Wanting to see the best of Europe on a shoestring budget? You’re in luck, it’s certainly doable – many of the best sights, sounds and experiences in Europe happen to come for free! Europe’s incredible cultural gems, splendid beaches and vibrant nightlife make it a brilliant continent to explore for gap year travellers and travellers’ young at heart. For some simple tips and tricks for keeping your travel funds in check for your European escapades, read on!
While a touch of freedom and flexibility can add to the adventure, doing as much forward planning of your itinerary as possible can end up saving you hundreds of pounds! Transport and accommodation availability is generally much higher when you book well in advance, which could result in much lower prices.
So why not try to nail down a few nights and transport links here and there in your Europe itinerary, to help set up the framework of your trip? Good preparation has other benefits too – if you don’t mind chilly and drizzly weather, you can plan your trip around off-peak (winter) months and shoulder seasons (October, November, February and March) for cheaper rates across the board, as well as lower crowds.
While criss-crossing all over Europe could be the way to go for keen adventurers, one way to save the dimes is by being selective and choosing fewer travel spots spread across the same total trip duration. By spending longer in each place, you are, in effect, making each day of your trip cheaper, if you consider the fact you aren’t cramming as many entrance fees into each day as you have more days to spread them out, plus not needing to pay for as much transport getting you from A to B.
Explore your chosen European destinations in more depth and properly get under the skin of the area, taking more time to find off-the-beaten-track hidden gems. Another benefit of this tactic is that public transport becomes cheaper the longer you stay in one destination, as you can take advantage of a longer multi-day metro (or equivalent) pass which is cheaper than lots of individual day public transport tickets/passes.
Find the cheap eats! While restaurants with flashy tourist-friendly signs perched next to major landmarks can look inviting, often you’ll find it’s the small, tucked away taverns that in fact offer up the most delicious and authentic meals – often at a significantly lower price point!
If you really want to do things on the cheap, grab some ingredients from the local groceries or market, so you can cook up something quick and easy, if you have access to a kitchen. Otherwise, pick up some ingredients for a picnic so you can enjoy a cheap and cheerful lunch in a scenic spot! For drinks, carrying a reusable water bottle around means you can easily refill, rather than needing to buy new drinks.
Pick the right places to visit for your budget! Eastern European destinations, such as the Baltics and the Balkans are generally known to be cheaper to visit when compared to places like Spain, France and Scandinavia, in terms of daily spending costs and accommodation.
Another factor to consider when selecting which destinations to visit is choosing cities which are known for offering free or discounted entry to sites, such as museums, galleries and landmarks. Cities with open admission parks and gardens and where you can find fun, free excursions such as volunteer-led walking tours, are great choices for places to visit on the cheap! For example, the city of Rome currently offers free entrance to many famous attractions on the first Sunday of each month – a massive bargain if you can time your travels to line up with it.
Lastly, another way to save on costs when travelling through Europe is by joining a guided group tour, with group tour operators such as Contiki, TruTravels, Intrepid and G Adventures. These providers offer a fantastic array of awesome and cost-effective itineraries, often for specific age groups, such as the 18-29s. As well as being a cheaper way to travel, since costs for arrangements are split among a larger number of people, it is a great way to make new travel buddies and share the experience.
In addition to group touring, budget-friendly accommodation arrangements including multi-dorm hostels can be a great way to meet people, find local events, and split food costs. Camping is another brilliant way to save money, and it’s often quite a fun and memorable experience!
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Holly Wallis
Web Content Supervisor
Holly is a Web Content Supervisor in our Marketing Team, based in our Kensington head office.
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