It’s summertime and the shopping will be easy in Paris when the city-wide “Soldes d’été” (the big summer sales) kick off on Wednesday, June 30, 2010. So let’s whet the appetite with a little preparatory window-shopping at Le Bon Marché! Le Bon Marché was not only the very first department store in Paris (in fact, » Read more
Roundtrip tickets from Paris to Amsterdam for July 2010 for €70.
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 between July 5 and » Read more
Some cities in Europe are known for the various tourist scams that relieve you of your money or your wallet. Or both. Stockholm, for the most part, is a very safe city, but even the Swedish capital has a scam to watch out for. Wandering through Gamla Stan is a wonderful way to get to » Read more
Polish food at a restaurant in Krakow. Photo: George Kelly
If you’re looking for something tasty and cheap (a step up from zapiekanka, perhaps?) in Krakow, you’re in luck. Whether you want traditional Polish cuisine, some Italian-style grub or a healthy vegetarian meal, there are budget-friendly options galore. Here are some of our favorite picks: Polskie Smaki ul. Sw. Tomasza 5 Open daily from 8 » Read more
Sunset over Menton. Photo: Axel Naud
The places at the end of the road are always the most interesting. After the glitz and gloss of Antibes and Cannes, after the bustle of Nice and Monaco, you might at first think there is not much left to the French Riviera. Yet the best is yet to come. For Menton, the very last » Read more
Tired of arriving to your destination looking like you’ve just emerged from a human car wash? Well, how about getting to Florence refreshed, reposed and with the swagger of a Medici prince? Check out these tips to save energy, time and money when arriving in Florence: Lean toward Pisa (the airport, that is) Florence has 1.5 airports. The » Read more
Once you’ve spent some time in Florence, a day trip provides a nice break from the crowds of tourists and shoppers flooding the city. Poggio a Caiano, a small town about 30-40 minutes northwest of Florence, is a great example of amazing Tuscan history integrated into a modern Italian town. The highlight of the town » Read more
May 27, 2010. Like a good Cheapo, you’re planning to avoid currency exchange counters and head for the ATM upon arrival in Europe. But if you’re American, we have a couple of questions for you. How much does your American bank charge to withdraw money from a foreign ATM? Do they take a percentage? What’s » Read more
Continuing our “4 Cheapo Questions” series, this week we hop across the pond to Oslo, Norwary to say hello to our travel pal Sam Daams, co-founder of Travellerspoint.com. We had the pleasure of getting to know Sam when our paths crossed in London last year, during which time he told us the fun and interesting » Read more
Le Bateau-Lavoir in Montmartre. All photos by Theadora Brack
Apparently a postcard just wouldn’t do. Last week (May 20, 2010) in Paris, a thief swathed in black picked a padlock, smashed a window and stole five masterpieces from the Musée d’Art Moderne. Taken were “Dove with Green Peas” by Picasso (1911), “La Pastorale” by Matisse (1906), “Olive Tree Near l’Estaque” by Georges Braque (1906), » Read more
While the Vatican Museums and Pantheon in Rome may keep the grown-ups enthralled, the endless “old stuff” may not captivate kids for long. So for anyone traveling with younger ones to Rome, what can the ancient city offer to keep everyone amused? Well, many things, as it turns out! Plus, many of the city’s kid-friendly » Read more
Babylon Cinema is always a good bet. Photo: hslo
New York, Los Angeles and Paris aren’t the world’s only cinematic cities. Filmmakers love to set their films against Berlin’s exciting cityscape (which also hosts the annual Berlinale film festival). “Inglorious Basterds,” “The Bourne Supremacy” and “A Good German” are just a few of the films that have been enhanced by the city’s historic and » Read more
Book those Eiffel Tower tickets in advance! Photo: Bob Doran
Europe’s recent financial troubles, propelled by the debt crisis in Greece and other countries, have given European markets the jitters in the past few weeks. As a result, many investors have turned away from the euro, causing its value to plummet against the US dollar. As of today, the US dollar is stronger against the » Read more
In my opinion, the Magere Brug (the “Skinny Bridge” in English) is the best bridge in Amsterdam because of its beauty (by day and by night) and its ideal location on the Amstel River. It’s my favorite place to sit and dangle my feet in the sunlight. A trace from the Golden Age The Skinny » Read more
You'll find many bookstores in Madrid. Photo: Adam Jones
Books are great travel companions and if you find yourself without one, well, it’s possible to feel a bit lonely. If you’re in Madrid, there’s no need to panic: Plenty of bookstores carry English titles. Here are five of our favorites: J & J Books and Coffee Calle Espiritu Santo, 47 Metro: Noviciado Telephone: +34 » Read more
A line of hungry customers at I Fratellini. Photo: Dan Costin
There’s a reason that the word “panini” is well known in the English-speaking world, and that’s because Italians really know how to make a good sandwich. A savory “panino” is the perfect cheap and quick lunch in Florence, and thankfully there are many options from which to choose. Here are our favorite sandwich shops in » Read more
Rome Fiumicino? Well designed. Photo: Philip Mallis
This week, let’s set our sights on six key features that define a good, contemporary airport, whether in Europe or elsewhere. Here the focus is on those areas of the airport open to all passengers, not just the frequent-flier set. What makes a business-class lounge good is a matter for another investigation. 1. Public transportation » Read more
The tip of the Île de la Cité. Photos by Theadora Brack
Spring has finally sprung in Paris, so with arms tangled and hair highly mussed, let’s stroll like real Parisians to my favorite centuries-old romantic hot spot, le Square du Vert-Galant at the tip of the Île de la Cité. Created by passionate King Henri IV, its spectacular view of la Seine and currents crashing into its » Read more
ATAC bikes in Rome. Photo: Daniel X. O'Neil
Over the last couple of years around Rome, ATAC’s bikesharing program has become a popular fixture around the city center and the beach resort of Ostia. Taking to the streets in Rome can be scary, as traffic is plentiful, but for the brave and those with padded clothing (those cobbles can be a challenge), it » Read more
The Gellert Baths in Budapest. Photo by Joe Mabel. Photo: Joe Mabel
For over a thousand years, kings and queens from every part of Europe and Asia have enjoyed—and fought for—Budapest’s natural hot springs. Seemingly every other conqueror of the city made his mark by building a bath (or “fürdo” in Hungarian) to call his own. Each day, more than 350,000 cubic meters of hot water gushes » Read more
May 1, the day when comrades used to march in solidarity in Europe’s streets, has come and gone. And in many European cities this past weekend, visitors were possibly surprised to find just how seriously local folk still take their demonstrations. From Paris to Athens, from Moscow to Milan, the streets were thronged with protesters » Read more
Shopping the small streets of Barcelona. Photo: Oh-Barcelona.com
I have lived in Spain for over four years now, though I’m originally from Portland, Oregon. In my native city, secondhand and vintage clothing boutiques are as common as rainy days. When I lived in Portland, it was all the rage to shop secondhand. From frocks to socks to records and costume jewelry, purchases were almost » Read more
Is there a market for a European Allegiant? Photo: lostinfog
Allegiant Airlines is one of North American aviation’s most under-reported success stories. The airline flies to a select number of popular vacation hubs from several relatively remote and seriously underserved destinations across the United States. Allegiant’s model is genius. It is the only vacation destination player at most of its traffic-starved airports. For residents of » 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
The Strada Nuova in Venice. Photos by Monica Cesarato.
While there are plenty of cities in Europe with many free museums and attractions to visit, Venice is sadly not one of them. The city’s economy is based on tourism, hence you’ll find that almost everything comes with a price tag attached. Though Venice may seem to be a less than ideal location for the » Read more
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