Western Europe and its sky-high costs, jam-packed monuments, and subpar safety ranges now not idiot anyone, and although we known as it ourselves a number of years in the past, now KAYAK has given us the affirmation we wanted.
The standard journey search engine has simply unveiled its newest Trop Trending Destinations checklist for the upcoming 12 months, and shockingly sufficient, none of your typical tourism hotspots made the coveted checklist.
Forget Paris and the overpriced eating places, London and its surging knife crime, and Milan with the stuck-up perspective: in 2026, all eyes are on an increasingly-trendier Eastern Europe, with 5 surprisingly-affordable cities particularly standing out.
What can we are saying? We simply hope you want bread dumplings and stewed cabbage:
Bucharest, Romania
Bucharest is probably not your typical European getaway, with its Brutalist condo blocks and grayed-out skyline, however its grit and uncooked vitality are drawing in additional adventurous vacationers than you would possibly anticipate: for 2026, there was an 80% uptick in searches for this vacation spot.
We will not misinform you: Bucharest primarily attracts vacationers in search of a riotous nightlife and good value for money with regards to drinks and meals, however its Paris-inspired Old Town does have an understated appeal, and the restaurant-lined coated galleries are undoubtedly price a stroll.
That being stated, if stretching your vacationer {dollars} it is purpose primary why you are visiting this communist-era concrete large, you may be glad to understand it ranks among the many most cost-effective metropolis breaks in Europe. You can discover hearty meals for solely $12.56, and in a single day stays in low-cost resorts for $53.
Budapest, Hungary
Ranking at quantity 5, with an 86% search improve in comparison with 2025, Budapest now firmly locations itself amongst Europe’s most sought-after locations. Given its lovely structure, plethora of luxurious thermal spas, and general affordability, we won’t say we’re stunned.
Whether it is taking a stroll alongside the banks of the Danube, exploring the smash bars and road markets of the Jewish Quarter, or taking a heat plunge on the iconic Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest will steal your coronary heart very quickly (however not drain your pockets).
According to Numbeo, meals in cheap eating places away from Budapest’s touristy heart value roughly $11.82, whereas Budget Your Trip estimates that personal rooms can value as low-cost as $43 per night time.
Krakow, Poland
Boasting a 106% improve in year-on-year searches, Krakow might solely be Poland’s second-largest metropolis, however it’s undeniably its cultural coronary heart, beating Warsaw to the primary spot due to its well-preserved medieval townscape, regal palaces, and sheer historic weight.
Its Old Town Square is without doubt one of the largest within the continent, house to a landmark Gothic basilica and an arcaded, Renaissance-era Cloth Hall. Overlooking the Vistula River, Wawel Castle and its cathedral, the place a number of Polish kings had been annointed and topped, is yet one more must-see.
The better part? A dinner outing in a conventional kosher eatery in Krakow’s vibrant Jewish Quarter, or Kazimierz, will set you again a median $11 solely, whereas finances in a single day stays within the Old Town space, no luxuries, can value as little as $36.
Sofia, Bulgaria
At a 136% improve in searches, Sofia is on the crossroads of the Eastern and Western Worlds, and its fascinating architectural tapestry, made up of Roman ruins, Bulgarian Revivalist monuments, and Soviet-inspired civic buildings, is nothing in need of mesmerizing.
One of the most important Orthodox church buildings within the Balkans is in truth right here, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and although smaller in scale, the solemn Saint Sofia Church is an historical gem courting again to the sixth century, price testing.
Down Vitosha Boulevard, you may discover a plethora of trendy eating places and full of life nightlife spots, and you possibly can by no means break the financial institution right here: a restaurant invoice will run you up $11.89, or $52 for a 3-course meal for 2, whereas resorts on a finances go for a steal at $36.
Side notice: from 2026, Americans will be capable to fly nonstop to Sofia, Bulgaria for the primary time.
Prague, Czechia
There are some cliches which might be certainly price all of the hype, and although we could not say that applies to Dublin, the majestic Prague actually wins high billing: with its many spires, saint-guarded bridges, and eerie-looking Gothic towers, it is a storybook drawing come to life.
180% extra vacationers have been eyeing Prague as a vacation spot for 2026, and likelihood is town’s iconic Astronomical Clock, the huge medieval advanced that’s Prague Castle, and the edgy artwork scene surrounding the John Lennon Wall are excessive on their bucket checklist.
Despite its simple reputation—regardless of how journey influencers attempt to paint it as an underrated spot, Prague sits among the many most-visited capitals in Europe—you possibly can nonetheless get fairly the bang in your buck right here. We’re speaking lunch combos for $11.98 and low-cost stays for round $59.
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