Daycations are on the rise, and new data has revealed that two-thirds (64%) of Brits plan to take multiple 24-hour trips this year. But, where in Europe is best for those looking to escape the UK for just one day?
From a list of 52 cities, Betway Casino has revealed the top locations in Europe for a daycation, looking at flight times, as well as the price of meals out and public transport, and the number of guided tours in each location.
The full research can be viewed here: https://blog.betway.com/casino/the-best-cities-in-europe-for-a-daycation/
Prague, Czech Republic is the best city in Europe for a daycation with just a two hour flight time from the UK
Taking the crown as the best city in Europe for a daycation is Prague, Czech Republic. Those travelling from London Heathrow can expect a flight time of just two hours.
Getting around the city is very affordable, with public transport costing just £1 for a one-way ticket. Eating out in Prague also costs as little as £6.76 for a meal — the cheapest of all cities in the study.
In second place is Paris, with a flight time of just one hour 15 minutes. There’s 800 guided tours on offer in Paris, which gives a good idea of the huge number of things there are to do in the ‘City of Love.’
Krakow has ranked in third place with over 550 guided tours to choose from and a meal out costing less than £8 on average per person.
The top 10 best cities for a daycation in Europe:
| Rank | City | Country | Cost of entertainment per day | Avg. flight time from UK (hrs.mins) | Cost of public transport | Cost of a meal out | No. of guided tours |
| 1 | Prague | Czech Republic | £13.00 | 2.00 | £1.01 | £6.76 | 480 |
| 2 | Paris | France | £66.00 | 1.15 | £1.80 | £15.40 | 800 |
| 3 | Krakow | Poland | £16.00 | 2.30 | £1.19 | £7.93 | 557 |
| 4 | Rome | Italy | £31.00 | 2.35 | £1.29 | £12.83 | 804 |
| 5 | Florence | Italy | £24.00 | 2.20 | £1.46 | £12.83 | 801 |
| 6 | Lisbon | Portugal | £19.00 | 2.40 | £1.71 | £11.76 | 823 |
| 7 | Budapest | Hungary | £17.00 | 2.30 | £0.98 | £8.69 | 313 |
| 8 | Porto | Portugal | £21.00 | 2.25 | £1.50 | £7.70 | 350 |
| 9 | Barcelona | Spain | £26.00 | 2.05 | £2.06 | £12.83 | 595 |
| 10 | Madrid | Spain | £27.00 | 2.25 | £1.29 | £11.98 | 347 |
Antwerp, Belgium is the quickest city to fly to from the UK, with a flight time of jus one hour
Belgium is the clear winner when it comes to which European cities have the quickest flight times from the UK. Antwerp is in first place, with a flight time of just one hour, followed by Brussels and Ghent in joint second, with a flight to either of these cities taking just one hour and five minutes.
Amsterdam, Netherlands is in third with a time of one hour 10 minutes, followed by Paris, France and Dublin, Ireland in joint fourth with a flight time of one hour 15 minutes.
The cities with the shortest flight time from the UK:
| Rank | City | Country | Avg. flight time from UK |
| 1 | Antwerp | Belgium | 1 |
| =2 | Brussels | Belgium | 1.05 |
| =2 | Ghent | Belgium | 1.05 |
| 3 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 1.10 |
| =4 | Paris | France | 1.15 |
| =4 | Dublin | Ireland | 1.15 |
| =5 | Edinburgh | Scotland | 1.20 |
| =5 | Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 1.20 |
| =5 | Cologne | Germany | 1.20 |
Brasov, Romania is the most affordable European city for a daycation
Brasov in Romania is the most budget-friendly daycation destination of all cities in the study with travellers spending around £8 on entertainment per day.
Tirana in Albania is the second most budget-friendly with public transport costing as little as 33p for a one-way ticket — one of the cheapest prices in the study. A meal out is also pretty inexpensive, costing about £8.25.
Meanwhile Bulgaria’s Sofia is the third cheapest city to head to on a daycation. Public transport here is just 70p for a one-way ticket, and eating out is a similar price to Tirana, at £8.75 per meal.
Flights to these three cities may take a little longer (around three hours from London), but could be a good option if you’re looking to tick off another European city on your bucket list without spending big.
The top 5 most affordable cities for a daycation:
| Rank | City | Country | Avg. cost of entertainment per day | Cost of public transport | Cost of a meal out |
| 1 | Brasov | Romania | £7.76 | £0.69 | £7.32 |
| 2 | Tirana | Albania | £13.00 | £0.33 | £8.25 |
| 3 | Sofia | Bulgaria | £4.76 | £0.70 | £8.75 |
| 4 | Prague | Czech Republic | £13.00 | £1.01 | £6.76 |
| 5 | Krakow | Poland | £16.00 | £1.19 | £7.93 |
Does this ranking inspire you to take a daycation this spring?
