Check the cost of Prague at Christmas
- Krakow is the best for Christmas markets, says Virgin Money
Shoppers looking for festive bargains in continental Christmas markets should check the costs before heading for Prague, according to analysis by Virgin Money Travel Insurance.
The Czech capital is famous for the markets in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square but will cost tourists more than double the price of a visit to Berlin’s Christmas markets, Virgin Money Travel Insurance says.
Prague was rated as the most expensive at £482 per person for a visit compared with Berlin at £157 with other cut-price destinations including Budapest at £142, Krakow at £140 and Valkenburg in the Netherlands at £219.
Virgin Money Travel Insurance research compared the cost of a two-night stay in a four star hotel close to the markets as well as the price of entry into a local attraction and the bill for insurance for a three-day stay.
Lapland, the official home of Santa Claus, came in at £287 for a three-day stay although visitors are definitely guaranteed reindeer in the Arctic Circle.
The Valkenburg Christmas market in the Netherlands, which are famously held in the town’s caves cost £219.42, while Copenhagen’s Christmas market, hosted in Europe’s oldest amusement park was the fifth most expensive.
The cheapest attraction in the cities rated by Virgin Money Travel Insurance included Krakow’s Princes Czartoryski Museum, which boasts Leonardo da Vinci’s famous ‘Lady with an Ermine’, at £2.20 per person with Lapland’s Arctic Centre and the London Transport Museum both costing £10 per person.
Grant Bather of Virgin Money Travel Insurance said: “Christmas is a time for giving but it doesn’t have to be a case of giving money away.
“The cost of a trip to the continental Christmas markets can vary widely with Prague double the cost of other destinations. Of course Lapland is the home of Santa and reindeers but if you’re not worried about that then Krakow is the best value.
“While the exchange rate of the euro and some other currencies are not as favourable as they have been, taking a trip abroad just before Christmas is still an attractive option and you might pick up that special present that you can’t get on the High Street at home.”
| City | Country | Hotel Cost | Att. Cost | Insurance Cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prague | Czech Rep. | £462.00 | £11.64 | £8.62 | £482.26 |
| Lille | France | £348.55 | £4.60 | £8.62 | £361.77 |
| London | UK | £338 | £10 | £8.62 | £356.62 |
| Copenhagen | Denmark | £296.88 | £7.70 | £8.62 | £313.20 |
| Lapland | Finland | £267.94 | £10 | £8.62 | £286.71 |
| Vienna | Austria | £266.02 | £8.74 | £8.62 | £283.38 |
| Zurich | Switzerland | £242.88 | £8.57 | £8.62 | £260.07 |
| Brussels | Belgium | £231.01 | £7.35 | £8.62 | £246.98 |
| Cologne | Germany | £235.08 | £2.30 | £8.62 | £246.00 |
| Trento | Italy | £219.54 | £6.44 | £8.62 | £234.60 |
| Valkenburg | Holland | £204.36 | £6.44 | £8.62 | £219.42 |
| Barcelona | Spain | £193.28 | £9.44 | £8.62 | £211.34 |
| Berlin | Germany | £141.92 | £6.86 | £8.62 | £157.40 |
| Budapest | Hungary | £128.66 | £5.55 | £8.62 | £142.83 |
| Krakow | Poland | £129.36 | £2.20 | £8.62 | £140.18 |
Virgin Money Travel Insurance research 12th October 2009
Virgin Money offers a range of travel insurance policies designed to meet the needs of a variety of travellers including families, backpackers, over 65’s, winter sports enthusiasts and people going on adventure holidays with customised travel insurance options.
Winter sports cover is standard on annual multi-trip policies and over forty adventure sports are covered as standard, from archery to white water rafting. Up to three under 18s are also covered, for free, per adult. It also offers up to £400 cover for backpackers (aged under 35) if they are mugged while travelling.
- ENDS –
For further information:-
Scott Mowbray / Grant Bather at the Virgin Money Press Office
grant.bather@virginmoney.com 0207 111 1012
Brandon Stockwell / Kevan Reilly
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
brandon.stockwell@citigatedr.co.uk 0207 638 9571
About Virgin Money
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