The items studied were two nights’ three-star weekend accommodation, a three-course meal for two with a bottle of house wine, a cup of coffee, a bottle of beer and Coca Cola, a glass of wine, return airport transfers, a 48-hour travel card, a sightseeing bus tour and tickets to top heritage attraction, top museum and top art galleryMilo Boyd Deputy Travel Editor & Commercial Writer08:17, 25 May 2026An often-overlooked city with a rich history and breathtaking natural scenery is Europe’s best-value city for a short break.‌Despite having a population smaller than Reading and sitting hundreds of miles inland from the coast, Sarajevo is a destination that packs a serious cultural punch, while being perfect for a summer holiday.‌If for no other reason than for how cheap it is.‌The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina has topped Post Office Money's City Cost Barometer 2026, ranking it the cheapest of the 50 European destinations included.The items studied were two nights’ three-star weekend accommodation, a three-course meal for two with a bottle of house wine, a cup of coffee, a bottle of beer and Coca Cola, a glass of wine, return airport transfers, a 48-hour travel card, a sightseeing bus tour and tickets to top heritage attraction, top museum and top art gallery. Sarajevo's total basket price was £248 - less than a third that of last place, Oslo.‌READ MORE: Thailand makes visiting harder in attempt to stop 'low quality' tourists comingREAD MORE: Not Blackpool or Brighton - the UK's best seaside town has been crownedAccording to local tour guide Nermin Numic, life in Sarajevo is cheap and easy. Filling up on the city's most famous local dishes, such as grilled minced meat cevapi, or the slow-cooked stew Bosanski Lonac, is easily achievable for £5. A fancier dinner and drink will set you back £15 a person.In the high season, a simple room for two can be found for under £50, while higher-end hotels and Airbnbs charge around £150.Nermin spent time out of the country during the Kosovo War and Covid, experiences which helped him see his home through different eyes.‌"Sometimes it takes time being separated to appreciate things. It is amazing for me what this city and country has. So much diversity and these amazing mountains that I took for granted."Known as the Jerusalem of Europe, Sarajevo is a place where cultures, regions, and religions intersect. The Ottoman influence can be felt in the narrow winding alleys, bustling copper-smithing bazaars and traditional timber-framed houses. It butts up against the Austro-Hungarian influence, felt in the wide European avenues, grand neoclassical facades, and opulent public buildings, reflecting the city’s rapid modernization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.‌"It's diverse in so many ways. It is called Little Jerusalem, it has churches, mosques, and synagogues next to each other, and it has for centuries. There are Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and communist social blocks part of the town," Nermin explained.The city sits between four mountains that hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, meaning skiing opportunities in the colder months - and hiking trails in the summer - are within easy reach.While Nermin insists that two days and nights in the city is the absolute minimum required, any flying visit should take in the disused bobsleigh track. "It is now a canvas for local artists. You can walk down the track from the hills into the city," he said.‌The Old Town is another must. "It looks very exotic, but feels familiar. It's a meeting of cultures. Look east, and you're in Turkey. Look west, and it feels Hungarian."Suitably for a destination known for closing divides and bringing cultures together, Sarajevo is a place of bridges. Thirteen of them to be precise. The best-known is Latin Bridge, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in an event that triggered the WWI. The Mostar Bridge is on the cover of almost every Bosnian travel guide, arching dramatically as it does over the emerald green Neretva River.Unlike Bosnia and Herzegovina's second city, Mostar, Sarajevo is rarely crowded. The one exception is in August, when the diaspora returns and the Capital's film festival injects a real buzz into the place.‌Ryanair flies from London Stansted to Sarajevo, while Wizz Air takes off from Luton. Return fares this summer are available for around £60.All of the five cheapest cities in the Post Office Money rankings are in Eastern Europe. Bucharest (£258, Romania), Tirana (£263, Albania), Belgrade (£265, Serbia) and Trenĉin (£272, Slovakia) complete the top five. All five now offer direct flights from the UK.Lowest-priced citiesArticle continues belowSarajevo – £248.27Bucharest – £258.07Tirana – £262.85Belgrade – £265.13Trenčín – £271.64Riga – £278.19Lille – £289.33Vilnius – £289.39Strasbourg – £319.13Podgorica – £332.45Most expensive citiesOslo – £733.99Copenhagen – £670.65Edinburgh – £668.10Geneva – £644.22Barcelona – £641.03Dublin – £610.79Amsterdam – £609.18Cork – £602.38Venice – £579.92Madrid – £579.92