Polish low-cost carrier Wizz Air has moved to an all-inclusive pricing model, in its adverts at least. This means that the fares now quoted include taxes and charges. The airline’s lowest fares begin at €19.99.

To celebrate (why not, right?) Wizz Air is also offering flights at 30 percent off through June 3. For what it’s worth, we just priced a €40 Warsaw-Frankfurt Hahn fare in July.

Wizz Air’s market penetration in eastern Europe—where they pip SkyEurope at the post—is truly impressive.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Photo by Taz Nelson

With a total circumference of over seven miles, the Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed park in Europe. Now it’s neatly serviced by the LUAS green line, and still boasts totally free entry. There’s no reason anyone visiting Dublin should overlook this urban playground.

The mix of sports fields, polo grounds, gardens, and valleys means that there’s something for everyone at Phoenix Park. Even if you’re not dazzled by the landscape, a quick trip to the Zoo, a glimpse of the Aras an Uachtarain—the Irish President’s house—or a turn about Ashtown Castle will make even the most minute trip worthwhile.

Just make sure you keep your eyes open for stray Frisbees, soccer balls, bikes and kites as the Park can get almost as crowded as the city on sunny days!

Popularity: 6% [?]

Photo by djmadison41

Now, you can fly direct from the land of Homer to the land of Joyce—and on a budget no less.

Beginning on June 5, 2007, Aer Lingus will be running a new service between Athens and Dublin. Flights can be booked on the Aer Lingus site for travel up through October 27 of this year (2007).

Flights are currently available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The price range, however, is large. We recommend booking as far in advance as possible for the best rates. We found one-way flights starting at €29 and topping out at €195, before taxes.

Prior to the establishment of this route, travelers had to transfer when flying between Athens and Dublin, wasting precious travel time in layovers.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Photo by Pe_Tah

Could it be? After years of Italian influence on the American coffee scene, the tables have finally turned. The latest coffee craze in the country that practically invented the stuff: Eraclea espresso drinks, available in three sizes: €1.10 for a small, €1.90 for a large, and €1.50 for a takeaway.

It appears that Italians have woken up to the joys of caffeine to go. And of course, they’ve done it right.

Dark chocolate sprinkle, white chocolate cream, hazelnut cream, and marocchino (mini-cappuccino) are getting rave reviews around town. While these babies cost a bit more than your standard €.70 caffé al banco—that is, espresso quaffed while standing up at the bar—they provide a refreshing treat for less than €2.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Photo by Letincelle&Soseau

Feeling jaded after all those meals of steak frites and braised veal shanks? Pep yourself up with an ice-cold smoothie at one of the great new juice bars in Paris.

Bob’s Juice Bar is located near the Canal St. Martin on the Right Bank. Run by an American filmmaker called Mark, it has a very laid-back vibe and is organized around a long shared table where locals come to hang out with their laptops and chat with the owner about the latest movies at the Cannes film festival. Find generous pile of magazines, a bottomless cup of coffee for €1, muffins, pancakes, soup, salad, and of course, an inventive roster of juices and smoothies. For an additional kick, ask for a supplement of spirulina or guarana. Smoothies cost €4-€5.50 and there’s a lunch formula at €10 with soup and a salad or a sandwich and a muffin with mint tea.

On the Left Bank near Odéon there’s Wanna Juice, which is more impersonal and geared towards takeout. Nonetheless, it is worth bearing in mind for a hot day in the teeming streets off the Boulevard Saint Germain. Wanna insists on using only fresh fruit and no added sugar. One of their bestsellers is the Apasionada, which consists of passionfruit, mango, banana, and pineapple juice. Smoothies begin at €3.90.

Bob’s Juice Bar is located at 15, rue Lucien Sampaix 75010 M° Jacques Bonsergent and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Wanna Juice, at 65, rue Saint-André des Arts 75006 M° Odéon, is open everyday from 8:30 a.m. ’til sunset.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Photo by cicilief

The third annual “Debits de Paroles” festival opens today, May 23, 2007 and continues through June 10, with events happening across the vibrant eastern arrondissements of Paris as well as the Seine Saint Denis. Poetry slammers, storytellers, and poets will be performing in a slew of eclectic venues including cafes, the street, and on certain bus routes.

Artists hail from all over the French-speaking world—Québec, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon, and Morocco as well as France. Many performances are free. For example, on Tuesday March 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. you can see Lucie Bisson and Hubert Mahela on the 96 bus which runs from Porte des Lilas to the Gare Montparnasse.

Another bus performance has been scheduled for Thursday, May 31, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m., on the 26 bus which runs from Gare Saint Lazare to the Cours de Vincennes. It’s a great opportunity to sample a French take on the art of slam and also to explore neighborhoods which are off the traditional tourist beat. Among the participating cafes are Living B’Art in the 18th arrondissement, which will function as a festival kiosk with tickets on sale for all performances between noon and 3 p.m. from Wednesday to Saturday.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Photo by Iceblinkbaby

We can’t imagine an inefficient Viennese transportation system. Not only do buses, trains, and trams arrive and depart more or less at the expected time, passengers can also map out their itinerary using suggested routes and means of transport via Wiener Linien online.

Recently, the government of Vienna announced that they will increase the prices of tickets along with the parking ticket charges, much to the anger of the opposing political parties and people on the street.

According to Verkehrsverbund Ost Region, the company that manages transportation in eastern and southern parts of Austria, increased ticket prices only make sense. For the last five years ticket prices have remained more or less stable, while vast investments in security and quality have been made. Case in point: last year the U1 metro line was extended five stations, to Leopoldau.

On June 1, the new tariffs will take effect. The price of a single journey purchased in advance will increase from €1.50 to €1.70. A complete list of fare hikes can be seen here.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Photo by idealbite

The ideal thing about Ideal Bite is that the site and its daily e-mails offer interesting, useful, quick “bites” of information—replete with ample doses of humor—for people who want to serve the common good without sacrificing their own personal pleasure and style.

Recently, Ideal Bite served up the 411 about Nau (pronounced “now”), a new brand of clothing that provides style, comfort, and sustainability. Sustainability? Check. The company’s mission is to create apparel that is beautiful, functional, and sustainable. Although the company is only two months old success seems to loom in its future.

What do Ideal Bite (whose founders can be seen resting in a pile of apples above) and Nau have to do with Cheapos? By packing just one of their sleek, edgy outfits made of organic cotton, recycled polyester, or one of the company’s 28 other fabrics currently in use, you can follow up on days hiking or mountain climbing with nights in a pub or coffee house—no change of clothes required. The clothes are all meant to be multipurpose, and since they are designed by urban-dwelling and nature-loving people, they score on every front.

Popularity: 3% [?]

German low-cost carrier Germanwings is having a pretty massive sale on flights in and out of Cologne/Bonn, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Berlin right now.

Destinations include Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, Budapest, Bucharest, Dresden, Dublin, Edinburgh, Helsinki, Leipzig, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Nice, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm, Verona, Warsaw, Vienna, Zagreb, and Zurich. Don’t know about you, but we’re exhausted.

The deal is that you have to book between Wednesday, May 23 and Sunday, May 27—and fly between June 8 and September 2. There are tickets priced for as little as €1 before taxes and charges kick in—although most tickets run €8 or €9, with taxes and fees amounting to an additional €20 and €40.

Not bad, Cheapos, but—and we don’t want to sound like Germanwings employees here—you need to move on this one.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Photo by The Sly Gentleman

Everyone has heard of Munich’s Oktoberfest, but few people know of Bratislava’s Junifest, which will celebrate its fourth year this June, from June 8 through June 17, 2007.

This is a shame, because Slovak beer is excellent and the festival has a great program, and is very cheap. A ten-entry pass costs SKK550 (€16.25; $22) and includes a free Junifest beer glass, a discount card, vouchers, and ten raffle tickets.

And the festival is certainly not just about beer. Every night is a themed music night, rock, dance, R-n-B concerts as well as a men’s night and a ladies’ night, and also a performance by the Scorpions. The highlight of the festival: an attempt to break the Guinness Book of Records entry for the largest mass toast.

Popularity: 6% [?]