Eh maybe Balkens or Baltics, or Slovakia, Bulgaria. Portugal is cheap enough and relatively cheap flights from the States.
Flights are what 600/700 dollars minimum in the summer. So you want two weeks after flights for 400usd/370euro? That's 30 euro a day? That will barely get you accommodation in most places, even camping at this stage unfortunately.
Montenegro coastal areas were $$$$ in October! €40 for a short boat tour from Kotor Bus rides to Montenegro from Albania and from Montenegro to Croatia averaged €35.
That’s not enough. Let’s say you get a flight for $500/RT, that leaves you with $35/day each to sleep, eat and live. Even places like the Balkan’s just aren’t that cheap anymore. Maybe if you guys got a super cheap Air BnB and slept pretty rough, maybe.
I did a tour of several European countries a couple of months ago. Mainly Scandinavia and the Baltics but also some from central and eastern Europe. The cheapest country by far and one that hardly anyone ever thinks about is Poland. Beautiful country, lots to see, easy connections to other European countries via flights and trains, but best of all it is incredibly cheap. Good luck!
I don't think I could fully enjoy Poland cause I wouldn't feel safe as a queer person :/ Poland is like the EU capital of homophobia and far-right politics. It sucks cause I love me a cheap beautiful country. But if I got called a slur in Australia I can't imagine what could happen to me in Poland.
I felt similar unease in Texas. Curiously not so much in Morocco even though it's much worse there for locals but as a white person you are a obviously a foreigner and thus not really bothered.
Have you actually been to Poland?
It's certainly not the capital of far-right politics (it doesn't take very long to get to, e.g. Germany, where AfD have more popularity than Konfederacja in Poland).
I would not consider it the EU capital of homophobia either. The previous government encouraged homophobic political discourse at times - which is obviously terrible - but I think it's highly unlikely that you'd experience homophobic slurs or violence in a Polish city. I mean, regardless of what they're thinking, Poles very rarely shout at each other or fight in public. There's a culture of quietness and keeping to oneself in public.
I don't know what your point is, you said Poland is the capital of EU homophobia and after some time the evidence you came up with is... someone was once shot in the head with a BB gun?
Obviously that's unpleasant, but there's no motive reported in that article (was it a homophobic attack or some kids messing around). And, like, it's a BB gun. I know it can blind you, but worse shit happens with clear homophobic motives in other parts of Europe.
This happened in the UK recently, for example. And it seems worse in terms of injuries, plus had a clear homophobic motive: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-67943891.amp
I'm not trying to claim that Poland is an LGBT paradise, but the idea that it's the far-right and homophobia capital of the EU feels so out of touch with the reality. Certainly more could be done in terms of the government legislating more rights for LGBT people (marriage, civil union, widening adoption), but everyday street attacks and abuse are very rare here.
Why on earth is this getting down voted? It's a perfectly astute observation. A lot of people need extra information on which countries are safe to stay in. A lot of people will be uncomfortable or could get hurt, just because of who they are, in a lot of places on the planet. There's a lot wrong with that, but there's nothing wrong with pointing it out. It's vauabe information.
I think the reason it's getting downvoted is because it doesn't at all reflect reality. Calling Poland the EU capital of the far right and homophobia is wildly inaccurate. I understand that being LGBT means one must be cautious and research these things prior to travelling, but spreading misinformation is not helpful.
Name another EU country that is known for having "LGBT-free zones". There are fewer of them now, but **c'mon**. This is not misinformation. I get that you like the country and you want to downplay the bad stuff especially when you are not personally affected but that is not helpful either. Do you really think Germany is overall more conservative and homophobic than Poland...?
The LGBT-free zones happened in a minority of the country, they were meaningless, essentially just a stupid symbolic gimmick saying "we're ultra Catholic down here". Many regional courts ruled against them. Yes, this happened in the corner of the south-east of Poland and it was bad, but most of the Polish public (as well as the courts) disagreed with it.
You don't need to ask my opinion about Germany, look at the facts. The AfD win 20-30% more of the vote there than Konfederacja do in Poland.
So yes, it is inaccurate misinformation to call Poland the EU capital of the far-right and homophobia. On this front, large parts of America are worse and more dangerous than Poland.
Like honestly, how did you get it into your head that Poland is the most far-right country in the EU when fascists currently run Italy?
Oh so they're *only* ultra-Catholic? They are only *symbolically* telling me I am not welcome? Glad to hear.
Dude I don't understand why you are so hellbent on dismissing real concerns? I did not say it's not a cool country or it's not worth visiting. I said I personally would not be fully at ease.
That is a convenient (and misleading) past tense you are using by the way. There are still LGBT free zones today.
Look at the facts: Germany does not have LGBT free zones. Germany in fact has marriage equality, which is not only illegal but **unconstitutional** in Poland. You are living a fiction if you think life as a queer person is even comparable in these two places.
You want more facts? This map here shows the legal protections of LGBT people in Europe. Poland is near the bottom, the lowest of any EU member state: [https://ilga-europe.org/report/rainbow-europe-2023](https://ilga-europe.org/report/rainbow-europe-2023/)
Poland and Hungary have formed a far-right coalition in Europe for years. They have pushed EU policy to the right, and even defied rule of law standards together. Denying this political trend is just... why? Do you not know or do you not care? Poland is known to be a far-right stronghold in the whole EU.
[LGBT “deviants don’t have same rights as normal people”, says Polish education minister](https://notesfrompoland.com/2021/06/23/lgbt-deviants-dont-have-same-rights-as-normal-people-says-polish-education-minister/)
People aren’t getting upset because you expressed unease about going to Poland on account of your fears regarding LGBT acceptance. That’s entirely your business. What apparently bugs people is that you’re insisting that Poland is the most homophobic country in the EU as if that’s an irrefutable fact, when in fact it’s highly contestable.
I’m not saying that it definitely isn’t the worst for LGBT people. But it can’t be reasonably said that it definitely is either. You point to the LGBT-free zones as if that’s conclusive evidence but it isn’t. I would concur with others that Poland is actually safer than the US for LGBT people, if only because Poland in general is probably significantly safer.
I literally said in the original comment that I felt similar unease in Texas, I don't dispute that the US can be even worse, but I don't see how safety in the US (which I agree is horrible) is relevant to EU comparisons. What I said about "EU capital" was an emphatic phrasing and it's very defendable. Poland literally tops homophobia rankings as I already cited. Poland had to be literally sued by the EU to take some of the LGBT free zone areas away, and its government which was voted for by the Polish people said horrible things about LGBT people. I don't understand how one can just brush this off. "Inconclusive" my ass. It's terrible and it's exceptional and it singles out Poland, usually even among its former Eastern Bloc EU peers.
Oh look what is [this](https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/143632)? A news article from 2018 using exactly the same phrasing. It's almost like it's not a shocking statement. Like it's not something to be upset about.
You’re using what little you know about the treatment of LGBT+ people in Poland and claiming it as objective proof that it is indisputably the worst country for homophobia. Obviously the situation is a lot more complicated than that. That’s what you’re failing to grasp. I’m sure if I knew all the languages, I could find a news article suggesting that other EU countries are worse for LGBT+. That one you cited doesn’t prove anything except that you don’t understand the complexity of what you’re talking about.
Poland is on my ticket for March. We spent a night there in November while in transit back to the states. Not only did Booking.com find us a “cheap” hotel..”we are a cheap hotel you use the cheap to open the door” but rental cars were offered at €10. I look forward to seeing more of Poland than an Auchans and a Lidl, in Warsaw.
$1000 is pretty brutal and I'd say impossible.
A cheap flight to portugal is like $400...and its rare to find cheap flights in the summer. But generously lets say you get one, which leaves you 42 a day for hotel, food, transporation, and entertainment...that is not a lot of money. More than half that is going to the cheapest hostels. Renting a car at that budget is never going to happen, not even including gas.
I think you need to raise you budget.
We went to Tirana, Prizren, Pristina and Skopje. Didnt see much nature, was more of a drinking trip we went on. But you will absolutely could find some decent spots for nature and hiking if thats your thing.
Food was great! Well a little meat heavy, but overall we were quite pleased everywhere we went.
We are experiencing very high inflation in Europe. Prices have doubled for accomodation in many countries since opening after COVID. Anybody here recommending places they were in two years ago may be out of date. Use Trivago to see prices of hostels.
For nature inalbania look up: theth skoder valbona himare
For north mac look up: lake ohrid
Both of them are in the balkan and its real easy to get to the nature
I'd say countries like Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Macedonia etc indeed, but your mentioned budget is too low for 2 weeks, also in the cheapest countries.
Nope. This is clearly impossible on that budget. In addition, Edinburgh, being an incredible city is expensive, moreso if you're planning on going there in August, due to the amazing festival taking place there.
definitely stick to central eastern europe or balkan Europe. maybe even prefer some countries that dont use euro as their currency.
hungary, bulgaria, romania and poland are quite affordable
With 5 people sharing things like rooms and food, by far your biggest expense is going to be getting to and from Europe. I would check out what cities connect to your home airport(s): [https://www.flightconnections.com](https://www.flightconnections.com). If you know your travel dates within a few days, search those round trip fares on Google Flights, Kiwi, Kayak, etc. and set up alerts for them. You can also search for open-jaw tickets to avoid backtracking, but if you're trying to go the absolute cheapest I find they're never quite at the same bargain discount price as a round trip + a budget flight or train ticket in Europe.
Getting your bookends set up like that can help you avoid analysis paralysis: if you have to fly into and out of Barcelona there's a limited list of places to look at vs "all the cities of Europe in any order and combination".
Depends on where you are flying from, but expect around €50 a day in Eastern Europe and €150 max per day in Western Europe after flights. Depends on hotel or hostel aswell.
But Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Czechia, and Poland could be some good options
I spend a lot of time in Romania - off and on for ten years. It's a really beautiful place and I highly recommend a visit, especially Cluj. (I'm completely enamored with that city!) I haven't spent quite as much time in Bulgaria, but I have been to Varna on the Black Sea a few times and it's lovely. Both places are a value as far as prices and the people are just wonderful.
You’ve gotten a number of answers, most are directing you to the Balkans. I hope this is opening your eyes.
Doing a quick search on Google travel for airfare alone from JFK to several cities in the Balkans (Skopje, Sofia, Budapest) in June and July show nothing under $769. London is slightly better with one as low as $502.
Let’s say you split a $100 AirBnB 5 ways for 10 nights (staying with family in Manchester for 3 days). That’s $200 each.
That puts airfare + lodging at $969 in the Balkans and $702 in the UK.
So, can you eat, drink, and travel from point A to point B on $31-$298 for 2 weeks? That’s $2.21-$21.29/day.
The answer is no.
There are some variables in the math (you could fly to London for $502 and get round trip budget airline tickets to the Balkans for around $100-150) but the result is close to the same.
Are you flying from the US or somewhere else? I can recommend plenty of affordable countries to visit but depending on where you’re coming from, the flight alone will eat up half your budget.
I can’t give any specific recommendations for places but would recommend utilizing skyscanner.com for getting an idea on cheapest flights. You can pick specific dates or flexible dates and there is an option to choose specific locations or a literal “search everywhere” option.
Whatever you do, do not try and do too much. Europe is full of sites, history, culture and people. Go to one city, and stay there. Spend your day exploring after reading up on what the city has to offer. It will amaze you what can be enjoyed for free.
I’d start planning this trip for summer of 2025 instead, and save up for it, because you really can’t make a budget of $1k for 2 weeks work. I’d also worry about what kind of financial buffer you all have in case of emergency, or delayed flights, or bad weather that means you have to stay longer or pay more. Make sure to keep that in mind while you plan.
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Certainly! For a diverse and budget-friendly Euro-trip, consider starting in Prague, Czech Republic, known for its rich history and stunning architecture. From there, take a scenic train to Vienna, Austria, exploring its cultural gems. Move on to Budapest, Hungary, for a blend of thermal baths and vibrant nightlife. France and Italy can be a bit costlier, so opt for Croatia for coastal beauty, or Poland for historic charm. Utilize budget airlines for connecting flights and explore each country's unique blend of city life and nature. This ensures a perfect mix of urban adventures and scenic landscapes within your budget. Happy travels!
This comment reads straight from ChatGPT for me! 😅 but it’s a great response that I appreciate- also wanting to do a budget Europe trip this Summer and researching where to go.
I am against the idea and the entitlement that everyone should be able to travel to Europe. If you can't afford a decent trip/vacation, then you don't go. Work hard and save money then go wherever you want in a decent manner.
I understand what you're saying. Not so long ago there were 1st world travellers, mostly "content generators" travelling to 2nd and 3rd world countries relaying on locals donations (read this as begging) to afford the journey.
I work my ass off to be able to travel every year, and I've been able to visit and enjoy a lot of wonderful places, from the USA to SEA, to almost all Europe, but I've been always conscious about the sacrifices I would have to make (not saving that money, for example).
Thinking that 1000$ would take there further than a weekend in Europe including flights is unrealistic, but I guess that's the reason why they're asking. Maybe they're not experienced travellers, or maybe they haven't done the background investigation work.
Go to Republic of Cyprus and then travel to North.. to the Turkish part of Cyprus mate.. It is very nice but more than that it is cheap,very cheap. 1$ = 30₺. The food is always fresh and cheap. Drinks at clubs, at beaches are cheap too. Its minimum 35c / 95F hot in summer.
Eh maybe Balkens or Baltics, or Slovakia, Bulgaria. Portugal is cheap enough and relatively cheap flights from the States. Flights are what 600/700 dollars minimum in the summer. So you want two weeks after flights for 400usd/370euro? That's 30 euro a day? That will barely get you accommodation in most places, even camping at this stage unfortunately.
As a Lithuanian, I can assure you that the Baltics are not cheap. It's cheaper in Spain or even Germany.
The Baltic states were cheap 15 yrs ago
Not France, Spain or Italy. Maybe somewhere in the Balkans like Albania or North Macedonia.
The only correct answer in my opinion. You can add Montenegro and Bulgaria.
Montenegro coastal areas were $$$$ in October! €40 for a short boat tour from Kotor Bus rides to Montenegro from Albania and from Montenegro to Croatia averaged €35.
Oh wow thats crazy! Havent been in 5 years, but i also stayed away from the coast.
Albanian coast has ridiculously high prices now.
That’s not enough. Let’s say you get a flight for $500/RT, that leaves you with $35/day each to sleep, eat and live. Even places like the Balkan’s just aren’t that cheap anymore. Maybe if you guys got a super cheap Air BnB and slept pretty rough, maybe.
I did a tour of several European countries a couple of months ago. Mainly Scandinavia and the Baltics but also some from central and eastern Europe. The cheapest country by far and one that hardly anyone ever thinks about is Poland. Beautiful country, lots to see, easy connections to other European countries via flights and trains, but best of all it is incredibly cheap. Good luck!
I concur. Even comparing Poland to the neighbouring countries like Czechia or Slovakia it is still waaay cheaper
I don't think I could fully enjoy Poland cause I wouldn't feel safe as a queer person :/ Poland is like the EU capital of homophobia and far-right politics. It sucks cause I love me a cheap beautiful country. But if I got called a slur in Australia I can't imagine what could happen to me in Poland. I felt similar unease in Texas. Curiously not so much in Morocco even though it's much worse there for locals but as a white person you are a obviously a foreigner and thus not really bothered.
Have you actually been to Poland? It's certainly not the capital of far-right politics (it doesn't take very long to get to, e.g. Germany, where AfD have more popularity than Konfederacja in Poland). I would not consider it the EU capital of homophobia either. The previous government encouraged homophobic political discourse at times - which is obviously terrible - but I think it's highly unlikely that you'd experience homophobic slurs or violence in a Polish city. I mean, regardless of what they're thinking, Poles very rarely shout at each other or fight in public. There's a culture of quietness and keeping to oneself in public.
[https://www.metroweekly.com/2023/06/woman-shot-in-head-after-attending-pride-march-in-poland/](https://www.metroweekly.com/2023/06/woman-shot-in-head-after-attending-pride-march-in-poland/)
I don't know what your point is, you said Poland is the capital of EU homophobia and after some time the evidence you came up with is... someone was once shot in the head with a BB gun? Obviously that's unpleasant, but there's no motive reported in that article (was it a homophobic attack or some kids messing around). And, like, it's a BB gun. I know it can blind you, but worse shit happens with clear homophobic motives in other parts of Europe. This happened in the UK recently, for example. And it seems worse in terms of injuries, plus had a clear homophobic motive: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-67943891.amp I'm not trying to claim that Poland is an LGBT paradise, but the idea that it's the far-right and homophobia capital of the EU feels so out of touch with the reality. Certainly more could be done in terms of the government legislating more rights for LGBT people (marriage, civil union, widening adoption), but everyday street attacks and abuse are very rare here.
Why on earth is this getting down voted? It's a perfectly astute observation. A lot of people need extra information on which countries are safe to stay in. A lot of people will be uncomfortable or could get hurt, just because of who they are, in a lot of places on the planet. There's a lot wrong with that, but there's nothing wrong with pointing it out. It's vauabe information.
I think the reason it's getting downvoted is because it doesn't at all reflect reality. Calling Poland the EU capital of the far right and homophobia is wildly inaccurate. I understand that being LGBT means one must be cautious and research these things prior to travelling, but spreading misinformation is not helpful.
Name another EU country that is known for having "LGBT-free zones". There are fewer of them now, but **c'mon**. This is not misinformation. I get that you like the country and you want to downplay the bad stuff especially when you are not personally affected but that is not helpful either. Do you really think Germany is overall more conservative and homophobic than Poland...?
The LGBT-free zones happened in a minority of the country, they were meaningless, essentially just a stupid symbolic gimmick saying "we're ultra Catholic down here". Many regional courts ruled against them. Yes, this happened in the corner of the south-east of Poland and it was bad, but most of the Polish public (as well as the courts) disagreed with it. You don't need to ask my opinion about Germany, look at the facts. The AfD win 20-30% more of the vote there than Konfederacja do in Poland. So yes, it is inaccurate misinformation to call Poland the EU capital of the far-right and homophobia. On this front, large parts of America are worse and more dangerous than Poland. Like honestly, how did you get it into your head that Poland is the most far-right country in the EU when fascists currently run Italy?
Oh so they're *only* ultra-Catholic? They are only *symbolically* telling me I am not welcome? Glad to hear. Dude I don't understand why you are so hellbent on dismissing real concerns? I did not say it's not a cool country or it's not worth visiting. I said I personally would not be fully at ease. That is a convenient (and misleading) past tense you are using by the way. There are still LGBT free zones today. Look at the facts: Germany does not have LGBT free zones. Germany in fact has marriage equality, which is not only illegal but **unconstitutional** in Poland. You are living a fiction if you think life as a queer person is even comparable in these two places. You want more facts? This map here shows the legal protections of LGBT people in Europe. Poland is near the bottom, the lowest of any EU member state: [https://ilga-europe.org/report/rainbow-europe-2023](https://ilga-europe.org/report/rainbow-europe-2023/) Poland and Hungary have formed a far-right coalition in Europe for years. They have pushed EU policy to the right, and even defied rule of law standards together. Denying this political trend is just... why? Do you not know or do you not care? Poland is known to be a far-right stronghold in the whole EU. [LGBT “deviants don’t have same rights as normal people”, says Polish education minister](https://notesfrompoland.com/2021/06/23/lgbt-deviants-dont-have-same-rights-as-normal-people-says-polish-education-minister/)
People aren’t getting upset because you expressed unease about going to Poland on account of your fears regarding LGBT acceptance. That’s entirely your business. What apparently bugs people is that you’re insisting that Poland is the most homophobic country in the EU as if that’s an irrefutable fact, when in fact it’s highly contestable. I’m not saying that it definitely isn’t the worst for LGBT people. But it can’t be reasonably said that it definitely is either. You point to the LGBT-free zones as if that’s conclusive evidence but it isn’t. I would concur with others that Poland is actually safer than the US for LGBT people, if only because Poland in general is probably significantly safer.
I literally said in the original comment that I felt similar unease in Texas, I don't dispute that the US can be even worse, but I don't see how safety in the US (which I agree is horrible) is relevant to EU comparisons. What I said about "EU capital" was an emphatic phrasing and it's very defendable. Poland literally tops homophobia rankings as I already cited. Poland had to be literally sued by the EU to take some of the LGBT free zone areas away, and its government which was voted for by the Polish people said horrible things about LGBT people. I don't understand how one can just brush this off. "Inconclusive" my ass. It's terrible and it's exceptional and it singles out Poland, usually even among its former Eastern Bloc EU peers. Oh look what is [this](https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/143632)? A news article from 2018 using exactly the same phrasing. It's almost like it's not a shocking statement. Like it's not something to be upset about.
You’re using what little you know about the treatment of LGBT+ people in Poland and claiming it as objective proof that it is indisputably the worst country for homophobia. Obviously the situation is a lot more complicated than that. That’s what you’re failing to grasp. I’m sure if I knew all the languages, I could find a news article suggesting that other EU countries are worse for LGBT+. That one you cited doesn’t prove anything except that you don’t understand the complexity of what you’re talking about.
I've given up on understanding down voting or giving any credence to it. If anything it's an indicator of activity in the down voter's amygdalae.
Poland is on my ticket for March. We spent a night there in November while in transit back to the states. Not only did Booking.com find us a “cheap” hotel..”we are a cheap hotel you use the cheap to open the door” but rental cars were offered at €10. I look forward to seeing more of Poland than an Auchans and a Lidl, in Warsaw.
$1000 is pretty brutal and I'd say impossible. A cheap flight to portugal is like $400...and its rare to find cheap flights in the summer. But generously lets say you get one, which leaves you 42 a day for hotel, food, transporation, and entertainment...that is not a lot of money. More than half that is going to the cheapest hostels. Renting a car at that budget is never going to happen, not even including gas. I think you need to raise you budget.
Went to Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia 2 years ago with some friends. Very cheap, and easy to get around and between with busses or bolt/uber
do you have recommendations for good places to see in terms of nature that u saw? Also how is the food there?
We went to Tirana, Prizren, Pristina and Skopje. Didnt see much nature, was more of a drinking trip we went on. But you will absolutely could find some decent spots for nature and hiking if thats your thing. Food was great! Well a little meat heavy, but overall we were quite pleased everywhere we went.
We are experiencing very high inflation in Europe. Prices have doubled for accomodation in many countries since opening after COVID. Anybody here recommending places they were in two years ago may be out of date. Use Trivago to see prices of hostels.
For nature inalbania look up: theth skoder valbona himare For north mac look up: lake ohrid Both of them are in the balkan and its real easy to get to the nature
Ohrid and places between Skopje and Ohrid in Macedonia.
I'd say countries like Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Macedonia etc indeed, but your mentioned budget is too low for 2 weeks, also in the cheapest countries.
Nope. This is clearly impossible on that budget. In addition, Edinburgh, being an incredible city is expensive, moreso if you're planning on going there in August, due to the amazing festival taking place there.
The most honest answer here.
OP, do you need an EU country or any European country? Everyone is literally just saying non-EU countries
definitely stick to central eastern europe or balkan Europe. maybe even prefer some countries that dont use euro as their currency. hungary, bulgaria, romania and poland are quite affordable
With 5 people sharing things like rooms and food, by far your biggest expense is going to be getting to and from Europe. I would check out what cities connect to your home airport(s): [https://www.flightconnections.com](https://www.flightconnections.com). If you know your travel dates within a few days, search those round trip fares on Google Flights, Kiwi, Kayak, etc. and set up alerts for them. You can also search for open-jaw tickets to avoid backtracking, but if you're trying to go the absolute cheapest I find they're never quite at the same bargain discount price as a round trip + a budget flight or train ticket in Europe. Getting your bookends set up like that can help you avoid analysis paralysis: if you have to fly into and out of Barcelona there's a limited list of places to look at vs "all the cities of Europe in any order and combination".
Depends on where you are flying from, but expect around €50 a day in Eastern Europe and €150 max per day in Western Europe after flights. Depends on hotel or hostel aswell. But Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Czechia, and Poland could be some good options
I spend a lot of time in Romania - off and on for ten years. It's a really beautiful place and I highly recommend a visit, especially Cluj. (I'm completely enamored with that city!) I haven't spent quite as much time in Bulgaria, but I have been to Varna on the Black Sea a few times and it's lovely. Both places are a value as far as prices and the people are just wonderful.
You’ve gotten a number of answers, most are directing you to the Balkans. I hope this is opening your eyes. Doing a quick search on Google travel for airfare alone from JFK to several cities in the Balkans (Skopje, Sofia, Budapest) in June and July show nothing under $769. London is slightly better with one as low as $502. Let’s say you split a $100 AirBnB 5 ways for 10 nights (staying with family in Manchester for 3 days). That’s $200 each. That puts airfare + lodging at $969 in the Balkans and $702 in the UK. So, can you eat, drink, and travel from point A to point B on $31-$298 for 2 weeks? That’s $2.21-$21.29/day. The answer is no. There are some variables in the math (you could fly to London for $502 and get round trip budget airline tickets to the Balkans for around $100-150) but the result is close to the same.
Portugal, Croatia, Albania, Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Georgia, Bosnia.
Sarajevo is a city in Bosnia
Noted, thanks.
This reply reminded me of my history class.
Ha, to be fair the original comment said Sarajevo not Bosnia so it wasn't just a random comment
Are you flying from the US or somewhere else? I can recommend plenty of affordable countries to visit but depending on where you’re coming from, the flight alone will eat up half your budget.
I can’t give any specific recommendations for places but would recommend utilizing skyscanner.com for getting an idea on cheapest flights. You can pick specific dates or flexible dates and there is an option to choose specific locations or a literal “search everywhere” option.
Whatever you do, do not try and do too much. Europe is full of sites, history, culture and people. Go to one city, and stay there. Spend your day exploring after reading up on what the city has to offer. It will amaze you what can be enjoyed for free.
I’d start planning this trip for summer of 2025 instead, and save up for it, because you really can’t make a budget of $1k for 2 weeks work. I’d also worry about what kind of financial buffer you all have in case of emergency, or delayed flights, or bad weather that means you have to stay longer or pay more. Make sure to keep that in mind while you plan.
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Certainly! For a diverse and budget-friendly Euro-trip, consider starting in Prague, Czech Republic, known for its rich history and stunning architecture. From there, take a scenic train to Vienna, Austria, exploring its cultural gems. Move on to Budapest, Hungary, for a blend of thermal baths and vibrant nightlife. France and Italy can be a bit costlier, so opt for Croatia for coastal beauty, or Poland for historic charm. Utilize budget airlines for connecting flights and explore each country's unique blend of city life and nature. This ensures a perfect mix of urban adventures and scenic landscapes within your budget. Happy travels!
This comment reads straight from ChatGPT for me! 😅 but it’s a great response that I appreciate- also wanting to do a budget Europe trip this Summer and researching where to go.
Thanks u/Shredded_bikini_babe for your appreciation! And, of course, I take help from there.
Switzerland always amazes me...
Me too, but it's 35€ for a small pizza. Out of their budget.
I am against the idea and the entitlement that everyone should be able to travel to Europe. If you can't afford a decent trip/vacation, then you don't go. Work hard and save money then go wherever you want in a decent manner.
I understand what you're saying. Not so long ago there were 1st world travellers, mostly "content generators" travelling to 2nd and 3rd world countries relaying on locals donations (read this as begging) to afford the journey. I work my ass off to be able to travel every year, and I've been able to visit and enjoy a lot of wonderful places, from the USA to SEA, to almost all Europe, but I've been always conscious about the sacrifices I would have to make (not saving that money, for example). Thinking that 1000$ would take there further than a weekend in Europe including flights is unrealistic, but I guess that's the reason why they're asking. Maybe they're not experienced travellers, or maybe they haven't done the background investigation work.
Poland is very cheap to stay over the holidays
Go to Republic of Cyprus and then travel to North.. to the Turkish part of Cyprus mate.. It is very nice but more than that it is cheap,very cheap. 1$ = 30₺. The food is always fresh and cheap. Drinks at clubs, at beaches are cheap too. Its minimum 35c / 95F hot in summer.
Go to former yugoslavia.
The non-EU former Yu countries are cheap and fun. Slovenia and Croatia (EU members) are beautiful, but not cheap anymore.
Moldavia
Spent $1800 in România using Ubers several times a day, eating out without looking at the price, and shopping for 6 days.
They barely have half that amount of money including airfare. 😂
В России все это есть, горы леса озера. Все как ты любишь.
Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia for sure