There’s no better time to start developing a lifelong wanderlust than during your student days. With a few obligations that tie you down and the vigor of youth, even pulling off something as elaborate as a European backpacking trip on a shoestring budget isn’t impossible.
Are you already planning one? Here are some insider tips to make the most out of it!
Pick a Cheaper Region
Budgeting can only get you so far if EVERYTHING seems expensive. Unless not visiting places like London or Stockholm is an absolute deal-breaker, the smartest thing you can do is to pick a less expensive part of Europe.
Hungary, Poland, Serbia, or Romania all have stunning nature and thousand-year-old histories to immerse yourself in. Budapest, Bucharest, Krakow, and Belgrade have some of the most vibrant nightlife you’ll actually be able to participate in without spending all your meager savings on drinks.
Having more money left over after covering the basics makes for a better overall experience. You’ll be able to buy better meals, see more paid attractions, or prolong your stay.
Leverage Public Transport
The best thing about backpacking Europe is that you can use public transport to see a lot of it without breaking the bank. In cities, buses, trams, and metros can get you where you need to go and are much cheaper than cabs or ridesharing.
Similarly, buses and trains are much cheaper and more flexible than air travel. That said, which makes more sense depends on your travel plans. If you’re hopping between 5+ countries in two weeks and want high-speed comfort, it makes sense to take advantage of the Eurail pass. Conversely, you’ll save a lot more when traveling by bus if you only visit a couple of adjacent countries and don’t mind longer rides.
Whatever you use to get around, you’ll need a way to access transportation apps and maps. Say you’re planning to see Hamburg, getting an eSIM plan for Germany allows you to find your way easier in the city. Plus, you stay connected with an eSIM. That means you don’t have to hunt for public Wi-Fi and enjoy your trip more.
Book the Right Accommodations
Researching where you’ll be staying can seriously cut costs with few compromises, even if the destination itself isn’t cheap. Smaller hotels and reputable hostels are your best bet. Airbnb has stopped being a good alternative due to constant price hikes and sometimes ridiculous guest rules.
Hostels fit student vibes the most. You can always rough it in common sleeping areas, but two-bed rooms aren’t much more expensive either. You can even organize your entire experience around the hostel since many offer organized activities like walking tours and pub crawls. Cheap rooms and someone to make sure you reach them safely? Not a bad deal, eh?
House-sitting and work exchanges are becoming more popular, too. They’ll tie you down to the same place for several days, but you get to help out and experience new things while saving money for the next leg of the journey.
Cuisine Considerations
Even on a budget, it would be a crime not to eat at least one or two restaurant meals in a city like Paris or Rome. Ask the locals, since they’ll likely point you toward their favorite hidden gem eateries that serve up tasty yet inexpensive dishes.
You can also explore Europe’s cuisines for far less if you take to the streets. We’re not just talking about conventional street food either. Most European countries have rich baking traditions, so trips to one of the countless local bakeries can more than make up for a costly meal.
If accommodations allow, another way to get immersed in the food culture is to prepare some specialties yourself. Marketplaces and supermarkets are everywhere, so you can stock up on everything from local ingredients to international brands to cure that homesickness relatively cheaply.
Take Advantage of Free Stuff
There’s a lot you can do in Europe for free, and much of it is priceless. For example, some of the world’s finest museums and art galleries don’t charge admission fees. Cities are designed with pedestrians in mind and are walkable. It also helps that impressive sights tend to cluster around city centers, so you can check multiple items off your bucket list in a single stroll.
Many services are also free. Tap water is generally safe in Europe, and drinking fountains are widely available in France and Italy. Free Wi-Fi is another staple, although before connecting, you’ll want to download the best VPN for Android, iOS or whichever system you use. VPNs encrypt your connection, and guard you against potential snoops and attacks.
And that’s just the mundane stuff. Cities come alive for special occasions year-round. Venice and Croatia’s Rijeka are famous for their carnivals in February/March. Amsterdam and Barcelona become large open-air festivals in April and September, respectively. And practically every major city has a Christmas market, with Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague as forerunners.
So, there’s plenty to see and do if your culture budget is exactly €0.
