Cheaper European countries?

Portugal fits the category.

Poland....they haven't switched to the Euro yet. Start researching lovely Krakow: http://youtu.be/zxARTvlbKAk http://youtu.be/3S1RljbEuXM

Spain and Sicily are less expensive.

We found Budapest and Eger in Hungary to be inexpensive (for food and lodging), and I imagine the rest of Hungary is likewise inexpensive. Similarly, we've found the Czech Republic (especially outside Prague) to offer a lot of value for money.

Well certainly, if you go to London, Paris, and Rome, these are some of the most expensive cities in Europe. That will raise your cost a lot. Small towns in those countries will be less. I find Germany to be quite inexpensive (~$100/nt), but then I know how to keep costs down without sacrificing comfort or convenience. For others, it might not be so inexpensive.

@Lee - so, what are your tips for keeping it under 100Euros a night in Germany?

One of th e most inexpensive I have found is definitely Romania. It was beautiful and has such diversity. Loved it. Also found Hungary and Poland to be wonderful and also a lot cheaper than France and Italy, but I also agree with Lee and find Germany can be very reasonable to travel in. I don't need to stay in big cities so I can even find great bargains in France and Italy. Travel a bit off season and it can all be a bit cheaper.
I did not find Portugal to be that cheap, but I was only along the southern coast, however, I guess compared to the cote de azur it was cheap.

@Kira: Lee said $100, or 70 Euros; doubles with breakfast are easy to find at that price in many areas. Private B&B's and apartments offer the best deals, with discounts for longer stays. See this site for apartments to get some ideas, then go to the local tourist office websites: www.accommodation.de Ben's website is excellent: http://www.bensbauernhof.com/accommodations.html This place in Bacharach is 65 double w/brkfst for one night, 48 if you stay 7 nights. http://www.bensbauernhof.com/pensionimmalerwinkelbacharach.html http://www.im-malerwinkel.de

Accommodations: Ave. €31,69/day overall, €53,86/day in cities. ALL SINGLE OCCUPANCY. 1. Stay out of big cities. Fortunately I don't particularly like big cities. Munich is my one exception. In 52 nights I've spent 5 in Munich, 1 in Freising, 1 in Mainz. I find a night in Munich is about 50% more than in a small town. 2. Get your accommodations from the small town website. They have a much larger selection of places, particularly on the economical end. Stay in small gästehäuser and hotels. When conveniently located with suitable amenities (ie WC in room), stay in Privatzimmer. Travel: Ave €15,82/day 1. Limit your travel to a smaller area. Jumping around just costs money and uses time. 2. Use public transportation (trains and buses). Know how to get the most of it. In Germany I use Sparpreis tickets for longer trips but mostly Länder tickets. Use day tickets in the Verkehrsverbünde. Food: Ave €19,28/day I eat most meals in sit down restaurants. Sometimes, if I am on the go, I grab a sandwich at the Bahnhof kiosk. But, being able to read a menu is important. Schnitzel is less expensive in Germany than beefsteak. I usually average around €20 per day - lunch, dinner, beverages, and "tip". Breakfast, of course, is always included with overnight accommodations.

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions. That gives us lots of places to think about.
Carol

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Croatia. What a lovely country, and Dubrovnik is gorgeous! They are not yet on the euro but are supposedly considering it.

Turkey. Lovely country, lovely people.
And Spain.

I would generally agree with all the others, but I would like to stress that there really is no such thing as a cheap COUNTRY. What you have are cheaper PLACES scattered within the country. And almost all of those cheaper places are less urban and less the focal point of most casual tourist's attention. We did not find Prague to be particularly inexpensive, but Cesky Krumlov was. We did not find Munich to be particularly inexpensive, but the Füssen area was. Paris was certainly not inexpensive, but much of rural France was, etc. It also matters HOW you eat and sleep. If you like hotels with amenities and service restaurant meals, the variation in price is not large from place to place (of a similar style). But if you rent a cottage and buy groceries, there can be some amazing bargains almost anywhere.

Well, in my opinion, the easiest and cheapest way to cut costs, short of travelling for fewer days, is to reduce the numbers of destinations visited and enable the "slow travel" mode: exploring more each city, spending less in intra-European transportation etc. This being said, this is how I generally classify European countries (I'm now living in The Netherlands) in regard of common expenses for middle-low accommodations and regular food experiences (e.g., not fancy hotels nor fancy restaurants) 1st tier - Scandinavia, Iceland and Switzerland 2nd tier - UK, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands 3rd tier - France, Italy, Austria, Germany 5th tier - Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Poland, Czech, Ireland (Rep.), Baltic States, Croatia 6th tier - Hungary, Romania, Montenegro, Serbia But this list is in no way homogeneous. For instance: if you are travelling to less explored areas in France and Italy, you can slash your expenses compared to those of Rome, Florence, Paris and Marseilles.

Poland is one that comes to mind. I'm not surprised about Portugal but am somewhat surprised to hear Spain described as less expensive. My fall trip to Spain/Portugal got postponed to spring because of my wife's job - I hope it's true.

I think Rick's very general guideline of "things get cheaper the further south and east you go" is fairly accurate. Eastern- and Southeastern Europe are notably cheaper, but it kind of depends on what you're looking for. If you are craving the experience of England/France/Italy, you may not be interested in Poland just because it's cheaper. Czech Republic is probably the most inexpensive country with a "western european feel", if that is what you're looking for. Hungary is very close (Budapest still feels a little more "gritty" and post-Soviet than Prague) and a little cheaper. Berlin is probably the most inexpensive, and in my opinion, the most interesting city in western Europe.

I have found Berlin to be one of the cheaper big cities. Plenty of small hotels and tourist apartments under 100 euro.

on the continent countries without euros are cheaper and go east you'll find cheaper places. eastern european countries capital is chasing western counter part but small cities are still very cheap. i.e. budapest is probably the most expensive place in hungary but still cheaper than any western european capital. further east romania and bulgaria gets even cheaper.

Yes, Berlin just could be the cheapest big city or capital in Western and Central Europe. You can stay easily for under 45 Euro, or even, under 40 Euro in a single room(EZ) in Berlin, which also depends upon the district. In Germany, generally, it depends on the direction one goes in terms of expense: the further south one goes, one can expect it to be more expensive, Munich is most likely the most expensive city to visit in Germany. along with Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Heidelberg. If you're heading north, Hamburg will be cheaper, as well as Lübeck, Kiel, Rostock, Münster/Westf., Bremen. Also, the further east you go in Germany, it is cheaper than comparable cities in the western part, such as Leipzig, Erfurt, Magdeburg, Dresden, Frankfurt an der Oder. I would second going to Poland, as suggested above, where it is cheaper than what you find in western Europe, very nice accomodations, cheap transportation by train, (a train Pass wouldn't pay there), good relatively inexpensive food, and lovely hospitality in where I stayed, Warsaw, Krakow, Torun (Thorn), and Gdansk (Danzig)

Cheaper yes but good value per dollar. London and Paris maybe expensive, but how many world class sites can you see in a day compared to any where else? Do the math, as an experience (tourist site) per dollar per day, London and Paris will always win.
Tillsonburg, Tillsonburg, my back still aches when I hear those words. (Stomping Tom Connors)

Good point, but how do you know which tourist sites to count when doing the math? Would someone who doesn't give a fig about art count the Louvre? If I have no interest in the royals, do I count Buckingham Palace? In Italy can I count wonderful pasta as a tourist attraction? Or must I only count the antiquities and churches? And if I go to Switzerland, how to I count the Alps? Is that one site or many?

I would agree with several previous posters re. Poland. We went to Poland in July 2011 and loved it! Krakow is beautiful and we were pleasantly surprised by Warsaw. Also enjoyed Zakopane for a day despite the huge crowds (a huge vaca destination for Polish people). We found the people to be very welcoming and had some awesome food. Go to Poland!!

Spain can be relatively inexpensive. I've been tracking airfares and have found that both Madrid and Barcelona are typically and consistently less expensive than other options I'm considering in Italy at present. As far as lodging goes, you can stay cheaply even in big cities, such as Madrid. Example: Late 2009 quad in excellent hostal (not a hostel but a small hotel) was 85€...doubles were around 60€. In smaller towns, great doubles can be had for 50€ or less...sometimes much less. Food is very cheap – tapas and cafes (restaurants can be higher...just avoid them). AVE train is expensive, but Cercanias and medium-range trains are significantly cheaper, and Spain's excellent bus system is very cheap. Plus, Spain has some of the most magnificent sites to be found anywhere. Check it out.

I "second" everything Michael said about Spain. We were there last May, during "high" travel season, and staying in the major tourist cities---Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, Granada. We were not trying to book budget accommodations but nice 3* hotels in great locations. We found them for much less than we paid in Italy the previous year. Food was wonderful; we enjoy the "tapas style" of eating. The historical sites are amazing. And even the AVE trains are relatively inexpensive if you book far enough in advance to get the Web discounts (60% off).

Thats my point, take out the Louvre and there's still lots to do. Without the Queen, Buckingham Palace is still a beautiful building. Take the salt mines out of Krakow and you halved your sites.(see the first reply) I'm not saying don't go to cheaper places, but you get what you pay for. I'd include a good pasta house in my list. Take the Hortons out of Tillsonburg and I'm off to Delhi.

Peter - what is this "london and paris will always win" nonsense? "win" compared to what? Vienna, though not cheap, is far cheaper than either of those cities and can match either one for sights. So can Berlin which is substantially cheaper than all three. Budapest? Great culture and sights, total bargain (prices in line with what you'd pay in a US city or even better depending). For Western Europe Germany is a steal if you do it right - stay at B&Bs, gasthaus, or pensions, you can get clean, comfortable rooms in any part of Germany for less than 50 euro a night at that price (may need to share a bathroom though!). Menus can seem pricey but portion sizes are huge - ask to split a plate, pay the 1 or 2 euro fee if they have one, and realize you can get a huge meal for less than 7 euro. add 3 for a half-liter of beer, and who can complain? If you want to keep it cheaper, there's kebab and wurst and pretzels (and American fast food) everywhere, too. I haven't noticed honestly that significant a difference in prices between northern and southern Germany, except that drinking in Berlin was almost stupid cheap unless the bar was super swanky. If you want prices comparable to what you'd pay for similar food/lodging in the US, Spain and Hungary are the way to go - Hungary's probably even cheaper. Germany and Austria are a bit more expensive but still cheap compared to England and France.

Consider visiting Slovakia. You can get a pretty cheap flight into Bratislava, and it is a nice country. So interesting since it's a former Eastern Bloc country, and very cool. Slovakia has the most castles/chateaux per capita for any country. Take an afternoon and visit the Devin Castle. Take a one hour train ride, and you get to spend all day in Vienna while your lodging is still cheap in Bratislava. (Also, there are river cruises you could take one way to Vienna, and take the train back if that interests you.) The Old City (historic area) is a lot of fun to explore day and night, and offers a lot of restaurants and bars. Food was tasty and cheap. We got half a litre of beer for 1,80€, meals were cheap and it was easy to get around on the bus/tram system.

OK Carol, So a great trip would be fly to Munich, then go to Pilsen to Prague to Krakow to Brno to Bratislava, river day trip to Vienna, to Budapest, fly home? I think I got everybody covered here. Sorry Spain. Is Slovakia on the euro now? And Stomping Tom Connors is a pretty interesting singer.

Sarah, I could not agree with you more when it comes to traveling on the cheap in Germany and Austria...you're right on target. The key, as you have alluded to, is to know how to do it. I have stayed in several Pensions in the last few years where for a single (EZ) in cities it was anywhere from 35-45 Euro, simply nice, spacious, clean rooms in Munich, Münster/Westfalen, Hamburg, Berlin. Yes, Germany is cheap relative to other places if you know how...several variations on food and accomodations, and no dumps either.

Greek islands can be amazingly inexpensive. It's very easy to keep your costs under 100 euros per day, including ferries for island hopping, if you stick to the smaller, less-touristy islands. EDIT: I meant 100 euros per day for two people! Last month, my husband and I stayed in 35-euro-per-night hotels on Tilos, Nisyros and Lesvos. One right on the port, the others a block from the beach. Not luxurious but clean and comfortable, with air conditioning and a balcony or patio. Nearby bakeries for fresh, huge croissants for breakfast. Great dinners (maybe fresh fish or grilled lamb plus salad, bread and wine) for under 25 euros for two. Plus we got to see amazing sights: an active volcano, an excavated prehistoric city dating to 3200 bc, a petrified forest, a Roman aqueduct, beautiful monasteries, sea turtles, breathtaking turquoise blue seas. It was a great vacation.

Peter - totally disagree. I'd take Krakow over London and Ive not yet even been to the salt mines there. Also Lisbon is my favorite city - I think its more beautiful.than Paris. Great inexpensive food and just a short drive to the Alenjento region. Which is fantastic for exploring.

To answer Crash's question - yes, Slovakia is on the euro.

But Bronwin, what would I do in Krakow? Could I visit a different museum every day for a week? Or a different church? Or visit a site where world history was changed? I don't mean to slag other destinations, it's just that for the first or even twentieth visit London and Paris have so much in such small areas, thus very good value.

Everyone is different! I can't stay in one play for very long anyway. I work in NYC and can see it (if I lean out the bathroom window at sunrise) from my house, so I have all the big city sights / museums that I need. I really like visiting smaller cities which are totally unlike where I am from.

Actually France outside of Paris can be quite reasonable.
Explore it if you are interested in Provence, Burgundy, Alsace Lorraine areas. I have routinely been able to travel there for $100 per day pp with 2 sharing lodging. I omit drinking alcoholic beverages, fancy meals and shopping and can stay w/in this budget easily. Limiting my car travel to only when needed and using train/bus when possible, limiting my city hopping to fewer. If you want France in your plans it can be done. You can also opt for Portugal as less expensive but has less blockbuster sights than France IMO and can cost alot more for your airfare there.

Thanks Devon, Definitely going to hit Slovakia in Sept/Oct. Devin Castle looks awesome! We will expand our vacation from that point. Thanks.