On the Cheap.
Travelling Europe's expensive. This is how I've tackled famous cities and crossed the continent without (totally) financially ruining myself.
Travel guides and other media tend to paint Budapest as this throwback to a bygone era, but it’s Budapest’s vibrant reinvention that gives it its true edge. This enticing, uplifting and beautiful capital is also one of the most affordable cities in Europe. Here’s what to do when you get there.
A special feeling descends on the Portuguese capital at twilight. The skies above the orange roofs of the historic centre turn a chalky shade of pink; in the distance the 25 de Abril Bridge sparkles after a day of statuesque suspension across the mighty Tagus River; and, for a brief moment, the streets grow hushed, as if the city is drawing in its breath in preparation for another night of quintessential Lisbon revelry.
“Free dinner” – two words that have the ability to warm the insides of any thrifty traveller. Include them before “…and sangria,” and you’re pretty much guaranteed a deal. I smugly clicked “Book Now”, entered my details, and secured a dorm bed in a Barcelona hostel with an alarmingly high rating for “Atmosphere”.