Bulgaria's capital Sofia has been named the most affordable tourist destination in Europe in a ranking of Hufftington Post, based on their own research and results of the European 3-Star Traveler Index.

To find cities offering exceptional value right now, the editors have looked at five value indexes that measure everything from flight prices to average hotel costs to the amount one can expect to pay for a pint of beer in a particular city.

Often, the cities featured on similar lists come with more expensive flights, so the ranking also factored in average airfares by season. For the places where flights are pricier, the publication offers some suggestions for keeping airfare costs down.

"What we found is that while there are deals to be found in Western Europe, for a truly affordable European experience, your best bet is to look east," authors of the ranking conclude.

This is what they say about Sofia:

"Affordability Lowdown: Topping Price of Travel's European 3-Star Traveler Index for 2013—which compares the cost of a centrally located, well-reviewed three-star hotel, plus the cost of transportation, some activities, food and drink—Sofia, Bulgaria, earns the title of Europe's cheapest tourist city, coming in at under USD 50 a day (all prices mentioned are accurate as of press time).

Budget-Travel Challenges: Airfare to Sofia is somewhat expensive, and there aren't a ton of good alternative options, though Sofia does have connecting service from other European cities on low-cost carriers such as easyJet and Wizz Air. If you're thinking of relying on train or bus service from another, more affordable European entry point, know that it will likely be a long, long journey.

Other cities that made the list are Berlin (Germany), Riga (Latvia), Lisbon (Portugal), Kiev (Ukraine), Istanbul (Turkey), Budapest (Hungary), Prague (the Czech Republic), and Vilnius (Lithuania).

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