Tourists snapping a shot from high above Barcelona. Photo: Unsplash
Suddenly flip-flops, sunglasses, reddened skin and the smell of coconut suntan lotion are filling the air. This can only mean one thing in Barcelona: spring, and high-season, are here. As the summer approaches the city streets will swell a bit more each month with visitors, tourists, cruise-ship goers and backpackers. This means longer lines at » Read more
A five pack at Prosperity Dumplings in New York. Photos: Craig Nelson
For the ultimate culinary adventure, nothing beats eating your way through New York’s Chinatown. Not only is it good for your stomach (at least most of the time), it also works wonders on your wallet. Here’s the only challenge: with hundreds of places to choose from, how can a visitor find the best places without » Read more
The wonderfully dated facade of the Grand Hotel du Loiret. Photos by Theadora Brack
I was so adorable and well-behaved at the age of three that the man sitting next to us in the dining room at the Congress Hotel in Cape May, New Jersey, reached over and gave me a dollar. I was infatuated with hotels from that moment on. Ever since that first seaside jaunt, I’ve obsessively » Read more
Sip away the afternoon at Prater in Berlin. Photo: Alper Cugun
‘Tis the time–to take a seat outside and enjoy a beer (or two) with friends. Going to a beer garden (biergarten in German) is a quintessential Berlin summer activity and should be on the list for any visitor during the warmer months. Among the many beer garden options the city offers, these four stand out: » Read more
Take a romantic stroll through Villa d’Este. Photo:William Warby
When most travelers think of romantic cities, their thoughts head straight for Paris. Stealing a kiss at the top of the Eiffel Tower or ducking into an intimate café to gaze into each other eyes is indeed priceless. But not so fast, Paris! There’s also an endless supply of romantic spots in Rome. The Eternal » Read more
Cool off with the right boisson at a Paris café. Photo: londonexpat
Few experiences in Paris are as rewarding as sitting at a café for hours with a single beverage, watching the world pass by. During the summer, the sidewalk terraces open and the street theater plays out in front of you. As long as you stay away from the most famous streets and tourist-laden cafés in » Read more
The Town Hall in the center of Hamina's octagonal square. Photos © hidden europe magazine
The new high-speed rail service linking Helsinki with St. Petersburg, just launched last December, has been an immediate success, with passenger numbers in the first four months of 2011 up over a third on the same period in 2010. With the journey time slashed to 3 hours 36 minutes, it is no surprise that cross-border » Read more
Olsany Cemetery. Photo: Aliaksandr Palanetski
When in Prague, if you seek some respite from the hustle and bustle of the city, several cemeteries offer just that, along with history and art lessons to boot. Perhaps not the first place you think of for a quiet break, Prague’s cemeteries truly offer a silent oasis in the city. Full of trees and » Read more
Dublin's Phoenix Park is the largest city park in Europe. Photo: Pallotron
When the sun shines in Dublin, there are two places locals go: pubs and parks. Choosing parks allows Cheapos to explore new areas of the city while holding on to those euros for a rainy day, when you might be more inclined to order an extra pint of Guinness or two. For such a small » Read more
Cupcakes at Billy's Bakery. Photos by S. Russo
We’ve heard the odd rumor that the cupcake is on its way out, but it doesn’t seem like New York is edging out those bites of happiness-with-sprinkles-on-top any time soon. In fact, new cupcake shops just keep popping up, which introduces the sweet freak’s dilemma: Where to get your cupcake fix? That’s why this week » Read more
Looking up at Assisi, Umbria. Photo by Rebecca Winke.
By Rebecca Winke in Assisi, Umbria— Not too long ago, Umbria–with its rolling hills covered in vineyards and olive groves and topped by tiny medieval stone villages–was touted as the cheaper alternative to Tuscany (her neighbor to the north). This is not so true anymore, as this region in central Italy has begun to show » Read more
A flight boards in Eday, in the Orkney Islands in Northern Scotland. Photo: Odd Wellies
Last week, we looked at multi-sector hops across Arctic Norway and beach landings on Barra in our review of unusual European scheduled flights. Now we follow up with comments on some of the really small aircraft used on regular island flights around Scotland and Ireland. Shetland Several of the smaller islands in the Shetland archipelago » Read more
The (free) view from Barcelona's Castillo de Montjuic. Photo: Calafellvalo
By Regina W Bryan in Barcelona— You have a coffee, munch a croissant, ride the bus and buy a postcard for your mom and BAM!…. another €10 is gone! This is a city where it is very easy to spend money at a rapid clip. Here are a few places where it pays to lay » Read more
Sweet vegan desserts at Die Rebellion des Zimtsterns. Photo: Conticium
I stopped being a vegetarian when I came to Germany as an exchange student in a provincial town—otherwise I might have lived on salad for a whole semester. Things are a little different in Berlin. Many restaurants offer vegetarian options, and there are plenty of joints that are completely meat-free. Here are some vegetarian and » Read more
The Hotel Esmeralda in Paris has location, private baths, no elevator and one star. (Doubles €95-110)
So, you’re staying at a three-star hotel in Paris. Does that mean it’s better than a two-star hotel? And would that be similar to your two-star hotel in Rome? What are these star ratings, anyhow? European hotel star ratings can be quite confusing. To help you out, we have six things to keep in mind » Read more
Feel the liberté of cycling through Paris. Photo:
Chung-Yao Yang
(Updated June 28, 2011 to reflect new Velib’ policies) Tourists coming to Paris look with desire at Vélib‘, the city’s public bike-share program. Until recently, when tourists asked me how to rent one, I was forced to dash hopes. For, until recently, you couldn’t hop on a bike unless you possessed a European chip-enhanced credit » Read more
The harbor at Dun Laoghaire. Photo: Informatique
Dublin is a coastal city, but wandering around city center you might never know it. Many flights from the US arrive under the shroud of night, and travelers never get the chance to see just how stunning the Bay of Dublin and the coast can be. A train that runs along the coastline of Dublin » Read more
Enjoy Parque Güell in Barcelona for free. Photo: Jorge Franganillo
Barcelona on €20 a day? It is not easy, but let me tell you, it can be done! Here’s the Cheapo guide how to go super shoestring in the Catalan Capital city. 1. Sleep super cheap. Unless you have friends in Barcelona, you are going to have to pay for somewhere to sleep, which could » Read more
Foreign and independent films at New York's Film Forum. Photo: Ajay Suresh
Over the past few weeks, they’ve been filming a new movie just around the corner from EuroCheapo offices here in New York. Yes, we freely admit that we’ve craned our necks, when passing, for a glimpse of Robert Deniro. We also admit to a certain amount of pride in the fact that New York, setting » Read more
London's Canary Wharf. Photo ©hidden europe magazine
You probably saw the recent news that London’s civic authorities are pressing ahead with a plan to span the River Thames with a cable car. This new public transport service across the river will connect two important Olympic venues and should be up and running by this time next year. It is not the first » Read more
Hanging out in the Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere. Photo: Yukino Miyazawa
Rome wasn’t built in a day… and you certainly can’t uncover all of its treasures in a day, either. But something you can do is uncover the city’s beauties neighborhood by neighborhood, devoting a day to each one. Which better neighborhood to start off with than the charming quartiere of Trastevere! Most locals consider Trastevere, » Read more
The Bald Barista café in Dublin's Avalon House hostel. Photo: Skywaaker
by Jessica Colley— Ireland has a tea culture. It’s almost considered rude to ask someone how many cups of tea they consume in a single day. For many, the answer could be in the double digits. Others who don’t have much of a “tea habit” can drink up to five cups a day. So what » Read more
Barcelona's bakeries offer more than just bread. Photo: Avinash
Bakeries are a tasty way to save big in Barcelona. There are SO many bakeries in this town that it’s hard to walk two blocks without running into one selling flaky croissants, baguettes, chocolate napolitanas, and large loaves of pa de payés, a Catalan farmers’ bread. Bakery sandwiches Bakeries also usually sell sandwiches, which are » Read more
Looking down onto Nice's harbour. Photos © hidden europe magazine
Nice’s role as a prime vacation spot was sealed by mid-19th-century artists. Even many guidebooks today reproduce those dreamy sketches and soft watercolors depicting the broad sweep of the Promenade des Anglais, well-dressed couples walking arm-in-arm, the azure Mediterranean to the right, the hills of Mont Alban and striking Mont Boron in the distance. Times » Read more
See the city for free with these walking tours. Photo: Chris Waits
When it comes to discovering Paris, walking is the only surefire way to really get to know the city. Boats and buses are wonderful ways to explore, but they limit you and prevent you from going at your own pace. Bikes are great, but zipping through traffic means that you should, perhaps, pay attention to » Read more
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