A first Europe city break is affordable when the core stays sensible: one liveable base, one spectacular day, and the rest of the week filled with parks, markets and great neighbourhood food.
The five-day baseline
A short stay in Paris or London with a modest hotel and a normal day-to-day rhythm sits in the range shown on the destination cards when you compare them.
What actually costs in Europe
Hotels and intercity rail are the big lines; museums, groceries and café stops are modest. Tickets for the icons add up fast, so the Eiffel Tower-level attractions reward pre-booking.
The free-and-wonderful days
Europe's best afternoons are cheap: le Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris, market mornings, river walks and piazza sitting — no ticket required anywhere.
Turn the number into a plan
Open the planner with Paris and watch a realistic day-by-day budget assemble in under a minute.