Eastern European cities top affordable list

Poland's Gdansk and Kosice in Slovakia are the unfamiliar names to feature on a list of Europe's top ten affordable cities.

The Estonian capital of Tallinn, Krakow in Poland and Ljubljana in Slovenia also number among the up-and-coming destinations uncovered in a new report.

More familiar names to make the top ten include Croatia's Dubrovnik, Istanbul in Turkey and Bruges in Belgium, while Sarajevo in Bosnia is a familiar name but perhaps not one that is associated with being a European hotspot.

With London, Paris and Rome becoming less affordable for travellers, and Prague and Budapest becoming cluttered with tourists, SmarterTravel.com has researched some of Europe's hidden gems.

"Over the past ten years, travelling to Europe become more and more popular and, at the same time, more and more expensive," said SmarterTravel's RaeJean Stokes.

"This list offers a variety of different cities across the continent that are new and exciting."

Gdansk, which sits on Poland's Baltic costs, is known for its clean and
well-maintained beaches, its easy to find accommodation and a dining scene with options for all budgets, according to the report Ten under-priced and
on the rise European cities.

Kosice in Slovakia is relatively undiscovered. It is described as an unassuming town in an unassuming country with affordable accommodation and inexpensive, but quality, three-course meals.

The surprise addition to the list, Sarajevo, was a no-go zone just ten years ago following civil war in the former Yugoslavia.

While it is still to be approached with care and respect, the Bosnian capital has much to offer open-minded tourists who love adventure, reports SmarterTravel.

Ten affordable must-visit European cities

• Tallinn, Estonia
  
• Krakow, Poland
  
• Dubrovnik, Croatia
  
• Istanbul, Turkey
  
• Ljubljana, Slovenia
  
• Kyiv, Ukraine
  
• Bruges, Belgium
  
• Kosice, Slovakia
  
• Sarajevo, Bosnia
  
• Gdansk, Poland