June 30, 2010. As we have said before, it is not compulsory to take the fast train. On most routes through Europe, there are plenty of slow train alternatives, often more scenic and sometimes much cheaper. A great weekend bargain in Germany On the weekends, for example, travelers can roam the length and breadth of » Read more

Brussels is not cheap, but it does have some freebie gems which all Cheapos should take advantage of. While we have no secret tips for nabbing free steamed mussels and Belgian beer (alas!), we do have the skinny on the top free attractions in the city. (Don’t forget to check out our Brussels city guide » Read more

June 4, 2010: Flash— Taking the train between Paris and Amsterdam, Brussels, or Cologne this summer? If you act quickly, you could book a seat on a high-speed train for as little as €25. The French National Railway, SNCF, announced today discounted train tickets on the Thalys line from Paris to a select number of cities for travel » Read more

We’ve all been there. Your flight is booked, your itinerary is nearly finalized and now all you need to do is book your hotel rooms and your travel plans will be complete. But there’s just one small problem: It’s the summer. And you’re planning on going to, say, Paris, and are freaked out that all » Read more

It was only by a stroke of luck that the Eiffel Tower ended up in Paris. Gustave Eiffel designed the landmark tower for Barcelona. But the civic authorities had doubts about the appropriateness of such a tower for the Catalan city. Undaunted by the setback, Eiffel had better luck with Paris and, despite some opposition » Read more

Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries report from the coast of Belgium— A surreal experience Tucked away along the Belgian coast are some quite remarkable spots. And the tram route that every 20 minutes links communities along the coast is an essay in surrealism. The tram binds René Magritte’s magnificent murals at the casino in Knokke » Read more

We know Cheapos want the best deals and aren’t necessarily keen about attractions that levy a hefty admission fee. But there are times when a modest admission fee is money well spent. And nowhere more so than in some of Europe’s finest gardens and parks, where visitors can often linger for an entire day, roaming » Read more

For chilling out in the middle of a long Europe trip, just take a boat. The Baltic, Black Sea, North Sea, and the Mediterranean are all criss-crossed by regular scheduled routes, with ships varying from chic cruise ferries to humble boats that carry tourists, locals, livestock and the mail. A day or two on board » Read more

Ralph Bakshi’s “Fritz the Cat” in action, courtesy of Anima ’09 It’s well known that Brussels is a go-to when it comes to cartoons, comic strips, and animation. One need only browse the halls of the infamous Belgian Comic Strip Center to see that loveable characters like Tintin were first given life here. Now in its 28th » Read more