Today I will be sharing with you all how to travel Europe on a budget.

Europe…The land of beauty, glitz, glamour, sophistication and Gelato ?

After watching movies like “from Venice with love” or “Euro trip” or “The English Patient” you can’t help but dream and fantasize about traveling round Europe, living your dream life and maybe finding love…

But then, we all know Europe can be far from cheap. However, the good news is, traveling Europe on a budget is very possible. Today, I am going to share with you first hand tips on how to travel Europe on a budget. From vital links to apps and all you need to know about preparation, flexibility and prudence to enable you explore Europe without breaking the bank.

So, the question of the year is “how on earth do people afford a trip every now and then?” And the answer is simple…. RESEARCH! They do their homework before, during and after the trip. Read on and learn how to travel Europe on a budget henceforth. P/S- If you would be exploring alone I’ve compiled this Solo travel indispensable guide to help you.

How to travel Europe on a budget

FLIGHTS & TRAVEL DEALS

1. RULE 101– Time and Season: Travel more during the low season, avoid major holidays or festivals. Preferably travel between October and early April (Except Christmas). During this season several cities in Europe offer all it takes to attract tourist, you could get anything from free meals, to accesses to spa, amazing group deals etc. Flight tickets are also cheaper.
2. Get the best travel deals– I am constantly tracking travel deals because I have realized that sometimes getting the bomb package (all-inclusive hotel, flight, breakfast, SPA etc.) is way cheaper than booking separately.  Since I discovered these applications Groupon, Holiday Pirate, Showroom privée and Last minute, my life has not been the same LITERALLY! Just name your destination and there is always a very affordable travel deal awaiting you. The good thing is most packages are 4-star hotels so don’t be afraid of ending up in a dungeon hostel with strangers ha-ha!
3. Patience PAYS– A very important virtue when it comes to buying a flight tickets is patience. I have come to understand the trick of waiting on the right time to book. If getting an inclusive travel deal is not your cup of tea, then the life saving apps below will interest you. However, you need patience to track the flight prices. I guarantee it always pays off. In fact let me wow you, did you know that this summer tickets went as low as 1euros for flights round Europe for Volatea airline? and I kid you not. I have used, and I am still using the following apps to bag awesome deals on flights. Now that’s how to travel Europe on a budget!

BEST APPS FOR CHEAPEST FLIGHTS

• Hitlist– This is the best App I will recommend for a last minute travel or weekend getaway. There is always something within your range!
• Secret Flying– As the name implies, this App is the best kept secret online. I have seen some deals that almost made me quit my job and start full time travelling but, how will a young girl pay the bills alors? One top secret is that this app also informs you about error fares, refuelling tickets etc. So it’s constantly non-stop mind-blowing deals. They also have price drops for business class tickets and, amazing prices for tickets from Europe to several destinations around the world. No doubt an indispensable app for those who truly want to know how to travel Europe on a budget.
• Hopper – Best watcher App I have ever seen. It gives you predictions of price drops. With those predictions you save a lot of money and time by buying at the exact hour prices drop.
• SkipLagged & Kayak and Skyscanner : What I love about these App is the fact that confused and indecisive travellers like myself can see a full price list of the cost of going anywhere. Just put in your dates and voila!
• Omio, Rome2rio and Bus radar– For road travel by bus or train these Apps give you guaranteed rates. My trick is checking them and going directly to the company website to compare the prices.

*HACKS – Get yearly membership cards on airlines like wizzair, volatea etc. It saves you a lot. Avoid buying flight tickets during the weekend (Friday to Monday). From my little experience comparing prices, it is clear that prices drop during the week and increase during the weekend. Secondly, if the city you reside in does not have a flight deal, checking for a neighbouring city’s airport can bag you the deal. Personally, I can even go all the way to Congo and fly if it saves me money periodttt! On a serious note though, most times, a city just 2hours away can have a deal that saves you 300 euros so stay woke.

LODGING AND FEEDING

1. Choose your battles wisely– Listen up guys, if you’ve got a friend in a city you are visiting, cheapest option is swallow your pride and ask to be their guest. However, if you are open to meeting new people and socializing, couchsurfing is an alternative for free lodging. There is also worldpackers, but that’s if you are willing to volunteer in exchange for free accommodation. For hotel lovers I have good news for y’all…. Over the years, I discovered a trick that has never failed me. Last minute booking! Having worked as a front desk hotel receptionist, combined with first hand personal experiences from traveling, I can tell you that a hotel would rather drop the price to get someone to occupy a room, than leave it empty.

Here are the best Apps I use to track last minute hotel price drops;

• Hotel tonight– Sometimes it seems like magic but guys you can find some incredible last minute deals on this app.
• Secret escapes– This app is for the good life fellows. On days you want to experience extreme luxury for a cheap price, think no more just go to secret escape.

*HACKS– Sometimes choosing an accommodation a bit farther from the city doesn’t just cost less but comes with some freebies to attract clients (spa, wellness, gym etc). Lastly, there is nothing wrong with staying in a hostel. Usually, there descent hostels in major European cities and you certainly will get to meet other travellers. The most recommended hostel App is Hostelworld.

2.  FEEDING your soul– Finding great food while travelling is a strategic endeavor. But the logic is as simple as ABC. Lodging in somewhere with a kitchen to prepare your meals saves you money if you are travelling on a budget. But then again, what is a vacation without the food? It is very important to experience a city through its cuisine which is why I present these wonderful apps to you, so you enjoy good meals but on a budget.

• Groupon– For everything I go straight to Groupon. There are always amazing restaurant deals that can save you money
• Tripadvisor– I feel like I am even in a relationship with this app. If trip advisor doesn’t give me a good priced recommendation then I’m cooking my thing. Fortunately, trip advisor has never disappointed me, such a great Boo.
• Zommato & Eatwith– Amazing apps for finding restaurants &culinary experiences with the menus displayed.

TOURING AND MISCELLANEOUS

Take Advantage! Do you know you can visit several attractions in Europe for free? From Museums, to cathedrals and historical attractions. In addition, even paid attractions have discounts for young people or students so all you need to do is ask them on arrival.

For tours, I recently tried the free walking tour and it was AMAZING. What a better way to see a city. At the end of the tour you just leave a tip. If you are traveling on a budget take advantage of free walking tours with companies like generation.com. Or better still download free tour app, it’s the best and most recommended app for free tours.

EXTRAS ON HOW TO TRAVEL EUROPE ON A BUDGET

To wrap up, here are just some additional apps that generally help you save money and control spending as you now know how to travel Europe on a budget;

–Money Manager

–XE Currency

–Trail wallet

–Security Apps: Here is a detailed list of security measures and apps you need

As I always say, cheap travel does not mean bad travel, it simply means I do my homework properly for each trip!

Get to planning and let me know what works for you as you now how to travel Europe on a budget.

Not sure where to go in Europe? This list of underrated/overrated cities in Europe might interest you

Confused on what to pack? Here are the most affordable travel essentials you need to explore Europe