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Top 5 Budget Travel Getaways for 2024 in Europe

The best way to save money when traveling is to keep in mind the following expenses: exchange rates, buying food in groceries stores, staying at SAFE hostels, and walking or taking public transportation. When buying your food and drinks at the grocery store, keep in mind that even though it is cheaper than eating out you are still spending money, so don’t go crazy, buy what you need and know you will eat.

I know that the goal is to stay in a place that is super cheap but it is important to consider that sometimes investing in safety is rewarding, it has happened to us that for saving $15 a night we ended up robbed and spent even more money replacing our belongings. Finding a safe, comfortable and cheap place is not too hard. We normally try to stay in youth hostels and also carry a lock with us.

Lastly, we highly recommend to take free walking tours in any of the following cities. Not only do you visit the most iconic places in each city but also you learn along the way; our favorite thing is that you tip according to your budget and how much you like the tour. Do not forget that it is also great for your health. We know that if you following our tips you can make your dollar stretch further.

Our top budget friendly destinations in 2024:

1. Prague

John Lennon Wall in Prague

Prague is not only known for its beauty but also for how cheap it can be, considering its exchange rate. The cheapest thing we found in Prague was the accommodations.  When visiting Prague make sure you try their Trdelník, a sweet cinnamon pastry and of course their Langose, a deep fried flat bread.

Read More: What to do and see in Prague in 3 days

We spend €24 for a double + around €10 more in food per person.

Total cost per day: approximately €22.00 per person. 

Accommodation: Arena Hotel Prague

Accommodation Midrange budget: K+K Hotel Central

2. Warsaw

Old Town Market Place

The exchange rate and its cheap food makes Warsaw a good budget friendly destination to visit when having a tight budget. Some of their museums are free on different days of the week. Warsaw has a lot of interesting places to visit, history to learn and places to eat and drink.

Read More: What to do and see in Warsaw

We spend €40 for a private room in a hostel + around €6 more in food per person.

Total cost per day: approximately €23.00 per person. 

Accommodation low budget: Hostel Helvetia, Warsaw

Accommodation Midrange budget: Little Home Old Town 5

3. Berlin 

Berlin Wall in Berlin

Berlin has a lot of history and has many free museums to visit. Berlin also has a good price on food, hostels and of course beer. It is easy to walk places or take the metro. You can even walk to all its main attractions in less than 15 km. There are several free walking tours around the city.

Read More: What to do and see in Berlin

We spent €32 for a two beds in a one bed in a shared dormitory (for 4 people) in a hostel + around €15 more in food per person.

Total cost per day: approximately €31.00 per person. 

Accommodation low budget: TOP Hotel City Gallery

4. Madrid

Real Palace Madrid

You can buy a beer for less than one euro. What is better than that? We lived in Madrid for almost a year, and we loved it. The city has a lot to offer and if you are into the party scene, this is your place. People stay out until 6 AM because that’s when the metro opens again. Some of the bars are free, and the alcohol inside the bar is not that expensive either.

Read More: What to do in Madrid in 12 Hours

Accommodation: We did not need to rent a hotel room because we were living in Madrid at the time. 

Accommodation Midrange budget:  Leonardo Boutique Hotel Madrid

5. Budapest 

Budapest, Hungary

When we arrived to Budapest we realized that we lost our wallets in Vienna. All we had for a total of 3 days was 20 euros, the hotel reservation and a credit card on our Uber account. I won’t lie: it was tough but we made it. The food is not expensive at all, especially if you go grocery shopping. We highly recommend visiting the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial, the Parliament Building and the fisherman’s bastion. We did not like our hotel too much. We think you could get a better hotel for a similar price.

Read More: Complete Guide to explore Budapest in 5 days

We spend €25 for a double + around €10* more in food per person.

Total cost per day: approximately €18.00 per person. 

Accommodation low budget: Dominik Panzio

Accommodation Midrange budget: Art’Otel Budapest By Park Plaza

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TOP 5 TRAVEL COUPLE GETAWAY

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Mackenzie

Wednesday 15th of November 2017

Thank you for this! My husband and I have been talking about planning a European trip for awhile now!

Travel To Blank

Thursday 16th of November 2017

Amazing! I hope you enjoy your future adventures.

Helena

Monday 1st of May 2017

I'd love to know more about where you stayed in each city. Is it possible for you to mention the name of the hostal and how you liked it? Didn't like it? More info. would be great. Also, I'd like to know how you got from city to city, - any tips on transportation. Thanks!

Travel To Blank

Thursday 4th of May 2017

Hi Helena, Thank you so much for your insights. They helped us create a better article. We have updated it with the information you requested. We are still working on some of the walking guides. Regarding transportation it honestly depends on what is cheaper and more comfortable for you. For instance we traveled from Berlin to Warsaw on a night bus.Then we also took a bus from Prague to Vienna and then to Budapest. It all depends on where you will like to go and in what order. As we were living in Madrid we flew to Prague and to Berlin. We visited these locations in 2 different trips. We will be doing a Eurotrip guide soon. I hope this info helps.