There’s no place like home for British travellers
| Published: 24th July 2008 11:47 |
London is the most popular European city amongst British travellers, according to research released today. Despite the fact that the capital is ranked as the second most expensive city in the world, it attracts three times the number of visitors to its Northern counterpart, Manchester. Other popular cities in the UK include Edinburgh, Glasgow and even Birmingham, which appeals to Brits more than the French capital, Paris.
According to research from PriceRunner, the impartial price comparison service, a quarter of the top 20 most popular cities in Europe are in the UK, proving that there really is no place like home. And, with the poor exchange rate on the Euro (currently €1.26 to the British Pound), almost half of Brits are choosing to avoid the Eurozone altogether and heading instead for Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
Top 20 European cities
1 London, Great Britain (Pound)
2 Manchester, Great Britain (Pound)
3 Rome, Italy (Euro)
4 Malaga, Spain (Euro)
5 Alicante, Spain (Euro)
6 Stockholm, Sweden (Krona)
7 Faro, Portugal (Euro)
8 Tenerife, Spain (Euro)
9 Barcelona, Spain (Euro)
10 Larnaca, Cyprus (Euro)
11 Amsterdam, Netherlands (Euro)
12 Majorca, Spain (Euro)
13 Copenhagen, Denmark (Krone)
14 Dalaman, Turkey (Lira)
15 Dublin, Ireland (Euro)
16 Nice, France (Euro)
17 Lanzarote, Spain (Euro)
18 Edinburgh, Great Britain (Pound)
19 Glasgow, Great Britain, (Pound)
20 Birmingham, Great Britain (Pound)
The research analyses travel behaviour in 100 European cities and what can be purchased for £100, or the local currency equivalent, in some of the most popular destinations. For example, in London, £100 pays for tea for two at the Ritz and two one-day London Underground travel cards (all zones).
Escaping the Eurozone
Cities such as Stockholm in Sweden, Copenhagen in Denmark or Dalaman in Turkey are the most popular destinations outside the Eurozone and are all listed within the top 20 European cities league table. In Dalaman, for example, the equivalent of only £10 (24.47 Turkish Lira) will buy two adult tickets to visit the famous mud baths of Dalyan by boat.
Scandinavia is a fashionable choice of travel destination, particularly Sweden and Denmark. But, it's not surprising that Norway, ranked as the most expensive city in the world.
With little reliance on the Euro, Eastern Europe is also a must for budget travellers, with the most popular cities including Sofia and Burgas in Bulgaria or Prague in the Czech Republic. In Sofia, entry to the local zoo for two adults costs the equivalent of only 81 pence (2 Lev), while two visitors to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam will pay almost £16 (€20). Dublin is the sixth most expensive city with two pints of Guinness costing visitors a dizzying £8 (€10).
Poland is in vogue with both Warsaw and Krakow making it into the top 100 most popular cities. At 23 percent cheaper than the international average, Poland is perfect for budget travellers.
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