Five European cities where your euro stretches further

Exchange rates and local prices decide where your travel budget actually takes you. Outside the eurozone, the Albanian lek, the Polish zloty and the Turkish lira have all weakened against the euro in recent years, and that shows up in your restaurant bill, your taxi, and your hotel. Alongside the better-known European capitals, these five cities give you more days for the same money, and Finnair flies to all of them direct from Helsinki.

Tirana, Albania

Tirana is one of our new destinations for summer 2026, and the price level there is clearly lighter than at home. The Albanian lek has weakened against the euro over recent years, and that's visible in everyday eating: breakfast with bread and coffee usually comes in under five euros, dinner for two in a traditional restaurant in the Blloku neighbourhood lands between 25 and 35 euros with wine, and a double room in a central three-star hotel typically stays under 50 euros. A daily budget rarely needs to exceed 80 euros.

Tirana has built a reputation for raw beauty, and you can still walk between its sights without the crowds you'd find elsewhere. Albanians are known for their hospitality, and the city feels mostly relaxed, though central traffic is busy and worth taking into account when crossing streets. Skanderbeg Square is closed to cars, and within walking distance you'll find Bunk'Art in a communist-era bunker complex, the renovated Pyramid building, the Et'hem Bey Mosque, and lively cafés. A day trip up Dajti Mountain on the cable car takes you in just over fifteen minutes to the national park above the city.

One of Tirana's biggest draws is how close the coast is. The Albanian Adriatic at Durrës is roughly an hour by car, and the turquoise waters of the Albanian Riviera around Vlorë are about two and a half hours further south. Renting a car lets you combine the capital and the coast easily on the same trip.

We fly from Helsinki to Tirana twice a week during the summer season.

Alanya, Turkey

Alanya has been a long-standing favourite among European travellers, and the sharp weakening of the Turkish lira in recent years has made the coast unusually light on the wallet for European visitors. A seafood dinner for two with meze and a glass of rakı often lands between 30 and 40 euros, a fresh lahmacun, a Turkish pizza with minced meat, costs around three euros, and a taxi across central Alanya is a matter of a few euros. Pay in lira whenever you can: prices are set in the local currency, and paying in euros usually works out more expensive. Withdraw cash on arrival or pay by card in the local currency.

Alanya's pull rests on long sandy beaches and the dramatic Kale promontory rising right in the middle of the city. The Seljuk-era castle on top still contains lived-in houses, small art galleries and clear views over the Mediterranean, and below it the Red Tower watches over the old harbour. The city's beaches split east and west of the promontory: the best-known is Cleopatra Beach on the west side, with fine sand and shallow water that suits families well. Damlataş Beach continues right next to it as a slightly quieter alternative within the same stretch.

It's worth saving time for the wider Turkish Riviera alongside the beach days. Within an hour or two by car you can reach the ancient city of Side with its seaside ruins and the Manavgat waterfalls. For an active trip, jeep safaris into the Taurus mountains and cable-car rides inland offer a clear counterweight to lying on the sand. Finnish citizens don't need a visa for tourist stays in Türkiye of up to 90 days within any 180-day period, and your passport should be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival.

We fly from Helsinki to Gazipasa, the airport serving Alanya, five times a week during the summer season.

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is one of those European destinations where you still get clear value for money. Restaurant prices in the central tourist areas have climbed in recent years, but the forint stays relatively weak against the euro, and that helps in particular with hotels, thermal baths and public transport. A full day at the classic Széchenyi Baths costs noticeably less than a comparable spa day in Helsinki, and a traditional gulyás with sides in a local Erzsébetváros restaurant comes in at 12 to 18 euros. Prices are quoted in forints, and paying in euros tends to work out more expensive, so it's better kept for situations when you can't avoid it.

Budapest is a city to see from both sides, but which side you stay on shapes the rhythm of your days. The Pest side suits a first visit: the lively restaurants, the ruin bars around Kazinczy utca, Parliament and the Central Market Hall on Vámház körút are all clustered there. The Buda side is quieter and greener and works for travellers who want morning walks near Castle Hill and Fisherman's Bastion.

The thermal waters are Budapest's most distinctive draw and a strong reason to come in winter too. The Gellért and Rudas baths represent different eras of bathing culture, and Rudas has a rooftop pool that looks straight onto the Danube. We cover the city's baths in more depth in a separate Budapest spa article. The Christmas market on Vörösmarty tér pairs naturally with a bath day when it's cold outside and the water is at 38 °C.

We fly from Helsinki to Budapest year-round, 1-2 times daily.

Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw is cheaper than many European countries: the zloty has stayed clearly weaker than the euro, and everyday prices reflect that. The bus from Chopin Airport to the centre costs around one euro, a cappuccino in town is typically around three euros, and dinner for two in a mid-range Polish restaurant runs 30 to 45 euros with pierogi, żurek and a glass of wine.

Three full days are enough for Warsaw's main sights. The Old Town, Stare Miasto, was rebuilt entirely from rubble after the war, and Unesco added it to the world heritage list for that very reason. Walking from the central Rynek Starego Miasta square to the Royal Castle takes about half an hour, and Krakowskie Przedmieście road then opens up past the presidential palace and the historic University of Warsaw buildings. The city is built for walking, and the metro links the centre to neighbourhoods further out.

The POLIN museum on a thousand years of Polish-Jewish history is among Warsaw's most powerful experiences, and the building itself, designed by Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamäki, is worth visiting in its own right. On the east bank of the Vistula, the Praga-Północ district has shifted from factory use to galleries, restaurants and clubs. In summer, the riverside city beaches and free concerts in Łazienki Park bring locals outside.

We fly from Helsinki to Warsaw year-round, several times a day.

Prague, the Czech Republic

Prague is a long-standing favourite among European city-break travellers, and the price level keeps it clearly below Western European capitals even as the Czech koruna has firmed up in recent years. Czech beer costs 2 to 5 euros, lunch in a traditional hospoda 5 to 10 euros, and a main course in most restaurants stays under 20 euros once you leave the busiest tourist corners of the old town. Vinohrady and Žižkov are good neighbourhoods to find prices closer to what locals pay.

The city is compact and made for walking. The Old Town Square with its astronomical clock and the Charles Bridge get most of the attention, but the city really opens up once you cross the river to Malá Strana and Petřín. The lookout tower on Petřín hill takes in the whole old town, and Prague Castle in Hradčany still serves as the working seat of the Czech president. Karlín, a quiet residential quarter even a decade ago, has become one of the city's liveliest neighbourhoods for restaurants and cafés.

Prague is at its best in spring and autumn, when the weather is pleasant and there are fewer crowds than in peak summer. The Christmas-market season from late November to early January is the other interesting window: the stalls on Staroměstské náměstí and Václavské náměstí run through the holidays, and a freshly baked trdelník steams in your hands as the evening cold settles in.

We fly from Helsinki to Prague year-round, several times a day.