Little-known European capital city is 'like a fairy tale' at Christmas and just 3h from UK

Nestled in the heart of Slovenia is a town so stunning it's been described as looking like a scene straight out of a fairytale.

With fast approaching, it's the perfect place to book a holiday and enjoy a wander round a picture-perfect market.

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, was recently featured in the 13 cheapest Christmas markets. The city is budget-friendly and with it just a three-hour from the UK, there's little reason not to check it out.

You can head into the city and browse food and craft stalls in Presernov Square, set up beside Ljubljana's distinctive triple bridge.

From there, you can take the cute little funicular up to Ljubljana Castle for another fair in a magical setting.

The Times described the city as being like "a fairytale" - the perfect Christmas experience.

People who have visited the city over Christmas are full of glowing reviews with mutiple people posting on TripAdvisor about their amazing holidays.

"This place has charm, it's very lovely. During winter season it has Christmas markets and music everywhere. It's always full of people too, which gives it life and a great atmosphere. I really liked it," one person wrote.

"Visiting at Christmas has been lovely, with all the open air markets, food stalls and live music. Great for families with kids. Very friendly people and easy to get by with basic Slovenian and English. Totally worth it!" said another.

The Christmas markets in Ljubljana are accompanied by a rich program of events held daily in the central streets and squares throughout December. Folk and pop musicians will entertain the crowd across five stages.

A recent eurochange study revealed Ljubljana to be one of the cheapest destinations in Europe.

"Prices here are particularly low," said Laura Evans-Fisk, head of digital engagement at , who compiled the data.

"Especially for food and drink," she added. "A beer can cost as little as €1.62, what's not to love?"

The data showed that the average bottle of beer will set you back approximately €1.62 which equates to roughly £1.38, while a three-course meal is, on average, just €25 (approximately £21.37).

Flights to Ljubljana this festive period are currently going for around £166 return from London, Manchester and Edinburgh.