How To Travel To Europe On A Budget: Yes, It can Be Done!

So, you want to go to Europe, but after quick research you’re realising that you may have to sell a kidney on the black market or take out a section mortgage? I get it, we came to the same realisation before our big European summer trip.

Luckily, with a little planning, a pinch of creativity, and a strong tolerance for hostel snoring, you can eat baguettes under the Eiffel Tower, gondola your way through Venice, and dance in Berlin ’til 4:00am, all without plumeting your bank account faster than the British pound plumetted during Brexit.

Traveling Europe on a budget isn’t just a pipe dream, it can be done. Think of it like this: you’re not being cheap, you’re being financially adventurous. Who needs a 5-star hotel when you can have 5 roommates from 5 different countries and one bathroom? That builds character, and isn’t that what travel is all about?

In this blog post, we’ll break down how to stretch your Euros further and how to have an incredible time on the continent, without feeling like you’re constantly penny pinching.

How to plan a trip to Europe on a budget

Before you get to Europe, here are some tips to help you plan your trip before you board a flight.

Avoid visiting during Peak Season

Oh how a European summer sounds dreamy. And it is, but it’s also sounding dreamy to Vera, and Nigel, and Marge, and you get the message. Everyone wants to visit Europe in the summer as it’s when you have endless good weather and can guarantee all attractions are open.

But summer is not the only good time to visit Europe, and it’s definitely not the time to visit if you’re on a budget as hotels and tour companies jack up the price this time of year.

The easiest way to save money on a trip to Europe is to plan your visit for the off-seasons. This is the time when you see the least amount of tourists (a bonus) and you might also find that accommodations and tours will lower their prices.

You can have a beautiful vacation in mid to late September and October. If you’re dreaming of visiting sunny destinations in Europe on the coast, then you’ll find the weather is still warm enough for you to swim in places like Spain, Italy, France, Sicily etc.

Even countries in the Balkans region such as Albania, Montenegro, and Croatia are still warm this time of year.

Another popular time to visit Europe is in the winter for the ski season, but this is another time of year when prices can hike up in some places. Countries like Switzerland, Austria, and the French Alps are very expensive from November through to March and early April due to the flooding of ski enthusiasts.

So, you might find slightly better rates in these countries in the Spring or Autumn.

Ultimately it comes down to which countries you want to visit. Be sure to check the peak seasons for those countries before booking any flights, so you can map out your itinerary to avoid the high prices.

Visit Eastern Europe for Christmas Markets

While most people think of huge cities like Prague in Czech Republic, Budapest in Hungary, and Amsterdam in The Netherlands for Christmas markets, you will find cheaper accommodation and flight prices to countries in Eastern Europe.

The Wroclaw Christmas Market in Poland is iconic, and Tallinn in Estonia is also an underrated hidden gem in Europe.

Plovdiv in Bulgaria, Riga in Latvia and Bratislava in Slovakia also have great Christmas Markets and are considerably less touristy than the ones in major cities.

Plus, those countries are generally cheaper to visit in terms of accommodation and food costs.

Travel carry-on only

When booking flights, many airlines charge you extra for hold luggage, and it can be anywhere from $50-$100 more!

You can save a lot of time and money by travelling with carry on bags only.

In fact, you’ll find getting around much easier this way, as it can often be a pain dragging a wheelie suitcase down the cobbled streets of some European cities.

Pick your destinations wisely

Some destinations in Europe are pricier than others. Choosing the right destinations is like picking your battles; avoid the pricey knights and go for the thrifty squires.

Western Europe might be calling your name and you may have visions of yourself sitting under the glitzy Eiffel Tower with a glass of Champagne or gorging on Swiss chocolates whilst looking over craggy peaks and alpine meadows – but your wallet may not be idealising those dreams.

Budget travelers should be looking eastward. Countries like Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria are more budget-friendly destinations, with affordable accommodation and lots of free attractions.

If you’re dreaming of the Mediterranean coast, choose Albania or Montenegro over Italy or France, which have equally balmy beaches but will cost a fraction of the price to visit.

If your heart is set on Paris, Rome, or London, then opt to stay outside the city centers, or choose to visit smaller towns over capital cities so you can stretch your budget further.

In short, be flexible, think outside the tourist traps, and remember that a less-famous destination doesn’t mean less fun, it just means fewer crowds and more cash for gelato.

Start your visit to every city with a free walking tour

When you arrive at a destination, your first activity for the day should be a free walking tour. Walking tours are cheap ways to experience a city, learn about the history, get familiar with the local culture, and see it’s top sites.

Because they are free, you are starting your trip with the right money-saving mindset, although you should always tip your guide.

The guide is a local to the city (they’re often students as well, which means they should know how to save money in their city!).

Being a local means they know all the haunts that locals like to go to. You can get recommendations for avoiding tourist traps, find some free things to do, and get tips on ways to save money from a local.

How to find budget accommodation in Europe

Stay in hostels

One of the best ways to see Europe on a budget is by staying in hostels. These are some of the cheapest accommodation options in Europe and will save you a huge chunk of your budget.

You might think that hostels are entirely suitable for only young backpackers who want to party, or solo travelers looking to make new friends, but the truth is that they are made for all types of travelers.

While most hostels will have dorms, there are also many hostels that offer private rooms that are affordable for those who are not comfortable with sharing rooms with other travelers, or for couples who like to socialise, but still have the privacy of their own space.

Some of these places even welcome families, so make sure you always check for hostels in Europe when searching for accommodation.

Remember the point I mentioned before about choosing your destination wisely though. Hostels in London are ridiculously expensive (£60-£70 a night for a dorm bed), and so you may be cheaper getting an Airbnb room instead.

On the whole, hostels are cheaper, but always scout around vacation rental sites and other accommodation sites before booking.

Try Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing isn’t as common today as it was 10 years ago, but in some countries in Europe it’s still really popular – Italy, France and Germany mainly.

If you’re not familiar with the term, you basically sign up to stay with a local in their city.

Contrary to what it says on the tin, couchsurfing does not mean sleeping on couches. You’ll likely have your own room in an apartment, like you would if you were staying in an Airbnb, but at a fraction of the cost.

The hosts might also be kind enough to show you around and give you some tips of their own for how to save money whilst travelling in Europe.

Not only do you get a place to stay, but you can also make new friends, and host them yourself when they travel to your country.

Consider camping in Europe

If you are looking for something even cheaper than a hostel, then camping would be a good choice, especially if you are visiting in the summer months.

There is an endless number of campsites in Europe even when you are in major cities. These campsites also offer facilities like bathrooms and cooking areas.

Finding cheap food in Europe

Cook your own food

If you choose to stay in a hostel or at a camping site, then you’d probably have a cooking facility.

One of the biggest expenses when traveling goes to food, so in order to save, the best thing you could do is to buy fresh or instant food from the groceries and cook them yourself.

It doesn’t have to be like this all the time, but by doing this, you are saving yourself a lot of travel cash.

You should also make sure to check out the local farmer’s markets and get some fresh produce to make picnics. Get yourself some cured meat, salad, and cheese, and make yourself a sandwich. You can always find a park bench to sit and eat on between looking for attractions.

Eat like a local

Foods tend to be expensive at tourist spots, such as those restaurants with a view. Of course, we all want to have views of the Colosseum in Rome or the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but those views come at a price.

If you head down a backstreet near these places, chances are you’ll stumble across a restaurant with lower prices.

You can always tell a place is good when it’s packed full of locals.

So to travel on a budget in Europe, eat the way a local eats.

Look out for Plate of the Day

In some countries, particularly Spain, you will often find a lunch menu called “plate of the day” or “plato del dia”.

This is a discounted lunch menu that is considerably cheaper than the a la carte menu.

When choosing restaurants, look for those with these kinds of discounts for lunch.

If you can only afford to eat out once per day, maybe eat lunch at a restaurant and then cook dinner at your accommodation.

Eat street food

Lucky for those who are saving money, it is very common to see food stalls around any European city.

For example, you can grab a slice of pizza in Rome for only a couple of euros and a crepe while in Paris.

Istanbul in Turkey (yes, it’s in Europe – well, half it is) is a great place for street food. You’ll find muscles, fish sandwiches, baklava, simit, and roasted chestnuts on every corner. It’s the perfect lunchtime snack!

Look for food courts

Food courts in shopping malls are another great place to find cheap food, particularly if you’re visiting notoriously expensive cities like London or Paris.

The food isn’t exactly 5*, but it’s usually pretty decent and will fill you up.

Getting around Europe on a budget

Get the Eurail Pass if you’re visiting lots of places

Train travel is one of the best ways to get around Europe, and is reliable, fast, and relatively easy on the budget.

For one ticket on the Eurail Pass, you can travel across 33 countries in Europe. It’s priced per day, so if you buy a pass for 7 days, you can be traveling across multiple cities and countries in a short time frame.

It’s only really good value for money if you’re planning to stay a short time in lots of places though.

There are a lot of different passes available; from a single country pass to a complete pass that lets you ride the train anywhere in Europe.

It completely depends on your trip, but train travel in Europe has got incredibly expensive, especially in Western Europe, so it would be a better deal to get the interrail pass over single tickets. You can also book single trains in Europe via Trainline and Omio.

Choose buses over trains

If you don’t get the Eurail Pass, then choose buses over trains. A long-distance bus will cost half the price of a train, and you can also book night buses and save on a night’s accommodation.

Buses in Europe are very comfortable and come with WiFi, power adapters and comfy seats. There’s also usually a bathroom onboard, depending on the coach provider.

Check sites like FlixBus to browse long-distance bus journeys. Mega Bus is the cheapest bus provider, but we’ve seen them broken down on the side of the motorway before, so if you want cheap and reliable, we recommend FlixBus.

Look for Tourist Passes in Cities

There are a lot of European cities that offer special tourist passes on buses and subways for travelers.

Some cities even have public transport systems that are free, such as trams and buses, that take you to the main tourist attractions – so make sure to take advantage of them.

For example, The Berlin Pass in Germany not only gives you free entry to 60+ top Berlin attractions, Hop on and Off sightseeing tours, but has an optional travel card for unlimited travel.

Try cycling or walking everywhere

If you truly want to immerse yourself in a European country or city you are at, then explore it on two wheels or feet.

It not only helps you save money, but also improves your health while on the road!

Most European cities are quite walkable, such as Rome, Venice, Barcelona, and Madrid, but you will also find they have a metro.

Chances are you won’t need to use a metro if you have comfy walking shoes, so save money on train tickets and walk about on food.

Cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Stockholm have excellent infrastructure for bikes.

Know the budget airlines (and their fees!)

Take note of the two reliable budget airlines in Europe: RyanAir and EasyJet. These two budget airlines offer cheap deals to anyone who wants to explore the continent.

If possible, make sure to book your flights in advance, as airfares tend to be cheaper when booked earlier.

Fair warning, these airlines are cheap because they make you pay extra for hold luggage, picking your own seat and for food etc.

You can save considerably if you travel light and only bring carry-on luggage.

European cities to travel to on a budget

We know that Europe can be expensive, but there are a lot of places in Europe where you can take your money far.

Here are our top choices for European cities to travel to on a budget.

1. Leon, Spain

In the towns close to the cathedral of León, delightful tapas are served which come free with your drinks. This is not rare when you are in Spain, but they do it best in this particular city.

You can enjoy an excellent glass of Rioja which only costs €2-3 and is escorted by a large portion.

You might not even need to order dinner after having a couple of drinks as they will leave you filled up with hearty morcilla stew, piquant sopa de ajo, or delicious jamon or cecina piled on top of crusty bread.

3. Krakow, Poland

It is believed that Krakow has the most bars per square kilometer in the world. So, this is a paradise for those who are looking for a great nightlife but also wants to save money.

Exploring the place will make you feel like you are in a medieval town filled with cellar bars.

This city that never sleeps offers impressive drinking lairs and you’ll see how vodka flows and live music puts life to the place.

3. Berlin, Germany

If you are looking for something that will make you feel the richest culture, there’s no better place to be than Berlin.

Eccentric, cool and a bit wild, this diverse city is famous for its originality, with cool walkways, independent museums, great music, contemporary arts, and theaters.

It also has a number of historic and cultural attractions like the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, and Museum Island, and Daniel Libeskind’s extraordinary Jewish Museum. It made our list of top destinations in Europe for older kids.

4. The Algarve, Portugal

The long shoreline of Western Europe’s most affordable country is best known for being one of the best watersport destinations for those travelers who are conscious of their expenses.

You’ll find Portugal offers sun, decent food, warm and welcoming locals and stunning landscapes.

It also boasts warm weather all year round. So enjoy the water while you are in Lisbon or Algarve without breaking a bank.

5. Transylvania, Romania

Thanks to the perfect geography, Romania is becoming a popular destination for those who are looking for the best ways to see Europe on a budget.

The Transylvanian Alps are one mountain ranges that are known best for hiking, rock-climbing, horseback riding, wild camping, and whitewater rafting together with wonderful caving in the wide network hidden under the hills.

Visit towns like Brasov, known for being the gateway to Brams Castle (which inspired Dracula) or Sibu, which have access to woodland hiking trails.

The towns are also beautiful, with medieval buildings and churches, and full of quaint coffee shops. Plus, it’s all super cheap to visit.

Before You Go

There are a lot of wonderful ways to experience Europe without burning a hole in your wallet, and we hope this guide gave you some food for thoughts.

Europe may not be considered the cheapest destination to travel to, but for most travelers, backpacking through Europe is at the top of their bucket list and money should not be a reason to put those plans on hold.

We hope our tips help ensure you don’t overspend, but also don’t scrimp out on the experience.

Europe is, generally, a great budget destination, but as more and more tourists flock in particular regions, digging a little deeper to find the best deals is necessary.

Before you go, remember when booking online to look for hidden fees. Sometimes taxes and surcharges are added without our knowledge, so we always recommend travel sites that we know are reputable and have used ourselves.

For accommodation, Booking.com is great and has an array of accommodation types at various different levels of luxury and price.

For tours, we recommend Get Your Guide, which has several top-class tours in most major cities in Europe.

More Money-Saving Guides

Are you still deciding on where to visit in Europe and need some help mapping out your plans? These other guides may be useful to you.

• The best backpacks for travel
• Ways to save money on travel
• Finding cheap rental cars
• Tips on finding cheap accommodation

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