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 would have liked.
The well-liked journey search engine has simply unveiled its newest Trop Trending Destinations listing for the upcoming 12 months, and shockingly sufficient, none of your ordinary tourism hotspots made the coveted listing.
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 will not be your typical European getaway, with its Brutalist condominium 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 mislead you: Bucharest primarily attracts vacationers searching for a riotous nightlife and good value for money relating to drinks and meals, however its Paris-inspired Old Town does have an understated appeal, and the restaurant-lined coated galleries are positively price a stroll.
That being mentioned, if stretching your vacationer {dollars} it is cause primary why you are visiting this communist-era concrete big, you will be glad to realize it ranks among the many least expensive 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 enhance in comparison with 2025, Budapest now firmly locations itself amongst Europe’s most sought-after locations. Given its stunning structure, plethora of luxurious thermal spas, and total affordability, we won’t say we’re stunned.
Whether it is taking a stroll alongside the banks of the Danube, exploring the destroy 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 price roughly $11.82, whereas Budget Your Trip estimates that non-public rooms can price as low cost as $43 per night time.
Krakow, Poland
Boasting a 106% enhance in year-on-year searches, Krakow might solely be Poland’s second-largest metropolis, but it surely’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, dwelling 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 have 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 price as little as $36.
Sofia, Bulgaria
At a 136% enhance 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 wanting mesmerizing.
One of the most important Orthodox church buildings within the Balkans is in reality right here, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and although smaller in scale, the solemn Saint Sofia Church is an historical gem relationship again to the sixth century, price trying out.
Down Vitosha Boulevard, you will discover a plethora of trendy eating places and full of life nightlife spots, and you could possibly 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 observe: from 2026, Americans will have the ability to fly nonstop to Sofia, Bulgaria for the primary time.
Prague, Czechia
There are some cliches which can be certainly price all of the hype, and although we could not say that applies to Dublin, the majestic Prague definitely wins prime 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 the 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 listing.
Despite its simple recognition—irrespective of how journey influencers attempt to paint it as an underrated spot, Prague sits among the many most-visited capitals in Europe—you may nonetheless get fairly the bang on your buck right here. We’re speaking lunch combos for $11.98 and low cost stays for round $59.
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