Europe’s Best Budget Experiences

Bulgaria’s Wine Village (above)

Tucked beneath imposing sandstone cliffs, Melnik is full of traditional houses with wooden balconies, and has been celebrated for its wine for more than 600 years. Bottles of local vintages are sold for as little as £2, or try the fun new Museum of Wine, with tastings included in its £2.50 entry fee.

Markets of Hamburg

This north German port is known for its Unesco-listed Speicherstadt district of vast red-brick warehouses, but it’s also home to Germany’s longest farmer’s market. At the twice-weekly Isemarkt, set up under the elevated U-Bahn tracks, 200 vendors sell all kindsof quality produce, with much for just a euro or two.

Spain’s New Centre of Art

The new Centre Pompidou Málaga – a Spanish south-coast offshoot of the Paris original – is housed in a building crowned by a playful multicoloured cube. Modern masters shown here include Frida Kahlo, Francis Bacon and Antoni Tàpies.

Mirror Pool in Bordeaux

A fountain of sorts, the Miroir d’Eau (Water Mirror) is the world’s largest reflecting pool, covering an expanse of black granite on the banks of the Garonne, opposite the imposing Palais de la Bourse. On warm, sunny days, the ‘mirror’ provides entertainment and photo ops, with a fog-like vapour ejected at intervals.

Dining With Gondoliers

Hiding in plain sight on Venice’s busy Ruga Giuffa is an excellent tavern. You should be able to spot Osteria Ruga di Jaffa by the gondolieri packing the tables at lunch. They come here not for the artsy Murano lamps but rather the house-made pastas and succulent roast pork.

A Party Boat in Belgrade

The Serbian capital is one of the continent’s best-value destinations, and maybe its hardest-partying one too. In warmer months, river barges along the Danube double as clubs. Hot Mess is a higher-end place, but even here the cover is only around £4 for a ‘splav’ (barge club) with an on-board pool, playing disco, house and RnB.

Rothko’s Hometown

Latvia’s second-largest city, Daugavpils has a historic centre dating from Russian imperial days, and was also home to a thriving Jewish community. Native son Mark Rothko became a great American painter, and an excellent new contemporary art centre in town is named after him.

Hostel With Forest Views

In the wooded hills west of Lisbon, Sintra is home to two former holiday palaces of Portuguese royalty, and now the design-forward Moon Hill Hostel. This newcomer outshines the competition with rooms at boutique hotel level, kingly views, and a really good restaurant.

Crab and Ales in Galway

In Ireland’s main west coast city, Kai Café is a fantastic spot for a coffee, portions of crab or Roscommon hogget (lamb over a year old), or glasses of Galway Hooker Sixty Knots IPA. The interior design is light despite the thick stonewalls inside. Reserve ahead for dinner.

Austria’s Epic Road

The 30-mile Grossglockner High Alpine Road is one of Europe’s greatest drives. It swings giddily around 36 switchbacks, passing jewel-coloured lakes, forested slopes and wondrous glaciers. The only cost is the toll, which helps maintain this most thrilling of roads.