Venice, city of gondolas and canals, can get expensive. Thankfully, however, it need not break your budget. Here are five free things to do in Venice: Hang out in Piazza San Marco. While we don’t recommend Cheapos splurge for the touristy restaurants and cafés lining San Marco’s square, we do think that parking yourself just outside the » Read more

The lovely Galerie Gerken in Berlin Mitte In the mid-1990s, many Berlin artists moved from the west side of the city to Auguststrasse in East Berlin. Auguststrasse, sometimes referred to as “East Berlin’s art mile,” today hosts some of the city’s most creative minds, and the Mitte gallery scene has become a haven for international » Read more

You were all ears yesterday, Cheapos, when we announced our latest “Mystery photo contest.” And, you took the bunny bait right away (it occurs to us that maybe our clue was a bit too easy to nibble on). Thanks to all who wrote in with answers. David Anderson, a Cheapo out in Minnesota, was the » Read more

What city are we in, Cheapos? Here’s a hint for today’s mystery photo: You might say these bunnies are enjoying their coffee right in the “middle” of things. We’ll reveal the answer tomorrow. Leave your best guess in the comment section below! The first Cheapo to answer correctly will win a copy of “The Rough Guide » Read more

Some of the stories that grabbed our attention this week: Brussels and Bruges Back from his trip to Belgrade for the Eurovision song contest, Alex of Spendthrift Shoestring jaunted off to Brussels on the Eurostar to see how the city has changed since his last visit in 2002. We enjoyed his musings on the city’s » Read more

According to the experts, Belgians eat approximately 20 pounds of chocolate per year. (That’s the size of our family cat!)There’s no arguing then that we’re far behind on our cocoa intake and must catch up. We’re happy to know that while we’re getting our fix, too, we can also tour many of the chocolatiers (called chocolateries in » Read more

Author, reporter, and NPR correspondent Scott Huler recently returned from an epic journey tracing the tale of Homer’s “Odyssey.” After reading “No-Man’s Lands,” his insightful recounting of the trip, we asked him for advice on planning a similar journey—on a budget. Scott had some great advice: When Odysseus set off on an epic voyage, he » Read more

Do you smell that, Cheapos? It’s the scent of summer, of rubber-soled walking shoes, and of crisp, new, glossy maps. It’s time to set foot in the land of tea and crumpets. Royal weeeeee! Here are five fabulous walking tours in London that won’t cost you a pound. Get moving! 1) For Charles Dickens fans: London is a virtual » Read more

Photo by Gumerov Ildar If you’re old enough to remember flower power and Woodstock, then you’ll probably recall the Keflavík stopover. Budget-conscious air travelers in the sixties used Loftleiðir (now part of Icelandair) to hop between the USA and Europe. Loftleiðir undercut the high fares of IATA airlines and pulled a young crowd of first » Read more