Romania is one of the cheapest destinations for a cultural holiday this summer, costing as little as €107.97 a night on average for an Airbnb within walking distance of the country’s historical landmarks.
That’s according to new research by Uswitch.com/mortgages, which analysed 45,573 Airbnb listings and 2.5 million user ratings to discover the cheapest Airbnb options within a 2km radius of the world’s most famous landmarks.
| Landmark (Country) | Total Airbnb listings (2km radius) | Average Airbnb rating (out of five) | Average price (per night) |
| Pompeii (Italy) | 325 | 4.77 | € 54.86 |
| Acropolis (Greece) | 699 | 4.82 | € 64.42 |
| Alhambra (Spain) | 628 | 4.71 | € 65.72 |
| Colosseum (Italy) | 662 | 4.70 | € 79.88 |
| Sistine Chapel (Vatican City) | 349 | 4.78 | € 83.52 |
| Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy) | 413 | 4.66 | € 84.72 |
| Ponte Vecchio (Italy) | 479 | 4.77 | € 87.76 |
| St Peter’s Basilica (Vatican City) | 617 | 4.77 | € 88.61 |
| Arena di Verona (Italy) | 621 | 4.79 | € 90.03 |
| Piazza del Campo (Italy) | 578 | 4.78 | € 90.82 |
| Florence Cathedral (Italy) | 663 | 4.81 | € 90.96 |
| Sagrada Familia (Spain) | 649 | 4.63 | € 92.88 |
| Prague Castle (Czech Republic) | 528 | 4.74 | € 96.55 |
| Bran Castle (Romania) | 65 | 4.78 | € 107.97 |
| Saint Mark’s Basilica (Italy) | 676 | 4.78 | € 111.47 |
Bran Castle is among the top 15!
Romania’s Bran Castle is the 14th cheapest landmark to stay in proximity to in Europe, averaging just €107.97 a night. Airbnb’s in proximity to the castle received an average rating of 4.78 out of five, the fifth-highest rating all properties analysed.
Pompeii is the cheapest European landmark to stay near
The European landmark with the cheapest Airbnb options nearby less than a 30-minute walk away is the ancient ruins of Pompeii. Staying within a 30-minute walk away from the city demolished by volcanic ash in 79AD is the cheapest in Europe and the fourth cheapest in the world at €54.85 per night. This makes it 31% cheaper than a stay near the Colosseum in the country’s capital, Rome (€79.88), and 83% cheaper than a stay near the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles (€538.65) – the world’s most expensive landmark.
Athens’ Acropolis is the second cheapest landmark to stay in proximity to in Europe, averaging just €64.42 a night. Airbnb’s in proximity to the Acropolis received an average rating of 4.82 out of five, the highest rating of all properties analysed. And, with 699 listings to choose from, you will be spoilt for choice for a cheap, cultural stay in this historical city.
Spain’s Alhambra, situated in the city of Granada, places third. The 13th-century palace has 628 Airbnb listings within a half-hour walking distance, the sixth-highest number of listings of all landmarks analysed. The average price is just 2% more than a stay near the Acropolis, at just €65.72 per night.
Rome’s Colosseum is in fourth place. With over 1.5 million hashtags on Instagram, it is Italy’s most snapped landmark, and a stay nearby will only set you back €79.88 a night on average. The ancient gladiatorial theatre has 662 Airbnb options nearby, and for those who wish to join others in uploading their pictures to Instagram, 650 of them offer WiFi – over double the amount offered near Pompeii (313).
The global landmarks with the cheapest Airbnb’s within a 30-minute walk!
The world-famous Taj Mahal in India is the global landmark with the cheapest Airbnb options within a 2km radius. Situated within the city of Agra, the cost to stay a night in the surrounding area of the Islamic Mosque and tomb is €28.71, almost half (47%) the price of a stay near Pompeii (€54.86). However, the ratings of the 53 listings situated less than a 30-minute walk from the Taj Mahal placed sixth from bottom, with an average Airbnb rating of 4.61/5.
One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World comes in second place: the Giza Pyramid Complex in Egypt. A stay near this Cairo landmark will only set you back €37.94 per night. Those who prefer staying connected while travelling won’t have problems finding signal in these ancient ruins, as 93% (114) of the 122 stays offer WiFi – over two times more than the listings offering WiFi in proximity to Christ the Redeemer, Brazil (49/52).
The full list of landmarks analysed is available here.