How to save money when booking a city break

Saving money on flights or transport

Checking that you can get affordable flights or transport to your chosen city beak destination should be your first port of call. If you're flying from London, most European cities are pretty cheap to fly to, but from other UK airports, you may need to be more flexible.

Here are some tips to help you save on flights:

1. Use a price comparison site like Kayak or Skyscanner to compare prices from various airlines and online booking agents. Often, prices are cheaper than booking directly with the airline.

2. If you're flexible on your destination, try using Kayak's 'Explore' tool to find the cheapest routes on any date.

3. Most low-cost airlines only offer a small personal item as standard for luggage now. Consider investing in a bag to meet the under-seat requirements and packing light if your trip is short. TUI, Jet2 and British Airways have a cabin bag included in your cost too, if you need more luggage.

4. If you have annual leave to spare, then look for midweek flights rather than weekend flights. These are typically a lot cheaper, plus hotels will be cheaper, and there are likely to be fewer crowds.

5. Check out package deals for city breaks, as they sometimes work out cheaper than booking the flight and hotel separate.

You can also read our full guide to save money on flights.

Saving money on accommodation

Accommodation costs can really up the price of your city break, but there are lots of ways to keep those costs to a minimum:

1. Make sure to do some research on typical hotel prices, during the time you want to visit a destination. You might find that a different destination offers cheaper accommodation and be willing to try there instead.

2. Use comparison sites like Trivago to check prices for hotels from different providers to find the best rate for your room.

3. You could also see if Airbnb is a better option for your trip, if you find somewhere with kitchen facilities then you can save on eating out, too.

4. Consider choosing location and reviews over a star-rating when on a city break. You'll not spend much time in the hotel if you want to explore the city, so opting for a two or 3-star central hotel could save you a fair chunk.

5. Do some research on how long you need there to see everything you want to see. You can get away with two or 3-night breaks to keep hotel costs to a minimum. Or, if the flight times are good, you could even do a day trip or just one night.

6. Book your hotel with free cancellation, that way if hotel prices drop, you can rebook at a cheaper price.

Peak seasons to avoid

Different cities will have different 'peak' dates when travel is more expensive or in-demand. For example, cities like Prague, Munich and New York are expensive during December, when the Christmas markets are on, German cities are expensive in October for Oktoberfest, whereas Barcelona is more expensive during the peak summer months since it is also seen as a beach destination.

If you can be flexible with dates, it's worth looking into this before deciding a destination and month to visit, as you could save yourself a couple of hundred quid by avoiding peak times.

Best time to book your city break?

Early-bird vs last-minute. There are perks to both of these, but generally, booking in advance is the safest best to saving money on a city break for a few reasons:

• You'll have more choice on hotels, meaning you can find cheaper rates.

• You can find flight sales as they launch.

• You'll have more time to save up and spread the cost of your trip and spending money.

• You can take advantage of early-bird sales and offers from package holiday providers like TUI and Jet2 Holidays.

Saving money on transfers

Do your research before you book about transfer options from the airport to the city centre. In some cases, the airport can be an hour from the city.

Most cities have decent public transport options to get travellers into the city for an affordable price. But these options might only run during the day, so if you choose a cheaper flight option that lands at midnight, it could end up costing you more in taxis to the centre.

HolidayExtras has good 24/7 shared or private shuttle options from most airports to hotels. It's worth checking this before booking a taxi. If you do have to take a taxi, make sure you're using a legit company before hopping into any old cab.

Once you've priced up all the options, it's worth checking if a package from the likes of TUI could work out cheaper when including luggage & transfers as standard.

Saving money on food & drinks

The good thing about a city break, is that the shorter duration means less spending money. But we still have some tips to save for you:

1. Avoid the tourist spots when picking a restaurant, prices will be significantly higher.

2. Instead, look for quint restaurants away from the hustle and bustle, where you'll get authentic food and lower prices.

3. Head to a local food market for some street food.

4. Take shop-bought snacks to a public park or sunset viewing spot.

5. Look for 2-4-1 drinks offers or scope out Groupon for dining offers.

Saving money on activities

1. Research free things to do

In larger cities, you may be able to see everything you like for free. I often just walk around cities and take in the popular sights without spending a penny.

Public Parks and gardens: Many cities have beautiful parks and gardens that are free to visit, such as Parc Güell in Barcelona (free before 7:30 am).

Museums and galleries: Many museums offer free entry on certain days or times. For example, the Louvre in Paris is free on the first Saturday evening of each month.

Historical sites: Some historical sites, such as parts of the Berlin Wall or St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, are free to visit.

Take a free walking tour to see the city by foot but with a guide.

2. Get a CityPASS or Go City card

These passes are great-value if you want to see a lot of the popular tourist attractions. There are different durations to choose from with various perks for a set price, often with savings of around 40–50% vs booking individually.

Look for discount codes on these passes before you go.

3. Public transport for sightseeing

In some cities, you can find public transport options that give you the best views/routes for way cheaper than the tourist alternative. For example, in NYC you can take the ferry at sunset for a few dollars, and get the same views as you would on a $50 river cruise. Or find the bus routes that are similar to the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus routes for a fraction of the price.

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