Two months ago a credit card ID thief nabbed my account information and went on a shopping spree. Over a two week period this (Editor’s note: expletive deleted) bandit purchased, among other items, snacks at the racetrack, many tanks of gas, and a new pair of shoes. In the end, $2,000 was charged to my card. I » Read more
Hotel Dali Via Dell Oriuolo, 17 (near the Duomo) The Hotel Dali has been one of our favorite hotels in Florence since we created our Florence hotel guide in 2001. For the first in our “Checking In” series, we’re posing some questions to the owners of the Dali, Marco, 42 and his wife Samanta, 38 (pictured above). » Read more
Doubles € 105-155 Neighborhood: La Rambla The Sant Agusti is one of our favorite hotels in Barcelona, and it just happens to be the oldest hotel in the city, too. Built in 1880, the hotel is named after the nearby church of Sant Agusti and was a working convent in the 1700s. Many of the » Read more
Don't forget to stop and see the historical Barbakan. Photo: Jennifer Boyer
Although Krakow isn’t among the priciest European cities, we always love to save when we can. Here are our picks for stuff that won’t cost you a z?oty! Take a trip to St. Mary’s Basilica Mariacki Square, 5 Arguably the most famous of Poland’s churches, St. Mary’s Basilica is home to the illustrious Gothic altarpiece carved » Read more
The gorgeous streets of the Gothic Quarter. Photo: Naval S on Flickr
A reader asks: “In Barcelona, we’re thinking of staying in the Gothic Quarter to be close to everything, but we’re worried that it’s not safe. Is this area sketchy at night?” Regina WB responds: Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter has the Cathedral, Plaza del Rey and many other fabulous sites that most visitors want to ‘oohh and » Read more
Yes, we hate adding on the extra pounds too. And, in London, it’s easy to do. Thankfully, there are a slew of free things to take advantage of in Her Majesty’s city—and you pretty much only need a good pair of walking shoes to enjoy them. Righty-ho! Water works We think the best fountains in » Read more
With budget airlines, you can fly between European cities for startlingly low prices. But, is there a hitch to that €20 flight from London to Venice? Maybe. Here’s our quick recap of budget airline advantages and disadvantages. Some pros 1) You can fly for cheap, especially with advance planning. How? There are many ways to fly » Read more
Having read repeatedly that Brussels, as the center of the EU, was more “political” and “corporate” than “quaint European,” we anticipated streets filled with bankers and void of much character (save for a small central square and a famous statue of a boy urinating). Boy, were we wrong! From the bright, grafitti-lined streets to the yummy, chocolately waffles, steamed mussels, and » Read more
In the spring of 2006, I was able to score some super-cheap tickets on Ryanair for a last-minute getaway to Barcelona from London, where I was living. It had been a great weekend, made possible I only had to pay the airport tax. The catch? I had to fly into and out of two less-than-central » Read more
Let’s wind down and settle into our weekend, shall we? Even on a rainy Friday morning, we’ve found inspiration this morning flipping through some other sites. For example: The web has been busier than the Dublin airspace with stories about Ryanair. Our favorite budget travel rebel at “Less than a Shoestring” last week continued to explain “Why I » Read more
(tap, tap) Is this thing on? Ladies and gents, we’re thrilled to announce the newest addition to EuroCheapo: CheapoSearch Flights, our great, big search engine for researching budget airlines in Europe. We’re big fans of European budget airlines, in all their quirky, bargain-ticket glory. How else could you fly from London to Rome for £10? We felt, however, that there » Read more
2-star hotel 19, rue Monsieur le Prince Paris, St. Germain des Pres Doubles: €79-100 Ahh… Paris is the city of love. And, we’ve got lots of it for the charming two-star Villa des Princes. In fact, you may recall that we mentioned Villa, the tiny 12-room gem in the middle of the trendy St. Germain » Read more
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. » Read more
Enjoy stunning (and free!) views from The Reichstag. Photo: Susanne Nilsson
Berlin is one city where your euros can still pack a punch. And, perhaps even more importantly, it’s also full of art, history, sausage, and frei stuff to do. Here are six of our favorite freebies in the German capital: The Reichstag The official seat of the German Parliament, the Reichstag affords you (at no cost!) » Read more
A night out in Paris. Photo: Lonni Besançon
Paris can get, how do you say?, “trés cher.” After dining out in Paris for two nights last week, we were ready to give our wallets a break and try a Paris night a la Cheapo. A stroll for free After doing a bit of research, we mapped out a fun, Seine-side stroll from St. Germain des » Read more
As previously mentioned, Pete, Mere, and I returned from Europe on Monday afternoon. After attending the ITB travel conference in Berlin, we drove to Brussels (ha! more about that later) and started the “hotel hunt” part of the trip. Pete and Meredith took on Brussels and I took the train to Bruges, where I spent five » Read more
Alas, after two weeks of traveling to Berlin, Brussels, and Bruges, these three Cheapos at Work had to fly home on Monday. Pete and Mere flew from Paris, and I returned from Brussels. Before I get into my “you won’t believe what Continental served us for breakfast” stomach-turner, I must apologize for not blogging during my » Read more
At long last, Tom, Pete, and Mere are heading off to Berlin today to attend the ITB conference through Saturday. It should be quite an event, throwing together national and city tourist boards, travel writers, travel agencies, and other industry types for three hectic days. The organizers of the event sent off a press release on Monday » Read more
Should you zip around Florence on a rental scooter? Photo: Alex Kuruz
Ah, Florence, Renaissance city of artistic treasures, architectural icons, and mouth-watering delicacies. And throngs of tourists. And locals zipping up and down tiny streets on scooters and motorcycles. If you’re an adventurous traveler, you might consider seeing the city like a local — on a cute little euro-scooter. But should you? Pros Renting a scooter in Florence makes » Read more
Dear readers, we’re packing our bags for Belgium, where we’ll be adding two new cities to the site! And we’re asking you for your advice! First, we’ll visit Brussels, the bulls-eye of the European Union. Known for its bankers, beer, and chocolate, Brussels is also known for rather expensive lodging, presenting us with both a challenge and an opportunity. Next » Read more
Where can you pick up a good ride in Amsterdam? Read on! Photo: Orse
Amsterdam is one of the best European cities for cycling. See the city, speed along the canals, and act like a local. Ready to roll? First, grab a good map. The tourism office facing Centraal Station offers a bike-specific map with highlighted biking paths and touring suggestions. Then, go get a bike! Where? Mike’s Bike Tours Kerkstraat » Read more
We love Paris. We love classical concerts and operas. And we love saving money. Thus, we combined our loves and put together a list of five ways to do culture in Paris a la cheapo. Free classical music Pick up a Pariscope, the weekly listings guide (in French), at any magazine kiosk and flip to the classical » Read more
London can be a tricky city for dining. Long criticized for the quality of its fare (“It’s no Paris!”), the city has undergone a gastro-awakening over the past decade that has benefited the bellies, if not the wallets, of its diners. So what’s a Cheapo to eat? Here are our dining tips, all tested and » Read more
When visiting any city, we’re always relieved to find free activities to take the burden off our wallet. We’re happy to report that enchanted, moody Dublin offers a wide-range of high class sightseeing opportunities that won’t cost you a euro-cent. Our three faves: Dublin Castle For die-hard history buffs, reaching the Dublin Castle is » Read more
Back in the day, it was fairly typical to see many old Hungarian men and woman hanging out well into the night at a traditional coffee house in Budapest. Ideas were discussed and many pastries were consumed. Today, it’s hard to narrow in on some of these ancient gems (no, we’re not talking about the » Read more
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