After a long, wintery stretch of being holed up at the office, the Cheapos are heading out for a road trip!

Next Tuesday, Tom, Pete and Meredith are flying to Berlin to attend “The World’s Leading Travel Show” at ITB Berlin. Held in the massive Messe Berlin expo center, the Cheapos will be among the 150,000+ attendees swarming through acres of travel trade show bliss. EuroCheapo will be one of thousands of companies attending the conference, which spans all regions of the world and travel categories, including cultural tourism, eco-tourism and adventure travel (although this Cheapo is personally psyched about conducting a greater-Berlin Mensa cafeteria taste test.) ITB Berlin sponsors and partners include Eurosport, PhoCusWright, CNN, Yahoo! and many others.

Following the conference, the Cheapos will be driving from Berlin to Brussels and Bruges, where they’ll be hunting down the best budget hotels to publish on EuroCheapo. Thanks to the Cheapo community for sending so many helpful emails and blog comments with tips and recommendations for hotels they think should be included in our upcoming Brussels and Bruges guides. Your feedback has been tremendous!

We will be submitting blog posts from the road throughout our travels, documenting the planned (and unplanned) events of our jaunt, so stay tuned. And if any fellow Cheapos plan on attending ITB Berlin, send us an email and let us know!

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Ah, Florence, Renaissance city of artistic treasures, architectural icons, and mouth-watering delicacies. And throngs of tourists. And locals zipping up and down tiny streets on scooters and motorcycles.

If you’re an adventurous traveler, you might consider seeing the city like a local — on a cute little euro-scooter. But should you?

Pros

Renting a scooter in Florence makes sense if you want to take scenic drives through the countryside. If you rent a typical scooter (like a Honda SH 125 cc or the smaller Cagiva Cucciolo 50), you’ll be able to drive along country roads and scoot your way through Chianti country. Sounds romantic, no?

The hilly countryside (and even immediate environs of Florence) are much less strenuously traversed on a scooter than trekked on a bicycle.

Cons

Renting a scooter is not practical if you simply want to speed up your city sightseeing. Sure, the locals zip about town, but they also are trained to avoid the busiest streets and pedestrian zones, and know how to stay alert for tourists and car doors.

Even if you plan to limit your scooting to areas outside of Florence, you will need to exercise caution, as small roads have their share of blind corners, speeding autos, and other scooters. Also, consider that most of central Florence is a pedestrian-only zone, and scooter riding is relegated to the busy side streets.

Legalities

To rent a scooter in Florence, you simply need a passport, valid driver’s license, and the willingness to plunk down your credit card as a deposit.  Anyone riding on a scooter must wear a helmet (which is included in rental). Also included in scooter rental are liability insurance and unlimited miles.

Both agencies below require that drivers have previous experience driving a scooter. As Florence by Bike states in the FAQ, “we suggest not to rent a scooter if you are a beginner.”

Note that you will not be allowed to drive on highways and freeways unless you rent a motorcycle. However, small country roads are just waiting for you.

Where to rent

Alinari scooter rental - Via San Zanobi 38/R. Located near the main train station, Alinari has lower prices than its competitor and offers more types and sizes of scooters. Prices range from €30 for a one-day rental of a Cagiva Cucciolo or Honda 50, to €55 for a Honda Bali 100 cc and €55 for a Honda SH 125. The shop also rents bicycles and motorcycles.

Florence by Bike - Rents the same Honda SH 125 for €65, but offers much helpful advice. Additionally, the shop offers a wide variety of bicycle rentals and organizes bike tours, including a Chianti bike ride that it claims is not terrible strenuous. Florence by Bike encourages tourists to opt for bikes over scooters for visiting the city. Daily bikes rentals run from €14 for city bikes to €35 for fancy racing bikes, with many options in between.

Have you ever rented a scooter in Florence? Tell us about your experience!

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Sightseeing in Barcelona can get pretty pricey. But never fear, there are plenty of things to do in Barcelona that won’t cost you one Euro-cent. Our recommendations:

1) Go, go, Gaudi!

Stroll through Park Geull, an incomplete masterpiece by Antoni Gaudi. Walk up the grand staircase, explore the cavernous shelters and sit on benches laden with mosaic tiles and glass—Gaudi’s trademarks. Geull is open year-round, but closes at dusk. Call (34) 93 413 24 00 for more information.

2) Take it to church

A visit to the Barcelona Cathedral, in the center of the Gothic district, places you in the middle ages, and won’t cost you a shilling. Pieces of the original building dating back to the 10th-century are still intact. To find the cathedral, simply head to Plaça de la Seu and look up. How in-spire-ing!

3) Grab a bongo

Got your own? Bring ‘em along and join the many bongo players who congregate in Parc Ciutadella on weekend afternoons. You’ll see the majority of them there on Sundays. Otherwise, just swing by, chill out, and feel the local beat.

4) Check out the gallery scene

The incredible Fundacio Caixaforum is a gorgeous art nouveau fortress, originally a factory, that today serves as a cultural space open daily and free to enter. Catch a lecture on architecture or just browse the galleries. Free concerts occur weekly. Bonus tip: For more art openings, hit up Conseil de Cent Street between Mutaner and Rambla Catalunya, where there is a whole slew of freebie galleries.

5) Listen up

Before you go, here’s an idea: Why not take a thread from one of our favorite budget travel blogs, Less Than a Shoestring, and download The Independent’s free Barcelona podcast. It’s chock full of good advice and ideas to get you crazy for Catalan.

Have fun, save your cash, and send any other freebie tips our way!

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We’ll admit it: we’re fans of the TV show “Lost” (Aaron’s a member of the Oceanic Six?? Helloooo curveball!) We’ll also admit that today is an exceptionally wintry, snowy, icy Friday in New York City and we’re finding it hard not to daydream about Lost-y seaside escapes.

Thus inspired, we’ve decided to plan a spontaneous (if imaginary) last-minute trip for next weekend somewhere warm and sunny. Where could we walk on a beach, eat great seafood , see interesting sights, and make our euros stretch to the max?

Oh yeah, and stick to a budget of less than $1,000? Here’s our plan:

Destination: Lisbon

Why? It boasts more than 300 days of sunshine a year, is currently 65 degrees, has great nightlife, tasty food, and is budget-friendly. In short, we love Lisbon.

Getting there

An initial search on CheapTickets.com found a flight for $590 departing Friday at 6 pm (heck, we’d only have to leave work a couple hours early) and returning to NYC on Tuesday night at 7:25 pm. We found a marginally cheaper flight ($577) on Farecast, but it required a nearly 23 hour return flight… maybe next time.

Where to stay

After a quick CheapoSearch for Lisbon we found over 50 central accommodation options for under $100. Twenty of these are under $60. Now we’re talking! We considered the “Lisbon Poets Hostel” for $29 per night. After all, Charlie would stay there, right? However, considering that we’re already ”sleeping” one night on the airplane, we’d appreciate a private room rather than a four-person shared room. Instead, we settled on the “Pension Royal” in the desperately beautiful Bairro Alto, where a private single can be snagged for $53 per night, and you’re situated just steps from cafes and nightlife.

Total cost for three nights: $159.

Where to eat seafood

There are endless choices of great restaurants in Lisbon, but one of the absolute gems is Nariz Do Vinho Tinto, located in the Lapa district. While the prices aren’t super-budget (entrees are around $15), we’re looking for great food and the owner, José Matos Cristovão, is also editor of the Portuguese edition of Epicur, a Spanish food magazine. We’re in!

Approximate weekend food budget: $100

Where to go

Sticking to a tight budget in Lisbon is easier than many other European cities. In order to save on my “splurgy” seafood extravaganza (we all make choices, after all), I’ll be picking up a 48-hour Lisboa Card ($37) to receive discount entrance fees to museums and free rides on the CARRIS system.

Specific attractions include the Basilica da Estrela and our favorite Cheapo park, Jardim da Estrela. The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga is free until mid-afternoon on Sundays, too…perfect.

Total cost with a couple museum admissions thrown in: $50

Total Cost of the Getaway 

Adding it all up, this escape, including flight, hotel, seafood, and daytime activities could be ours for $899. You could spend more than that staying in New York! (We’ll just keep telling ourselves that!) OK, so it’s just a snowy daydream… but it’s good to know that somewhere affordable the sun is shining.

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Dear readers, we’re packing our bags for Belgium, where we’ll be adding two new cities to the site! And we’re asking you for your advice!

First, we’ll visit Brussels, the bulls-eye of the European Union. Known for its bankers, beer, and chocolate, Brussels is also known for rather expensive lodging, presenting us with both a challenge and an opportunity.

Next we’ll head to the picturesque village of Bruges, always popular with tourists–and full of charming hotels. (Bruges has also been in lights recently with the debut of In Bruges, a film starring Ralph Fiennes and Colin Farrell. It’s even playing in the theater downstairs from our office. We smell popcorn!)

Now, we’re asking you for your tips! Have you been to Brussels? Bursting with something to say about Bruges?

We’re compiling our list of independently-run hotels, bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, and pensions to review for both cities. In addition, we’d love to hear your budget restaurant recommendations, Belgian know-how, and anything else you’re eager to share with us.

Send us a note or write a comment below. And thanks—your recommendations help build a better EuroCheapo.

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Amsterdam is one of the best European cities for cycling. See the city, speed along the canals, and act like a local.

Ready to roll? First, grab a good map. The tourism office facing Centraal Station offers a bike-specific map with highlighted biking paths and touring suggestions.

Then, go get a bike! Where?

Mike’s Bike Tours
Kerkstraat 134

One of the most popular bike rentals in Amsterdam, Mike’s (along with other rental agencies) requires you to leave some sort of deposit when you rent a bike:  your passport, an imprint of your credit card, or a deposit of €200. They provide you with two bike locks, and will even demonstrate how to use them!

(A word of caution: Mike’s also has a location in Munich and it can be a bit tricky to navigate their web site, so if you decide to book online, make sure you’re on the Mike’s Amsterdam page!)

Rates - 1/2 day: €5 (€8 with insurance); 1 day: €7 (€10 with insurance).

Frederic Rental Bike
Brouwerstgracht, 78

All bikes go for €10 a day (no hourly rentals) and Frederic requires a deposit of either a credit card or passport. Insurance is included in the price.

The advantages of renting from Frederic are simple: It’s cheap, you don’t have to deposit any money, and the bikes are free of giant logos that make them look like dorky, commercial rental bikes. These bikes are “originals,” and thus great for cycling hipsters. Also, Frederic’s staff claims they are “gastronomical freaks” and will fill you with their culinary expertise before you speed off.  While we don’t recommend eating your meals on wheels, you’ll at least now the best places to stop for a meal.

Canal Bike
Weteringschans 26- 1 hg

Ok, so this isn’t a traditional bike company. Canal Bike only rents “canal bikes,” which are pedal boats for two, three, and four people. With pedal boats, you’re free to tour the city via its famous waterways. Canal Bike holds onto a €50 deposit due at the time of your booking. Dock your boat at the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, or countless other city attractions.

Rate - €8 per person for 1-2 people;  €7 per person for more than 2 people.

Mac Bike
Multiple locations around the city

If you’re making a group booking (10 people or more), we think Mac is the best plan of attack. They offer great rental discounts and even lead some of the most unique tours in town, grouped by interest (gay, architecture, even Hans Brinker).

Rates - From €6 (3 hours) to €25 (1 day), depending on type of bike and length of rental.

Bike City
68 - 70 Bloemgracht

Bike City is great if you plan to rent for more than a day. They offer really reasonable 5-day rates (€34-44.50) and prices are significantly reduced if you rent for more than 5 days.

Rates - €10-14.50 per 24 hour period.

Note: Prices are shown for half-day and full-day rentals, although multiple day rentals are available through most bike agencies.  A half-day rental makes sense for a fun tour of the town, although real cycle nuts (we see that Lance Armstrong bracelet!) and tourists looking to use their bike for daily transportation will want a longer rental.

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(Editor’s Note: While we always shy away from self-promoting posts on the blog, please indulge us for a moment…)

We recently updated our EuroCheapo page on Facebook and we think it’s pretty Cheapo-rific.

On our Facebook page you’ll find photo albums including “Cheapos At Work”, “CheapoPets We’ve Met Along the Way” (hint: We’ve got sheep! Lots of ‘em!), and the occassional shot of our reviewers lost in the streets. You can also view videos submitted by fellow Cheapos and write all over our wall (we encourage it!). Best of all, you’ll be joining a growing family of Cheapos!

We’re just getting started on our page, and we’ve got contests and more in store.  Have a look, browse the photos, and become a fan of EuroCheapo!

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We love Paris. We love classical concerts and operas. And we love saving money. Thus, we combined our loves and put together a list of five ways to do culture in Paris a la cheapo.

Free classical music

Pick up a Pariscope, the weekly listings guide (in French), at any magazine kiosk and flip to the classical concert listings. You’ll see many freebie concerts, often by young musicians and local ensembles, held on Sundays in churches around town.

We’re especially fond of concerts in the 16th Century Eglise St-Merri, in the 4th arrondissement, which presents free concerts on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year. (Incidentally, the bell tower contains the oldest bell in Paris, cast in 1331!)

Cheap seats for concerts in major venues

Paris boasts world-class performances in state-of-the-art musical halls. Best of all, many of these venues receive government support to help keep ticket prices affordable — or at least some ticket prices affordable. (Don’t be thrown by expensive seats. Hunt around a bit on the websites and you’ll find the cheap seats!)

The Salle Pleyel is a brand new performance hall, offering performances by classical stars and touring orchestras. Tickets can be found for major concerts from €10. (Check out our earlier post on the Salle Pleyel.)

Theatre du Chatelet located at Place du Chatelet in the 1st arrondissement, offers modern and classical concerts, from recitals to full orchestras. Again, ticket rates are surprising reasonable, starting at €20 for most concerts. The theater has a Sunday morning concert series with all seats going for €23 (€12 under 26 years old, children free) and no tickets are sold in advance. The ticket office opens at 10 AM and seating is open. (More information, in French.)

Cheap seats for Dance

Theatre de la Ville, located across from Theater du Chatelet, provides modern dance performances. Tickets are quite reasonable, many priced at €10-15.

The celebrated 19th Century Opera Garnier presents mostly ballet and modern dance pieces. Even if you’re not a dance enthusiast, you can’t help but be impressed by the building’s neo-Baroque architecture, sweeping staircase, 2,200 seat grand salle, and ceiling by Marc Chagall.

Cheap seats for Opera

The Opera National de Paris operates both the Opera Bastille and the Opera Garnier. The Opera Bastille, a controversial building when it opened in 1989, presents operas throughout the year, and boasts that each of its seats provides an unobstructed view of the stage. Although ticket prices go as high as €150, seats for the same performance go as low as €5. (Seriously, check out the ticket prices for Wagner’s Parsifal.)

We’ll see you at the show… in the cheap seats!

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London can be a tricky city for dining. Long criticized for the quality of its fare (”It’s no Paris!”), the city has undergone a gastro-awakening over the past decade that has benefited the bellies, if not the wallets, of its diners.

So what’s a Cheapo to eat? Here are our dining tips, all tested and tried:

1. Go for conveyer belt sushi!

We were initially turned off by the robotic, ever-moving feel of these establishments, frequently seen in London’s malls and Tube stations, but the low prices always lured us back to the belt. Eventually, we even got a hang of it. (Not counting the time the California rolls spun out on our table.) We’re big fans because you watch all the sushi and sashimi as it’s prepared, so you know it’s fresh. You can also ask the chef to add a little extra something (Wasabi? Extra roe?) to your particular dish. Hey, if we’re conveyer converts, you can be too.

Try Yo Sushi, which has tons of locations all across London.

2. Eat with the fishes—and chips!

Sure, we try to stay away from battered and fried, but you have to go there at least once during your stay. Our favorite fish and chips joint is the Rock & Sole Plaice (47 Endell St, WC2 ) in Covent Garden. For under £15, you can order a whole fish and taste a variety of dipping sauces, and have your chips too! If you can’t tube it to this spot, you can usually find decent (and cheaper) fish and chips in any neighborhood. Just steer clear of major tourist haunts (Read: Leicester Square) and larger chains like Slug and Lettuce that claim they have fresh oceanic fare. When in doubt, ask the locals!

3. Kebob it!

We’ve been there: It’s midnight, the pub just closed, and your tum-tum is grumbling. If you’re in Bayswater, head for a kebob stand on busy Queensway where, for a few pounds, you can get your lamb on. Doll it up with the fixins, which usually include peppers, tomatoes, hummus, tahini, and cucumber sauce.

We recommend The Taza Kebab House, where the lamb is always succulent and the pita sandwiches are filling.

4. Join the chain gang.

You may normally steer clear of chain restaurants, but local chains can introduce you to local tastes (mmmm…. mayonnaise!) and help your budget. Big name chain restaurants like Wagamama (Japanese) and Pret-A-Manger (eat-in or take-out sandwiches and coffee) are London mainstays, located throughout the city. Smaller chains like Hummus Bros offer a unique dining experience without exotic prices. Many of these chains offer lunch specials daily.

5. Get roasted.

Sunday is the best day to partake in a yummy, often three-course, gastro-pub meal. The menus are usually prix fixe, but you can always order stuff separately. And, if you haven’t been to a Sunday “roast,” it’s a great way to see London culture at its finest—and hungriest—as piles of bangers and mash, roasted chickens and beef, and plenty o’ pints are consumed. We love The Chapel Pub in Marylebone (48 Chapel Street, London, NW1 5DP ), where we’re always warmly greeted with a comfy seat and a fantastic meal.

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Venice may be known for its opera house and Vivaldi concerts, but it isn’t celebrated for its nightlife. This can present problems for travelers looking, well, to do something at night. This problem also dogs single travelers in Venice, who may not find any special romantic epiphany wandering the canals alone after dinner. (And we won’t even go into the nightlife issues faced by single hotel reviewers, staying in the town in the dead of winter…)

Alas, the canalled city does offer a range of nightlife options. Here’s our quick guide:

1. Have a drink with the locals

Head to Campo Santa Margherita in Dursoduro to hang out with the locals in the small cafes, bars, and lounges lining the square. Don’t be intimidated by the clusters of real Venetians. Grab a drink. Recommended:

Cafe Blue (Dursoduro 3778), serves drinks and live music until 2 AM. The hopping bar is a favorite with locals and tourists alike, and is located next to the equally enticing Cafe Noir.

Il Caffe, is known as “Caffe Rosso” because of its red interior.  The bar welcomes all ages, features live music, and is regarded as a Venice “classic.” Dursoduro 2963, on the Campo.

Orange, also on the Campo Santa Margherita, is a hip joint that pours cocktails to an eager, cosmo-crowd. Calling itself a restaurant and “champagne lounge,” the bar features décor done up entirely in — you guessed it, orange!

2. Sip a cocktail in a schmancy lounge

Centrale Restaurant Lounge, located steps from San Marco square, is a swanky restaurant and lounge. Make no mistake: This place isn’t cheap at all (dinner for two prix fixe, €150!), but you can lounge about and sip your cocktail slowly. Offering themed nights and a gay night. Open from 7 PM -2 AM. Piscina Frezzeria n°1659/b.

3. Hit the club?

Dance clubs are not numerous in Venice proper. In fact, we couldn’t find any that are open right now. Your best bet is to ask at your hotel if Casanova, the disco (and “internet point”) located near the train station is still in open!

Or you could act like a local and head to Maestre, Venice’s neighboring mainland city, where several clubs rage until dawn. Buses and trains run through the night from the Venice’s termini station. Here’s a partial list of clubs in Mestre.

During the summer months, clubbers head to Jesolo, the resort on Venice’s Lido island, to dance ’til dawn on the beach and in the discos. More Jesolo information.

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