Ticket price - from 13 574 rubles.

One day cost

• Housing. Two places in a hostel - from 990 rubles, a double room in a hotel - from 1,000 rubles.
• Food. Cold Lithuanian borsch - 190 rubles, fried potatoes with hunting sausages - 290 rubles.
• Entertainment. Two tickets to the Museum of the World Ocean (excursion on a submarine) - 600 rubles, entrance to the Amber Museum - 300 rubles for two.

Things to do

• Go to an organ concert in Cathedral and meditate on the eternal at the grave of Immanuel Kant.
• Visit the Fish Village, board the submarine B-413, and then go to the Amber Museum. It is unthinkable to visit Kaliningrad and not buy an amber souvenir or jewelry.
• Explore Kaliningrad region: an hour and a little drive from the city are the castles of the Teutonic Order - Insterburg and Schaaken.
• Walk one of hiking trails Curonian Spit - a miracle of nature included in the List world heritage UNESCO. Marvel at the dunes and intricately curved trees of the Dancing Forest.

Russia, Karelia

The cost of tickets to Petrozavodsk - from 18,872 rubles.
When to go: May to September.

One day cost

• Housing. Two places in a hostel - from 1,000 rubles, a double room in a hotel - from 1,200 rubles.
• Food. Gate (Karelian pie) with potatoes - 75 rubles, trout fish soup - 410 rubles, rowan liqueur - 190 rubles for 50 grams.
• Entertainment. A trip to Ruskeala - 3,850 rubles for two, an excursion to Kizhi - 5,900 rubles for two, an excursion to Valaam from Petrozavodsk - 10,400 rubles.

Things to do

• There are 60 thousand lakes and 27 thousand rivers. Go rafting or kayaking on the Shuya River or try to catch a hefty salmon while fishing on Onega lake. If the extreme does not appeal, go to the Kivach waterfall - this is the highest flat waterfall in Europe.
• It is impossible to visit Karelia and not visit the Kizhi nature reserve, where real masterpieces of wooden architecture are collected. According to legend, the Church of the Transfiguration was built by the carpenter Nestor with just an axe. After the construction, the master threw the ax into the lake so that no one could repeat his masterpiece.
• Close to the Finnish border is mountain park Ruskeala. Where marble used to be mined in an industrial quarry, there is now a lake with marble shores and underwater grottoes. On the way to Ruskeala, take a look at the Tokhminsky waterfalls.

Georgia

The cost of tickets to Tbilisi - from 22,332 rubles.
Entry mode - visa-free. When to go: from May to July or in September-October.

One day cost

• Housing. Two places in a hostel - from 361 rubles, a double room in a hotel - from 902 rubles.
• Food. Khachapuri - 135 rubles, a serving of 10 khinkali with beef - 180 rubles, pork shashlik - 270 rubles.
• Entertainment. Excursion in Tbilisi - 1,800 rubles for two, two tickets to Botanical Garden- 90 rubles, round trip by cable car - 90 rubles for two.

Things to do

• In Tbilisi, be sure to take the cable car up to the Narikala Fortress, visit the flea market on the Dry Bridge, Shardeni Street and the Botanical Garden.
• It is worth paying attention not only to the capital, but also to other regions of the country. From interesting - ancient city Mtskheta, mountains and waterfalls of Svaneti, the Georgian Military Highway and, of course, Kakheti with its wine.
• For a beach holiday, go to Batumi, Kobuleti or Sarpi. The beach in Sarpi is considered one of the best in Adjara - the seaside region of Georgia.

Poland, Krakow

The cost of tickets to Krakow - from 34,104 rubles.
Entry mode: Schengen visa required. When to go: during Catholic Christmas or from May to September.

One day cost

• Housing. Two places in a hostel - from 1,081 rubles, a double room in a hotel - from 2,153 rubles.
• Food. Casserole (baguette with filling) - from 84 rubles, chicken fillet with mushrooms - from 227 rubles, 0.5 liters of draft beer - from 118 rubles.
• Entertainment. Tickets to castles and museums - from 200 rubles for two, a tour of the salt mines in Velichka - from 2,998 rubles for two.

Things to do

• If you want to see the real Poland - fly to Krakow. Krakow is recognized as one of the most beautiful cities countries. This is former capital state and place of coronation of Polish monarchs.
• Wander around Krakow's Old Town and market square, visit architectural complex on the Wawel hill - here is the royal castle, and the ancient cathedral of saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas. In December, be sure to check out the Christmas market.
• In the city of Wieliczka, not far from Krakow, there are once the largest salt mines in Europe. You will be led through winding corridors past salt sculptures and underground lakes. To fully enjoy the atmosphere, you will rise to the surface in a special miner's cabin.

Montenegro

The cost of tickets to Tivat is from 28,370 rubles.
Entry mode - visa-free. When to go: May to November.

One day cost

• Housing. Two places in a hostel - from 1,750 rubles, a double room in guest house- from 1 893 rubles.
• Food. Fried cheese - 419 rubles, pork chop - 482 rubles.
• Entertainment. Excursion to Ostrog - from 3,490 rubles for two, two tickets to the Durmitor park - 419 rubles.

Things to do

• For natural beauties, go to national park"Durmitor". The gorge along the Tara River, which flows through the park, is the Montenegrin analogue of the American grand canyon. This is the most deep canyon in Europe: its depth reaches 1,300 meters. In "Durmitor" there is one of the most high points Montenegro - Mount Bobotov Kuk (2523 meters).
• Connoisseurs of medieval architecture have a direct road to the historical part of Budva, built back in the days of the Venetian Republic. Then go to the Orthodox monastery Ostrog, carved into a sheer rock at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level.
• As for the sea, the choice is yours: or the beaches Adriatic Sea, or the fjord of the Bay of Kotor.

Vietnam

The cost of tickets to Ho Chi Minh City is from 43,922 rubles.
Entry mode: for a trip of less than 15 days, a visa is not required. When to go: to Hanoi - from September to February, to Nha Trang - from February to August, in Mui Ne - from December to June, to Hoi An - from January to August.

One day cost

• Housing. Two places in a hostel - from 664 rubles, a hotel - from 844 rubles.
• Food. Pho soup - from 98 rubles, rice with seafood - around 170 rubles, freshly squeezed juices - from 40 rubles per 0.3 liters.
• Entertainment. Excursion to the tunnels of Kuti - from 2,257 rubles for two, two tickets to the Vinpearl park - about 3,900 rubles.

Things to do

• Want to see the bay created by the dragon? Long ago, he crawled towards the sea and left behind him valleys filled with water. Of course, this is a legend. But Halong Bay is the most beautiful postcard view of Vietnam.
• From Ho Chi Minh take a tour of the Kuchi Tunnels. They were dug up by guerrillas during the Vietnam War to deliver surprise strikes against American troops. Now underground passages with a total length of up to 200 kilometers have become a popular tourist attraction.
• It would be strange to come to Vietnam solely for the sake of studying cultural heritage this country. Beach holidays - that's what attracts tourists. Behind him is to go to Nha Trang, Mui Ne or Hoi An.
• In Nha Trang, be sure to set aside a day to visit the Vinpearl amusement park. Leads there cable car over three kilometers long. Vinpearl is a paradise for a budget tourist: for a very modest amount, you can ride the rides all day, see dolphin shows and go to the only water park on the coast with fresh water. Of the attractions, we especially recommend electric sledges: the cart rushes along a winding track, and you regulate the speed of movement yourself.

Sri Lanka

The cost of tickets to Colombo - from 54,034 rubles.
Entry mode: you can issue an electronic visa permit. When to go: December to April.

One day cost

• Housing. Two places in a hostel - from 673 rubles, a double room in a hotel - from 1,263 rubles.
• Food. A portion of rice with curry - from 75 rubles, pancakes with banana and chocolate - from 90 rubles.
• Entertainment. Sightseeing tour in Colombo - from 3,095 rubles for two, two tickets to an elephant shelter - about 1,800 rubles.

Things to do

• The path to nirvana lies through the golden triangle: the cities of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. Here are the largest and most important Buddhist temples and monasteries.
• Connoisseurs of good tea should go to the town of Nuwara Eliya. See how the tea bushes cover the hills with a dense carpet and shimmer like an emerald in the sun. Dilmah, Akbar - it's all from here. Sri Lanka is one of the three largest tea producing countries in the world.
• The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is, without any exaggeration, a unique place. Here they educate and teach mind-reason elephants, for one reason or another, left without parents. You can even watch the elephants bathe and eat.

Tunisia

The cost of tickets to Tunisia - from 33,201 rubles.
Entry mode: for a trip of less than 90 days, a visa is not required. When to go: March to June or September to October.

One day cost

• Housing. A double room in a hotel - from 2,099 rubles, an apartment for two - from 2,239 rubles.
• Food. Fish soup - 165 rubles, grilled tuna - 470 rubles, a cup of mint tea - 50 rubles.
• Entertainment. Two tickets to Carthage - about 500 rubles, two day trip to the Sahara - approximately 13,000 rubles.

Things to do

• If you want to literally touch the antiquity, here you will find what you were looking for. You can start from the capital: in Tunisia (yes, both the country and the capital are all Tunisia) visit the medina - Old city where narrow streets intertwine into a labyrinth surrounded by a stone wall.
• The ruins of Carthage, once the largest city in the world, are deservedly popular with tourists. west coast mediterranean sea. Carthage was founded around 814 BC. The amphitheater, aqueduct and baths of Anthony Pius remained from the former luxury.
• Go on an excursion to the Sahara - after all, not every day you get a chance to see the real desert and visit the Berbers. By the way, the settlement of Matmata, where representatives of this nationality live, was seen by everyone who watched Star Wars: there it depicted the planet Tatooine.

Morocco

The cost of tickets to Casablanca - from 31,692 rubles.
Entry mode: for a trip of less than 90 days, a visa is not required. When to go: May to October.

One day cost

• Housing. A room in a guest house - from 1,400 rubles, a double room in a hotel - from 1,959 rubles.
• Food. A casserole with eggplant and tomatoes - 430 rubles, paella with fish - from 276 rubles, a cup of coffee - from 77 rubles.
• Entertainment. Excursion from Agadir to Marrakesh - approximately 8,100 rubles for two, a trip to the Sahara with local guides - from 10,000 rubles.

Things to do

• Step into Casablanca's Rick's Bar, which recreates the atmosphere of Michael Curtis' cult film. Feel like Humphrey Bogart and order a bourbon.
• lovers beach holiday road to Tangier. To the west of the city is the longest beach strip in the country: 47 kilometers of sand along Atlantic Ocean. When you swim enough, you can go to the Sahara - there are such excursions not only in Tunisia.
• Who said Africa is not for lovers skiing? In winter, the weather in the Atlas Mountains is good for skiing. You can slide down the snowy slope in the morning and swim in the warm ocean in the evening.
• If you have an enviable willpower and you are not led by the sweet speeches of talkative sellers, go for souvenirs at the local bazaar. Bargain with might and main, here this process is almost more important than the very fact of the purchase.

USA, New York

Ticket price - from 40 830 rubles.
Entry Mode: Visa required. When to go: March to October.

One day cost

Food and lodging in New York are not cheap. But tickets from Moscow are inexpensive for such a long flight, and on the spot you can make a very budgetary recreation program.

• Housing. A double room in a hotel - from 3,816 rubles, an apartment for two - from 5,331 rubles.
• Food. Hot dog - 186 rubles, chicken burger - 354 rubles, chocolate muffin - 154 rubles.
• Entertainment. Two tickets to the Guggenheim Museum - about 2,800 rubles, two tickets to the zoo - about 2,000 rubles, a visit to the Statue of Liberty - about 2,100 rubles for two.

Things to do

• Mandatory program in New York: Broadway and Fifth Avenue, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and Central Park.
• Of the local museums and attractions, it is worth visiting the Solomon Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Madame Tussauds, the Botanical Garden and the Zoo. Of course, you can not ignore the New York Museum of Modern Art, which contains works by Matisse, Van Gogh, Picasso and Dali. By the way, on Fridays from 16:00 to 20:00 admission is free if you are not afraid of long lines.
• Entertainment in New York is for every taste: a concert at the Metropolitan Opera, NBA or NHL matches. Are we going over budget? The breathtaking views from the Brooklyn Bridge are completely free, as is the ferry between Manhattan and Staten Island.

How to visit all these places at the expense of Tinkoff Bank

Tip for budget travelers: get yourself a bank card that allows you to earn miles for flights. With each purchase on the Internet or in a regular store, part of the money will be returned back.

Here is the cashback the Tinkoff ALL Airlines card gives:

• 10% when paying for a hotel room and car rental. You paid 10,000 for a night's lodging - you'll get a thousand back.
• 5% when buying plane or train tickets through the website travel.tinkoff.ru. If you bought tickets for 50,000 rubles, then you will receive 2,500 back.
• 3% when buying tickets through any other site.
• 2% will be returned to the account from all other purchases.

Money is returned to the account in miles, 1 mile is 1 ruble. Miles can be used to pay for a ticket of any airline in the world. At the same time, you can continue to accumulate miles in parallel in the loyalty program of the airline that you use.

Bonus for Lifehacker readers

Tinkoff Bank gives all readers of Lifehacker an ALL Airlines card with a free first year of service. Usually, the annual maintenance of the card costs 1,890 rubles. You can read about all the features and benefits of the card.

Get a card, earn miles, travel and discover the world.

• If you enjoy staying in hotels, hot deals on Priceline or Hotwire can help you save up to 60% off regular price. You can also participate in the Better Bidding auction, where buyers bid, and you can also see the previous prices at which you booked a particular room and not overpay.
  I once managed to get a room in Times Square during the Christmas holidays for only $90 a night.
• When you check into your room, ask for extra amenities. Tourism this moment not in the best condition, and it is very likely that your request will be granted and you will receive a compliment from the hotel for free. After all, all hotels want their customers to feel good and tell their friends and acquaintances about good service.
• If you are traveling in a company of 3-4 people, then take a suite. Usually there are folding sofas and beds. Once, while traveling as a group of four, we rented a royal suite in Chicago at a 4-star hotel, which cost only $50 each.
• If you are here for a week or more, it is better to rent an apartment. A lot of great options can be found on AirBnB, Wimdu, HomeAway and 9Flats, they are almost always cheaper than hotels and you will have your own kitchen to save on food.
• You can also use sites such as Couchsurfing and Hospitality Club, which allow you to stay with locals for free. I really love these sites and have used their services more than once. My experience has been overwhelmingly positive. This type of accommodation will not only save you money on housing, but also provide an excellent opportunity to get free tour around the city from a local resident. And what could be better?
• Most hostels also offer private rooms for less than hotels. You will have a private bathroom and clean sheets every day, free wi-fi and sometimes a TV. In New York, a room in a hostel cost me $80 per night, and in the nearest hotel (in the Central Park area) the cost of rooms started from $120, and Wi-Fi was not included in this price.

Travel tricks

• If possible, visit local travel agencies and take travel agencies. Sometimes with such cards you can go somewhere for free or get good discount to museums, public transport, restaurants, etc. I saved $85 by buying a Paris museum pass. This possibility exists in many major cities, use it.
• Libraries, Starbucks, and most coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi, a great way to save on data when traveling.
• Lunch time is the best time to visit historical sights. Basically, tourist groups come on excursions either in the morning or in the evening, and somewhere at 13 o'clock there are fewer queues. Well, if you are an early bird, then come in the morning, you have every chance of being first in line.

How to save money on food while traveling

• Never eat in a tourist area while traveling - the food will be twice as expensive and less tasty. For some reason, this obvious advice is most often forgotten. Just walk 2-3 blocks in any direction and you will find a great restaurant with more affordable prices.
• The local population is far away for every day go to restaurants, and you don't have to. Better go to the supermarket and cook your own food. If you do not have a separate kitchen where you are located, then buy ingredients for sandwiches and go to the park for a picnic.
• Come to expensive restaurants during lunch. Many restaurants offer so-called business lunches - sets of dishes at cheaper prices than the main menu. Keep in mind that your choice will be somewhat limited, but waste will also be reduced.
• If you don't know where to go, ask one of the locals or the staff of your hotel or hostel. But in no case do not look for advice in the guidebook.

As you plan your next trip abroad, keep these tips in mind. Travel doesn't have to be expensive. They should be light, inexpensive, and most importantly, fun.

If you have your own tips on how to save money while traveling, share them in the comments.

Do you want to travel cheap? Travel. Dot. No answers.

All you need for this is a great desire and desire to explore every corner of this world, a little time for planning and money. The material component very often stops many who want to go somewhere, because there is an opinion that traveling is expensive. But it's not. Whether you want to travel within the country or abroad, one thing remains the same - you can and should travel based on your own budget. And if you have a modest one - it does not matter. It will take you only a little time and a strong desire, and they will help you deal with all the nuances.

All advice is based solely on our own experience (good and not so good). Yes, whatever it is, it's still an experience. After all, thanks to him, we know how cheap it is to travel around Europe from Ukraine, and not only. And so that this experience is not bad, we believe that it is necessary to draw from it useful conclusions so as not to step on the same rake every time.

So, we decided to go a little further and remove as many of these “rakes” as possible so that neither we, nor you, nor your friend / girlfriend, in general, no one stumbles over them next time. Down with the rake! After all, cheap travel is real and much easier than you might think.

Little advice- take only the essentials and put as many things on yourself as possible, thereby leaving more space in a backpack, bag or suitcase.

One city is not the limit. One country too.

It is not necessary that the city of your arrival and departure be the same. Sometimes it will be much cheaper to move or fly to another city or even a country, and from there go home. Unfortunately, sometimes a low price for a ticket from point A to point B does not mean the same low price to return from point B to point A. In addition, I think that plus a couple of cities or countries to your route will never be a minus. Unless you are running out of time - then you already need to look at other options on how to save money while traveling.

Love the buses

If by land, then in 90% of cases the bus will be the cheapest. Trains, although more comfortable, are sometimes much faster, but on a budget trip, you can choose a less comfortable option. Believe me, the bus is also cool. In addition, no one canceled the presence of Wi-Fi and sometimes personal screens for watching movies 🙂

Compare ticket prices and schedule budget holiday in Europe, you can use Omio (GoEuro).

Don't rush your tickets

In the case of trains in Europe, look at various ticket options (group, day, multi-day, etc.) and buy 2nd class. Believe me, in Europe very often the second class of the train is much cooler than our Intercity+.

Do the same with public transport. It is often much cheaper to buy a day pass than to ride three times. regular ticket. Think in advance how often you will need to use public transport and calculate which option will be more profitable for you.

Couchsurf

I think everyone has already heard about this service. But we are sure that not everyone used it. If the budget is tight, and you really want to travel, try it, you won't regret it. Heard a lot of feedback from friends - not a single negative one. Everyone was always satisfied not only with free housing, but also with communication with good and interesting people, as well as an unforgettable pastime with them. After all, often couchsurfing is not just free seat for sleep, but also people who are ready to tell you (sometimes even show) about interesting places, which you will not find in an ordinary guidebook, as well as tell about the local culture and traditions.

The only caveat - be prepared to cancel your arrangement at the last moment. There's nothing you can do about it - anything can happen.

Pay in your native currency

If you have the option of choosing a currency to pay for your ticket, choose the currency of the country in which you live. Why spend extra money on conversion? In addition, very often the price may differ depending on the currency you choose. So check, check and check again!

Phew, that's the end of our list. We hope these tips will help you save money on your trip.

If you have any questions, you know how to find us 😉

Tireless romantics are already planning another independent trip to a new country, city, territory. And someone is going on a more familiar, but long-awaited vacation tour on a ready-made ticket. But here's how to learn how to travel both interestingly and on a budget, for all categories of travelers for whom expenses are of key importance. Experienced pilgrims will help to learn the secrets of this noble cause, for whom inexpensive travel has become a kind of test of adaptability. Their stories and advice boil down to 5 ironclad rules for budget adventures around the world.

The rule, which is not shown to everyone, but if it is possible to use it, which operates without fail, is to drive only on your own.

Fits:

• free, young people;
• sociable, courageous tourists;
• couples without excessive requirements.

If you know the language of the country where the tourist's eyes are directed, then you can travel freely on your own in any case, it will still come out cheaper and much more interesting than through an agency. By the way, about the last one. It is the services of intermediaries that eat up a decent part of the estimate of travel expenses, because of them it is impossible economical trips. But everything that they do in the agency is quite accessible to them.

You just need to spend the evening on useful information, instructions, of which there are a large number on the network today, and book tickets and accommodation on your own. If you need a visa, then it is also possible to do it without the participation of others, especially when you live in a developed city. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of the hinterland should not despair either - if it is planned to make a tour on their own, then such a task should not become the first obstacle.

Part two - do it yourself

The rule that follows smoothly from the first one is that self-selection of air tickets or other road tickets helps to travel economically.

This makes it possible:

Absolutely the same actions will bring success when looking for housing on your own. There are a lot of metasearch engines that search for the most successful options, for example, super-cheap, but with the convenience of hostels, apartments from the owners, mini-hotels. And yet, you should definitely study the topic called “crouch surfing” with interest. Then accommodation during the trip can generally be obtained free of charge.

More detailed instructions, how to do all of the above, there are a lot of them on the net today, choose what you like best and learn. In the unstable times of our days, it is not fashionable to scatter money.

Part three - banks can help too

A rule that reveals how to travel on a budget with the help of banks. The fact is that considerable competition in the market forces banks to fight for any customers, which gives rise to a bunch of interesting offers from the banking side. If you already have a preference for a bank, then you need to ask if they have an appropriate package of services related to travel. By 2018, many banks have developed very profitable programs for tourists using their payment cards, which provide for:

• cashback miles;
• refundable interest for booking hotels-tickets;
• free insurance;
• gift bonuses and more.

If you do not have a single payment card on hand, then you should not be lazy to find a suitable bank for yourself with offers favorable for tourism and start a relationship with it. However, you need to be more careful when choosing a partner bank - quite often a rather large commission is charged for using some cards abroad.

Young promising students, professionals should take an interest in international cards ISIC, ITIC or IYTC - a very profitable system for budget travel in Europe and the USA.

Part Four - Visas

Self-guided visas have already been mentioned, but a few more little tips would not hurt. First, it is a deep myth that issuing a visa through travel agents is more reliable, faster, or more successful. In fact, all the work of travel agency employees in terms of issuing a visa to a client comes down to the fact that they simply give the necessary package of documents to the consuls themselves instead of the clients. To do this is absolutely accessible on your own and with exactly the same success. But without overpayment. How - detailed, very simple instructions from the sections of special sites will tell.

Part five - on the road

The first 4 tips were about preparing for the tour, and now tips for saving on the road directly:

• luggage should be as compact as possible and with minimal filling - the pleasure of traveling increases in direct proportion to the reduction in the volume of things taken with you and vice versa, the threat of loss, overpayment for excess weight also disappears (especially for low-cost airlines);
• when going on independent budget trips, you still need to carefully identify the scheme of moving from the airport of arrival to the place at home - it is very expensive to do this by taxi, and the public transport schedule can be very peculiar in some countries, it is better to know about this in advance;
• it is better to eat away from tourist areas, in eateries, cafes and taverns for locals, this should be firmly grasped by every future economical traveler, the real ones already know about it - the prices for the “menu” for their own and tourists differ by 2, or even 3- 4 times.

When thinking about how to make a tourist cruise inexpensively, one should not be limited to superficial ideas heard by chance from acquaintances. The more information, the more profitable you can travel around the world without a lot of money, so choosing a direction, read, read, read about it as much as possible, and then you will be able to save on absolutely everything. But - there is no need to try to save money abroad on travel tickets from Europeans or the USA, hares are punished very severely there.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

There are many ways to travel to enchanting Europe. For example, buying first class tickets, staying in a five-star hotel and visiting expensive restaurants every day. Or you can take a tent with you and go hitchhiking, interrupted by instant vermicelli. Both of these methods seem to be an extreme extreme, not suitable for all travelers. It is much better, both in terms of cost and the degree of pleasure from the trip, to go the middle way and arrange a budget trip for yourself. To help you organize this, we have prepared this article with useful tips.

Seductive "hot" offers

When travel companies trying to somehow sell their tours, they call them "hot" and significantly reduce their prices. The closer the day of departure, the cheaper such offers become - after all, you need to fill out a group. For those who want to get to Europe cheaply, such tours can be a good solution! But it is necessary to take into account their negative sides.

You have to be ready to take off "already tomorrow", which is not very convenient. In addition, it is not so often possible to find a tour to the most interesting place for you. Yes, and during the trip you are "attached" to other members of the group. It is difficult to change plans and improvise in such conditions.

On the other side, organized tours also have advantages. You don't have to worry about tickets and accommodation - relax and enjoy. You also get some kind of guarantee against the unexpected. After all, the organizers of such trips often have both experience and well-established connections.

Independent travel to Europe is cool and not scary at all

The other approach may seem more troublesome, but it will give you more freedom. And if it is reasonable to organize everything, it will be more convenient. Travel to Europe on your own! You just need to plan your movements, take care of tickets, visas and hotel reservations.

Many tourists have already made similar trips. And they like them much more than even the most attractive "hot" tours. Here are some tips on how to organize an inexpensive (or even cheap!) independent travel in Europe. BUT .

Not to be “like everyone else” to save on tickets

It may seem that one of the most costly items of travel will be airfare. But no! You can fly cheap to Europe if you use the services of low-cost airlines and select unpopular departure days.

There are really a lot of low-cost airlines, or low-cost carriers in Europe. And some fly into Russian cities to then deliver tourists directly to European attractions. For example, it is worth checking the prices and schedules of such airlines flying from Moscow: Aegeanair, AirBerlin, Air Baltic, Eurowings, Meridiana (flights to Italy), Niki, Vueling, WizzAir. Also be aware of easyJet and Ryanair, which have an extensive network of destinations within Europe.

To travel around Europe more economically, when choosing a departure date, act “not like everyone else”. Holidays and weekends become a time of mass travel. Airlines raise prices for this period. On weekdays, the flow of passengers is less, and so that the planes do not depart empty, the fares for such flights are lower. The range of prices is visible on the websites of airlines. You can also buy tickets online there.

To have the maximum choice and not to miss profitable offer from airlines, it is convenient to use special services that make it possible to compare different flight options - such as momondo.ru, skyscanner.ru or aviasales.ru. . Check out what offers and cheap tickets to Europe are available right now:

Hostels, b&b and cheap hotels– choice for budget travel to Europe

Cities popular with tourists have a huge variety of hotels, and you do not have to book rooms in branches of popular chains like the Hilton. Small hotels or budget B&Bs can be quite convenient, especially if you want to travel around Europe cheaper. Perhaps in such places they do not always give a "free" breakfast, cleverly included in the price of accommodation. But is that why you are going to Europe?

Usually budget hotels are located some distance from the city center. Therefore, if you want to save money on your trip, you will probably need to use transport to get to the main attractions. It should be taken as a delightful adventure and immersion in the life of the locals. However, there is always a chance to “catch” a special offer from hotels or b&b located in the center, especially if you book in advance. Many resources allow you to make a booking with the ability to cancel it later, without losing money. However, always read the terms and conditions of your booking carefully - make sure they include free cancellation so you don't lose money if your plans change. Don't delay, check which budget hotels are currently available on booking.com:

A good opportunity not only to save money, but also to communicate with the locals, as well as get to know the country better and get to know it “from the inside” is to rent an apartment or a room. The popular resource airbnb.com is gaining momentum for good reason - more and more travelers are attracted by the opportunity to stay in real apartments of real people, while saving a significant part of the travel budget.

For those who are not very pretentious about living conditions, European hostels are convenient. Especially they are chosen by young people who have a limited travel budget, and can be a great place to stay while traveling. They can be ordered from hostelsclub.com or hostelworld.com.

Public transport, hiking and possibly a bike!

If you came to Europe on your own, you will have to deal with transport after leaving the airport. Taxi is not compatible with the idea of ​​budget trips. Even if the driver takes the meter clearly, the price for a simple transfer to the hotel can be quite significant.

There are buses from every airport. Often these are even city flights with the usual fare. Knowing where you are flying to, inquire and bus routes to the city. It is easy to find out at the airport, going to the official information desk. In many cities, a metro line has been laid to the airport. Why is there a taxi?

Even if you came to a European country as part of a group, you may want to break away from other people and walk around the city on your own. In this case, you should also not contact taxi drivers. Public transport in Europe is well developed and very convenient. And it costs a lot less than a taxi. If you plan to travel a lot, you can buy a subscription for several days.

Even more convenient way move around the city as a tourist - walk! Especially in the center. This will allow you to see much more and get much more vivid impressions.

To move around the city independent travelers often rent bicycles or segways. In most European cities, there are no problems with bike paths.

What will really help you on your journey is a map! Before traveling to Europe, you can download a specialized mobile app with a map that will work offline. So you can use it without access to the Internet, which is very expensive in roaming. And if the map also has information about attractions, including even opening hours, then this will make your trip much more pleasant! All of the above can be found in .

Travel to Europe. How to save money on excursions?

Live guides leading groups of tourists are gradually becoming relics of the past. It is far from always convenient to follow them in the bustle and in a noisy group of other tourists, and individual service is very expensive. But do not give up on full-fledged excursions around European cities! After all, many sights keep mysterious mysteries, fascinating stories are associated with them. Just looking at the building is not at all the same as finding out along the way when it was built, who lived in it, what mystical legends are associated with it .... A convenient mobile application installed on a smartphone can come to the rescue -! It will make stay in tourist places extremely exciting and will allow you to explore the city with a "personal" guide available at any time and significant savings.

If you like museums and other similar places where you have to pay an entrance, ask about the availability of days with free admission. They can only be once a year, but it happens that this happens weekly.

Often in Europe it turns out to save money on visiting attractions by buying a special guest card for tourists (for example, Roma Pass in or Prague Card in). The cost of such a card includes admission to the main attractions of the city, museums and galleries. Often it also includes free travel in public transport, as well as discounts in many restaurants.

Eat like a local

Of course, once in Europe, many will not refuse a romantic dinner in a chic restaurant. It's a wonderful, albeit expensive, experience. But do not repeat it every day! Equally tasty, but much cheaper food is served in small bistros and canteens, created more for locals than for tourists. Look around and think about where you would eat if it were your hometown.

Many products can be bought in ordinary stores or in the market. It is not only cheaper, but sometimes even better than a restaurant. Buying real Italian cheese, Spanish oranges, French baguettes, Swiss chocolate and other local produce is an experience to remember after your trip!

We need language to communicate!

It may seem strange that communication with local residents saves money, but it's a fact. Especially if you speak the same language with them. Most European countries speak English fluently, so you can ask people around you for advice in this language. Don't be afraid if someone doesn't understand you. The second, third, fourth person will answer and report what you will not find in any guidebook. Imagine that a foreigner would contact you with questions about your city. Wouldn't you tell him where to eat cheaply and well, where to stay inexpensively, how to buy concert tickets without overpayments, what worthy and inexpensive to see in the vicinity.

Another secret to good relations with Europeans is to try to say a few phrases in their native language. Your efforts will be appreciated and you will be able to find friends. Our favorite mobile application, which we have already mentioned in this article, will become an excellent communication assistant for you - by installing you can use a convenient audio phrasebook completely free of charge. In it, you will not only see how this or that phrase is written, but you can hear it - all phrases are voiced by native speakers.

It is very helpful to get to know someone in the city you are going to beforehand. There are special services for this, for example couchsurfing.com.

Travel with company

Another way to save money while traveling is to organize a trip with a company and share the costs for everyone. A trip for two or three is much more profitable than traveling alone: ​​both due to hotel rooms (living in a double or triple room is much more profitable than in a single room), and due to transport (you can take a taxi or rent a car and share the costs between all fellow travelers - respectively, the more of them, the more savings).

Of course, the style of travel depends on individual preferences. If you like to travel alone, then you should not break yourself. If not, look for good company. Just keep in mind that when traveling with fellow travelers, common interests and the ability to negotiate are very important - make sure that a potential fellow traveler is “on the same wavelength” with you so as not to spoil the whole vacation.

By the way, if you could not find fellow travelers among your relatives and friends and are not ready to go on your own, this is not a reason to refuse the trip. Sociable travelers who are not alien to the spirit of adventurism may be interested in the service - this is a special platform for finding fellow travelers. Of course, when searching, do not forget about caution and common sense.

Having recovered on a trip to Europe, it is not worth saving on everything. It is better to get the most out of the trip than to bite your elbows later. Otherwise, what was the point of going? Experiment, study, travel with joy and inspiration!