I love Europe – I really do. There’s just so much crammed into a compact space. From laid-back Lisbon to beautiful Budapest, Europe really has it all. History, culture, great food, fashion, art… I could go on and on. I have lived in two places in Europe – first in a small town in the Czech Republic for six months and then again for 2 months in Madrid, Spain. I am very excited about my upcoming trip to Europe in September and I wanted to let you know some things before you visit Europe:
1) Coaches Are the Way to Go For Short Trips
In many parts of Europe trains are actually relatively expensive. I do love traveling by train, but when I am seeking great value I always book a coach – they often have WIFI and many of them have toilets on board so you can be comfortable the whole trip. For short trips, under 6 hours, I prefer to travel by coach than to fly because of all the hassle getting to the airport, being there in advance, checking in and so forth. Many people dismiss traveling by coach when they book a trip to Europe and I think that’s a big mistake. You can easily take a coach from Paris to London for a very reasonable fare.
2) Budapest is Sorely Underrated
I have no idea why – but people rarely talk about Budapest. When I booked tickets to Budapest I wasn’t expecting much.. actually I had no idea what to expect because I had never heard anyone talk about it. It quickly became one of my favourite cities. I found a beautiful cafe (called New York cafe) that is so classic and romantic that I could linger there for hours. I wound up in some of the most fun clubs in all of Europe. The buildings are absolutely stunning and it’s ridiculously cheap.
3) Eating in Cafes Costs More
While in Paris and other parts of Europe I often noticed a surcharge for sitting in the cafe rather than taking away. I also noticed that ‘good seats’ cost more. If you’re on a budget, you might prefer to have that croissant to take away! Of course there are times where it is more appropriate to sit and enjoy your meal, but if you’re just getting a bite to eat why not take it away to a lovely park and enjoy people-watching and saving a few euros.
4) Public Toilets Might Cost
Coming from New Zealand where tap water and public toilets are free… I was sorely disappointed by some of the fees to use the public toilets in Paris. 3 Euros to go to the bathroom? Really? That’s the same price as an hour long massage in Bali. I found it a bit hard to understand the logic, but I guess public toilets are a business in Europe!
5) Toll Roads Can Burn a Hole in the Wallet
I did a road trip throughout France a few years ago and while it was a lovely experience, it felt like every 20 mins we would drive through a road toll and have to pay 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 Euros. We opted for the quickest route which was probably the most expensive. When I’m traveling through Europe this time around I’ll do some research to find a cost-effective way to get around.
Keep these tips in mind when you’re next in Europe and you’re sure to have a wonderful time. If you’ve been before, diid you find anything strange about Europe?
I have noticed that you’re mostly talking about the strange people from Paris where everything has to cost plenty of money (sitting down at a café, using their highways, …).
That’s not the case in almost all other cities I know in Europe. Though coming from Europe, I don’t know much about it, because it’s just too big. So I guess that headline is not chosen very wisely. 🙂
But thanks for tip 1 and especially 2, you made me curious about Budapest.
Haha I thought some of these rules were true for other parts of Europe, like Italy? No?
You should definitely visit Budapest, it’s really great!