Fellow Cheapos, I’ve got a confession to make: I’m hooked on flea markets. I’ve hardly missed a weekend at the flea market in years. I rarely spend more than €20 a visit, but rest assured, I’ve slowly amassed a world-class collection of treasures (which some might call “kitsch”). Porte de Vanves Flea Market If you only » Read more

Looking for a delicious, super-cheap meal in central Rome? Local hot-spot Panificio Firenze, a tasty joint serving as grocery store (alimentari), bakery (panificio) and deli (salumi), has been delighting locals with fresh breads, meats, and cheeses since 1929. At lunch time it’s as busy and chaotic as the trading floor at the stock exchange. Made » Read more

I’ve been back from St. Petersburg for nearly six weeks, but I’m still combing through my photographs, trying to make sense of it all. Today I thought I’d post some of my favorite photos of St. Petersburg at night. Talk about drama! As you can see, walking along the canals–or anywhere, really–in St. Petersburg in January can be hazardous. » Read more

By MATT KEPNES When I travel, I look for affordable ways to stay in touch with my friends and update my family back home. Thanks to the Internet, it’s much easier to stay in touch now than it was in the past, and the cost of doing so has plummeted. For those who are looking » Read more

Munich—Wandering Cheapo Reinhardt Suarez just finished up a stint living and working in Tuscany. He’s now traveling through Europe. Here, he shares his insights for traveling light à la Cheapo. How have I made the most of my limited budget abroad? It goes without saying, “Prepare, prepare, prepare!” Research and development Although down-to-the-minute planning can be » Read more

At some point while visiting Paris, you’ll probably want to take in a sweeping view of the city. Sure, going to the top of the Eiffel Tower is great, but there’s one flaw – you can’t actually see the Eiffel Tower, the most iconic feature of the Paris skyline. There are plenty of other places » Read more

Cheapos do love a nice ride. That’s why we first brought you news of Vienna‘s awesome Citybike program two years ago. At the time, our correspondent Ellen Farkas said, “When it comes to bicycles, the Viennese fully support two-wheeled transport without any fuss. They take their bikes as far as they can, come rain or » Read more

  I awoke this morning to hear a story on National Public Radio about the financial crisis affecting certain Eastern European countries, especially Latvia, Hungary, and the Ukraine. Edward Lucas, of The Economist magazine, pointed out that Latvia’s situation is pretty dire: a bank recently collapsed, the nation’s debt is swelling, and the country’s economy shrank » Read more

Photo of smorrebrod courtesy of ilmungo Note: Today’s post comes courtesy of Wandering Cheapo Mogens Petersen, who lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark. Copenhagen has for years been a top-notch gourmet capital in Northern Europe with high priced, multi-Michelin starred restaurants rising up as fast as you can say, “The Little Mermaid.” But, the bills at these places can » Read more