Arthur Frommer
50 years ago, Europe on 5 Dollars a Day was published by Arthur Frommer. It was a travel guide for Americans who plan to travel to Europe on a limited budget.
Back in 1957, traveling on a budget means paying $5 a day for a decent lodging and meals. Fast forward 50 years and budget traveling means getting a (singular not plural!) decent meal for $5.
Imagine how it would be if we could tour Europe for only $5 a day now? This continent would be overflowing with tourists!
Anyway…
In celebration of Arthur Frommer’s 50 years, they are sending one lucky winner and a guest to London for four nights. All you need to do is register.
Interested in Arthur Frommer’s view on budget travel now and then? Check out this anniversary interview.
5 Comments
I’m not sure that you could get a decent meal anywhere in Western Europe for $5. However I am sure that wages will have increased so much over 50 years and air travel has become relatively cheaper, so I imagine that Europe is more affordable to more Americans.
It was very interesting to read the interview with Arthur Frommer especially his comments about the search for authenticity when you travel and travel being more than just light entertainment. I felt that Frommer could have been talking about my travel business where I advocate getting off the beaten track in order to see more of the real Europe.
[...] saw a post today in the Europe String blog today celebrating the 50th anniversary of of the Frommer guides to Europe on $5 a day. I read the interview with Arthur Frommer and I felt as though Frommer and I were kindred spirits. [...]
Well, a bratwurst is a decent meal for me
Arthur’s Frommer’s book “Europe on $5 a Day” allowed me to go on the adventure of a lifetime and still stays with me today, where I’ve passed the passion of travel on to my own children, like my daughter who rode on the back of motorcycles in the free-for-all-traffic in rome, and my son who recently went on a surfing trip around the world.
(Of course I did not know all the frightening details, as I stayed home and prayed for their safety).
But, I’m so glad they also got to go on the journey.
It is because of this part of my life that I was inspired to write a novel which includes the travels of a girl coming of age during the chaos of the 60s.
Would use Europe on Five Dollars a Day religiously in the late sixties! I use to eat my open face sandwiches that I would buy day old bread from the baker, meat from the butcher, and cheese from a store that sold dairy products such as milk and butter. That was dinner and then I would stay at the youth hostel for five guilders (one US dollar) a night and go on the “free” Amstel brewery tour each afternoon for my “free” beer and peanuts. I went so often that the tour guide got to know me and would wave me on so I could get my “free” beer and peanuts!