When in Paris last month, we happened upon the Hotel du Nord, a small one-star hotel tucked away on the tiny rue Albert Thomas, just north of Republique. With a style that charms and rates that will woo a Cheapo (€71-84 a night for a double with private bath), this is one hotel worthy of » Read more

By Sarah Tighe in Rome— There are some drawbacks to shopping for vintage threads in Rome. The vintage shops can be inconsistently priced and home to impressive amounts of dust. But there are advantages too – look hard enough between the tightly packed shelves and you’ll find some really interesting pieces – often designer. Want » Read more

Some 15 million Americans will visit Europe this year, a small part of a flood that helps reinforce Europe’s position as the most buoyant tourist market in the world. Despite economic uncertainties, Europe recorded a 5 percent increase in international tourist visitors in 2011, in some measure benefiting from the declining fortunes of the Middle » Read more

By Regina W Bryan in Barcelona— AVE is Spain’s fastest, slickest and most modern train. Those who want to travel in style and comfort take Ave and pay, for the most part, a pretty penny to do so. With so many cheapo flights around Europe these days (Vueling, Ryanair, easyJet, etc.) normal train travel is » Read more

By Bryan Pirolli in Paris— The most visited museum in the world boasts more than a few masterpieces. With over 35,000 pieces of art on display and a crush of visitors six days a week, the Louvre is anything but quaint and calming. It can easily be one of the most exhausting experiences possible in » Read more

By Regina W. Bryan in Barcelona— I’ve learned two important lessons about travel in Barcelona and Spain in general: 1) It will cost more than you think, and 2) It will take longer than you planned. With these golden rules in mind, I offer some tips for saving minutes while visiting Barcelona. 1. Know your » Read more

By Nina Derham in London— The streets of London may be lined with bars, but as most Cheapos know, stretching your budget to the early hours and making the most of London’s nightlife is no easy feat. We all have our weaknesses and cocktails are mine – my wallet-shrinking, budget-reducing, wholeheartedly guilty pleasure. I’m constantly » Read more

There comes the moment on the train journey from Paris to Cologne when Aix-la-Chapelle morphs into Aachen, just as when one makes the journey in the reverse direction Lüttich suddenly becomes Liège. Many European cities have multiple identities and it’s always good to know in advance the various possible renderings of your destination station (and » Read more

By Jessica Colley— In 2007, an Irish film, simply titled “Once” stormed onto the film scene. The story of two untitled character (“guy” and “girl”)—who meet by chance in the streets of Dublin and share a love of music—resonated immediately with audiences around the world. While the Irish (and music fans) recognized Glen Hansard from » Read more