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Berlin defies description. It is definitely Western Europe; but most of its prices are decidedly not. Parts (specifically the eastern half) still have a gritty, post-Communism feel; but a lot of the city is spiffy and full of interesting landmarks. The amount of museums and levels of history you can experience in Berlin, in my opinion, cannot be matched any where else in Europe.
One of the cheap charms of Berlin is its variety of neighborhoods. Afternoons can be spent discovering the streets, shops and lifestyles of these unique areas. Prenzlauerberg is a good one, as is Mitte and Friedrichshain. …read more

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Yes, autumn has definitely moved in to Europe. But that doesn’t mean the cultural calendar is shutting down for the winter. Check out these interesting festivals happening around the continent. Even if you aren’t big on the the festival’s theme, they are a great way to mix with the locals, meet some interesting craftspeople and enjoy a (often) free afternoon of entertainment.
October 3 is the Day of German Unity (on this date in 1990 East and West Germany were reunited.) If you happen to be in Berlin, you have the opportunity to partake in the festivities. This is a …read more

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Looking to celebrate beer this fall? Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany is the biggie. Dates are September 20 to October 5, and if you were thinking about popping in, think again – tents are already sold out. This is also not a very budget-friendly event. However, depending on the entry fee, and how much you drink – visiting a local festival is often an inexpensive way to spend the day, hanging out with locals and participating in one of their special celebrations. No crying in your beer over Oktoberfest though; there’s more drinking fun to be had around the continent …read more

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Whenever I return from a trip, I’m always infected with a new travel bug. The main symptom is that I immediately start searching for a new place to go. Recently returned from a long weekend in Copenhagen and that means I’ve been spending a lot of time on various websites, and have seen some pretty good deals. In case you too are beginning to feel the travel bug bite – here’s some medication.
If it’s a taste of Italy you are in the mood for check Europe Destinations. They have a Rome-Florence-Venice package starting at 635 USD that includes roundtrip …read more

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I know – it’s only August. But if you are thinking of a winter trip to Europe now is the time to get booking. Check last week’s post about airfare sales for some airline hints. Why should you consider Europe in the winter? Because less is more – lower prices, fewer people. Here are three good winter time destinations.
Athens: While most people dream of a Greek holiday on the beach – Athens is an excellent winter time choice as well. Temps will be in the 50’s Fahrenheit/around 10 Celsius and prices drop dramatically. Plus, there are a ton of …read more

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The Sunday Telegraph, a UK newspaper recently surveyed a bunch of popular tourist attractions around the world to see which city was the most expensive for travelers. I know this will come as a big surprise to some of you but LONDON turned out to be the biggest pound snatching town.
The paper looked at the cost of visiting 9 of each city’s most popular attractions plus the price of an open-top bus ride in London and 10 other cities around the world. In Europe, they also examined Dublin, Edinburgh, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Cardiff and Berlin. The price for all …read more

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What’s the budget travelers favorite word? FREE! ‘Cause I don’t care how cheap something is – if it’s free, it fits my budget. So how about a free city tour? These are fairly easy to create yourself nowadays; either using suggestions from a guidebook or finding one online. But what about the personal touch? Here are some suggestions for FREE guided tour in cities around Europe.
Free Prague Tours offers, well, free tours of Prague. Started in May 2007, they’ve grown from 1 tour a day and 5 guides to 15 guides and 3 tours a day (2 free, 1 super cheap.) All …read more

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This is a two for one folks…save time AND money. I know, it’s hard to believe. Night trains (or buses) are something to consider for a number of reasons. If you are moving about Europe, transporting yourself takes up valuable sightseeing hours. Annoyingly enough, you will need to sleep at some point. And not to state the obvious, but you will be buying a transport ticket and you will be paying for a hotel room so combine the two and take an overnight train.
There are a variety of ways to do this. If you are planning train travel in …read more

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I’m a walker – and will always provide walking instructions and suggestions to anyone who asks for directions – whether they wish to walk or not. However, taking public transit does have its perks: resting the tootsies, covering long distances, avoiding bad weather, etc. Some cities have normal bus/tram routes that practically double as a sight-seeing tour. You may or may not know what you are seeing, but the views are interesting, you may see a part of the city you hadn’t planned on and, oh you are sitting for the price of a public transport ticket. Sweet.
Berlin: Bus …read more

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Last weekend a friend and I headed to the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. This tourist attraction is easy to reach – take tram 17 north from the main train station for about a 15 minute ride.
The weather has been ridiculously warm and sunny here in Munich this month, and the grounds of the palace were full of folks out for a Sunday stroll in the sun. The grounds are open to the public and free of charge.
There are also various parts of the palace and its surrounding buildings that one can pay to enter. There are various combination tickets available, …read more

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