Europe budget travel might seem like a gigantic task to undertake but it can be done if you follow a few tips. For example, you must know when to plan the best time to travel to take advantage of cheap prices. You should know a few things about saving money on food when dining in Europe. And, know that you can combine travel and sleeping to reduce the costs of hotels. Let's get started:
1. Save on accommodations by sleeping on the train. Trains are seemingly everywhere in Europe and they are generally the most popular forms of transportation to get from country to country. Many visitors to Europe purchase rail passes in advance that save you time and money. Look into trains that have sleeping compartments, or just have the option of spending the night in them. This is often cheaper than getting a hotel room so you can plan a few overnight train trips and reduce your lodging costs. As an added plus, you will wake up in a new city, ready for a new day of exploring.
2. To save money on food, eat like the locals do. Try to avoid the high priced, touristy places that have signs that say, "We speak English." Eat where the local people eat and you will have better food and spend less money. Mix it up by having a picnic every few meals. Once you get to your hotel room, go to the local market and stock up on drinks and snacks. Many European markets have great deli sections which makes picnics easy as pie. Lastly, do not over-tip when eating at a European restaurant. It seems that only Americans tip 15% and up, even when it's not necessary to tip. To make absolutely certain, ask a local customer of the restaurant for tipping advice.
3. Travel off season. For most European cities, off season is generally considered from October through April. By traveling off season, you will get cheaper airfare, spend less time in line, find less expensive hotel rooms (and those attractive budget hotel won't be booked), and you will meet more locals than tourists. One downfall of traveling off season is that some of the popular touristy parks and tours may be closed so do your research if you have your heart set on seeing a tourist attraction.
Hopefully, these tips illustrate to you how you can travel in Europe and stay within your budget. By traveling off season, eating like the locals, and sleeping while traveling on a train, you can dramatically cut your travel costs, while enjoying yourself and making wonderful European memories.