8 Ways to Save Money Travelling in Europe

“Travel. It’s the only thing you can buy that will make you richer”

Here at Adventurelogue, we totally agree that seeing the world only makes you richer. But, if you’ve got the wanderlust gene like us, you’ll also appreciate that the more money you save, the more places you can venture.

Travelling through Europe can be fairly expensive (especially if the exchange rate’s not in your favour), but there are lots of simple things that you can do to save yourself some pennies so that you can do more, see more and experience it all!

1. Travel Off Season

All the attractions are crowded, you’ll spend hours waiting in lines, it’s hard to find availability and when you do it’ll cost an arm and a leg. If you choose your timing, travel to Europe in shoulder seasons when the weather’s still good and prices are a little lower.

2. Travel Overnight

Red eye flights and overnight train tickets are often cheaper than travelling during the daytime but they’ll also save you on a night’s worth of accommodation. Invest in a comfy travel pillow, record your daily explorations in your travel diary and fall asleep to wake in your next city.

3. Join Loyalty Programs

Sign up for frequent flyer and hotel programs that give you reward points for your bookings. It’s amazing how quickly they add up and a free flight and/or hotel rooms makes a big difference to keeping travel costs down.

4. Look for Free or Low-Cost Activities

It’s amazing how many free events and things to do there can be in different cities so have a look online for free art events, museums and other interesting things to do. You can also save lots of money by creating your own tours such as mapping out top restaurants or coffee shops for a personalised gastronomical adventure or hire a bicycle to see major sites.

5. Cook Your Own Meals, Sometimes

One of the best parts of travel is trying the local cuisine but if there’s nothing particularly delicious or unique then cook your own meals to save money. Pick up snacks and other easy to prepare food from local farmer’s markets or supermarkets and find a picturesque place for a picnic.

6. Walk or Use Local Transport

Do as the locals do and get a subway pass, walk or use buses to get around instead of using taxis. It’s a great way to experience the more authentic side of a city and it’ll help to keep you fit.

7. Buy a Local Pre-Paid Sim

If you don’t think you can get by just using free Wi-Fi in shops and hotels, buy a local sim card to save a small fortune on roaming costs.

8. Sleep Local

If regular hotels are expensive, look for local alternatives like Airbnb and Home Exchange, stay just out of the city centre or camp for a more authentic, money saving experience.

Before you head off on your European adventure, grab yourself (and your travel buddies) a European Travel Diary. With plenty of blank pages to capture your thoughts and memories, it’s the perfect way to document your journey.

10% of all sales from the European Travel Journal are donated to Hauser Bears to help them in their mission to better the welfare of bears worldwide.