Europe is an unimaginable place filled with multicultural cities and landscapes that please even the biggest introvert. The 50 countries that the continent consists of are untouchable compared to the other 146 that exist on earth. I know scores of people who talk and dream of traveling to Europe but claim they will never get there. They always defer the impossible idea due to expenses but there are definitely tricks and tips for traveling Europe on a budget.
Don’t Settle for Expensive Flights
I fly back and forth from Europe to the states every 3 months or so. When I first began making the trip across the pond, I was paying upwards of $1500. With good research and experience, I now refuse to spend more than $500 for a round trip flight.
According to dailymail.co.uk, there are approximately 2,464 flights between the US and Europe daily. This gives you many options to choose from. You’ll find flights super cheap but pay attention to the details of the trip. A friend came to visit us here in Europe and didn’t realize that he had a 15 hour overnight layover until he arrived in London to grab his connection.
Rarely will you find an airline’s website that has cheaper flights than sites like Expedia or Skyscanner. I’ve found that researching flights during the middle of the week will get you the better deals. For departure dates, try to leave and arrive on less busy travel days; Fridays and Mondays are the most popular day to travel so flights are usually more expensive then. The cheapest flight I found to Europe had me leaving on a Saturday evening, when most people are enjoying their weekend.
Forego the Hotel, Use AirBnb
There are many options for lodging in Europe without having to sacrifice privacy and your budget. While they may not have the amenities of a hotel like a pool or restaurant, AirBnb’s are wallet-savers. Using AirBnb’s give us access to a kitchen for cheap meals, free wifi for apartment, gym access at times and, most importantly, privacy with outstanding views.
In Paris, we acquired an entire apartment with a view of the Eiffel Tower from our bedroom window for $50 on a Saturday night. In Rome, we spent $250 for 5 nights in a home that was 20 feet from the Vatican City walls and a 10 minute walk from St. Peter’s Basilica. Our gracious hosts brought us fresh fruits and meats every day while we were out exploring. We spent only $50 on food for a whole week thanks to them (another perk of AirBnb–awesome hosts!). In Malta, we had a balcony overlooking the bay that fed into the Mediterranean, adorned with wine and fresh fruit and only a 10 minute walk from the beach, all for $60 a night.
Cook Your Own Food
One of the best perks of renting an AirBnb is having access to a kitchen. In some AirBnb’s, the host will have the fridge stocked with complimentary food and refreshments.
Even if your host doesn’t stock the fridge, a market or a grocery store shouldn’t be hard to find. We’ve saved hundreds of dollars while traveling by buying our own food and cooking it for dinner or, for those days we want to go to the beach, buying some deli meat and bread and making our own sandwiches.
Avoid Taxis: Use Public Transportation or Rental Car
It’s very rare that we travel to a place in Europe without renting a car. Our first trip we took to Ireland, we were dependent upon the bus system. We stayed immobile in Dublin due to our lack of transportation (one of my biggest travel regrets). You will find that the public transportation seems cheap, but can sometimes end up costing an arm and a leg too if you’re not prepared for it. If you don’t book your subway tickets and follow the map correctly, you’ll end up missing your connecting rail car and pay more to get back on the subway. Somehow you’ll find yourself on the outskirts of Paris with the final destination nowhere in sight (yes, this happened to us).
You can rent bikes in places like Amsterdam or Paris, which simplifies your navigating but these can be expensive as well. Taxis are the same way. They take advantage of tourists and their meters run up higher than you will see anywhere.
When we book a flight, we normally reserve our car at the same time. I would recommend knowing how to drive a stick shift, as most rental cars (at least the budget-friendly ones) are manuals. Check out StressFreeCarRental.com for some of the best rates!
Avoid the Main, International Airport Hubs
The cheapest way we navigate around Europe is by flying with a “budget airline” called RyanAir. We board flights from airports outside of the major cities where parking is cheaper and gate areas smaller like Frankfurt-Hahn. When we visited Rome, instead of arriving at Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino like most tourists, we flew into Rome-Ciampano. In London, we surpassed going to the London City Airport and flew into London-Stansted. All flights were short in duration and under $100.
Another important budget tip is to navigate yourself around Europe from Europe. Instead of taking smaller individual trips from another continent, try and plan your trip when you have ample amount of time to hop around.
BYOB
And what does half of the world want to do when they travel for vacation? Relax and drink some wine, or beer, or whiskey, whichever you prefer. One of the most overpriced things in restaurants and hotels across the world is alcohol. Want to drink while saving money? Order water with your dinner and find a local market for the wine.
Underneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris, one of the most popular places to relax and drink wine, men are constantly walking around trying to sell beer and wine. To my surprise, so many people buy from them! They sell their wine for no less than 20 Euro, whereas you could’ve went two blocks down the street and bought the same bottle for 5 Euro at the market, which is precisely what we do.
And if you don’t prefer to drink at all, you’re already on your way to budgeting while you travel!
Tour on Your Own
Every touristy spot in Europe offers some sort of guided or group tour. In my opinion, these are a nightmare. Not only are they expensive since you’re paying for convenience but you’re also bound to a set schedule. You can’t wander off on your own and you normally only visit the most touristy spots surrounded by thousands of people.
We thrive on exploring on our own! We love setting a schedule for ourselves; we can sleep in as late as we want, eat when we’re hungry, and have no obligations to anybody but us. In Malta, we walked 5 minutes from our apartment and spelunked in caves that were inhabited in the Neolithic area, dating back to 3000 BC. You would never have found this on a guided tour.
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