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If you’re planning to hop across the pond for some of that much-needed dose of culture, and marvel at beautiful buildings that you just can’t find on your daily morning walk to Starbucks, chances are you’re mainly concerned about two things.
- The war. Or wars, more like;
- Prices.
We’re keeping it real: it’s a pretty chaotic world to navigate out there, with conflicts popping up left, right and center, and headlines that make everything sound apocalyptic, but for the most part, or with the exception of Ukraine, Europe is largely safe.
You don’t have to take our word for it. View the most recent travel advice and alerts for your destination here.
Now the cost of a holiday is what matters Actually becomes difficult.
France, Italy, Greece, hell, even Croatia lately means a shock in high season and a big holiday budget that you probably don’t have if you’re just sitting on a couch somewhere. What if we told you that Europe doesn’t have to be reduced to its Big 4, nor that regular destinations are your only option for hassle-free non-stop routes?
We totally get it, there’s nothing we hate more than long layovers in Frankfurt, but guess what? This 3 super affordable, hugely underratedand quiet, much more exciting Eurohubs are a direct 8 to 9 hour red-eye hop away:
Belgrade, Serbia
Perhaps the only capital in the Balkans where you wouldn’t expect to see transatlantic flights, even though they’ve been doing so for years, Belgrade, Serbia will be within easy reach for Americans this summer — and apparently for travelers coming from Budapest as well (hello, new train route).
Not Zagreb, in a much trendier Croatia, let alone Tirana, in the increasingly popular Albania: Belgrade is the strongest connection between Southeastern Europe and New York (literally), and trust us when we say: in 2026 you shouldn’t sleep on it.
No, it is not on the coast, but it has a beautiful historic center, which combines a French style Belle époque architecture – a stroll along the elegant, cafe-lined Knez Mihailova will immediately bring back memories of Paris’ Orthodox heritage and the medieval charm of old Europe.
Skadarlija is that dimly lit, bohemian street paved with cobblestones and flanked by quirky bars, located at the confluence of the Danube and Sava. Kalemegdan is the iconic hilltop castlecomplete with a drawbridge, sturdy towers and terraces overlooking a skyscraper-like skyline.
Besides being undeniably beautiful, Belgrade has also developed a reputation in recent years as Berlin’s lesser-known, cheaper and rougher sister.
Don’t believe us? Check out the former industrial space, techno heaven, 5am brain melting, straight up underground institution Drugstore.
Average prices in Belgrade, Serbia
- Hostel (dormitory/night): $15–21
- 3-star hotel (per night): $40-60
- 3-course dinner (local restaurant): $20 – $30
- Public transport: completely free except minibus A1 to airport and E-minibus lines
- Average museum price: $5–$8
Fly non-stop to Belgrade (BEG)
- From New York (JFK)—Air Serbia, 3x per week (Monday, Tuesday, Saturday), $710 round trip
- From Chicago-O’Hare (ORD)—Air Serbia, 2x per week (Wednesday, Saturday), $830 roundtrip
Serbia is not part of the European Union nor the Schengen zone. View the travel rules and Admission requirements which apply to Americans visiting Serbia in advance here.
Wondering how safe Belgrade is to visit now? Here’s what travelers reported:
Bucharest, Romania
The sprawling capital of Romania, and one of the continent’s most talked-about weekend getaways of late, Bucharest may not exactly be tailor-made for first-time visitors to Europe looking for fairytale castles and beautiful sights.
They call the historic center of Bucharest the ‘Paris of the East’for the Haussmann-inspired boulevards and the unmistakably French character of the downtown buildings, but if that’s the main reason you’re flying all the way from America, You may want to temper your expectations.
If you like it rough, chaotic, messy and incredibly exciting, then this might be for you. A Soviet-style concrete giant, with the usual dystopian sharp-edged brutalist blocks, strangely abandoned lots and that perpetually graying cityscape.
Thanks, communism.
Add to this the rattling trams, the green city parks that seem to emerge from nowhere in the middle of the urban jungle, and the underground galleries that pop up unexpectedly, and you get a good sense of the character of Bucharest.
As you will soon realize, these are the coolest things to do in Bucharest not exactly clamoring to be noticedbut hidden in plain sight, like Cărturești, a six-story bookstore housed in an unassuming 19th-century building, full of princess balconies and spiral staircases, and Macca Villacrosse, a glass-roofed Art Nouveau style filled with little cafes and cozy hideaways.
Average prices in Bucharest, Romania
- Hostel (dormitory/night): $12 – $20
- 3-star hotel (per night): $35 – $60
- 3-course dinner (local restaurant): $18–$28
- Public transport: $0.80 – $1 each way (tram, bus, metro)
- Average museum price: $4–$7
Fly non-stop to Bucharest (OTP)
- From New York (JFK)—HiSky, 3x per week, ~$720 round trip
Warsaw, Poland
The ‘Chicago of Europe‘, or so we like to call it, Warsaw is once again far from a conventional European haven.
Instead of quaint atmosphere and storybook charm, you get modern skyscrapers, busy thoroughfares dominated by Soviet-era blocks, and electric city life, the kind you wouldn’t expect on this side of the pond. But wait before you write off Warsaw: it is more than just surface level grit.
If you’re wondering how, and why, it looks so decidedly New World, given that it’s the capital of a country known for its storybook castles and medieval squares, the answer is in the history books:
Warsaw was once as European as Paris, but during the Second World War it was virtually razed to the ground by the Germans.
They had no choice but to rebuild the city from scratch, so that’s why you won’t find the usual ornate buildings and stately grand palaces usually associated with Europe here. Good, at least not in abundance.
It’s a sad story, but also an inherently fascinating one. And hey, we’re not complaining: we go to Warsaw for the epic rooftop views, vibrant nightlife and a touch of post-war melancholy.
Plus the fact that it is 56% less crime then Paris (according to Numbeo) is a big enough flex.
Fortunately for the nostalgic culture vulture, Warsaw’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is just a small reconstructed piece of what the city would once have been: cobbled streets, three- and four-story townhouses painted in soft pastel colors, and red-brick barbicans defending the gateway to the citadel.
Average prices in Warsaw, Poland
- Hostel (dormitory/night): $15–$25
- 3-star hotel (per night): $50 – $85
- 3-course dinner (local restaurant): $20 – $35
- Public transport: $1–$1.30 each way (bus, tram, subway)
- Average museum price: $5–$10
Fly direct to Warsaw (WAW)
- From New York (JFK)—LOT Polish Airlines, daily, $750 roundtrip
- From Chicago–O’Hare (ORD)—LOT Polish Airlines, 6x per week (except Thursday), $750 round trip
- From Miami (MIA)—LOT Polish Airlines, 5x per week (except Sunday and Monday), $700 round trip
- From New Jersey–Newark (EWR)—LOT Polish Airlines, 4x per week (except Sunday, Wednesday, Friday), $700 round trip
- From Los Angeles (LAX)—LOT Polish Airlines, 4x per week (except Tuesday, Friday, Saturday), $850 round trip
- *San Francisco (SFO)—LOT Polish Airlines, 4x per week (except Monday, Tuesday, Friday), $800 round trip
*Launch on May 6, 2026
