Five budget-friendly city breaks to take this spring

Athens, Greece

Why?
Forget the islands: savvy travellers prefer to stay in Athens. In spring, wild poppies frame the Acropolis, the weather is delightfully balmy and bakeries turn out Easter brioches and orange-scented koulourakia.

Checking in
For front-row Acropolis views, take a room at the Herodian. Its rates are incredibly reasonable, considering what’s on offer: art-dotted lounges, terrace hot tubs and enjoyably epic breakfasts.

What to see for free
Pick up a freddo (a shaken, iced espresso), then discover the city’s neighbourhoods. Top of our list? Monastiraki’s flea market, street art-filled Psirri and the quaint, cobbled streets of the Plaka.  

Worth forking out for
A ticket for the Acropolis Museum, minus the summer crowds, to gaze at the Parthenon’s frieze and check out Alexander the Great.

Affordable eats
The city’s street food is addictive, from sesame-crusted koulouri bread to syrup-filled loukoumades. Head to Feyrouz for thyme-infused breads and baba ghanoush or try the famed souvlaki at Kostas near Syntagma Square: yoghurt-laced, paprika-spiked grilled pork skewers served in a puffy pita.

After dark
Retreat to Baba au Rum, a fixture on the World’s Best Bars list. Despite its impressive credentials, most cocktails are €10, including a terrific rum Negroni. 

Take off to Athens

Kraków, Poland

Why?
When it comes to luxury for less, Kraków is an excellent bet. Come April, the weather is mild, and blossom fills Planty Park, whose gardens encircle the Old Town.

Checking in
Close to Kazimierz, the city’s charismatic former Jewish quarter, Stradom House is a 14th-century monastery turned five-star hotel. While its Chapel Loft will blow your budget, its sleek king rooms may not.

What to see for free
Entry is free one day a week at many of the city’s biggest sights, including Rynek Underground, whose excavations (and spooky vampire graves) will whisk you back to the Middle Ages.  

Worth forking out for
Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, which tells the heart-wrenching story of the Nazi occupation within the factory where the heroic merchant saved more than a thousand lives.

Affordable eats
Lunch at Pod Różą, where the polished, seven-course set menu costs the same as a burger in London. 

After dark
Sip decadent cocktails at Mercy Brown or hit the city’s dive bars for beers and shots (try the late-opening, Krakowskie Zakąski, or punk-fuelled Pub Propaganda).

Take off to Kraków

Sofia, Bulgaria

Why?
Flanked by snow-capped mountains, Bulgaria’s capital is full of surprises, from frescoed chapels to candlelit speakeasies.

Checking in
The sleek Rosslyn Central Park Hotel is easy on the wallet, while design-led newcomer Junó is impeccably stylish, albeit more expensive.

What to see for free
Take in the city’s biggest landmarks with a Free Sofia Tour, from the green-and-gold Alexander Nevsky Cathedral to the frescoed Rotunda of St George. 

Worth forking out for
Snap an upside-down selfie at the Museum of Illusions, or time travel at The Red Flat, a walk-through recreation of a Cold War-era family home.  

Affordable eats
There’s no better brunch spot than Fabrika Daga, aka The Rainbow Factory. Think honey-butter toast, za’atar-sprinkled eggs and freshly made mekitsi (deep-fried rounds of dough) slathered with cheese and jam.  

After dark
Let the good times roll with a scene that runs from rooftop bars to not-so-secret speakeasies, such as the candlelit Hambara. By the Way is another useful address, segueing from daytime coffees to spot-on signature cocktails. 

Take off to Sofia

Granada, Spain

Why?
Set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Granada is dreamy in spring, whether you’re strolling the gardens of the Alhambra amid the almond trees, or feasting on a sunny terrace. In this city, a couple of hours by car from Malaga, even a caña of beer comes with a complimentary tapa.

Checking in
Unpack your bags at the Sercotel Palacio De Los Gamboa, set in a handsome former palace a few streets from the cathedral.

What to see for free
Clinging to the hillside, the Albaicín is one of the oldest parts of the city. Climb past cobbled courtyards and Moorish palaces to the Mirador de San Nicolás, with its mountain-backdropped views of the Alhambra.

Worth forking out for
The Alhambra (opening image), of course, with its lion-flanked fountains, stuccoed palaces and hopelessly romantic gardens. Tickets sell out months in advance, so book ahead. 

Affordable eats
Come lunchtime, try a menu del dia – €13.50 for three courses at the excellent Restaurante Albahaca. For dinner, the friendly Palacio Andaluz Almona will conjure up a Moroccan feast, from tajines to honeyed baklava.

After dark
Come the evening, hop between tapas bars, sipping on vermouth and snacking. If you can squeeze in, tiny Los Diamantes is particularly strong on seafood.

Take off to Malaga

Riga, Latvia

Why?
Though it flies under most travellers’ radars, Riga just might be your new favourite city – especially if you’re a foodie. With artisan bakeries, natural wine bars and a wave of creative young chefs, the city’s culinary horizons extend way beyond borscht.

Checking in
In a handsome, historic pile in the Art Nouveau district, Hotel Valdemars Riga has budget-friendly rooms and considerable kerb appeal.

What to see for free
This is a city straight out of a fairy tale. Start with a stroll in the pastel-painted, pedestrianised Old Town, then head to Alberta iela for fabulous Art Nouveau façades entwined with mythical creatures and wispily dressed maidens.

Worth forking out for
Riga is dotted with exceptional museums, spanning everything from art to vintage cars, but to really understand its history, visit the Museum of the Occupation, or take a tour of The Corner House – the KGB’s former HQ.

Affordable eats
Highlights of the city’s outward-looking restaurant scene run from Kalve’s lemon and cardamon buns to Peppo’s crafted pizzas. Looking to splash out? Snatch’s truffled tagliolini and Shoyu’s note-perfect ramen are both worth a splurge.

After dark
Sample natural wines at Lowine, with standout snacks and smørrebrød, sip inventive cocktails at Gimlet or try a beer-tasting flight at Ms&Mr Beer.  

Take off to Riga