The station at Schaanwald in Liechtenstein. Photos © hidden europe.

By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries—

Remember George Dubya? Here in Europe he is still revered as a remarkable pioneer in “alphabetical tourism.”

After all, during his first-ever visit to Europe in June 2001, the presidential itinerary featured Spain, Sweden and Slovenia - or perhaps it was Slovakia. Even Dubya himself was a shade uncertain, but he did a grand job in covering up his doubts.

From Vaduz to Vilnius

In any case, given the fact that most visitors to Europe have only the haziest notion about their intended destinations, alphabetical tourism makes perfect sense. The Netherlands and Norway one year, Poland and Portugal the next.

For urban types, the principal of alphabetical tourism can be extended to capital cities. Tallinn and Tirana find themselves nicely allied as travel partners. And the letter V throws up an improbable handful of desirable spots: Vaduz, Valletta, Vatican City, Vienna, and Vilnius (which if visited in a single long trip, would reveal a peculiarly Catholic Europe).

Think L: Liechtenstein and Luxembourg

For “first timers” to Europe we really think “L” is the place to start. Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg make up the perfect foursome for Europe novices.

Latvia and Lithuania are an object lesson in just how different neighbouring states can be. And Liechtenstein and Luxembourg are among the most perfect countries on the entire continent, both heaving with interest, yet each small enough that the visitor can have a sense of coming to grips with the issues of culture, identity, and language that make up nationhood.

We happen to be great fans of both Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, and were in both countries only last month. If there were an award for the countries on the planet with the finest public transport, it would be shared by Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. Amazing bus services, and in both countries you can travel for a pittance across the entire national bus network (in each case it is just €4 for a one-day ticket).

Trains, too!

The Princesse Marie-Astrid approaches Wasserbillig in Luxembourg.

And both countries have trains, too. Who ever would have thought that Luxembourg could boast more than sixty train stations? Tiny Liechtenstein packs a punch with four train stations, including at Schaanwald, one of the most handsome little station buildings in the Alps. And, what’s more, it’s a border station–the first stop on the line from Austria after the train crosses the Liechtenstein border.

It is too easy to write off Europe’s small countries as undeserving of a visit. We beg to differ. Liechtenstein and Luxembourg are both perfectly formed, and each country deserves a thorough exploration. There are few better European days than listening to cowbells in the Liechtenstein Alps above Vaduz or cruising up the River Moselle in Luxembourg on the Princesse Marie-Astrid.

So if you don’t know Europe from A to Z, think L. It’s as good a place as any to embark on alphabetical tourism. And from there it is an easy hop to M for next year’s tour, with a neat fivesome: Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, and Montenegro.

About the authors: Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner are regular contributors to EuroCheapo and together edit hidden europe magazine. They live in Berlin. hidden europe 27 has just been published and contains articles on Italy, Georgia, Vienna, Switzerland and more. Have a look at the table of contents.

Popularity: 9% [?]

The terrasse at Bar Ourcq. Photos by Liz Webber.

By Liz Webber in Paris—

For most tourists, Paris days are spent visiting museums and snapping photos of monuments. But what about Paris nights? After dining at your nearest brasserie, check out these local haunts in the best neighborhoods for casual nightlife.

Along the canal

In the summer months all the bars along the Canal St. Martin and the Bassin de la Villette put out tables and chairs along the “terrasses” so customers can sit outside and look out over the water. It’s a great place to spend a warm evening or a lazy afternoon.

Bar Ourcq (68 Quai Loire) offers Cheapo-friendly drinks – €2.50 for a half-pint of beer – and the added bonus of self entertainment. Borrow a board game like Scrabble or Connect 4 from the shelf inside, or try your hand at Pétanque, a traditional French game similar to Bocce. Sets of balls are available to the left of the bar.

Underground at Odeon

With two movie theaters and plenty of bars to choose from, the area about Metro Odeon is buzzing with students on the weekends. You could try one of the trendier places, like Café Jade (10 Rue Buci) where cocktails can run as high as €15.

For the Cheapo option, however, head for Le 10 Bar, a divey sangria joint located at 10 Rue de l’Odeon. Regulars know to order pitchers of sangria by the person (“sangria pour quatre, s’il vous plait”), which comes out to about €3 each. Be sure to check out the bar downstairs too, but be careful on the steep, windy steps.

Follow the French in the Marais

Parisians at La Perle

The Marais covers such a broad area it’s hard to know where to go.

For some reason, trendy Parisians flock to La Perle (78 Rue Vieille du Temple) every night of the week. There are no happy hour specials and the atmosphere is not much different from most of the other bars in the neighborhood, so it’s hard to say exactly what the draw is. It must be just a French thing. To enjoy La Perle on the Cheapo, order a “bouteille” of wine for €9.

Behind the curtain at Bastille

Just around the corner from the Bastille Opera, the Rue de Lappe is teeming with bars. My favorite is le Bar Sans Nom (“The Bar With No Name”), found at number 49. The name is written in the window, which kind of defeats the purpose, but the red curtains one must pass through to enter add to the aura of mystery. Drinks are reasonably priced, with beer and wine priced at €5 and cocktails at €9.

Your favorites?

What’s your favorite Parisian nightspot? Tell us about it in the comments section!

Popularity: 8% [?]

Consult Walkit.com for a route along Regents Canal. Photo: Ed.ward

By Justin Bergman in London—

As any visitor to London (and probably more than a few residents) can attest, getting around the city on foot can be maddeningly confusing. Because London grew over the centuries by swallowing up neighboring villages and towns, there’s little rhyme or reason to its layout. Hence the existence of mews, the charming narrow alleys where wealthy Londoners once had their stables. And even narrower passageways like the one behind Whitechapel Gallery, where Jack the Ripper is believed to have lived.

And roundabouts. Don’t even get me started on roundabouts. My partner and I had a couple of hairy experiences driving through those death traps this past weekend.

London: Step by Step

Fortunately, there’s a new website called Walkit.com that aims to help directionally challenged people like myself find their way around London, without the use of an “A to Z Guide.” (Although this detailed street map guide is always handy to have as a backup, should you really get lost.)

A 200-calorie walk. (Click to enlarge.)

Launched by environmentalist and walking advocate Jamie Wallace three years ago, Walkit maps out any route you’d like to take by foot in 14 different British cities. All you do is enter your starting point and desired destination, and the site will give you directions for the quickest walking trip between the two points, along with the distance, the time it should take you, the calories you’ll burn, and the carbon dioxide emissions you would have contributed to the environment had you taken the tube, car, or bus. It even tells you how many steps you’ll take (seriously).

There are also two alternate routes you can map—a “less busy” walk avoiding major roads and a “low pollution” walk that takes you along parks and through quiet neighborhoods.

The Test Drive… er, Walk

Naturally, I wanted to try the site out. I conducted two tests from my house on a tiny street in East London that’s probably a third of a block long and dead-ends on a park. I figure if the program can find my street, that’s a reasonably good start. (It did.)

For the first test, I tried a short walk to a restaurant called the Albion near my house. Although it’s probably only five minutes away, I spent 15 minutes looking for it the other night. (Tip: Know the exact address you’re looking for, right down to the postal code and the cross street. You’ll need these in case there are multiple streets in London with the same name as the one you want).

The site’s instructions were very clear—I was told how many meters to walk before each turn and when I’d pass an identifiable landmark (like a Pizza Express). But I noticed on the map that there appeared to be a shorter route along a side road called Holywell Lane. A flaw! I couldn’t wait to prove the site wrong.

When I got to Holywell Lane, though, I found it blocked off for construction work until the end of 2009. I was wrong… and duly impressed.

The Low-Pollution Route

For the next test, I wanted to see what a “low pollution” walk was all about. So I randomly picked a destination near Victoria Park in northeast London to see if the site would route me near or through the park. Not only did it do that, it also sent me on a very enjoyable, mile-long walk along leafy Regents Canal, via a hard-to-spot set of stairs from a main street.

The only pollution I encountered? Two lawnmowers and a guy burning weeds in his back yard. (Isn’t that how the Great Fire of London started?)

There’s something to note about the “low-pollution” routes, though. You may miss some of the city’s biggest sights (such as Piccadilly Circus) if you choose to avoid congested areas. Same goes for the quickest routes. Walkit doesn’t create routes specifically geared to tourist attractions, but there are plenty of free and inexpensive guided tours for that. (Check out our blog post on five free London walking tours.)

Wallace says Walkit is adding about one new city a month to the site, with Coventry and Sunderland next. We want to see this great resource expand to cities across Europe, too.

About the author: Justin Bergman is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Monocle magazine. He’s also previously worked for Budget Travel magazine and the Associated Press. Favorite trip he’s taken–two and a half weeks in southern Peru, climbing mountains and outrunning overly aggressive llamas.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Christ and saints atop San Giovanni's basilica. Photos: Sav D'Souza.

By Sav D’Souza in Rome—

The distinctive Porta San Giovanni gate welcomes you to the Rome’s San Giovanni neighborhood. The area lies south of Termini station, near enough to Rome’s center, but ideally located away from the hustle and bustle, and most tourists.

Among other delights, Rome’s San Giovanni neighborhood offers its share of interesting sights, cheap clothing opportunities, and sweet eats. Here’s our guide to a fun day exploring what to see, do, and eat in San Giovanni.

1. Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano

Grab a bargain at San Giovanni’s market.

A must-visit. The basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano (Basilica of St. John Lateran), pictured above, is Rome’s only official cathedral, and thus could be considered the “big daddy” of all basilicas. The bishop of Rome (the Pope) counts this as his church, and as a result it ranks higher than other churches in the Roman Catholic Church. The church was originally constructed by Constantine the Great in the fourth century.

Piazza San Giovanni. Open every day 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM

2. San Giovanni Clothing Market

Head for the San Giovanni clothing market to find very cheap new and used clothing. The market features plenty of stalls to pick through. You’re destined to find a bargain or two.

Via Sannio. Open daily, except Sunday. 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Tiramisu at Pompi. The best in Rome?

3. Tiramisu stop

Armed with bags of new (and used) clothing, head down the road, near Re di Roma, to Pompi. The restaurant has a reputation for dishing up the best tiramisu in Rome. If you’re not in the mood for layers of cream, chocolate, and cinnamon, you could also sample their gelato, panna cotta, “caffe del nonno,” or just settle for a banana split.

Via Albalonga, 11. Open daily, except Monday 6:30 AM - 1:30 AM.

4. Free Music! If you time it right…

The Cornetto Free Music Concert held every year in Piazza San Giovanni. The Black Eyed Peas, Avril Lavigne, Duran Duran, Beck, Joss Stone, and Jamiroquai have played the event in the past. The festival, sponsored by the Cornetto ice cream empire, is normally held during the summer. Consult their official site for upcoming dates.

About the author: Sav D’Souza is a freelance journalist currently based in Rome. He has worked as a journalist in Hawaii, Prague, and London and contributed features to the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, SA Sports Illustrated, Prague Post and CNBC Europe. He is a demon pool player, enjoys a round of golf, playing poker, and the occasional gin and tonic.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Free live jazz on Tuesday at Jazz Cafe Alto. Photo by Silent Buddha.

By Audrey Sykes in Amsterdam—

Looking to groove to some live music in Amsterdam on a weekday? The city’s got you covered with bands performing nightly across town. And there’s no need to dish out funds from your “miscellaneous” pile: Here are some hot music venues that are free (or nearly)!

Sunday: Mulligan’s Irish Bar
Amstel 100
Website: www.mulligans.nl
Cost: Free

This authentic Irish bar draws in locals and tourists alike for pints in a social atmosphere. Traditional Irish tunes mixed with foot-tapping bluegrass makes for a friendly vibe all night long. Stop by after 7 PM any night of the week for free entertainment. On Sundays, however, Mulligan’s hosts open jam sessions.

Monday: Belgique
Gravenstraat 2
Website: www.cafe-belgique.nl
Cost: Free

A small Belgian bar offering a mix of trendy swing and rock, Belgique lures an alternative crowd of all ages. A large selection of Trappist beers and an easygoing atmosphere add to the appeal. It might be tricky fitting bands in this tiny tavern, but once the night gets started, no one seems to mind grooving shoulder-to-shoulder.

Tuesday: Jazz Cafe Alto
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 115
Website: www.jazz-cafe-alto.nl
Cost: Free

The historic Jazz Cafe Alto dates back to the 1950s and stirs up smooth Latin vibes on Tuesday nights (though this cozy, swingin’ bar offers live music every night). Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays are especially popular nights, and thus have a €5 entry fee (although it includes a fresh Amstel at the bar). If you crave a scene full of jazz cats and sax solos, this is your place.

Wednesday: Maloe Melo
Lijnbaansgracht 163
Website: www.maloemelo.nl

Never too packed and always relaxed, Malo Melo offers a nightly session of blues and soulful rock that’s impossible to find elsewhere. The crowd ranges from students to seniors, but shares a common passion for acoustic slides and electric tears. It’s a groovy scene for all, offering a true taste of Amsterdam’s chilled-out style.

Thursday: The Last Waterhole
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 49
Website: www.waterhole.nl
Cost: €1

The Last Waterhole is known for smoking rock covers by local music regulars and a great, rockin’ vibe. The lively and sociable setting makes it irresistible for patrons, who sing along and boogie down. The central location makes the Waterhole a perfect place to start or end an evening out on Leidseplein. Music performed nightly.

About the author: Audrey Sykes hopped across the pond from the US three years ago for a Masters degree in global journalism. Since then, she’s lived all over Europe, reporting and editing for music sites, snowboard mags, and travel media.

Popularity: 10% [?]

The bustling Boulevard Haussmann. Photos by Theadora Brack.

By Theadora Brack in Paris–

It’s that most wonderful time of the year for shoppers in Paris, Cheapos! “Les Soldes d’Eté” (the summer sales) kick off Wednesday, June 24! Mark your calendar, get set, but first create a plan of transaction.

Here are some tips for scoring big during this glorious five-week event.

1. Get smart.

"Soldes" on rue des Abbesses.

I spy. Visit your favorite shops just before the sale. Memorize the layout. Take note of “rack formations.” Also, try on clothing… you’ll avoid the lines later.

2. Befriend the staff.

Throughout the year, my savvy and smartly dressed friend Dominique drops off chocolates for the sales team at her favorite shops. Guess who hears about the bargains first? The French value fidelity. Don’t live in Paris full-time? Send thank-you notes after each visit.

3. Mind the gaps.

What’s missing from your closet? A belted trench coat with a narrow cinched waist in khaki? Striped shirt? Ballet shoes in black patent leather or navy suède? All three are timeless French classics, and quite souvenir-worthy.

4.  Get your beauty rest…

But set your alarm, because stores open at 8:00 AM.

5. Cents and Sensibility.

Pack a survival kit: water bottle, pre-cut moleskin, candy, gum, eyedrops, Metro tickets, footies (for trying on shoes), maps with target shops circled, and coins for WCs. Also a sturdy bag, because shops give out flimsy plastic sacs.

6. Leader of the Pack.

Véronique on Boulevard Voltaire with bike and sacs of purchases.

My friend Véronique beats the crowds by scooting around by bike. “I’m able to visit at least twenty shops by 10 AM,” she boasted, while installing her new jumbo-sized basket just in time for the sale. Need a bike? Rent a Vélib’!

7. Avoid the masses.

Hate crowds? Shop weekday mornings or early afternoons.

8. Size matters.

When should you pounce? In France, “smalls” fly out the door first, but “large” and “X-large” stick around a little longer. On the other hand prices drop as the sales progress, so it’s a gamble! Know your European size numbers.

Vintage clothing in the Marais

10. Retro active.

Vintage shops often reduce prices, too. You’ll find pockets of boutiques scattered through Montmartre (start at La Caverne à Fripes at 25, rue Houdon) and the Marais, where at the Vintage Désir at 32, rue des Rosiers you’ll find a vast collection of striped shirts. For inspiration, see exposition“Les Marins Font La Mode—Sailor Chic in Paris” at the Musée National de la Marine at place du Trocadéro.

11. Don’t forget the obvious.

Discount shops like Sympa (Metro Anvers), and TATI on Boulevard Rochechouart (Metro Barbès-Rochechouart) take their already bargain basement prices to new lows. Make a pilgrimage to TATI, where Jules Ouaki introduced “discount shopping” (self-service and towering baskets of merchandise) to Paris in 1948.

12. Keep your cool.

A "Loft Design By" window.

Pick a handful of boutiques and one or two shopping districts, or you’ll end up overwhelmed before the get-go. For instance, I focus on the Spanish marque Zara, which slashes prices like almost no other store (I once scored almost 400 euros-worth for under 50 euros!).

You’ll find clusters in busy shopping districts throughout the city. Boulevard Haussmann, for instance, has five Zara’s in a six-block radius. Two are inside Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, and one even has a view of the Opéra! Divine, yes, but their proximity also saves you time. (By the way, rumor has it that a Cheapo editor once assembled a very stylish–and skinny–suit by Zara-hopping along rue de Rivoli. Très, très bien!)

Borrowing from Elsa Schiaparelli, “Buy only the best or the cheapest!”

Tell us: Have you scored at the soldes? Tell us about it!

Popularity: 10% [?]

By Tom Meyers in New York—

Like many of our readers, I’m heading to Paris this summer. And like other procrastinators, I haven’t booked my flight yet.

I’ve been holding off because airfares to Europe from the US continue to slide — even for summer travel. However, my trip is now just weeks away, so the time has come to whip out the plastic and book it.

Flying the OpenSkies

Imagine my happy surprise this morning when I logged into Gmail and saw this Google advertisement displayed at the top of the page: (Gotta love that creepy, targeted advertising!)

The ad states: “Openskies 1st anniversary - flyopenskies.com/NYC_Paris - Special business class offers NYC Paris roundtrip for only $550.”

This wording seems unambiguous enough. OpenSkies, the business class-only airline that flies between New York, Paris, and Amsterdam, is celebrating their first anniversary by offering New York to Paris roundtrip flights, in business class, for $550.

The offer seemed remarkable, although not inconceivable. After all, the Guardian reported yesterday that British Airways, which operates OpenSkies, is considering selling off or shutting down the airline. Perhaps this was some sort of promotion intended to fill up their planes.

The rest of the story…

When you click through, however, you discover…

Wait a second: The “$550 roundtrip” immediately becomes a “$550* o/w based on a r/t purchase”? How can that happen?

To be sure, I tested their rates with my dates (July 20 - August 3). A $550 cheapo seat was available for the outgoing flight, although the return seat was a hefty $1,930. If I returned a day earlier, however, I could score a $662 seat (and yes, another $550 return seat would be available if I pushed back my return date several days). In the end, that “$550 flight” turned out to cost $1,328.

Calling OpenSkies…

Thinking that I had perhaps misread, or at least misinterpreted, the ad, I called OpenSkies to discuss the matter.

I explained to the friendly reservation agent that I was calling because I had seen an advertisement for a “New York to Paris roundtrip for $550.” His response:

“That’s right. Let me have a look. (clicking) I think that’s per sector. Hmmmm. (more clicking) Not really for a return flight, is it?” Nope. “Yeah, it’s $550 one-way based on a return basis. That’s what it says here.”

Here, being on their website. “But what about this ad you’re running?” I asked.

“It’s unfortunately not correct. I haven’t seen the ad myself. But it’s based on a return purchase.”

What to do?

We’re left wondering what to think. Was this a simple instance of clumsy wording? Had I misread the ad? Are there $550 roundtrips somehow available on the carrier (unbeknownst to their reservation agent)? Or worse, was this deliberate “truth-stretching”?

In any case, this Cheapo thinks that OpenSkies should stop running the ad.

Ironically, I think that their one-way $550 sale is actually quite interesting. They should simply inject their ad with accuracy by making one simple switch: “Special business class offers NYC Paris only $550 o/w”.

Granted, I probably wouldn’t have clicked. But at least I wouldn’t feel duped.

What do you think?

Do you find this ad misleading? Should we know better as consumers and just ignore “too good to be true” offers? Did we misunderstand the ad in the first place? Let us know in the comments section below!

Update: A final laugh

To top it all off (literally!), when we took this post live at 1 PM EST, a familiar advertisement ran at the top of the page…

The irony is soooo “2.0.”

Popularity: 7% [?]

La Rita offers a three-course lunch, with wine, for €8.90.

By Bill Sinclair in Barcelona—

I’ve been keeping an eye on menu prices around Barcelona. Over the past six months I’ve noticed that the median cost of a fixed-price lunch menu has dropped from around €9.50 to €8.80. That’s good news for Cheapos.

Here’s a brief list of budget-friendly restaurants that offer great lunch deals. I’ve tried to cover all the central neighborhoods, so that no matter where you are in the city, you can always find something good to eat.

(Note: This is the final installment in our Barcelona cheap eats guide. Also read our recommended outdoor eateries, cheap restaurant picks, and tips to keep your eats cheap in Barcelona.)

Lunch near Las Ramblas

If it’s lunchtime and you’re walking down Las Ramblas, you will want to avoid the ridiculously over-priced drinks and

Meals are holy affordable at El Convent.

over-cooked food that lurks nearby. Instead try:

• El Convent (Carrer Jerusalem, 3): Set behind the famous Boqueria market in a former convent, this place serves traditional Catalan and Spanish food along with good wine in an historic environment. A snip at €9.90.

• Fonda de España  (Carrer Sant Pau, 9): This restaurant, located inside the Hotel España, sparkles with an ornate, tiled, and chandeliered Modernista dining-room designed by architect Domenech i Muntaner. It’s a wonderful backdrop for a substantial €11.90 (inc. tax) lunch.

Lunch near Passeig de Gracia

If visiting Gaudi’s La Pedrera or Casa Battlo, head for the short stretch of Carrer Aragó between Passeig de Gràcia and Carrer Pau Claris, where you’ll find three excellent lunchtime restaurants.

• La Rita (Carrer Aragó, 279):  Given its consistent quality, service, and value, La Rita (pictured above) is my favorite lunchtime restaurant. The menu costs just €8.90 (including tax) for a three-course lunch with bread, wine, and water. Desserts are excellent. The restaurant is very popular with local office workers, so expect to wait in line for ten minutes or so.

• La Gramola (Carrer Aragó, 277): Immediately next door to La Rita is an excellent Japanese-Mediterranean restaurant. The menu here is €8.80 (including tax). Closed Sundays.

• Madrid-Barcelona (Carrer Aragó, 282): Finally, just across the street from the two above-mentioned restaurants is this traditional Spanish cafe serving excellent food. The menu here is a great value at €10.50.

Lunch near Plaza Catalunya

• Xaica (Calle Jovellanos, 5-7): For a cheap and cheerful meal at a set-price, with self-service menu, check out Xaica. They serve three-courses, wine, beer, or a soft drink, from €8.50.

Lunch near La Sagrada Familia

By all means, avoid all of the fast food joints and head for…

• Origen 99’9% (Avinguda Gaudí, 8): Just across the street from the unfinished majesty of the Sagrada Familia, you’ll find Origen 99′9%.

• Els Pollos de Llull (Carrer Nàpols, 272): Els Pollos serves a delicious two-course lunch for €6.95 (three-courses for €7.95). The pickings often include organic chicken with rice and a variety of organic yogurts. It’s a five minute walk from Sagrada Familia.

About the author: Born next door to an infamous London prison, Bill Sinclair has been on the run ever since. He now resides in Barcelona where he works as a writer, translator and independent visitor guide.

Popularity: 15% [?]

A section of the East Side Gallery in Berlin. Photos by Campru.

Berlin—Critic and curator Emilie Trice writes, “Berlin is the graffiti mecca of the urban art world.” And a recent New York Times article confirms Trice’s assertion with the observation that “The city’s skyline might be defined by a Sputnik-era TV tower, bombed-out churches and the ghost of a certain wall that once split the German capital. But its streetscape is largely molded by graffiti.”

It is therefore unsurprising that the city’s art landscape includes a number of galleries exclusively showing street art. Overkill Shop, Circle Culture, and Intoxicated Demons are a few choice examples of galleries specializing in bringing street art inside. And recent super-successful shows by celebrated local street artists such as EVOL and Jaybo Aka Monk demonstrate the commercial viability of street art for international collectors.

A graffiti guide

Street art in Berlin.

But for everyone interested in just appreciating the work in its natural habitat, there is a new book by graphic designer Benjamin Wolbergs, “Urban Illustration Berlin: Street Art Cityguide.” The book makes the perfect guide for a walking tour through Berlin’s outdoor street art scene.

Written in both German and English, the book offers exclusive interviews with seventeen of the elusive artists. Wolbergs does not limit his focus to spray paint. Instead, he gives attention to the rich range of stencils, cutouts, markers and wheatpaste works across the city.

Wolbergs’ stunning street photography in “Urban Illustration Berlin: Street Art Cityguide,” along with the interviews’ insight into the artists’ working techniques, motives, and philosophies on street art, make the book a valuable purchase, regardless of whether one is planning a visit to Berlin.

A self-guided graffiti walking tour

However, the book’s real treasure is a tear-out city map detailing the locations of 500 iconic and admired instances of Berlin’s street art featured in the book. Tear it out and take yourself on a walking tour.

Street art is fragile. And a few of the works Wolbergs spotlighted no longer exist. But the neighborhoods remain active areas for street artists and well worth visiting for anyone interested in the origins of Berlin’s vibrant international art scene.

Popularity: 14% [?]

A Deutsche Bahn train in Berlin's main station. Photo by hidden europe.

By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries—

Okay, we’ve said it before, but we’ll gladly say it again. Have Cheapos realised just how much rail fares in Europe can vary according to where you purchase your tickets?

We took a day out from our regular work with hidden europe magazine last week and conjured up a tempting palette of trips criss-crossing the continent. And then we compared the ticket prices on a national rail website (that of the Deutsche Bahn) with the prices offered for those journeys by rail ticketing agents based in Britain and North America. We took care to ensure that the tickets we purchased were in every case for exactly the same trains.

So a straight comparison, comparing like-with-like. Same class of travel, same comfy seat, same scenery slipping by outside the window – for all five routes in our basket of European rail trips.

The five routes we tested

1. Berlin to London single (by day, depart after 9:00 AM, any route) on September 3: one adult, 2nd class.
2. Amsterdam to Salzburg single (by day, no more than one change of train) on July 14: one adult, 1st class.
3. London to Cologne via Brussels single (depart at 8:00 AM or later) on September 10: one adult, 2nd class.
4. Berlin to Zagreb single via Hamburg (2 night stop) and Munich (2 night stop) on August 20: one adult, any class.
5. Nuremberg to Dresden same day return (direct trains only) on June 20 for a family of five, 2nd class.

For each of these five journeys, we thought that the German Railways (viz. Deutsche Bahn) website at www.bahn.de would offer some reasonable fare advice, and so it did. Indeed, all five journeys could be booked online through their website.

Then we turned to agents selling rail tickets in North America and Britain to get quotes for precisely the same journeys. This was done first by online research, often followed up by telephone calls to check precise details.

The results

And guess what? The leading agencies specializing in European rail tickets always charged at least twice as much as would the Deutsche Bahn for exactly the same journey.

The key point here is that in most of Europe, rail operators have a whole raft of special promotional fares that massively undercut the regular tariffs (often with discount of more than 80% on the standard fare). But agents rarely offer those discounted fares, preferring to safeguard their hefty commission fees by selling only the full fare.

Comparing the fares

Now take a look at how those fares compared. Listed below are the Deutsche Bahn (DB) fares that were available for purchase around midday of Friday, June 12, 2009 followed by the cheapest fare quoted the same day by a leading North American or British agent (all sterling and dollar fares have been converted to euros just to make things clearer).

1. Berlin to London (2nd class) DB: €49 / Agent Fare: €209
2. Amsterdam to Salzburg (1st class) DB: €79 / Agent Fare: €255
3. London to Cologne (2nd class) DB: €49 / Agent Fare: €106
4. Berlin to Zagreb with stops in Hamburg and Munich (2nd class) DB: €29 / Agent Fare: €322
5. Nuremberg to Dresden day return for family of 5 (2nd class) DB: €37 / Agent Fare: €705

Helpful advice?

We found one leading British agent who was extremely helpful on the phone, going to some lengths to suggest that for certain routes it might be wiser to get the tickets from a German source (but declining to give the specific name of the company or website).

A well-known North American agent emphasized that their dollar fares on offer would undercut anything we might purchase in Europe – a claim which is patently undermined by the results of our survey. The North American agent suggested that a rail pass might be a better bet for some of our journeys, and hinted that we would encounter a range of problems if we attempted to purchase directly from the Deutsche Bahn website.

Booking tickets in advance

The reality is that booking train tickets on www.bahn.de is pretty easy, even without a knowledge of German. The site has a decent English language interface, though in some instances you will find additional functionality on the German language website.

Also, it really helps to have a good knowledge of European patterns of service and railway geography. A good place to start is by studying the latest edition of the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable and the same company’s Rail Map of Europe.

Booking well in advance is often the key to finding cheap fares, but our research found that plenty of discounted promotional fares are still available for travel this summer. And we did not cast around trying to dig up the cheapest possible travel dates, having fixed our palette of routes and travel dates before embarking on our research. If you would like the see the full results of our survey, just click here.

And, oh yes, just in case you were wondering, we were paid not a cent by the Deutsche Bahn to publish this!

About the authors: Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner are regular contributors to EuroCheapo and together edit hidden europe magazine. They live in Berlin.

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