An exit sign at a Metro station. Photos by Theodora Brack.

By Theadora Brack in Paris—

Hit the ground running in Paris! Don’t let a little language barrier trip you up, not when there is so much signage to lend a guiding hand and make your transition as smooth and exciting as a Johnny Weir solid gold triple axel!

A street sign

1. “Sortie”
 
Exit signs are clearly marked by the word, “Sortie,” which can also mean “military action” or “flight.” Think about that as you fight for your turn on the escalators at the Printemps department store during sale time! (And once you get on, remember to stand on the right, pass on the left!)

2. Digital signs of the times

Most metro stations are now equipped with digital countdown clocks indicating the next two incoming trains. If the first train looks too crowded and the next is only a moment behind, it may help you decide whether to give the first a pass. (By the way, Paris is on the 24-hour clock format. 19hr = 7 PM.)

The green cross.

3. Street smart

You’ll find the iconic blue street signs on the sides of buildings, usually at intersections. Just above the name of the street, the signs will also list the “arrondissement” (1-20) that you’re in. Often they’ll include a historical tidbit, too, about the person or event the street is named for.

4. Pharmacy signs

Pharmacies are easily recognizable by their flashing green cross signs, dressed in neon and super cool LED. In each neighborhood at least one remains open through the night (and a closed pharmacy will post a sign directing you to the nearest open pharmacy).

French pharmacists are licensed to diagnose and treat minor illnesses without doctors’ prescriptions. (Eye opener: this is also where you’ll pick up contact solution, eyedrops, and contact lens cases. Grocery stores don’t carry them.)

A happy hour sign

5. Green man walking

Always wait for the pedestrian crosswalk green man to give the signal to walk. However, note: On many of the wider streets and boulevards you’re supposed to cross in two stages, waiting for a second set of signals to indicate when it is safe to continue the rest of the way.

6. “Happy Hour” signs

Poking out of nearly every nook and cobblestoned cranny, chalkboard signs with their seductive hand-written descriptions still have a commanding presence in the city. Happy Hour specials and fixed-price set meals tempt passersby from restaurant doors, terrace tabletops, and windows. (Cheapos, the “formule” is normally the cheapest version of the fixed-price menu.)

A Morris Column

7. Banner Day

Keep your eyes peeled for banners stretched over streets announcing free concerts, festivals and “brocantes” (itinerant flea markets). Need eyeglass repairs? Look for neon spectacle-shaped signs.

8. Sign, sign everywhere a sign

You’ll find countless publicity signs for department stores, movies, and museum expositions on classic Parisian “Morris columns” (rotating cylindrical billboards) and plastered on poles, café windows and Metro station walls. Take note, Cheapos—spontaneous planning just got easier!

About the author: Theadora Brack is a writer working in Paris. Her fiction has appeared in more than 30 literary publications, including 3AM International, The Smoking Poet, Beloit Fiction Journal, Mid-American Review, and the Haight-Ashbury Literary Journal.

Popularity: 3% [?]

A traditional Czech meal. Photo by Smaku.

By Jacy Meyer in Prague—

Last week, we shared three Cheapo-friendly pubs in Prague. To maximize your Czech eating experience, however, there are a few more things you should know about where and when to go, as well as how much to leave for the tip.

Read on to make sure you’re getting your Czech kroners’ worth!

1. Go at lunch time.

Nearly every traditional Czech restaurant offers a lunch menu with prices usually around 99 CZK. The menu often isn’t translated; however it gives you an excellent, cheap excuse to be adventurous. Sides, like French fries, potatoes, rice etc. usually aren’t included, so be sure to order them separately.

2. Go before (or after) the crowds.

That said, expect packed restaurants at lunch time. Czechs know a good value when they see one, and city center restaurants are usually packed around the noon hour. Plan on a full restaurant (go right at 11 AM, typical opening times for most restaurants, or around 1 PM; the lunch specials usually last until 2 PM) and count on brusque service. If you order from the lunch menu, your food will come fast; if you order off it, you’ll have to wait.

3. Watch your bill.

Legally, a restaurant must tell you if service is included. It’s hit or miss if they actually will. Have a rough idea of what your bill should be ahead of time. An extra beer often finds its way onto unsuspecting tabs.

4. Go easy on tips.

Usually rounding up is enough of a tip; minimum 10-20 CZK. If service is horrid, don’t feel bad about not tipping, and if it’s good, 10% is quite generous.

Your Prague restaurant tips

Have any Prague dining tips, Cheapos? Post a comment to share.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Good meals await at U Provaznice, in Prague. Photo: Jacy Meyer

By Jacy Meyer in Prague—

Prague is no longer the undiscovered, inexpensive “Eastern” European city it used to be, and prices definitely reflect the Czech capital’s popularity. City centers aren’t usually the best places to find a cheap meal, but that doesn’t mean an affordable and authentic Czech meal—complete with a yummy local beer—can’t be found.

Here are three of my favorite pubs in central Prague:

U Jindrišské veže
Jindrišská 26, Prague 1

Near Wenceslas Square, “At the Jindrišská Tower” offers plentiful plates of Czech pub grub. Pictures of old Prague line the walls, while outside, the historic Jindrišská Tower looms overhead. Dark wooden tables sassily covered in beer tablecloths fill up quickly for their “smažený sýr,” ” tatarská omácka” (fried cheese with tarter sauce), and “kurecí prsa na žampionech” (chicken breast with mushrooms).

Beer fans take note: They offer tank Gambrinus (tank beer is supposedly the best), plus the well-known Pilsner Urquell and Kozel dark, one of the most popular dark brews.

U Provaznice
Provaznická 3, Prague 1

At the other end of Wenceslas Square, right near one of the Mustek metro entrances, you’ll find U Provaznice (translated as “At the Rope maker’s wife”). Look for the wooden statue near the entrance—legend has it you should touch her breasts for good luck. A small space (keep walking around the bar towards the left for more tables in the back), it’s often packed, but the waiters are usually of the friendly sort.

Go there for their great “vepro, knedlo, zelo” (pork, bread dumplings, and cabbage) or “smažené veprové rízky” (pork schitznel). The low ceilings, brick accents and light wood tables offer a cozy atmosphere.

Lokál
Dlouhá 33, Prague 1

Run by a well-regarded local restaurant group, Lokál is the place to go if you want Czech atmosphere without the traditional ambiance. Confused? This new restaurant, opened in the fall of 2009, recreates the Czech pub experience in a modern way. Here you’ll find a typical pub menu and long wooden tables spruced up with modern lighting and design.

It’s a small menu. Go for some “svícková hovezí pecene na smetane” (beef tenderloin in a cream sauce) or “guláš z hovezí kližky” (beef goulash). Prices are shockingly low for the location and evidence of its upscale nature can be found in its decent wine list and competent service. Close to Old Town Square, Lokál has quickly become a favorite among the locals.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The SNCF station at Charles de Gaulle airport.

By Liz Webber–

As Cheapos know, it’s almost always less expensive to buy train tickets directly through the website of a country’s national rail service rather than through RailEurope’s English-language site or overseas agents, especially for France’s TGV system. Fares can also be cheaper booking online than buying the tickets in person at the station.

However, booking a ticket in another language can be intimidating. France’s SNCF website is fairly easy to navigate, but if your French doesn’t extend much beyond “Parlez-vous anglais?” use this cheat sheet to book day trips from Paris or crisscross the country!

Step 1: Choose where and when you’re going

The SNCF homepage. Be strong!

On the SNCF homepage, there is a box on the left-hand side for quickly booking trains. First, enter the “départ” (where you’re ”departing” from) and “arrivée” (where you’ll be “arriving”).

Next choose your departure date in the box next to “Aller le” (”going the…”) and return date in the box next to “Retour le” (”returning the…”). If it’s a one-way journey (“aller-simple”) leave the return date blank. Note that the dates follow the European format of DD/MM/YYYY.

Also choose your desired departure time for both directions (“à partir de” means “starting from”). Remember that these times will be written in standard 24-hour format.

Specify how many people will be traveling using the drop-down menu next to “Adultes” (adults), and select either first or second class.

For direct trains only (without transfers), click the box marked “trajets directs.” Then hit the orange “Rechercher” (”search”) button to begin searching for tickets.

Note: Under the search box, you’ll notice a tempting array of little flags. If you’re already feeling a bit nervous, you’ll understandably be drawn to the English flag. Sure, clicking it will change the language to English–but it will also send all results through RailEurope, a helpful agency for foreign tourist that usually adds a substantial mark-up to ticket prices.

Step 2: Select your tickets

Now a page will open with options for the first half of your journey. Prices can vary greatly depending on the travel time and the day of the week, and only reflect half the cost of the total journey for a round-trip ticket (“aller-retour”). However, when booking for more than one person at a time the price reflects the total cost for all tickets.

The box at the top shows all the options at a glance, from which you can then scroll down to select the one that best fits your specifications. Tickets are color-coded by price range, whereby orange designates the cheapest fares, blue more moderate fares, and gray the most expensive.

When you check one of the circles to choose a ticket, a so-small-you-might-miss-it box pops up underneath all the options for that departure time that says “Choisir Ma Place” (“Choose My Seat”). From the drop-down menu, specify if you’d like to sit “à côté de” (next to) a particular seat, or simply give a preference for “fenêtre” (window) or “couloir” (aisle). Pretty much all trains in France have assigned seats, so be sure to keep that in mind when you go to board.

Note: If you’ve selected an “iDTGV” train, you will be permitted to choose your “ambiance.” “iDzap” is a train friendly to portable electronics, DVDs, cellphones, etc., while ”iDzen” restricts electronics, cellphones, and anything that makes noise.

Be careful of tickets marked only “non échangeable” (non-exchangeable) or “non remboursable” (non-refundable), though most fares cannot be exchanged or refunded “après départ” (after departure). Certain tickets must be paid for online and printed at home – if so the fine print will read “Paiement en ligne. Billet à imprimer vous-même” (”Online payment. Print your own ticket.”)

Once you have figured out what time you want to leave and have chosen your seat, click the orange box directly underneath marked “Valider cet aller” (”Validate this part of the trip”). Make sure you hit the right one!

You’ll then go through the same process again for the return journey. Again, remember that the price is for one way of the journey.

Step 3: Payment

On the following page, confirm that all parts of your journey are correct then click “Valider votre réservation” (”Validate your reservation”) to proceed.

Next come three questions before the actual payment.

IMPORTANT: Since the majority of SNCF ticket machines do not accept American credit cards, be sure to click “Gare ou boutique” (”Rail station or boutique”) for question 1 in order to pick up your tickets from a ticket window at the station. Also note that if you’re booking an iDTGV (as pictured), you will only be given the option of printing your own ticket.

Question 2 requires the input of a “civilité” (”title”), “nom” (”LAST name”), “prénom” (”FIRST name”) and e-mail address for confirmation purposes.

Under question 3, check the box to indicate that you agree with the SNCF terms and conditions. Then click “Valider votre commande” (”Validate your order”).

Finally, it’s time to enter your credit card information. Note: The card you use to book must be presented to pick up your tickets, so be sure to use the card that you’ll be taking with you on your trip.

After entering all your data, hit the “valider” button one last time to complete the transaction. A screen should pop up with your confirmation code, which will also be sent in an email along with your itinerary. Print either for your records and to bring with you when you collect your tickets.

Step 4: Picking up your tickets

Now comes the easy part! Simply head to your departure station with your credit card and booking number to get your tickets. Many SNCF agents even speak English and so can help you make any changes to your reservation and get you to where you’re supposed to be.

Departure tracks are usually announced 20-30 minutes before the train is scheduled to leave, so be sure to leave enough time to pick up your tickets and figure out where you need to go. And don’t forget to stamp your ticket in the machine by the track before getting on the train!

Bonus tip: Reserve now, pay later

The SNCF website lets you reserve a ticket online without paying for it in advance or even giving a credit card. On the pre-payment page, instead of clicking “Gare ou boutique” under question 1 hit “Option.” The red text lets you know the date and time by which you need to confirm your reservation (usually 24 or 48 hours before departure), and you’ll receive an email with a booking code.

If you’re not sure what your schedule will be like or don’t want to give out your information online, reserve your seat then bring your confirmation number to the station before departure to pick up and pay for your tickets.

Popularity: 13% [?]

By Bill Sinclair in Barcelona—

Barcelona can be an à la carte aficionado’s dream. All those lovely bites stacked up on the bar… Hams, cheeses, mushrooms, omelets, seafood, salads, sausages. Sure, they’re all very tempting, and seemingly cheap, but for the price of two tapas and one beer (about €6), you could enjoy a three-course lunch with bread and wine!

Read the "Menu del Dia" carefully! Photo by Papalars.

Here’s a quick overview of tricks and tips to help you dine a la Cheapo in Barcelona. (Also read our recommended outdoor eateries and our cheap restaurant picks for Barcelona.)

1. Look for “Menú del Dia”

Often chalked up on a board on the sidewalk, the “menú del dia” is a national institution. For a fixed price you’ll be offered a choice of, say, six starters and six main courses.

Although some restaurants offer more adventuresome menus, the first course choices will typically feature a paella or pasta dish, or a salad or a soup. The second course will often feature chicken or a small steak, or fish, served with fries or potatoes and vegetables of the day. And for dessert you’ll likely be offered yogurt or flan (creme caramel), pudding (sponge cream cake), ice-cream, or a piece of fruit. Expect to pay a little more at weekends and on public holidays.

You’ll even find some restaurants offering a “menú del noche” (evening menu) – again, with three or four courses (although often not including wine) for about €13.50 - €17.50.

2. Check before you get the check.

There are often lots of hidden costs that arrive with the bill in Barcelona.  Here’s a checklist for avoiding them:

* Tax: Check whether the price includes tax (”IVA”) or not. This will add 7% to the check. (Note, in the photo above, that the tax–”+ 7% IVA”– is not included in the price.)

* Terrace: Check how much the “suplemento“ for eating on the terrace is. (This is sometimes a fixed charge, between €1 and €3 per person, and can add as much as 20% to the check).

* Bread: Check whether the price includes “pan” (bread). (For example, a well-known restaurant on the Passeig de Gràcia once tried to charge me €12.40 for two small baskets of bread!)

* Wine and water: Check whether the price includes “vino” (wine) or “agua” (water) or a beer or “refresco” (soft drink ). Many places will serve you both wine and water (or gaseosa-fizzy flavoured water) at no extra cost.

* Coffee: Check whether coffee is included. Some restaurants allow you to exchange a choice of dessert for a coffee.

3. Pick your smoking preference.

Remember to ask for the “no smoking” section, if this is your preference. Otherwise, you run the risk of being seated next to a diner who might light up a post-prandial cigar just as you’re savoring your starter.

4. Know your hours.

In Barcelona, we eat lunch a bit later than everyone else in Europe–most restaurants do not start serving until 1 PM or 1:30 PM, and finish serving lunch at around 3:45 PM.

5. A few more words to dine by.

* Safety: Do not hang your handbag (or jacket with wallet) on your chair, if eating on a terrace.

* Tip: Don’t worry about the “propino” (tip). Leave what small change you have, or nothing at all. This could be somewhere between 5-10%, but shouldn’t be more than €1 per person.

* Complaints: All establishments are required by law to have a complaints book. If you’re not happy with any aspect of the food or service, ask for the “Libro de Reclamaciones.” If they say they don’t have one, you can legally leave without paying anything!

And, as we say here: “Buen provecho” and “Bon profit”!

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: 14% [?]

The Marché Barbès in Paris. Photographs by Theadora Brack.

By Theadora Brack in Paris—

Outdoor food markets in Paris are no small potatoes!

Let’s face it. Open-air market shopping in Paris can look pretty intimidating, even to a shopping enthusiast like myself. Cheapos, I’ve been there. In fact, during my first few months in Paris, I avoided the food market scene altogether, sticking instead to the safe predictability of the supermarché aisles.

But I’ve changed. I have seen “tomates,” “aubergines,” and “haricots verts” in a natural light, and I’m not going back to fluorescent.

Let me show you the way. Here are a few tips (well, a baker’s dozen) for success at any open-air food market. Allons-y!

Which way did they go?

The (sometimes intimidating) market scene.

Throughout Paris, there are 70 roving open-air markets (”marchés volants”) and 15 covered markets. Everyone has their own favorites, though most markets are similarly (and handsomely) stocked with the same basic repertoire of produce, bread, cheese, meat, seafood, spices, and flowers.

What sets each apart from the others are their clientele and neighborhoods. Truth be told, preference for any particular market is usually based on its proximity to one’s apartment. Convenience always trumps whilst carrying a heavy load!

Tips

1. Get the low-down.

They don’t call them “marchés volants” for nothing. The “flying markets” appear only once or twice each week on their assigned market days, sell their goods, and then move on to another neighborhood.

For a full list of open-air markets in Paris, click here. Refer to this list for dates and hours for markets near you.

2. Arrive early.

Hit the scene before the street bands begin to play, because most markets start to shut down around noon. Generally, open-air food markets open at 8 AM and close at 3 PM. Enjoy breakfast at the market with a cup of fresh white goat cheese or a chocolate cravate!

3. Am I late?

Cat Masson at Marché Barbès. Photo by Jeff Hallam

Not a problem. In fact, it could work to your penny-pinching advantage, since the merchants often reduce prices during the last hour.

Prior to rehearsing with folk band “Les Balochiens,” Violiniste Catherine Masson often heads to the frenetic Marché Barbès (just east of metro Barbès-Rochechouart) around 1 PM. Around this time, she explains, “the north African merchants start to sing out their discounts. ‘Petits Poi! Artichauts! Champignons!’ The rhythm and vibration stay with me all day. I get a deal and inspiration. It’s super cool.”

4. Cash and carry.

If you can, organize a small “till” the night before. I usually carry 20 euros in coins and small bills. Most street merchants don’t accept credit cards.

5. Buying for the week? Planning a big soirée?

Better bring a marché caddie or “chariot” (rolling cart), “panier” (basket), or a sturdy sac. During the summer season, Supermarché Champion carries a good-looking fibercloth sack in stylish animal prints for less than a euro. Collect them all!

Fresh lettuce, anyone?

6. I’ve got a new attitude. 

Shopping in France is a social interaction. Julia Child mused that, “If a Frenchman senses that a visitor is delighted to be in his store, and takes a genuine interest in what is for sale, then he’ll just open up like a flower.” What’s more, your relationship with the vendors will really flourish if you give them repeat business. The French value fidelity.

7. Sell! Sell! Then bye-bye!

Time is money for the open-air merchant. Fast transactional turnover is what it’s all about, baby. High-maintenance shopper? Need to know your chicken’s pedigree or the soil temperature where your tomatoes grew? Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But you’ll be better off browsing at a “biologique” (organic) food market, such as Marché Batignolles (Metro Rome or Place de Clichy) or shopping at an individual specialty shop.

8. Mind your Peas and Qs

Learn key French phrases like: ”Combien ça?” (How much is that?), “Je voudrais…” (I’d like), “un morceau de” (a piece of), “s’il vous plaît” (please), “un peu plus” (a little more) and “un peu moins” (a little less).

Also, brush up on your French numbers prior to your trip, since they can be tricky. For example, “quatre vingt dix huit” is 4 x 20 + 10 + 8 = 96. Whew.

9. U can’t touch this (or can you?)

If little plastic baskets or tubs are in reach, it’s usually okay to handle your own produce. An absence of these containers typically signals that the grocer will make the selections for you. And there’s usually a line, whether it’s immediately obvious or not. In any case, as you approach the stall, it’s always a good idea to make eye contact, smile, and say, “Bonjour!” That’s always been my ticket for fast and friendly service.

10. For every season turn, turn, turn.

Cat at the fruit stand. Photo by Jeff Hallam.

Think seasonally! In-season produce and “fromage” tastes better and costs less. Asparagus is best in the month of May, cherries ripen in July, and apples are at their tastiest in early autumn. Meanwhile, keep your eyes peeled for those “soldes” (on sale) signs.

11. Follow your nose.

Don’t let your shopping list call all the shots. You’re better off using all your senses, following your gut, and trying whatever you fancy. Some vendors offer samples, so by all means break one of my mother’s rules: shop while hungry!

12. Big Wheel keeps on turning

There are wheels and wheels of cheeses to please us at every market, and each has its story. “Saint-Nectaire” was a favorite of Louis XIV. The streak of ash in “Morbier” was once intended to keep bugs from landing on it. “Cantal,” one of the oldest cheeses, dates back thousands of years. Locals call it “fourme,” after the wooden form in which it’s made, which eventually gave rise to “fromage.” Each wedge is a taste of France’s legendary past.

13. No market close to your hotel or apartment?

Don’t fret. Most arrondissements have bustling “rues commerçantes” (shopping districts) which have many of the same advantages, if not the same Old World atmosphere.

This has been Theadora Brack! Bon Voyage et Bon Appétit!

About the author and photographer: Theadora Brack is a writer working in Paris. Her fiction has appeared in more than 30 literary publications, including 3AM International, The Smoking Poet, Beloit Fiction Journal, Mid-American Review, and the Haight-Ashbury Literary Journal.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Cellphone use in Bavaria. Photo by Jason MacArthur.

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 to save a dime but stay in touch, here are a few suggestions and tips to consider.

Staying in touch: The basics

It’s no secret that one of the easiest way to touch base is via email. But if you don’t want to pay excessive roaming fees for your Blackberry or iPhone, and prefer not to lug your personal laptop around when you travel, what do you do?

First of all, scrap plans to use hotel-owned Internet terminals or pay-per-minute internet access cards (unless they’re free of course). Instead, head to an Internet cafe. These cafes have spread like crazy around the Continent and make it quick and cheap to access email accounts, check in on social networking sites (like Facebook and MySpace), and update Twitter.

Other Web Options

However, sometimes “quickie” web cafe visits are not enough, especially on longer trips. Sending e-mails and messages to your family and friends is wonderful, but you’ll probably also want to actually speak with them. A great solution is the Internet phone service Skype. Skype lets you call other Skype users around the world for free.

All you need to make a Skype call is an Internet connection and a headset. You then “dial” another Sype user, like you would on an instant messenger, and once the connection is made you can speak for as long as you like–for nothing. For a small fee you can also place a call to a land-line or mobile phone.

Using Mobile Phones Abroad

The obvious downside to Skype is that you’re reliant upon an Internet connection to make the call. One way to solve that problem is by using a mobile phone.

Mobile phones, of course, not only let you keep in touch with those back home but also help you connect with people you meet on the road. They also allow you to call hostels and hotels from the road, check on museum hours, and in emergencies, call for help. Yet, cell phones are never the cheapest option.

For Americans, one complicating factor is that most mobile phones run on a network that isn’t accessible in Europe and, furthermore, most American phones can’t be “unlocked,” allowing you to swap out SIM cards. Thus, you can’t simply buy a new SIM card for your phone abroad. You’ll have to either rent or buy a new phone when you arrive, or, if your phone does work in Europe, pay additional fees for foreign coverage (either an incremental monthly fee or an expensive per-minute fee).

Fortunately for non-Americans, it’s much easier. Most foreign phones can have their SIM cards replaced with cards purchased at convenience stores (and sometimes right on the street!). The cards come with their own phone number and rechargeable minutes.

One Other Consideration

Thanks to technology, it’s easier and more affordable then ever to stay connected while traveling. At the same time, you should at least consider staying “unconnected” while traveling through Europe. After all, will your mobile phone be a helpful tool or just a distraction?

What do you think?

Do you stay connected when traveling? Do you take your mobile phone? Rent a phone abroad? Chat in Internet cafes? Tell us below!

About the author: Matt Kepnes is a twenty-something vagabond who has been on the road regularly since 2005 and produces NomadicMatt.com and How-To-Travel-The-World.com.

Popularity: 11% [?]

 
If only everything in London could be so cheap! Photo by drinksmachine

Recently, Alex Robertson Textor, our awesome editor emeritus and current writer-at-large, spent a few months in London and reviewed a host of new hotels for EuroCheapo while updating existing hotel reviews. In addition, he scoped out and tested cheap eats (bacon anyone?), budget tips, and lots more.

Positively brilliant!

If you haven’t already, might we suggest his “Insider Info” interview as a starting-off point?  It’s chock full of fun facts and anecdotes. Next, move on to his newly updated “Budget Tips” article, and then browse listings of more than 70 budget hotels, from hostels to B&Bs, and more unique sleeps.

Alex even added new neighborhoods citing the fact that London is so expansive, but easily accessed by public transport. This London guide offers new locales like “The City” and “Southwark/Bankside” among others. For help in choosing the right neighborhood, Alex lends helpful advice here.

Shout out!

And, as many of you dear Cheapos know, Alex also pens his own blog, “Spendthrift Shoestring.” Follow his travels here. In addition, he writes regularly for the New York Post blog. Check his latest dispatch out here.

Righty-ho!

Popularity: 8% [?]

Like us, many of our readers are American. And regardless of nationality, probably all of our readers are aware of the unfortunate exchange rate currently greeting US travelers abroad. Today, for instance, the euro costs US $1.58. Yet we’re still traveling to Europe.

Newspapers and magazines have been abuzz lately with articles about stretching the dollar abroad. Some of our favorites include The Seattle Times, Budget Travel Magazine, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Daily News, and the Austin American-Statesman. As pro-cheapo travelers, we’re happy to see so much interest in budget travel, although saddened to think that many potential travelers might feel discouraged and choose not to travel to Europe at all.

“Maybe next year I’ll get to Spain,” one of my friends told me last week. “I can’t afford it now.” Alas!

Pete, Meredith and I just returned from two weeks in Europe, traveling from Berlin to Brussels, and then Bruges. Yes, I was quickly struck by the inflated prices of small, everyday items. But I was also amazed that we pulled off the trip so affordably. It’s as if we had been preconditioned to expect the absolute worst. When we returned and tallied up all of our costs, it wasn’t so bad, after all. Ironically, we overspent on the little stuff and kept our spending down on the big, obvious expenditures, like hotels and meals.

Looking over our costs, post-trip, I have some basic advice to those planning their trips to Europe. Please excuse anything that seems obvious—if it helps one traveler save, it’s worth repeating!

1) Watch out for the small stuff!

Those little, incidental purchases got us, biting away at our budgets. Why? Because we spent without thinking. Cups of coffee, bottles of water, chocolate bars, little snacks, the newspaper… each only cost two or three euros, but they added up very quickly. I felt like I was leaking euro coins everywhere I went.

These are “invisible costs,” because you don’t remember spending the money and you don’t have anything to show for the purchases afterward. Some of these things, like water, you need. But you need to be smart about where to buy it. After draining my pockets of a week’s worth of euros, I got smart in Bruges and started buying water and snacks at a grocery store near my hotel. Who knew that Evian could be purchased for less than a euro per bottle? (Above, I’m doing a week’s worth of laundry in Brussels for about €5.)

2) Hunt for your meal

Each night, the three of us roamed the city, taking in the sights and sounds, but also looking for dining deals. In the end, because we were “on alert,” our dinners were surprisingly affordable. We converted menu prices into dollar amounts (not simply imagining a dollar sign in place of the euro!) and steered clear of the pricier eateries.

In Berlin, meal prices are fortunately already low, so this wasn’t a problem. In pricey Brussels, however, we checked out plenty of charming restaurants—most of them quite crowded—and hit the road as soon as we saw a bloated menu. €18 starter plates? That’s $27… I don’t think so! We took time every night to find affordable set-price menus, and usually found something for less than €15, which at about $22, was in our budget. Of course, you have to be careful to avoid tourist traps (like the rue du Bouchers in Brussels, pictured above), which lure you in with low set-price menus, serve mediocre food, and charge you like mad for every incidental item. It’s best to ask the locals. 

3) Lighten up at lunch

This won’t be for everyone, but we chose to make only dinner a sit-down affair. In years past, when hotel hunting I would often treat myself to a nice relaxed lunch, sometimes accompanied with a little red wine. It was so euro. This year, I slimmed down, stopping for a quick sandwich or salad and a bottle of water. It was cheaper, faster, and dare I say, better for my afternoon hotel visits!

Pete and Mere did the same in Brussels. Pete lunched several days in a row at “Mer du Nord,” an outdoor oyster and fish soup joint on Place St. Catherine, where a bowl of soupe du poisson could be had for €3.50. (See photo.)

4) Take advantage of breakfast… or not!

Breakfast is another time to save cash. In all four of our hotels, in Brussels and Bruges, a buffet breakfast was included in the price of the room. Thus, we could fill up at breakfast, making the light lunch more bearable.

This is different in every city. In Paris, for instance, breakfast is rarely included and, when offered, is usually quite expensive for what you get. Rather than fork over the cash for a dismal hotel breakfast, head to a cafe or, better yet, to the grocery store or outdoor market.

5) Sleep cheap!

This seems rather obvious, as this is EuroCheapo, but come on, Cheapos, watch that hotel bill! When searching for your hotel, if you’re American, choose to see hotel rates in US dollars. (On CheapoSearch, prices show in dollars by default.) This will prevent you from momentarily pretending that the euro and dollars are “roughly the same.”

When choosing a hotel, consider a 1 or 2-star hotel over the pricier 3-star option. Fewer stars doesn’t mean the hotel isn’t good and clean. It could simply mean that it doesn’t have an elevator, ground-floor reception, or certain amenities (like hairdryers, TV, telephone, etc.).

In Brussels, we stayed at The Moon Hotel, a perfectly fine 2-star sleeper two blocks from the Grand Place. Our rooms weren’t fancy (they were, in fact, kind of “dormy”), but we slept peacefully knowing that we were paying a fraction of the rate that travelers across the square in the 3 and 4-star hotels were paying. In Bruges, the lady running ‘T Keizershof, a small 1-star hotel I visited put it to me best when she explained, “When you’re sleeping, we look just like one of those big fancy hotels.”

Serious Cheapos should also consider a room or a bed in a hostel, which can cost much, much less than a hotel. Travelers visiting a city for an extending period should look into apartment rentals, and adventure travelers might also consider couch-surfing for free.

6) Do free stuff!

We always recommend that travelers head straight for the visitors information center when they arrive into town. Conveniently, many of these are located very near the main train stations or main squares. There, you can pick up a list of free or cheap activities happening in town during your stay. In both Brussels and Bruges, I walked out of the visitor centers with stacks of information, maps, and walking tours.

In Brussels, I bought a guide to the city’s comic-book themed self-guided walking tour for €3, and spent the afternoon learning about the city for next to nothing. In Bruges, the woman working at the tourist office wrote down a list of free concerts happening that week that she thought I might find interesting. All of that information was free, and most of the activities were free, as well.

7) Budget flights and rail deals

Before you book that rental car or buy that Eurail pass, consider flying between European cities on Europe’s budget airlines. Using the newly launched CheapoSearch Flights, our guide to European budget airlines, you can find some seriously low prices. Not to be outdone, the national rail companies are starting to fight back, lowering their prices for train trips booked in advance through their websites.

Check out: TGV (French) rail website, Die Bahn (German) rail website, Trenitalia (Italy) rail website, British Rail website, Renfe (Spanish) rail, SNCB (Belgian) rail

Your tips

These are just a few of the tips we’d like to share following our recent trip. What advice do you have? Please add your tips, ideas, and suggestions below! 

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