As a fresh graduate, how to save money while traveling in Europe! Here’s a look at my expenses for a 10-day trip to 5 countries in Europe as a girl! In February, I spent 10 days alone in Europe, passing through 5 countries (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland). The total *** expenditure was 900 euros (6753 yuan), excluding major shopping, such as for my mother. I bought a vase... and I feel like I had a lot of fun! I am going to share the details of my food, accommodation, transportation, and shopping items in several points as a whole, and also have some summarized experiences/pitfalls I have encountered/recommendations to everyone. ~
One meal: about 150 Euros (1125 RMB)
I save more mainly on food. Because you can’t eat many varieties when you sit down and order food alone, and I feel that ordering food in Europe is like opening a blind box... I don’t know what strange taste will be served. Most of the time I choose fast food for lunch (5-10 Euro/meal) and go to the supermarket to buy sandwiches and fruit for breakfast and dinner. But I will try local snacks in each city, such as Belgian waffles, Dutch Manneken Pis fries, and German pork knuckles. The waffles were too sweet, the pork knuckle was really salty, the fries were mediocre...
My youth hostel in Switzerland included breakfast, which was quite rich. But fast food in Switzerland costs at least 12 euros per meal.
Two: Accommodation is about 273 euros (2048 yuan)
8 nights a day, all staying in a youth hostel. Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland are more expensive, about 40 euros/night, while Belgium, Germany is cheaper at about 25 euros. I took a Deutsche Bahn overnight train from the Netherlands to Germany. The youth hostel experience is very good! My classmates all stay in youth hostels when traveling. Even if they travel together, they will stay in youth hostels instead of B&Bs. Some hostels provide breakfast and various activities. Some will have a curtain to provide privacy. And everyone is very polite and sleeps in their own place without disturbing each other (maybe it’s because my sleep quality is good). And I actually feel that staying alone in a youth hostel is safer than staying in a B&B. I highly recommend the hostel I stayed in in Brussels! There are names and pictures! Very new, clean and still has curtains. The location is right in the city center and is very convenient to go anywhere.
Transportation cost for three trips: about 380 Euros (2851 RMB)
Main transportation: full train + bus TIPS:
1: Be sure to book tickets in advance . Because European train prices fluctuate, according to my observation, the later you buy it, the more expensive it is, and you may not be able to buy it.
2: If you can choose an operating company, I recommend Flixbus! The locations of blablacar are very close to each other and are uncomfortable. Moreover, the seating conditions and charging equipment are not as new and complete as Flixbus.
3: There are quite a lot of bus delays. Don’t panic! Just go to the station and find the organization and everyone can wait together hahaha.
4 Shopping
Europe’s second-hand culture is particularly good. I visited several vintage stores along the way. Some sell clothes and jewelry, some sell vinyl records, books, figurines, postcards, etc., and some sell porcelain and antiques. Very interesting!
Two second-hand stores are recommended:
1: Brussels, Belgium: Pêle-Mêle Bruxelles is a very large store with old movie posters, books, vinyl records, etc. . Vinyl is classified according to genre. The address is right in the city center, and you can basically walk to Brussels. I bought 3 vinyl records, 1 jazz record, 2 Mozart records, and a biography of Mozart. Another reason for recommendation is that this store is really cheap! Vinyls - a lot of them cost 1 euro each (of course there are more expensive ones), and there are a lot of CDs that cost 1 euro each. Books are also cheap! I bought them for only 2 euros and they are very new. I visited at least 5 second-hand stores in Brussels, and this one has the most abundant and cheapest items.
2: Amsterdam, Netherlands: Kramer Kunst & Antiek. This store mainly sells antiques, including porcelain, tea tableware, decorations, etc. It has been open for decades, and it also has a website, which is relatively reliable. The variety sold on the website is much smaller and the prices are higher. I originally wanted to buy a plate, but my parents and I both liked an 18c porcelain bottle made in Japan. It was very beautiful and only cost 50 or 80 euros (I forgot).
The above as a student! How to save money when traveling to Europe! But there is a cheaper way! Just go play! Don't buy anything! In addition to food + accommodation + travel! You’ll save money if you don’t buy anything! ! Hahahaha, but if you see something you like, you will definitely buy it! ! Hope this helps! ! On the go! Safety first! I wish you a pleasant journey! !