Revealed: Riga and Stockholm are this year’s best bargains for a Christmas market break in Europe

• Riga has retained its place as the best value Christmas Market break for the fifth time in a Post Office comparison of 12 European cities (www.postoffice.co.uk/christmasmarkets)
• Stockholm is a surprise runner-up in the annual barometer, thanks to low package prices
• Vienna and Copenhagen remain the most expensive cities
• Prices have fallen in half the cities surveyed with the biggest falls in Stockholm and Prague

Riga remains the cheapest choice for a festive break in this year’s Post Office Travel Money Christmas Markets Barometer ¹. Published in the week when Advent markets start to open across Europe, Latvia’s capital has taken the top spot in the annual survey of 12 European cities for the fifth consecutive year and is 46 per cent cheaper than Vienna, the most expensive city.

The price tag of £506 for a two-night Riga break for two people – comprising return flights, B&B accommodation, airport-city centre transfers, two evening meals for two with wine, coffee and festive drinks and snacks at the Christmas market – is marginally lower than last year (down one per cent) and almost 10 per cent cheaper than Stockholm, its closest competitor. Riga’s win is the result of low cost flights and competitively priced accommodation rather than prices on the ground because the city was ranked only sixth cheapest for meals and drinks.

By comparison, Krakow (£756) is far cheaper on the ground, with meals and drinks for two days costing just £144 compared with £199 in Riga. However, a scarcity of pre-Christmas flights has made the cost of travel far more expensive this year. As a result, barometer costs are up by nearly 16 per cent and the Polish city has dropped to eighth place in the barometer table from third a year ago.

At just under £600, Stockholm is a surprise runner-up in this year’s barometer. Although meals and drinks remain expensive compared to its Eastern European competitors, a 9.4 per cent rise in sterling’s value against the Swedish kronor has helped reduce prices for these items. More significantly, good hotel availability and a fall in flight costs on the back of strong competition on the route between London and Stockholm explains why the city is a great choice for bargain hunters. Overall, Post Office research found that the cost of a two-night break is down over 25 per cent compared with last year.

In third place with a total of almost £560, barometer costs in Zagreb are only 10p higher than Stockholm. Prices in the Croatian capital do not seem to have been affected by the country’s change in currency from the kuna to the euro. Meal and drinks prices are only 0.6 per cent higher than a year ago. Overall, a two-night Christmas market break costs 2.8 per cent more than in 2022.

A big fall in the cost of flights and accommodation – 21 per cent down on last year – has helped Prague (£640) to climb two places up the barometer table to fourth position. With an overall price fall of 13 per cent, Prague is one of six cities where barometer costs have dropped over the past year. Besides Riga, Stockholm and Prague, other cities to record price falls are Berlin (£768, -4.1 per cent); Budapest (£713, -4.9 per cent) and Tallinn (£663, -3.5 per cent)².

Laura Plunkett, Head of Travel Money at Post Office, which accounts for one-in-four UK foreign exchange transactions, said:

"This year’s Christmas Markets Barometer provides the best possible evidence that it will always pay dividends to factor in all holiday costs before booking a trip abroad. As the research shows, a scarcity of pre-Christmas flights has resulted in higher travel costs to Krakow, usually one of the best value cities in our pricing surveys, while good flight availability has reduced the cost of city breaks to Riga and Stockholm.

“However, low meal and drinks costs can also have a big impact on the overall price of a short break, and this explains why Zagreb, Prague and Budapest are cities to consider for holidaymakers planning a Christmas market break.”

Copenhagen (£902) and Vienna (£933) have again proved to be the priciest cities for a Christmas market break. At £375 and £344 respectively, the cost of meals and drinks for two days is around £100 more than in Tallinn (£242) the next most expensive city for these items. However, flight and accommodation costs are down in both, which means that overall price rises for a two night break have been minimal: 1.6 per cent in Copenhagen and 0.8 per cent in Vienna.

The Post Office is the UK’s leading foreign currency provider, offering around 60 currencies for pre-order at around 7,000 Post Office branches or online at www.postoffice.co.uk/travel for next day branch or home delivery. 3,600 larger Post Office branches stock the leading currencies and around 7,000 offer euros over the counter without pre-order. These can also be ordered online for same day ‘click and collect’ at selected branches, next day collection at any branch or home delivery.

Ends

All prices quoted are round up and down to the near pound.

Notes to Editors:

[1] Details of prices and cities surveyed for the 2023 Post Office European Christmas Markets Barometer can be found in the accompanying barometer tables. European Christmas Market dates and locations are:

Berlin, Germany: 27 November-31 December, Gendarmenmarkt

Budapest, Hungary: 18 November-1 January, Vörösmarty Square

Copenhagen, Denmark: 17 November-1 January, Tivoli Gardens

Krakow, Poland: 25 November-1 January, Rynek Square

Lille, France: 22 November-31 December, Place Rihour

Prague, Czech Republic: 2 January- 6 January, Old Town Square

Riga, Latvia: 3 December-1 January, Dome Square

Salzburg, Austria: 23 November-1 January, Cathedral Square

Stockholm, Sweden: 25 November–23 December, Old Town

Tallinn, Estonia: 25 November-8 January, Town Hall Square

Vienna, Austria: 10 November-26 December, City Hall

Zagreb, Croatia: 2 December-7 January, Zrinjevac Square