Top 5 Summer Trips for Less
As budget travel battles the recession we thought it was time to step up to the plate with another money saving offensive and pick out the five most affordable, European destinations this summer. Fasten your seat belts kids. We’re not going to be stopping.
- London for Less
- Budget in Bruges
- Penny Pinch in Paris
- Economise in Edinburgh
- Best For Less in Brighton
Gone are the days when London reigned as one of the most expensive cities in Europe but beware because the British capital still isn’t (and probably never will be) on a par with the exchange rates of Asia or South Africa. That’s why you guys need to cut your travel costs in half by purchasing an Oyster Card and make sure you study the day by day free things to do on freelondonlistings.com when you rock up. This little gold mine tipped me off about free salsa in the west end, free Yoga in Islington and the little know buy very exciting (and free) City Showcase Festival, coming up on May 7, 2009. Top this off with your comprehensive and condensed London Event Guide from St Christopher’s at the beginning of every month, and you’re flying!
It might not be the most glamorous of cities and Colin Farrell’s movie spin may have portrayed it as the most boring location on the planet, but like a lot of destinations battling the recession the city is pulling out all the stops to show you guys that there’s a great deal to do, and they’re slashing the prices too. Kick of by saving money on the journey with the Eurostar. Any trip to Brussels includes a free onward transfer to anywhere in Belgium, and when you bear in mind that a return from London starts at just £59, this train is in the same budget bracket as the budget bus routes from companies like Eurolines. In the city itself make sure you pick up a free Bruges Card at check in so that you get money off all the big attractions, including the superb Groeninge museum. For cheap but still tasty chocolates, check out the supermarkets on Oude Burg, Langestraat and Noordzandstraat, and finally for you forward thinking travel monkeys, make sure you check out the event previews in every edition of the St Christopher’s Travel E‐zine.
In a city where the standard price of a beer is €8, you guys need all the budgetary help you can get so here it is. First things first ‐ transport. Unlike London’s massively overpriced Underground, the Paris Metro is very affordable and you save even more when you buy a book of ten or twelve tickets. One journey equals one ticket, and it averages out at about €1.20 per trip. Sorted. As for the attractions ditch the overpriced Eifel Tower and pay less than €10 to go up the Tour Montparnasse. There are no sticky fingered school children here and your photos will include the eponymous tower. Now for the culture 101. Unless you’ve got your heart set on the Louvre, save yourself a lot of money (and a crowd induced migraine) and head to the Musée d’Orsay instead. You can actually see art here, without the queues or the maze like trenches that ruin the Louvre. Also the clock tower restaurant makes for a great cheap eat.
To make sure you’re left with a little extra in the land of Scots start out with a clear list of the attractions you want to spend your money on and don’t waste your time on the attractions that the tourist board are being paid to push. The best bits of Edinburgh are the holograms and portraits at Camera Obscura, the drink samplers at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, the art on show at the Royal Mile’s Royal Gallery and the underground horrors of Mary King’s Close. Beyond that you can skip the castle with no regrets and as far as the Scottish Parliament is concerned, it’s only worth the super advance, £3 booking to watch a live session if you’re a politics fan. For chill out sessions the free and very beautiful Queen’s Park (also known as Holyrood Park) is a top pick and covers a five mile area. This badger showcases every aspect of the Scottish countryside, including mountains, marshes and moorlands too!
This seaside city is famed for summer festivals, frolics on the pier and world famous ice cream that sells for world famous prices ‐ at £5 a scoop. Do not fear though. You don’t have to be a London yuppie with a second house in this coastal retreat to be able to afford a jolly jaunt. Advance rail fares from London (if you’re under 25) can get you there and back for less than £15, a bed at the St Christopher’s hostel and hotel will be around the £12 mark and if you stick to the free exhibits at Hove Museum and the Brighton Museum, your culture fix is all set too! Better yet there’s a completely complimentary guided tour of the city that meets at the Brighton Pier, Tuesday through to Saturday, throughout the summer at 11am and 1.30pm. It’s one of those tips only affairs but after the effort these guys put in ‐ in the city that’s also known as London‐on‐Prozac, you won’t mind throwing a few quid their way. It’s like airborne Valium. Fit.
‐ Rob Savage
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