The Frugal Explorer’s Guide to Europe: Experience Majestic Cities on a Budget
Europe is one of the more popular destinations for tourists on the planet. For thousands of years, this continent contained the majesty of some of the world’s greatest civilizations. From the beautiful coastlines of Athens and Istanbul to the rolling hills of Rome and palaces of opulent Paris, Europe’s splendour and influence have persevered to this day.
Contemporary Europeans refuse to leave behind their roots, placing strong emphasis on continuing to recount the story of their people and culture. Each nation tells its own unique tale through its architecture, food, and language, amongst a myriad of other elements.
Deciding where to visit in Europe can be extremely challenging and probably deserves its own article entirely. While European countries are welcoming to tourism, you do pay a price to visit, literally.
Most people are not able to book a three-week trip to Europe without concern about how much it costs. Consequently, learning how to budget a trip can be difficult, especially for inexperienced travellers.
This list offers five tips for saving money while in Europe, ensuring you can still enjoy the inexplicable grandeur of the continent.
ABOVE: Supermarket lunch enjoyed canal-side in Amsterdam. (Photo: TTT Staff)
1. Avoid Eating Out
A painful one, I know. European countries boast some of the best food in the world. All across the continent, each nation offers an infinite number of distinct culinary delights that not only taste phenomenal but highlight the nation and its specific culture. This combined with the appealing outdoor European café and restaurant scene makes eating out all the more enticing. However, if you’re on a tight budget eating out should be largely avoided. Opting for a local supermarket and assembling a sandwich, or bocadillo as they are called in Spain, is likely to save you a pretty penny. Furthermore, many of these idyllic cafés and restaurants along popular European streets and plazas remind me of the mythological Greek sirens, irresistible on the outside but cunning and deceptive within. While the ambiance and exterior are picturesque, the price you pay rarely meets the quality you receive. The food and drink are mediocre at best, and you are much better off saving your money by eating cheap for a few days, and then treating yourself to a restaurant you know is worth the price. I recommend researching restaurants to visit in advance, to avoid spontaneously falling into this “tourist trap.” While restaurant eating may be more convenient and appetizing, making your own food is a much cheaper alternative.
ABOVE: Istikal Street crosses the heart of Istanbul, connecting Taksim Square to the iconic Galata Tower. (Photo: TTT Staff)
2. Be Ready to Walk
Though public transportation is cheap and well-organized in most big European cities, traversing the busy streets on foot is another way to save some cash.
Most big attractions are relatively close to one another and easily accessible by well-developed sidewalks. Though it could be quicker to take a bus or metro, savour the unique architecture, unusual aromas, and eccentric flair that only Europe has to offer by wandering the winding streets. Strolling the European boulevards allows you to take in the day-to-day lives of locals, observe the unique sounds and smells, and get to know the city better as a whole.
I’ve had more 30,000 step days travelling in Europe than I can remember, but each one provided an unforgettable experience. Furthermore, I operate by a rule to rarely take a taxi in Europe, unless I’ve no other choice. While they are the most convenient, taxis charge a large fare, especially coming to and from airports, and often try to scam jet-lagged tourists into paying more than is necessary. Unless public transportation is closed and all other measures are exhausted, taxis should be avoided as well.
ABOVE: The cobblestoned streets and sidewalks in the 900-year-old town of Freiburg, Germany, are not suitcase-friendly. (Photo: TTT Staff)
3. Forget the Suitcase
Suitcases are a gift and a curse, they provide extra space to carry clothes and other important items, but make it nearly impossible to get anywhere smoothly. Therefore, it is much easier to travel with a backpack.
Airline check-bag fees, more trunk space, and bag storage expenses can be avoided if you stick with the latter. I once paid close to $300 for leaving my suitcase at a baggage storage company in the Madrid Barajas airport for ten days, which could have almost covered my return flight. Furthermore, suitcases are a nuisance when travelling throughout Europe. If you’re not familiar with the loud, obnoxious sound of a suitcase clipping the ridges of cobblestone streets, consider yourself lucky.
Not only does it ruin your wheels, but it also attracts a lot of negative attention from local Europeans. In fact, the mayor of Croatian city Dubrovnik banned suitcases in 2023, because of the loud dragging noise they make on the uneven stones and bricks that date back to Medieval times.
Leaving the suitcase at home will make your trip exponentially more convenient, as it prevents the wheels from being caught on sidewalks and frees you from the hassle of dragging it through public transportation. Although there is less space, a backpack is far more convenient and economical.
ABOVE: The Blue Door Hostel in Tirana, Albania offers shared room accommodations for USD $10. (Photo: Trip Advisor)
4. Don’t be Afraid of Hostels
There is a reason that hostels are so cheap. Cramped and stuffy bedrooms, dirty washrooms, uncomfortable beds, and strange roommates are all common experiences for anyone who has stayed in a hostel. The truth is most hostels do fulfill their stereotypes, but the experience of staying in one can be much more exciting than any alternative, not to mention the vast difference in price.
Most hostels will charge anywhere between $20 and $100 per night, depending on room size, city, and location. Furthermore, it is quite common for hostels to charge for additional amenities, like bedsheets or bath towels. Even with these auxiliary charges, hostels are significantly cheaper than hotels.
Most hostels are located in the city centre and close to all tourist attractions, and some offer a complimentary breakfast upon booking. Additionally, the opportunity for social interaction is exponentially higher in hostels. Sharing a dorm room with up to 12 people makes encounters with other travellers inevitable.
During my most recent hostel stay in Paris, my two roommates could not have been more different. One was a 30-year-old Frenchman from Nantes who was an avid meditationist and interested in martial arts, while the other was an 18-year-old Brazilian whose goal, it seemed, was to visit every nightclub in Paris and try every type of liquor the city had to offer.
When travelling normally, it can be difficult to naturally strike up a conversation with a fellow tourist, especially for introverts. However, proximity in hostels makes these conversations much easier. Each person has a different reason for travelling, one that often informs their perspective on life. Hostels enable conversations to take place and make a travel experience that much more culturally rich.
Some of you may wonder how it is possible to fully revel in the marvels of Europe if you’re walking everywhere in the hot sun and eating cheaply thrown-together sandwiches, all with a dingy local hostel to look forward to at the end of the day.
I would argue that this way of travelling allows you to do more with your money and is more entertaining—plain and simple. I’ve done my fair share of travelling on both a tight budget and a looser one, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the former is much more memorable.
While we idealize travel to be comfortable and flawless, the reality is it very often is not. For many, the purpose of travel is to experience a new culture and place. Step into that discomfort as you travel and see the world as it is—imperfect yet beautiful and unique.
Need a guide to Paris? Check out our article here.
