Have you been dreaming of taking the ultimate European vacation? Europe is that continent that every traveller will see themselves going to at least once. It is full of culture, diversity and history, seaside villages and medieval towns. Oh and you can’t forget the food. Delicious! I’m here to tell you it is more than possible to travel Europe cheap!
1. BE FLEXIBLE
Whether you are booking flights, buses or trains, be as flexible as you can with your travel dates. Different days and times will attract higher rates. So make sure you compare prices on different days of the week as well as how far ahead you need to book. Don’t wait last minute.
Booking too far ahead the tickets are expensive, booking too close the prices will go back up. Try and find that middle-ground for getting the cheapest travel deals in Europe. Better yet, If you can travel in the off-peak season that would give you the best deals. Europe’s peak travel times are the summer months and especially August. Travel in the Spring, Autumn or even Winter to have heavily discounted rates on transport, accommodation and tours.
BUS TRAVEL
You will find the cheapest way to travel around Europe will be by bus. There are budget-friendly bus companies that run throughout the continent. Here are some of the companies: FlixBus, RegioJet and MegaBus. Megabus operates throughout the UK and some Western Europe while FlixBus and RegioJet cover the majority of the European countries. Use bus comparison site Get By Bus and Omio.
Tip: Bus prices vary significantly at different times of the day. You will usually find the cheapest buses early in the morning or during the overnight trips. Make sure to book your bus more than 24 hours in advance.
TRAIN TRAVEL
Traveling by train, gives you freedom to walk around and a much more enjoyable trip than on a bus. Although, the downside to traveling in Europe by train is that it will usually be more expensive. I would steer clear of the EuroRail.
2. TAKE ADVANTAGE
The best way to travel on a budget is to not spend any money at all. Many of the European cities offer one or multiple free walking tours. The walking tours are a great introduction to a new city as it will give you a history lesson, show you the main sites and tend to give coupons or city discount cards to the participants. Although not entirely free, if you liked the tour, leave a tip as this is how the tour guides make a living. Not into tour groups , just do some research on the city you are in or download a free Audio Tour. Go explore!
FREE MOVIES, FESTIVALS & OTHER FUN ACTIVITIES
Another travel tip is to attend free movies, festivals and concerts. During the summer months, the parks come to life in Western Europe and on a weekly basis, many cities show a movie in the park as the sun sets.
TRAVEL WITH MONEY CARDS
If you are planning on taking a short trip overseas you can order a travel money card to use. Before you do, check the fine print on these cards. Some are only fee-free if using for transactions but charge a fee for ATM withdrawals. Others also, have a terrible exchange rate.
3. HOW TO EAT ON A BUDGET IN EUROPE
HAVE A PICNIC
This is one of the best money-saving tips to travel to Europe affordably. As it is best used in the expensive travel destinations. How can you go wrong, who doesn’t love a picnic? Grab fresh bread rolls, cheeses, fruits and some cold cuts. Great spots are in front of famous landmarks, nice shady parks, beaches, waterfalls, rivers and lakes. Check the alcohol laws where you are and maybe you can include a bottle of wine or some beers.
DON’T FALL FOR TOURIST TRAPS
Within 6 blocks of any tourist attraction is where you will find overpriced cafes and restaurants. After sightseeing, walk for at least 6 blocks away from the sites until you start looking for a place to eat. Not only is the half the price and its good. How many times have you eaten nearby a tourist attraction because it looked busy only to be disappointed with the service and the quality? These restaurants know that they are going to get traffic regardless of what is served to their customers. So, take a little walk and find a great restaurant without breaking the bank.
EAT LIKE A LOCAL
Another food tip is to talk to the locals. Not only will you save money and get a cheaper meal you will also get a more authentic experience. Go one step further and eat the local dishes.
4. BRING A REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE
The cheapest way to travel Europe is to never buy water. Most of Europe has safe, clean drinking water. To be safe check the country’s water safety before filling up any unfiltered bottles.
Also, at restaurants when they offer you water it is not free. Table water will cost around €5-6 at a restaurant. So always say no and bring your own!
5. GO HIKING
Europe has some of the best hikes in the world. The greatest part about hiking is that so long as you have a few basic essentials – it’s free ! All you need are a pair of decent shoes, a backpack and a water bottle.
All across Europe you will find some picturesque hikes to suit all abilities and durations. Just make sure you have the correct gear on . A few hikes I would recommend are Black Lake Hike in Bohinj, Slovenia, Valbona to Theth trail in Albania and any of the trails around Durmitor National Park in Montenegro and Haute Route, in France & Switzerland.
6. VISIT THE HIDDEN GEMS OF EUROPE
Europe is a popular vacation hot spot and the world is only getting more populated. Combine that with the ease of international travel and oh man we have an overcrowding situation. There are places around the world that are limiting on the number of visitors they have each year just for this very reason.
So rather than fighting with the crowd for the famous Insta shot, why not find your own undiscovered hot spot ? Eastern Europe has some incredible hidden gems and it is budget friendly. Visiting these destinations will open your eyes to so much more. Some hidden gems I love are Mantua, Italy. Perfect for the lovers of Italian architecture and art, Vipava Valley, Slovenia. For the food and wine, sustainable travel, outside activities. The Hague, The Netherlands. Great for the lover of Politics and History, Beach Bars, Museums, Vegetarian Food.
7. AVOID GETTING SCAMMED BY TAXI’S
Taxi’s in Europe are more than happy to prey on the innocent tourist. Firstly, Please avoid. Don’t get ripped off, use Uber when possible or find similar apps depending on where you are. Other similar companies include Bolt, Mytaxi and Kapten. Search ahead to find what app to download. They have fixed rates so you will know ahead of time and you don’t need to take out any cash at the end of the trip.
If you can’t avoid using a taxi the best weapon against scammers is awareness. Find out a rough estimate of what a taxi should cost for your destination. You can do this a couple of ways. Either by asking a local or the reception if you are staying at a hotel or hostel. The other way is to research fares online.
8. USE AIRBNB
There are so many benefits in using Airbnb but not everyone is a fan. Not only does Airbnb offer a home away from home accommodations, but you will also save money overall from the fact that you have a kitchen. The two biggest expenses are accommodation and food and by getting an Airbnb you got both covered for a lower cost.
Having the ability to sit at home in the evening on the balcony having a few drinks , enjoying a movie sitting on a couch and you could make our own lunches for the day or take a break mid day and make some lunch at home. Not being confined to a hotel room saves a lot of money and you don’t feel the need to go out every night.
9. ZERO BANK FEES
You’re already losing money due to the exchange rate. Let’s not lose anymore. If your bank charges foreign transaction fees than it is time to let them go. To be honest, if your bank is charging you any fees, why are you still with them? There are so many banks that offer fee-free accounts these days that the few hours it takes to change banks is well worth the hassle.
10. TRAVEL EUROPE FOR FREE WITH A WORLD PACKERS MEMBERSHIP
If you plan on spending an extended period of time in Europe (or anywhere for that matter) why not consider a work exchange program. Work exchange programs like Workpackers are becoming a popular way to travel and there is a good reason for that. You would get free accommodation and food in exchange for a few hours of work each day.
Worldpackers are quickly coming up as a top work exchange program and the reason for that is they verify all of their hosts. They also offer insurance, so that if something doesn’t work out with your host, they will pay for 3 nights in a hostel nearby so you can get out of there!
Make sure you read reviews and many more reasons you should become a member. www.worldpackers.com/
