Your Thrifty Travel Tips
In his Thrifty Fifty travel tips, Rick shares his best suggestions for saving money while traveling in Europe: from staying in B&Bs to assembling gourmet picnics. Do you have tips to add to the list? How do you stretch your euros, pounds, kroner, etc.?
- Please don't post questions here. Use our Travelers Helpline.
Connie's Breakdown
Connie - very interesting! I appreciate your breakdown and it reinforces my notion that you can travel affordably in Europe if you are willing to make a few sacrifices. Travelling "close to the ground" (as Rick says) has its advantages!
Steve
Richmond, VA USA 10/30/2008
On a budget
I just got back from my 33 day trip to Germany, Austria, Switzerland,and Italy. I kept track of every penny we spent (it was my husband and I) and here are my results. We spent $215.00 a day for two. This includes all hotels, meals, transportation (rental car, gas, parking, etc) travel insurance, sight fees, and purchases to bring back home. The only thing not included is airline tickets. (We flew on air miles, so it would have skewed it unfairly) We only had 4 nights where we spent more than $100 for our rooms. We ate "cheap" much of the time, splurging every 2-3 nights on a nicer meal out.My husband had a beer with most meals, but if he felt it was overpriced, he would buy a beer at a grocery store. We also had the advantage of traveling with another couple. This allowed us to split the car expenses and rent some 2 bedroom apartments that worked out to be considerably cheaper than a double room in a hotel. We did not scrimp on seeing the sights, since that is why we came. Europe has become very expensive. Many of the sights have raised their prices since the Italy 2008 was printed and by large amounts. (one church was listed for 4 euors and was 8 euros-that is double the cost) One person living in Italy told us that tourism is really down, so places have raised rates to keep their income up. This could backfire since many people return home and talk about how expensive it is making other decide to vacation elsewhere. We saw the most evidence of this in Italy where tourism is so much of their economy. We were not without sympathy since Italy is not a wealthy country. To close, budget travel is still possible, but you have to search out the less expensive housing options and be willing to make sacrifices somewhere (food, etc.) Things I will never scrimp on: Sights, travel insuance, housing in safe locations. By the way: one upside to our budget trip was that both my husband and I lost weight. Portions are smaller in Europe (but satisfying) and we walked our legs off.
Connie A <email>
Everett, WA USA 10/18/2008
Thrifty travel items
Dollar stores are wonderful.
Not all stores carry the same things but most have similar items.
Its a good place to find things that CAN be disposed of if you don't want to bother lugging them back to the US.
Here are some things I picked up for my upcoming trip to the UK:
"Pedicure" slippers - last a week maybe, then toss. Great for common shower areas. Or flip flops.
Nail Polish remover wipes - pack of 6 individually wrapped packs. No need to buy a bottle of remover and don't have to put it in the 3-1-1 bag!
Drawstring Mesh bags.. set of 4, size of a bread bag, good for undies, shoes, make up, anything that you want to stay together. Also good for wet washcloth/towel when youre relocating hotels, since it will dry out because of the mesh.
Cheap umbrella. Actually opens and closes fine, will probably give it to a thrift shop before I come back.
Make up bag. Not a big loss if it goes missing. Would hate losing my Coach make up bag! So I bring cheapies instead.
Wet Wipes. Pack of 3 pocket packs.
Pocket tissue packs - pack of 6 pocket packs.
Pack of 3 mini hand sanitizer gel purse sized bottles, enough for you, the hubby and a kid...
Pack of 3 vanilla scented hanging sachets. Just in case the hotel room isnt so fresh. Also as a bonus, makes your luggage smell good on the way there!
Mini spiral notepads - pack of 4. Great for your purse, jotting down directions, phone numbers, etc..
Crossword/Sudoku/Word puzzle book. Great for time killing !!
Pack of 3 3oz travel bottles in a clear 1 qt pack. These bottles can run up to $1 each at Target! These are cheap enough to be disposable if need be...
Pack of 2 (disposable) adult rain ponchos. Once unfolded, will not fold right again. but can be used also as a picnic table cover!
Tiny cutting board in the shape of an Apple. Cute, and flat enough to fit anywhere in your pack.
Heavy plastic flatware set, 3 knives, 3, forks, 3 spoons. Strong enough to use over and again, cheap enough to toss.
3 x 3 foot baby blanket. Small but enough to throw over yourself on the plane, also softer and probably Cleaner than a plane blanket!
Also last but not least, the little things:
Socks, hair ties, Brush, mending kit, first aid kit.
Tami <email>
Boulder , CO USA 10/10/2008
Sleeping 3 in a room for 2
We tried sleeping 3 in rooms for 2 in France and Italy, and I DO NOT recommend it. The hoteliers are not pleased when 3 check in, and I hated to be deceptive. Everyone deserves a bed after a long day of exploring. A triple is worth the extra cost....3 beds and more room to hang laundry!
Leslie Jensen
Waconia, MN USA 09/12/2008
cafeterias
Yes, Cafeterias are springing up in Alsae Lorraine, France area. We had some excellent lunches and dinners in Beaune. They are usually associated with a mall. Fresh, reasonable and long hours great for travelers espec on a budget.
JS
USA 08/25/2008
Apartments VS Hotels
My friend and I traveled around Europe in 2006. We found the best way to save, was to rent small apartments rather than stay in hotels. That way you have a kitchette in your room so you can buy a container of juice, milk, cereal, some fresh fruit and things like that for breakfast and snacks. Restaurants can get expensive if you're having 3 meals out each day!
Celeste
CANADA 08/22/2008
Cheap tickets in Paris
I was in Paris last September/October for 5 weeks and went to see the beautiful Opéra Garnier building in Paris. It cost 7 euros just to tour the building. So I went around the corner to the ticket office and asked how much opera tickets were. I was happily surprised to discover that I could purchase an opera ticket for only 10 euros! I was in the upper section of course, but I was there and for a difference of 3 euros I have the thrilling memory of attending my 1st opera in one of the greatest opera houses in the world! I enjoyed it so much, I bought another ticket a few days later (again for only 10 euros) and attend the ballet there too. It was my best buy my whole time in Paris and it was awesome!
Renée
Edmonton, Canada 08/19/2008
JS
In Germany eat at Kebab restaurants. fast food warm and substantial. about 3 euros for a great sandwich.
CA USA 07/29/2008
Micro-fiber Travel Towels
This tip is too good not to share (At the risk of exposing my cheapness to one and all...)
Don't buy those pricey "MicroFiber Travel Towels" - instead head on over to your local Auto Parts store or the Automotive section of one of the Big Box stores and eyeball the offerings in the car wash section. You can pick up a pack of 6 medium sized microfiber towels for the price of ONE of the boutique travel towels. Choose carefully as the quality and sizes vary, and enjoy the savings.
Bill
Raleigh, NC USA 07/18/2008
Groceries
Some people mentioned Aldi's in Germany for cheap groceries. I'm in Italy right now, at a six-week music festival. There is a Carrefour two blocks away, and it's fabulous! The food is so inexpensive, it's unbelievable. Maybe i'm not getting a real taste of the culture - but I see no tourists in the supermarket. I speak no English at the supermarket (fortunately, part of my festival includes Italian language classes!).
Anna
Cincinnati, OH USA 06/27/2008
Transportation
We made our train reservations on the Internet before going to Europe and saved as much as 75% off the normal fares. However, if you miss your train, you're out the fare and will have to pay full fare in addition to get where you're going.
If you plan to get a Eurail Pass and know exactly how you're going to use it, check to see what the individual train fares are (via Internet reservation) before purchasing the pass. You may be able to save money with individual fares.
J. Sinclair
Vallejo, CA USA 06/19/2008
Tight Budget ?
In Germany at Mc donalds a ketchup package cost about 30cents extra ,why not pack a dozen from US and save $3 ??
USA 06/15/2008
Campania AtreCard Saves You Money
We read in Rick Steve's Italy book about the Campania ArteCard, which is a 3-day integrated ticket for various museums in the Campania region, including Pompeii, Herculaneum, and many other sites (first two sites free, all others are 50% off). It also covers public transportation, including the Circumvesuviana train. All of this is in Rick Steve's book. He points out that the card (25 Euros) pays for itself if you go to two sites and take one train ride in between. What we didn't know, but were *very* pleasantly surprised at, is that the card also allows you to take the SITA buses throughout the region, including the Amalfi coast. So, in three days, we've taken the Circumvesuviana train multiple times, visited Pompeii and Herculaneum, and also took a day trip to Positano on the SITA bus. All for 25 Euros per person. Priced separately, I'm sure we would have spent at least twice that amount. Make sure you get one - they are sold at the museum and archeological sites, but also at Tobacchi shops around the region. We were surprised not to see more tourists with these cards, but we wouldn't have known to ask for them if not for the Rick Steve's book (thank you Rick!). They also sell a seven day version of the Campania ArteCard, which does not include transportation, but does get you in free to all the museums and archeological sites. More info at www.companiartecard.it.
Meredith M.
Burlington, MA USA 04/30/2008
Barcelona, Spain
Just returning from Barcelona. Loved the Hotel Continental Barcelona on the Rambla. Our room charge (including breakfast and FREE beer & drinks all day,plus the gracious hotel staff) was 82.00 Euros ... but the exchange rate & service chg. on our VISA when we returned home was huge! Guess it's better to pay in Euros "on site."
The Picasso Museum, the Gaudis, the Maritime Museum and gorgeous city sites mentioned in your guide book were wonderful. The absolute BEST deal of all was the 2 day ticket on the "tourista bus." Wonderful. The food choices and prices were "out of sight" ... even the ones you suggested, Rick. In fact, we thought the tapas in Barcelona were way over-rated ... and sneezed upon by a lot of folks sitting at the bar, at that! For good fast food we ended up at Pan's (all over the city) ... a small, good ham panini and beer was 5 Euros & we didn't see anyone sneeze on it! (And that guy right inside the market who was supposed to be so "cute," was nasty!) Yuk! We loved buying picnic stuff from groceries on the way to the Guell (Gaudi)Park and around our hotel. On our last night we found a lovely place on the Rambla called The Attic (2nd floor ... above NIKE Barcelona ... across from the big market). Lovely atmosphere and good food & friendly service, well presented ... for the price. While we really enjoyed the city and the Costa del Sol, we won't be returning. Spain was a pain ... lots of hucksters and more rudeness than we'd found anywhere else in our European travels...including "awful" France.
Love your show ... you need to revisit Barcelona though.
Les & Barb
Corvallis, OR USA 04/26/2008
europe with a firm budget
I know the $ vs euro is bad but in my opinion, it is still a great vacation value when you compare other areas of the world and what you get for the money. safe food and water, incredible efficient transportation, stunning scenery, world famous museums etc. Just set a budget , stick to it and go!
JS
USA 04/23/2008
Cheap food ideas
I agree with eating a hearty breakfast (especially if it's included), however I always take some food with me when I leave. Then I always eat a late lunch (usually around 1, when you can really linger at the table). Even in Europe I find the lunch portions big enough to eat in one sitting, but also able to keep me full until 5 or 6 pm. Then I will eat my “leftovers” from breakfast or swing by a grocery store and pick up something simple (especially if I don’t read the language.)
This way I still enjoy a nice meal out, but don’t waste food or money!
E
Milwaukee, WI USA 04/15/2008
Saving on food
As many people suggest, the included hearty breakfast at the B&B is the way to start saving on meals. In Ireland we stopped at small groceries and had sandwiches made up at the deli counter. Buy a drink, fruit, chips, and you have a nice and economical meal. Once we bought a small crate of fresh delicious strawberries. If there's a park nearby (There was one in Blarney.) you have a pleasant stop along with your meal.
Florence <email>
Brevard, NC USA 04/05/2008
Renting an appartment
I agree that renting an appartment is a great money saver, especially if you're travelling with kids. European hotels don't offer many rooms for 4 or 5 people and renting 2 rooms every night adds up way too quickly. We try to rent appartments by owner and have had great contacts with them. In Brittany, the owner greeted us with home made "Cidre". In Switzerland, the owner explained to us how to find a great spot to go swimming in the Emme just beside a traditional covered bridge, the river that gave the Emmental region (Swiss Cheese!) its name. This retired gentleman explained to us that this was the spot where he and all the kids in the village learned to swim as there were no swimming pools close by.
And yes, we do cook about half of the meals in the appartment. I love checking out local grocery stores! Or even better farmers markets, if at all possible. In France, we arrived once on a Sunday and I had forgotten that the hyper marche where I intended to shop was closed. While standing in front of the closed doors a local approached me and asked if I needed help. I explained and he then offered to show me the only store in town that was open this day. This most certainly gives more opportunities for genuine contact with locals.
Beatrix <email>
Calgary, Canada 03/29/2008
breakfast on the cheap
From now on I will take my dry cereal, powdered milk and dried fruits and a bowl and spoon if my breakfast is not included in my lodging. Last August a coffee and croissant is costing 5 euros up. That leaves me an extra 5 euros for dinner.
J
CA USA 01/25/2008
Teachers and Students discounts
To get your discounts you must ask and show proof at museums. it is not always posted.
J
CA USA 01/25/2008
Paris on the cheap
We search for small apartments with kitchens and buy staples from Ed, LeaderPrice and Franprix. House brands in France are "gourmet" in the U.S.! We buy treats from local patisseries and delis and patronize cafes only when we feel flush. You can buy a ham sandwich for a couple of euros and split it for lunch. You eat less because the food is often fresher than in the U.S. As for shopping, buy one or two major items and take lot of photos. Buy bulk items for friends - like soaps, sachets, jams, etc.,
WB <email>
Upper Midwest, WI USA 01/18/2008
Save Euros on food
On a recent trip to Germany and Austria, I tried to economize by buying groceries and snacks only at the popular discount chains such as Aldi, Penny Markt and Lidl. While the selection is somewhat limited, the prices are noticably cheaper. Also, these stores are great for buying chocolate and other candy as gifts to take back. Lidl tends to have the best selection and longer opening hours but does not have fresh produce. Aldi sells only off-brand (but otherwise good quality) products.
Mark C <email>
Costa Mesa, CA USA 01/15/2008
Save for Travel
When I decided I wanted to travel, I set up a small savings account. Everytime my husband or I got paid, I put some money in that account and watched it grow. The beauty of this is that you don't feel bad about spending it, because you saved the money specifically for travel. I have been doing this for years, and we always have wonderful, stress free trips as a result.
A couple of years ago we took some friends with us and they worried about what stuff cost the whole time.
My method makes travel a lot more fun!
Sue
Springfield, VA USA 01/11/2008
Save time & money
If you're tight on $ and time try the late bird at many museums. If you go to the Louvre or Tower of London just the last couple of hours they're open you can save half the price of your ticket. If you've planned well you can still see all of the highlights and it is lesss crowded
Kim
Colorado Springs, CO USA 12/28/2007
camping is not
If you are traveling to Italy don't forget about the campgrounds that are just a little bit out of town. They usually provide shuttels and do not imply tent camping. They will save you money and you still get a room and often a pool, restaurant and washing machines. Here is an article about one outside Rome that I can vouch for.
http://noambit.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/12/rome-is-a-busy.html
Matt
Arcata, CA USA 12/20/2007
Avoid AAA travellers checks
I haven't used travellers checks in years, but on a recent trip there were circumstances where they were useful. As I had done in the past, I went to AAA where as a member I could get free travellers checks. The problem was that instead of the American Express version AAA used to sell, which are an excellent product, I was given Visa travellers checks, which are garbage. With Amex checks, you could always cash them at the other end for no fee at an Amex office. Not so, the Visa checks. That incurred a 2.5% fee to cash them. It took an hour to find anyone that would even accept them at all (others asked are they Amex and shook their heads when I said ''no''), and they would only give me local currency for them (the Amex office would give the currency on the face - dollars), and since I needed dollars, I had to do two currency conversions to get the dollars I needed, which was a further expense. AAA did a huge disservice to their members by switching from American Express, the cadillac of travellers checks, to Visa, which is a clapped out Yugo of TC's. Shame on AAA!
sp
USA 12/06/2007
BYOM (Bring Your Own Meat)
We bought vacuum sealed tuna and salmon packets with us, the flat nature of it made it easy to carry around. Each day we would buy bread and make sandwiches, it was an inexpensive way to get protein into our diet.
Cindy B <email>
Centreville, VA USA 11/30/2007
Cheapest way to Paris from CDG
The least expensive way to get into Paris from CDG is to take RATP Bus No. 350 or 351. No. 350 terminates at Gare du Nord from where you can take a taxi, metro or another bus to your destination. No. 351 ends at Place de la Nation and then you proceed to your hotel or wherever.
Both buses start at the Terminal 1 RER station and then go to Terminals 2 & 3. The stop I know about for sure is at Door 9 in Terminal 2A.
The fare is 3 tickets, which is less than 5 euros.
Norma Udy <email>
Montreal, Canada 11/27/2007
Save Money on Food in London
London dining can be terribly expensive (just like any major world city). So this is what we did. We stayed at the St. Giles Hotel (the west end location) and had their breakfast every morning. It was a full breakfast buffet (complete with meat and potatoes). Very filling! Then we skipped lunch and tried to find a pub around 4 or 4:30 in the afternoon.
Not breaking for lunch saved us money and precious sightseeing time (we were only there for three days).
Then, once we'd decided to pack it in for the night---usually around 11:00pm, we would stop on the way back to the hotel and pick up a very light snack---an ice cream or a small hamburger. There is a Burger King and a McDonald's just around the corner from the hotel.
Karen
USA 11/09/2007
Camping - serously!
Rach is right - and in some countries like Holland and Denmark, the "campings" have little cabins so oyu don;t even have to lug a tent. They cost more (maybe around 30 to 40 dollars), but it's a nice luxury...
Planet Girl
FL USA 11/09/2007
Making the most out Euros
Paris 2007
My wife and I LOVE PARIS and we just spent 15 wonderful days there and I feel the urge to tell someone about them. This is our third trip. Please forgive my eagerness, but we were born in a former French colony and being in Paris gave us the impression of walking through a living history book. Most of what we learned about French history seemed to be waiting for us at each street corner. By the way, do not worry too much about the language because almost everything that is written, and with which you will come in contact in Paris, has the English translation next to it. And most stores have employees who can guide you through a business transaction.
• You cannot go to Paris without consulting at least one Travel Guide book. I used 3 of them: Rick Steve’s Paris 2005, DK Eyewitness Travel 2006 (for the greatest bird’s-eye view details of some Paris neighborhoods), and Fodor’s Paris 2007. I don’t know if it is politically correct to mention the other guides in Rick’s website, but it is not possible to glean most of the much needed information from any one in particular. Buy them as early as possible. Besides, you can check various graffiti walls on www.dk.com, www.ricksteves.com, www.fodors.com. And I found the Sunday Travel Section of The NY Times to be a very useful source of info and websites.
• The first thing I do is to find out what we would like to see in Paris and earmark the sights, including Rick’s walks, and the other sights in the travel guides. And, whenever I find a potentially useful website, I write it in my notebook and in the “Favorites” column of the Internet Explorer main page. I travel with my notebook. Ex.: Go to www.google.com/maps, type in Paris and you can have satellite maps with pictures and street names of any area of the city. Zoom in a particular area, see and print where you will be walking before you go.
• Then I go online at www.ratp.fr, which is the Paris Métro website (trains and buses). I type the departing address, or metro station, on one side and the arriving address, or metro station, on the other. And the search engine retrieves and displays the station from which we leave, the line to use, the direction in which the line goes, where to change train(s), and at which station to exit. Very clearly and simply presented. I can also print the return schedule indicating the metro station at the end of the walk, or close to any sight, which takes us right back to our hotel. The printouts are 4x6 index cards. I tape them in the travel book(s), on the page of the walk or sight. P.S. You can print destinations to and from every sight in and around Paris, such as Versailles, Chantilly, Fontainebleau, Vaux-le-Vicomte, etc. Do not be one of those adventurous but lost souls trying to figure out which way to go, or where to get off, as the train is pulling in, or out of, the station. The philosophy behind traveling to another country/culture includes perhaps the joy of experimentation, but losing 2 or 3 hours per day looking for a specific sight does not compute efficiently. Remember: You have to go home in a few days. And a great vacation just might be the sum of what you see.
• Check www.tsa.gov to find out what you can bring back to the USA.
• A word about airline tickets. I deal directly with the airline carrier itself instead of going through those so-called “discount agents.” For one thing, since they purchase their seats from the airlines, they always link you back to the carrier and it is the same price. Why talk to angels when I can deal directly with God! Ha! Ha! I booked our flight about six months in advance, in this case American Airlines (www.aa.com), and I kept my eyes on them for months. And every day, or so, I checked online for any change in the price. And sure enough, it changed three times from March to August; I saved $215 from price reduction per ticket. And no hassle from American Airlines. They just credited my credit card.
• We never use a taxi to reach our hotel/apartment from the airport. We always reserve the Yellow Van Shuttle through the hotel. Good service. Good price: 32 Euros for two; usually there is another couple sharing the van. Plenty of room for your luggage. A.C. No extra charge. You can also reserve it online at www.yellowvanshuttle.com. Upon reservation they provide an e-mail that explains in English how to contact them from the airport (800 number) before you collect your luggage upon arrival. Usually a 20/30-minute wait.
• Use the bicycles at the “Vélib” stations (www.velib.paris.fr), a city program that provides bicycles for interested riders. There will be 1451 stations with 20,600 bicycles by the end of the year 2007. The city expects to have a Vélib station every 300 meters. Just a credit card. Instructions are also in English. Read them carefully!
• Money: You can buy a few Euros from your bank, but we picked up our first Euros at Charles de Gaulle Airport. At the arrival area, go to the first level (one flight down) and you will find a post office. At the entrance of this p-o. (do not go inside), you will find an ATM with English language. This money can be used for your taxi fare and small purchases. By the way, I printed and laminated at Staples a Euro/Dollar Pocket-sized Converter from www.gocurrency.com. It only fluctuates a few cents during your vacation. Use it if needed.
• One week before departure, call your bank(s) and the credit card companies and tell them that you will be out of the country. Find out your available credit, your PIN number (or create one), transaction fee (if any), the Apr % (which helps you decide what card to use), and the toll-free # in case you need to contact them (often it is not the same # on the back of the card). Add an international calling card from your telephone company after you ask them to detail how to make a call from Paris. put a sticker on the card and write down the instructions.
• The first day in Paris we bought a Carte Orange for one week from the nearest metro station (www.ratp.fr). It saves you beaucoup of Euros. Don’t leave your hotel room/apartment without it! You may use it every 8 minutes on trains or buses. Have a couple of passport photos made before leaving home. Do not forget to place your picture on the card.
• The same day we “had” to go to the Champs Elysées office (25, Rue des Pyramides / Metro: Pyramides, ligne 7-14 / Open: Mon-Sat 10h-7h, and Sun 11h-7h) (www.fr.parisinfo.com) to buy a Paris Museum Pass because the Eiffel Tower office is no longer selling them. A 6-day pass is invaluable. No kidding. Not only do you save beaucoup, beaucoup of Euros but also you feel like a VIP at all the museums and sights that honor the card. About 80 of them! A Must. And do not forget to write your name and the date you start to use the card on it. Even if you do not go to museums for a day or two during your stay, it is well worth it. Inquire also at www.paris.fr/musees or www.intermusees.com, www.parismuseumpass.com. P.S. We found a tourism office at the departure level of Charles de Gaulle airport as we were leaving Paris. We are not sure if they sell the Museum Pass. Check it out!
jean-frantz <email>
Staten Island, NY USA 09/18/2007
Teachers and Student discounts
Take your id cards as many museums and entrances are discounted for you. You must ask it is not always posted. for Chateauxs in Loire valley it is a 2 euro (about $2.75) discount. Not a lot but sure adds up.
JS
walnut Creek , Ca USA 08/23/2007
Breakfast
When doing room search it is often not quickly apparent wheather breakfast is included In London breakfast is $20 each and often not convient . i think it is worth checking
John Brangwin <email>
Bellevue Wa, USA 08/17/2007
Thrifty Travel Tips
If there is any risk of a rail strike I suggest using a Visa or Mastercard to charge your rail tickets, despite any surcharge. In April of 2007, I purchased tickets to go from Arles to Nice. Each ticket cost about $45. When we arrived at the station the next day, the trains weren’t running and the ticket office was also closed for the strike. We hiked to the other side of the city and took a bus. When I tried to get a refund for the rail tickets in Nice, I was told it could only be done in Arles. I wrote to SCNF, the French rail company, asking for a refund and received a reply telling me 3 different times how much they want to please their customers--but they wouldn’t refund my money. If I had paid with a credit card, I could appeal to Visa. As it is, I’m out the money.
Karen <email>
Princeton, NJ USA 08/01/2007
dining on the cheap
Many places you stay at, especially those in rick steve's book, have a very good breakfast included in the price. We always eat a very hardy breakfast, snack during the day, buying fruit, have a sandwich, or buy anything else that looks good at low cost during the day and then have a nice dinner usually at local restaurants, many recommended by rick's books- and usually very reasonably priced. In europe, as luck would have it, beer is cheaper than virtually anything else including water and pop, so I always have a very good time at a reasonable price.
brian
USA 07/22/2007
Budget eatin in France
In France, especially Paris, Chinese "delis" are plentiful. At least every couple of days I find a Chinese deli and have a meal which I eat there. There is a wide selection of dishes, which are on displayed and have their names indicatied, so you can have a different assortment of dishes each time. I usually spend 6-10 euros per meal. It's delicious, nutritious, filling, and affordable. Other days I buy a quiche or sandwich for my main meal then have some fresh fruit for dessert. Ok, I often have one of those incredibly yummy pastries or flans for dessert. At the store I usually buy cheese, yogurt, and some kind of crackers or cereal to eat for breakfast in my room. Then I hit the street for an expresso and croissant for breakfast.
Swan
Napa, CA USA 07/14/2007
eating
I found eating dreadfully expensive everywhere. Seems the only way to get around it is to buy food out of the supermarkets, small stores off the beaten track, or pastry shops. Then take the food to the nearest park and eat it.
J. Sinclair
Vallejo, CA USA 07/12/2007
Camping - serously!
I think if Americans knew about this option, they'd all do it. It's super-affordable, super-convenient, and totally different from typical American woods camping. I'm surprised Rick doesn't say more about it.
My husband and I spent our honeymoon camping for 3 weeks in Europe in '05 and had the time of our lives. We didn't "rough it" at all, and we felt we had a true European experience. Here are the reasons it was so great:
- Convenience: there's usually a "camping" (as campgrounds are called) within a few kilometers of any train station, anywhere. Often it's walking distance. A city like Paris or Rome will have 10 or 15 campings a short train ride away or in the city itself. Plus, we traveled through six countries in July, never had a reservation, and always got a spot at the camping of our choice.
- Comfort: Campings look like country clubs or nice city parks. There's no hiking involved -tents go up on flat, grassy lawns. A camping typically has most or all of the amenities of a hotel, including a bar, a restaurant, a grocery store, a swimming pool, very clean bathrooms with hot showers, game rooms, kids' play areas, internet access, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, organized activities, live performances, and frequent bus service to local sites. Some campings even bring you complimentary hot bread in the morning. The only difference from a hotel is that you're in your tent, not a room.
- Peace of mind: campings are super-safe. No matter where we stayed, when we went out for the day we'd just leave our stuff zipped up in our tent. Other campers advised us that this was normal. We never lost anything.
- Culture: since Americans don't use the campings, you're surrounded by really friendly Europeans. They're happy to meet an American at a camping. We shared drinks, sang songs and told stories with old guys, teenagers, and families from everywhere you can imagine. We had many of our most "real" experiences at our campings.
- Cost: the best part! We spent 12-18 euro a night!
There are plenty of websites that give you details about European campings. Good campings usually have their own websites, with English text, plenty of pics and online reserving. Google "camping Italy", "camping France" or whatever.
We intent to go to Spain and Portugal for 3 weeks in '08. I'm already psyched about all the beachfront campings we'll be staying in! With a rental car (last time we were on foot), our total lodging costs for 21 days should come to just under $400.
Sorry this isn't more concise - obviously, I'm passionate about the subject. If you want to know more about European camping, e-mail me - I'd love to share what I learned.
Rach <email>
NJ USA 07/08/2007
Budget Eating
Consider eating at restaurants in airports and train stations. Often, meals and snacks are available inexpensively. I like to eat a burrito at the Mexican restaurant at SFO before leaving for Europe. In London, Paris, and Rome there are inexpensive places to eat in the train stations. At Victoria Station take escalators to the top floor; there is a wide selection of eateries to choose from there.
Swan
Napa, USA 07/01/2007
dining in
Right -- shopping for food and preparing it in an apartment is not disconnecting from the local culture. This is how most of them live their day to day lives -- you will be blending in.
Of course visiting restaurants, cafes, and bars is fun and gives you the opportunity to socialize with locals and tourists, which is fun and rewarding as well.
BG
San Francisco, CA USA 06/14/2007
Disconnection, not disconnect
"Disconnect" is not a noun. It's a verb. I think you meant "There is no disconnection..."
I know it's trendy among politicians to abuse this word, but that doesn't make it right.
Melinda
Tahoe, CA USA 06/13/2007
Disagree about disconnect
We stayed in a flat in London and bought take out food to be eaten at the flat. We had to interact with folks in the grocery, pubs, take out food places. It saves a bundle. Sometimes we ate out, but London is expensive!
Lillibet
USA 04/29/2007
No Disconnect
We disagree that you are "disconnected from local culture" when you cook meals in an apartment. There is much contact at small groceries,bakeries and wine shops.
We have rented many apts during our 3 trips to Europe and have thoroly enjoyed each experience, while saving TONS!!!
Paul n Sara <email>
USA 04/15/2007
Cooking for yourself in apartments
This is a tip that Rick would almost certainly disapprove of, but is a great way to save money and make a travel memory in the process. If you can find a place that rents out furnished apartments you can cook some of your old meals. My wife and I did this in Siena. Grocery stores sell the same things in Europe that they sell in America (in Germany you can even find an Aldi without looking hard, as the company is German).
The reason Rick would not like this is because it disconnects you from the local culture. Restaurants are one of the easiest ways to throw yourself in to the local culture. Picnicking also lets you dine away on a grassy knoll with the rest of the locals doing the same thing. Cooking for yourself will disconnect you from the culture, but you can get 3 to 5 meals for the price of one!
Jarrod
White Bear Lake, MN USA 04/12/2007
breakfast/snack
I packed boxed milk & juice(non-refrig. kind) and individual cereal for breakfast and snacks such as dried fruit, nuts, granola bars... You'll save a lot of money at the airport/destination. I saved about $100 while travelling to London & Paris.
Bunnyboo
fremont, CA USA 03/23/2007
Oyster
We are going to be back there within a few months, so it made sense for us to keep our cards. However, after this trip, we won't be back for another 2-3 years, so we will cash in our cards when we leave.
Karen
USA 01/24/2007
Any buddy have change
Read the fine print after 2 years you hAVE TO CALL A NUMBER TO REACTIVATE CARD . NOT CONVIENENT so I just asked for my 20 L unused Pounds back and saved card . I am not trying to be a smart ass . But want to inform as there are many adds saying never expires but to have to make a call upon arrival is not convieent
USA 01/22/2007
Oyster Card
Get an Oyster Card!! If you are going to be in London for three or more days, and you plan to travel by tube it really pays to get one of these. It's a 3-pound deposit, but you get that back when you turn in the card. If you plan to go back in the near future, then just keep the card. The money you put on it never expires and you can top it off online!
Karen
USA 01/17/2007