4) Barcelona, Spain
European holidays don’t have to break the bank. It’s doable to find a round trip flight from New York to Barcelona for $500 during certain seasons. Once you minus the chunk of change for the airfare, you’ll see how vacationing in Barcelona is actually very affordable. Tapas, anyone? Finger foods and small plates like these start at $3. Order a few and you’ve got a cheap and tasty dinner under $10 in a city that’s world-renowned for its food. Barcelona is chock-full of museums and many of them open their doors for free on the first Sunday of every month. Check out the Catalan National Museum of Art, Catalan History Museum, Museum of Music, and the Picasso Museum – all free of charge. Decent 3-star hotels can be had for around $50/night. If you’re really tight on funds, snag a hostel bed for under $20/night.