How to enjoy Europe and spend less
The bonus is diving into the local culture
Mastery of Europe’s major cities — Rome, Paris, London, Vienna — is the mark of a good traveller. Teeming with colour, energy and cultural vibrancy, these places — while expensive — richly reward the thoughtful traveller.
There are plenty of ways to thrive in big European cities without going broke. And the good news is that often, the less you spend the more you’ll engage in the life around you. Here are some of my top tips for keeping your expenses in check without compromising your travel fun. Freebies: Smart travellers know where they can get in for free. London has some of the world’s steepest eating, sleeping and entertainment prices, but fortunately some of its biggest and best museums — the British Museum, Tate Modern, British Library — are free. Many museums have a free day or evening: In Paris and Rome, for example, the top public museums (Musée d’Orsay, Vatican Museums) are open for free on the first or last Sunday of the month.
Exploit the Urban Fabric: Many of the iconic monuments you’ve travelled so far to see are right out in plain sight, such as: the Eiffel Tower in Paris, London’s Big Ben and Rome’s Colosseum. To pick up the urban beat, stroll the grand boulevards — the Champs-Elysées in Paris, Unter den Linden in Berlin and Via del Corso in Rome.
Sightseeing Deals: Few of them are worth the trouble, but there are some noteworthy exceptions. Worthwhile museum passes in Paris, Rome and Berlin cover all the major sights. In London, buy a Travelcard transit pass and get discounts on River Bus services on the Thames.
Good-Value Tours: City walking tours with professional guides can be one of the best deals going. Just perusing the fascinating lineup of two-hour, $14 tours offered by London Walks inspired me to stay longer in London. To sightsee free and easy on your own, download my Rick Steves Audio Europe app (self-guided walking tours for London, Paris, Rome, Vienna and more). Transit Touring: Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing buses are a no-brainer way to sightsee, but tickets are expensive (around $35). But with just a local transit $2 bus ticket, you’ll get a cheap and convenient introduction to your city. The #69 bus in Paris ranges from the Eiffel Tower to Père Lachaise Cemetery. Berlin’s bus #100 laces together the major sights and Rome’s cute elettrico minibuses wind through the narrow streets of old and interesting neighbourhoods.
Cultural Connections: City churches are venues for free or cheap musical concerts in Europe. Leafy havens, like Oslo’s Frogner Park or Paris’ Luxembourg Garden, are perfect for watching Europeans at play. For something more lowbrow, you can have a drink with the locals — for the cost of a pint, you’ll get an evening’s worth of homegrown conviviality in a wellchosen London pub.
Food Tips: Eating in Europe’s pricey cities demands budget strategies. When splurging for a fine dinner, you’ll generally get a better value in a smaller town rather than the big city. Make self-service cafeterias and supermarkets your everyday option.
Don’t overlook culturally appropriate fast food: hotdogs in Scandinavian cities, pizza in Rome, pub grub in London. I also love happyhour pricing, which seems to be catching on. Spend to Save: Don’t forget, your time is valuable too. If it will save you a half-hour, hop in a taxi. Even if taking a taxi costs you and your travel partner $5 more than bus tickets, it’s worth it. Most important, don’t make the mistake of economizing on information. Guidebooks are $25 tools for $4,000 experiences. A good one will pay for itself in money-saving tips.
For decades of travel throughout Europe I’ve found that spending less can actually drive you into the arms of that culture and give you a better experience.