15 Jul How to visit Paris, Barcelona and Amsterdam on a budget
Considering a last-minute summer trip to Europe this year?
Sometimes there’s nothing better than a last-minute escape, and we’re lucky to have Europe right on our doorstep. However, some of our favourites can be costly, and figuring out how to visit these cities on a budget is tricky.
Before you get started, set up price alerts for any routes you’re keen to fly on. That way you’ll know the second that prices change and bag yourself a bargain. Simply sign into Skyscanner when you search, then out look for the Price Alerts banner or button, and select the toggle to stay updated. It’s worth setting up multiple alerts for different departing airports and dates, so you get the best possible options.
Paris
We love a last–minute escape to Paris. Less than two hours from all UK airports, it’s a refreshing injection of culture with minimal travel effort. But this seductive city can be pricey.
To experience Paris on a budget, it’s best to start from a central base. Luckily, there are a surprising amount of affordable options, including the fantastically located Hotel Pont Neuf and the tasteful Hotel Excelsior. Public transport is safe and reliable, so once you’re checked in, the rest of Paris is at your fingertips. Grab a Navigo Easy Pass for the cheapest metro and bus options.
While many of the capital’s attractions require entry fees (there’s no doubt the Louvre, Musee D’Orsay and views from the top of the Eiffel Tower are worth the cost), visiting in the summer is a great time to enjoy some of Paris’s outdoor charms.
Take a romantic stroll along the Seine. There’s no better time to do it than during Paris Plages. Between 9 July and 21 August, the banks of the river are transformed into mini beaches, with deck chairs, palms and parasols.
Paris is also full of free festivals. Enjoy the works of cinematic auteurs such as Godard, Truffaut or Varda (as well as more modern offerings) at the outdoors Cinéma en Plein Air, or watch concerts and short films in the Silhouette Festival. Tap toes to jazz in amongst the business district’s dramatic architecture or choose from any of the over thirty free concerts at the FNAC Live Festival on the steps of City Hall.
Where to eat
When you’re not gorging on hunks of fresh baguette and chunks of camembert (a cheap and delicious picnic), affordable dining options abound. Bouillon Julien offers traditional French mains for between eight and fourteen euros, while all along Rue du Faubourg Montmartre diners can try pork trotter, duck confit and more from just seven euros. Nearly all restaurants offer a plat du jour or a set menu, and the French equivalent of a ‘meal deal’ is a cut above. Expect buttery pastries, crunchy baguettes and a beverage for under a tenner.
Barcelona
Looking to enjoy a summer trip to the home of Surrealist architecture, beachfront bars and haute cuisine? The colourful Spanish city of Barcelona is calling.
Cut costs from the start by booking accommodation beyond La Rambla. While it’s tempting to stay so central, Barcelona is easy to navigate, so securing a hotel outside of the main tourist hotspots is a good way to save a few pennies. Consider a hostel in a trendy neighbourhood, such as Sant Jordi Hostels Gracia or Safestay Barcelona Gothic in El Borne.
For those able to, walking around Barcelona is the simplest way to see the city on a budget. If that’s tricky for you, invest in the Hola Barcelona transport card, which offers unlimited travel over a period of 48, 72, 96 or 120 hours. It’s cheaper than paying as you go and will get you to all the top spots, including the airport.
Much like Paris, there are various free festivals and events throughout the summer, though Barca’s best bargain has got to be its free museum days. For an afternoon or day per week or month, many museums allow free entry (including the Museu Picasso, National Art Museum of Catalonia and the Maritime Museum of Barcelona). Check before you travel to ensure you’re visiting on a corresponding day, and be prepared for slightly longer queues.
Gaudi-fans looking to immerse themselves in the Unesco-registered Park Guell – a near-100-year-old space filled with the artist’s sculptures – can skip the entrance fee by turning up before or after the official opening hours. If an early start doesn’t gel with your idea of a holiday, the entrance fee is 10 euros.
Where to eat
Dine out on a budget with the menu del dia. This is a set lunch menu served on weekdays in most Spanish restaurants and can see you eating three courses with a drink for as little as 10 euros. It’s not always advertised, so be sure to ask when taking a seat. Otherwise, fill up on Basque delicacy pintxos; small chunks of cheese, seafood or meat on a cocktail stick which cost a couple of euros each. Also: don’t waste money buying water. Tap water is safe to drink and there are fountains for refills throughout the city.
Sourced from Skyscanner
Until da next Tyme
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