10 Tips For Budget Backpacking Across Europe – Is it expensive to visit Europe? Yes. At least, most of it is, especially by Southeast Asian standards. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to cut travel costs.
When most people think of European travel, they picture full-service flights, expensive hotels, restaurant stops for every meal, and prepackaged tours. I thought so for a long time. But the truth is, the travel landscape has changed a lot in the last few decades and even budget travelers can enjoy the usually expensive destinations like Europe.
10 Tips For Budget Backpacking Across Europe
Backpacking has been around for years, but thanks to social media, it’s becoming more and more popular. A shoestring traveler can easily book a hostel bed, prepare their own meals, join a free walking tour and still get the full experience.
The Best Travel Backpacks
As of this writing, we have visited 28 countries in Europe. Whenever we travel across the subcontinent, we get countless questions from our friends and followers about how we manage to maximize our stay while keeping our costs low. We will try to answer all these questions. It’s going to be quite a long post, so without further ado, here we go.
Not all countries in Europe are the same. It is incredibly diverse in terms of culture, socio-politics and especially the cost of living. Travelers traveling from one country to another can feel it immediately. Some are more expensive than others.
Nordic countries such as Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Denmark are generally considered expensive. Switzerland too. Most of the central and eastern regions, including Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic and Poland, are very cheap. Western and southern states like France and Italy are in the middle of the price spectrum.
To help you understand it better, let’s use something that many consider a reliable tool when comparing costs – the McDonald’s Big Mac. The world’s most expensive Big Mac can be found in Switzerland and costs approximately US$6.70. Compare that to Ukraine, where you only have to shell out $1.70 for that burger. It is about 4 times cheaper.
Useful Travel Tips For Backpacking In Europe
If you’re on a tight budget, limit your stay or try to avoid expensive countries and fill your itinerary with cheaper destinations. What I usually do when planning a long multi-country trip is mix them all up. When I plan my route and I want to visit an expensive country, I try to balance things out by adding more pocket-friendly destinations.
But the weather isn’t the only thing you need to consider. Is there an event you would like to experience but can only enjoy at certain times of the year? If you want to experience Oktoberfest, head to Munich in mid-September (but expect hotel and tour fees to skyrocket)! If you want to see the Northern Lights in the Nordic countries, visit from mid-September to mid-March.
Most of Europe’s most popular countries are part of the Schengen Agreement, which means you’ll need a Schengen visa to enter.
A Schengen visa is a travel document that allows the holder to enter any of the 26 states that are part of the Schengen Agreement. Think of it as an almost entry pass to most countries in Europe. Once you’re inside the region, there are no hard borders between countries (except in a few places), eliminating the hassle of applying for a visa for each country. These are the countries that are part of the Schengen area:
How Much Does It Cost To Backpack Europe? 10 Best Tips
But hold your horses. You cannot apply anywhere. You need to find out which embassy to submit your application to, depending on the purpose of your visit or your overall European itinerary. The rule is that you must apply at the embassy of the country where you will be staying the longest.
But not all embassies are the same. The Spanish and Italian embassies are the strictest of all, while the Dutch and Austrian embassies are the most considerate and forgiving.
If you are going to countries outside the Schengen area, make sure you have the relevant visa. Countries that require a separate visa include (but are not limited to) Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Some non-Schengen countries will accept your Schengen visa as long as it is still valid and allows you multiple entry. These include Croatia, Montenegro, Andorra, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania. Always check with that country’s embassy to be safe.
Backpacking: Europe In 2.5 Months
Direct flights are usually more expensive. Most airlines make stops elsewhere. Qatar Airways usually has stopovers in Doha, Emirates in Dubai, Turkish Airlines in Istanbul.
Singapore-based budget airline Scoot offers some of the cheapest flights to Europe you’ll find. They have direct flights from Singapore to Athens and Berlin.
If you’re coming from the Philippines or other parts of Southeast Asia, you can book with Value Alliance, an alliance of low-cost carriers in the region including Cebu Pacific Air, Jeju Air, Nok Air, NokScoot and Scoot!
This segment is brought to you by Value Alliance, but even if it wasn’t, they still offer the cheapest flights to Europe, so consider it.
What To Pack To Backpack Through Europe
When it comes to where to stay, most travelers think of full-service hotels. But there are many other types of accommodation. There are no fancy hotels, hostels, hostels and AirBnB options!
We paid only 37 euros per night for this room. And it can accommodate up to 4 pax.
At this point, you should already know if you are traveling alone or part of a group. This will significantly affect your spending and accommodation choices.
The price of a room or bed also varies greatly from city to city. For example, in Prague, we stayed in a centrally located hotel for only 37 euros per night. It is about 18 euros per person. But in Reykjavik, even dorm beds are more expensive.
Europe Budget Travel Guide (updated 2024)
I personally like hostels because we enjoy the community spirit and meeting other travelers. But at the end of the day, our primary considerations are price, cleanliness and location rather than accommodation type. If we find a property that’s well-reviewed, budget-friendly and centrally located, we’ll book it regardless of whether it’s a hostel, hotel or apartment.
To demonstrate that, on our recent Euro tour, we stayed in a budget hotel in Nice, a hostel in Milan, an apartment in Bologna. On our previous trip, we stayed at a budget hotel in Paris, a hostel in Brussels and an AirBnB in Iceland. What suits us best is what a great location has and what amenities they have that fill our specific needs at that time, which I’ll discuss in the next section.
We are also part of their affiliate network! By booking with them through the links below, you will help keep this site free for everyone.
We are the type of tourists who like to eat at restaurants to enjoy the local cuisine. You will be surprised to know that even the most expensive cities in Europe have many cheap restos. All you have to do is try to find them.
How Much Does It Cost To Backpack Europe
Stay away from restaurants in tourist areas. They are expensive and mostly cater to tourists. Eat where the locals eat. Sometimes all you need is a 2-minute walk to the inner lanes and you’ll find a great, more pocket-friendly getaway.
But we don’t eat at restaurants for every meal. We offer a budget of 20 euros per day and we are very flexible with it. It’s about balance. For example, if I spend €13 at a restaurant for lunch, I only have €7 left. I prepare my own meals or grab cheap takeout for dinner. Likewise, if I decide to spend more than 20 euros on dinner one night, I’ll skip restaurants altogether the next day.
In Athens, you can find a plate of souvlaki (at least 3 long skewers) with bread and fries for less than 5 euros. It’s cheap, delicious, and very filling.
There is no blanket answer to this as it varies from destination to destination. But there are many transport options in Europe.
Super Helpful Travel Tips For Backpacking Europe (save Money, See More)
We use Skyscanner to search and compare. You’d be surprised how cheap some flights can be, especially if you’re traveling light and it’s off-peak.
For example, from Athens to Santorini, you can find a ROUNDTRIP RyanAir ticket for only €14 when it’s off-season. Because it does not have bags, you will have to pay more for the baggage allowance.
Yes, many attractions in Europe can be enjoyed for free, especially if you visit DIY-style.
However, we still strongly recommend that you spend on some attractions. The free attractions are quite limited, so if you can afford it, go ahead and pay that entrance fee. Yes, you can admire the Louvre from the outside for free, but it would be a shame to miss out on all the treasures inside.
Backpacking Tips In Europe For Beginners
In many European cities, you will find free walking tours organized by various companies. In some cities, such as Athens and Bratislava, you can even find free tours organized or approved by the government tourism board.
The catch, a lot
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