Leave for a foreign country by letting yourself go to a cheap destination. Free museums, affordable drinks, cheap food, walking tours… a low cost vacation offers all this and more!
To help you find the holiday that suits you best, we have selected the best low cost destinations for each month of the year. Taking into consideration the cost of a meal, a typical beer, a taxi ride and a night in a 3-star hotel * for a family of two adults and two children, we propose the following destinations with a daily budget never exceeding Fr. 285. If you are not that many to travel, maybe you will have the remaining budget for a few more trips!
January – Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia is an idyllic destination in the winter months, when all the buildings are covered in a snow-white and glistening blanket. After visiting Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, whose golden domes are a symbol of Sofia, indulge in ice skating with the whole family at Lake Ariana. Each year, the Borisova Garden lake is transformed into a huge ice skating rink, accessible in the winter months and early spring.
Surrounded by mountains, escape the city for a day and hit the ski slopes. In 30 minutes by car, you can reach Vitosha, the closest mountain range to Sofia. In January you can ski in excellent conditions and, after a day in the snow, warm up in one of the many mineral spas in the region.
Read also: Low cost skiing: 7 alternative resorts to the Alps
Recommended hotel in Sofia: Best Western Lozenetz Hotel (rooms starting from лв 102 Lev [Fr. 55] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to SofiaFebruary – San Antonio, Texas, USA
Welcome to San Antonio, Texas, a place made famous by the Battle of the Alamo. The 1836 battle for independence from Mexico remains a major attraction in the city, so book a Battlefield Tour on the mission grounds. It is said that everything in Texas is bigger: to see it for yourself, watch a noisy rodeo or visit the Natural Bridge Caverns , three kilometers of underground tunnels!
Stroll through the urban parks of the Hemisfair area, where you can see attractions such as Market Square or the Tower of Americas observation tower. Mariachi performances and Hispanic music festivals enliven food stalls and clothing stalls, reminding you how close you are to the Mexican border.
In any season, the San Antonio River Walk (the pedestrian zone along the San Antonio River), overflowing with outdoor restaurants and with an irresistible southern charm, comes to life on warm summer evenings as well as winter.
Recommended hotel in San Antonio: Best Western Sunset Suites – Riverwalk (rooms from $ 102 [Fr. 102] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to San AntonioMarch – Valparaíso, Chile
On the Artilleria funicular, enjoy the views of the colonial city of Valparaíso, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In Cerro Artillería you will find all the souvenirs you want, including products made of alpaca wool and watercolors. The hilly residential areas, such as Cerro Bellavista (with its Museo a Cielo Abierto, a museum of open-air murals) or the Cierros Alegre and Concepcion (with their colorful houses), are ideal places to savor the chaotic atmosphere of the city .
With temperatures hovering around 23 ° C, the beach is definitely inviting. For sandy beaches with several bars to eat at, visit Viña del Mar. The season is good for grape harvest festivals: if you are a wine lover, take Route 68 Valparaíso-Santiago, also known as the wine route, to taste white wines. refined from the Casablanca Valley.
Recommended hotel in Valparaíso: Hotel Da Vinci Valparaíso (rooms starting from CLP $ 73.741 [Fr. 109] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to ValparaísoApril – Braga, Portugal
Book well in advance if you want to visit Braga during Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter): hotel rooms are selling fast, but it’s worth spending a little more to join this extraordinary party.
In Tenões, just outside the city, join the fervor of the pilgrims as they zigzag up to the church of Bom Jesus do Monte (Good Jesus of the Mountain). To return to the hotel, take the funicular dating back to 1882 which connects the sanctuary to the city of Braga.
Braga retains the charm of an ancient city in Portugal but combines the advantages of a young university city, thanks to the many students who attend the Universidade de Minho. The towers of the cathedral watch over the narrow alleys that crisscross the city lined with bars and restaurants.
The 12th-century cathedral, Sé de Braga, is the oldest cathedral in Portugal. Take a peek into one of the many chapels scattered throughout the historic center, the Capela dos Coimbras, to see a typical azulejo fresco.
Recommended hotel in Braga: Albergaria da Sé (rooms starting from EUR 60 [Fr. 66] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to BragaMay – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Beach, sun and Spanish cuisine. Work up your appetite by strolling along Paseo de las Canteras, which hugs the beach of the same name. In Las Palmas, swimming in the sea is a top priority, especially at low tide, when La Barra (the coral reef) transforms Las Canteras into a paradise for snorkelers.
Take the Avenida Maritima to the fishing village of San Cristóbal, which is said to have the best fish restaurants in all of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Enjoy the pedestrian streets like Triana and Pérez Gáldos for shopping, or visit Vegueta, the oldest neighborhood, for an afternoon snack.
Recommended hotel in Las Palmas: Hotel Apartamento Bajamar (rooms starting from [Fr. 74] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to Las PalmasJune – Yerevan, Armenia
Don’t be afraid of the chaos of the minibus to cross the city: with 100 Dram – and remembering to shout “stop!” – you will easily reach the most famous monuments of Yerevan (or Yerevan). The Viale del Nord, pedestrianized, takes you from the opera house to the fountains of Piazza della Repubblica. With its imposing Soviet-era buildings by day and the light and water show as a backdrop at night, Piazza della Repubblica is a must-see.
Enjoy the long summer nights in the open-air bars of the pink city, so-called because of the pink stones of the buildings, with a snack of lamehjun (Armenian pizza). Rebuilt to hide the scars of wars and natural disasters, most of present-day Yerevan is barely a hundred years old. The oldest remains of Yerevan are found on the outskirts of the city, where the Hrazdan River and a deep ravine create a natural boundary.
Recommended hotel in Yerevan: My Hotel Yerevan (rooms starting from 35.731 Dram [Fr. 76] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to YerevanJuly – Belfast, Northern Ireland
Wandering around Belfast, on foot or aboard a typical black taxi, you will surely notice the Peace Lines (the walls that separate the Protestant from the Catholic neighborhoods) and the many commemorative murals. You’ll also see plenty of reminders of Belfast’s shipbuilding history – don’t miss the Titanic Belfast , a tribute to the Titanic’s launch in 1912, and the Titanic Memorial, adjacent to City Hall.
In the July sun, grab a famous Belfast Bap (a round sandwich) from St George’s Market and join the office workers enjoying their lunch break on the lawn. Round off the day with an ice cold beer at Kelly’s Cellars , Belfast’s oldest traditional pub, complete with live Irish music.
Recommended hotel in Belfast: Ibis Belfast Queens Quarter (rooms from [Fr. 74] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to BelfastAugust – Lviv, Ukraine
Caressed by the warm breeze of the Ukrainian summer, explore the streets of Lviv leading to the heart of the city. Here, in Rynok Square, you will find people refreshing themselves with the water of the four fountains adorned with figures from Greek and Roman mythology. A few steps away, the wings of the Boim Family Chapel offer shelter to the summer expanses of bars. Visit Світ кави (World of Coffee) for its wide variety of cafes and its cozy interior.
Every street hides folklore and legends: the Lviv Opera House is said to have cost the life of the architect who designed it when, on the day of its inauguration, the structure sank half a meter. Accompanied by the sounds of street performances, walk through the center and climb the hill to Lviv Castle to enjoy a splendid view over the rooftops of the city.
Recommended hotel in Lviv: George Hotel Lviv (rooms starting from ₴ 690 [Fr. 23] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to LvivSeptember – Pristina, Kosovo
Spared from tourism, steeped in tradition and focused on creating its own history as a recognized state, Kosovo and its capital, Pristina, challenge you to visit them without preconceptions and with an open mind. First of all, participate in the favorite hobby of Kosovars: enjoying a good cup of coffee.
Enjoy a macchiato at the Dit ‘e Nat’ bookshop before heading to the neighborhood north of the center, lined with mosques and the old clock tower, as a reminder of the past under the control of the Ottoman Empire.
In front of the Palace of Youth and Sports, the typographic sculpture “Newborn”, unveiled after Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008, is painted every year to represent the events of the moment.
From the rooftop bar of the Grand Hotel Prishtina, 13 Rooftop , admire the National Library, once occupied by refugees from the Yugoslav wars or used as a command center for the Serbian army. The metal structure, topped by multiple domes in a mix of Byzantine and Islamic architecture, continues to be debated, while locals say the references to both cultures are an attempt at reconciliation between Serbs and Albanians.
Recommended hotel in Pristina: Hostel The White Tree (rates from [Fr. 55] per night for a 4-bed dormitory)
Find a flight to PristinaOctober – Panama (city), Panama
As soon as you arrive in Panama, cross the famous canal by boat passing under the Bridge of the Americas, built in the context of the Pan-American Highway that connects North and South America. On land, wander among the ruins of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Casco Viejo. , the historic center of Panama completely razed to the ground in 1671 to “save” the city from a pirate attack.
You can still see the foundations of the city and the tower of the cathedral, while the Tourist Center allows you to get a better idea of the city thanks to a scale model.
Panama’s richness lies in its biodiversity: don’t miss a cable car ride through the jungle of nearby Gamboa or a visit to the colorful Biomuseo designed by Frank Gehry to admire Panamanian nature in all its splendor. October marks the beginning of the rainy season, so take advantage of every opportunity to soak up the sun on Panama’s picture-perfect beaches.
Recommended hotel in Panama: Montreal Hotel Panama City (rooms starting from B /. 58 [Fr. 62] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to PanamaNovember – Kalamata, Greece
Start your visit to Kalamata from the shores of the Mediterranean. Kayak the stretch of sea that laps cliffs and rock formations, stopping from time to time to immerse yourself in the warm waters of the Gulf of Messenia.
In between, visit the historic center of Kalamata by crossing the gardens to Kalamata Castle, on the hill overlooking the city from above. To make the most of the last warm autumn evenings, join the crowds on Latropoulou pedestrian street for a midnight snack of lalagia, delicious strips of fried dough.
Olive lovers have something to rejoice about: it is precisely here that the famous Kalamata olives grow, in the immense olive groves that cover this area of the Peloponnese. The shops in the city sell olive-based products to take home as souvenirs: oils, soaps, delicious olives … you are spoiled for choice!
Recommended hotel in Kalamata: Galaxy Hotel Kalamata (rooms starting from [Fr. 51] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to KalamataDecember – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Home of the 1984 Winter Olympics, Sarajevo is a city that has been able to perfect the art of winter. If it starts snowing in December, skiers can try their hand at the slopes of Mount Jahorina by renting the necessary equipment at affordable prices.
On sunny winter days, enjoy the warmth from a terrace in Baščaršija, Sarajevo’s Ottoman old town. Visiting the rest of the city it is not easy to ignore the traces of the 1992 Sarajevo siege. To find out more about this modern day war, visit the Sarajevo Tunnel Museum , built around the tunnel that served as a vital artery to supply Sarajevo. of food and medicines during the occupation.
If you want to go trekking in the midst of Bosnia’s nature, visit Lukomir, a remote village on the Bjelasnica mountain. The stone houses with wooden tiles house a small community specializing in sheep farming, the production of knitted wool socks and wood carving. During the summer months it is possible to organize sustainable tours with Green Visions to spend time with local families, chatting and tasting homemade börek (a typical savory pie).
Recommended hotel in Sarajevo: Telal Hotel Sarajevo (rooms starting from 126 KM [Fr. 71] per night for 2 adults and 2 children)
Find a flight to SarajevoWe present an overview of our low cost destinations for 2017 and the prices ** you can expect to find in these cities:
| Where is it | Taxi ride (1 km) | 1 x national beer | Meal for 1 in a cheap restaurant | 1 night in a 3-star hotel * |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Sofia , Bulgaria | CHF 0.50 | CHF 1.32 | CHF 5.61 | CHF 55 |
| San Antonio , Texas | CHF 1.50 | CHF 2.92 | CHF 9.87 | CHF 98 |
| Valparaíso , Chile | CHF 1.18 | CHF 1.89 | CHF 6.59 | CHF 109 |
| Braga , Portugal | CHF 0.95 | CHF 1.50 | CHF 6.25 | CHF 64 |
| Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , Spain | CHF 0.69 | CHF 2.00 | CHF 11 | CHF 64 |
| Yerevan , Armenia | CHF 0.25 | CHF 1.15 | CHF 6.30 | CHF 72 |
| Belfast , Northern Ireland | CHF 1.01 | CHF 4.23 | CHF 11.87 | CHF 73 |
| Lviv , Ukraine | CHF 0.23 | CHF 0.77 | CHF 2.30 | CHF 23 |
| Pristina , Kosovo | CHF 0.60 | CHF 1.80 | CHF 2.90 | CHF 55 |
| Panama , Panama | CHF 1.97 | CHF 1.75 | CHF 9.95 | CHF 55 |
| Kalamata , Greece | CHF 1.04 | CHF 3.90 | CHF 12 | CHF 53 |
| Sarajevo , Bosnia and Herzegovina | CHF 0.61 | CHF 1.63 | CHF 3.98 | CHF 70 |
