a short city break to Europe

Keep costs to a minimum by booking a short break to Europe instead of a longer trip. With careful planning and time management, you can fit a lot into a 2-night city break and save on the cost of an extra night’s hotel stay.

Booking a short city break to Europe to save on costs may mean that you can afford to visit another city in the not-too-distant future too.

Plan ahead unless you can be super spontaneous

Last-minute flights and travel packages sound like a good idea but you’ll need the freedom and flexibility to go on holiday at short notice. Not many people can ring up their boss, say they’re jetting off to Europe for a few days and still have a job to return to.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that airlines don’t want customers to wait for last-minute deals. They want to fill their seats so they’re unlikely to make last-minute flight prices cheap unless they have no other choice. Instead, they’re more likely to offer cheaper prices earlier on to encourage customers to book in advance.

What we’re saying is that unless you can be a super spontaneous traveller, you’re more likely to secure a cheap city break to Europe if you book well in advance.

Browse flights for cheap city breaks to Europe in a private browser

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for a good few decades, you’ll know all about website cookies. These pesky little things track how you’re using a website and even what you’re searching for. For instance, if they spot that you’re looking for flights to Rome but drop off the site, you may find that on returning to the site, the price of the flights has increased, as they know you’re interested in that particular destination.

To avoid this, always search for flights in a private browser.

Choose your budget hotel in Europe wisely

Before booking cheap city breaks to Europe, we’d always recommend doing a quick Google Search about your destination. You’re guaranteed to find that other travellers have shared their experiences on message boards, blogs and social media.

Find out whether you’re better off booking a hotel that’s right in the heart of your chosen European city or whether it’s cheaper to stay out of town. If taxis are expensive, it might be cheaper to stay in the city and walk to and from attractions. However, usually, you’ll find it cheaper to stay in hotels on the outskirts of major European cities and make use of public transport links to keep costs low.

Research when it’s best to book experiences & tours

Hoping to book experiences and tours on cheap city breaks to Europe? Find out whether it’s best to organise them in advance or when you’re there. Sometimes prices will be cheaper in advance, rather than on the day. But it can work the other way round too.

Again, we’d suggest seeking advice from other travellers on message boards and forums. Read reviews on reputable websites and ask your followers on social media.

Book hotels for cheap city breaks to Europe with PlansChange

Gain access to the best European hotels, prices and availability all in one place. Book through PlansChange and secure a great deal on hotels for your cheap city breaks in Europe. Make your payment directly to the hotel and collect your loyalty points.

If you need to cancel your city break hotel, we won’t add on extra days or make it difficult for you to cancel at short notice. We’re here to make arranging your next hotel stay easy and stress-free.

And that’s not all! We know that travelling abroad comes with a few uncertainties right now. So if for any reason you can’t use your hotel reservation and can’t get a refund, you can sell it through our website. Recover some of your costs for a future trip and provide another traveller with the opportunity to go on a cheap city break to Europe. Plans change, we get it.