From keeping Santorini off of your itinerary to catching views of the Parthenon without getting stuck in a crowd, here are 10 tourist traps in Greece to avoid on your visit (plus some better things to see, do, and eat instead!).

Take a bus instead of a cab from the airport. Photo: Nick Night

1. Don’t take a cab from the airport

Take the X95 bus from the Athens Airport to Syntagma Square/Plateia Syntagmatos for only 5.5 euros, then catch a cab from there to wherever you are staying in Athens. Otherwise, you’ll pay 40-55 euros for a cab ride directly from the airport to the center of Athens.

2. Stop searching for the restaurants you see all over social media

If you try to find all the new, internationally renowned spots where the cool kids hang out, you’ll spend a fortune trying to fit in. Instead, eat at a family-owned-and-run taverna, get pites from a fourno, or shop at a local market and enjoy your meals on a bench in the middle of a plateia. Here are some of our favorite cheap eats in Athens.

3. Look for simple souvenirs

Instead of buying cheaply made “souvenirs” that no one back home actually wants, buy a postcard with a magnificent image of the part of Greece you are visiting and mail it back home to your loved ones. They’ll be delighted to receive something through the post that is not a bill. Or, if your luggage has plenty of room before it reaches its weight limit, buy some locally made glyko tou koutaliou (“sweet of the spoon”) to take home. A taste of Greece or a glimpse of its beauty will cost you less than the mass-produced souvenirs and is a better choice ecologically, plus your food purchases will support the local economy.

You can still get great views of the Parthenon without running into crowds. Photo: Francesca Noemi Marconi

4. See the Parthenon, but without the crowds

See the Parthenon from a rooftop café in Thiseio. If you happen to be visiting Greece during the peak season, you will be jostled in the crowds of people attempting to take the perfect selfie in front of the Parthenon. Skip that experience and marvel at the jaw-dropping architectural and historical structure from outside its official perimeter. (Note: It’s not that entrance to the Parthenon is expensive, it’s just that visiting up close may not be as enchanting as basking in the Parthenon’s shadow from slightly farther afield.)

5. Visit lesser-known islands over Santorini or Mykonos

Santorini and Mykonos are indeed magical parts of Greece. But trying to avoid tourist traps on those islands is like trying to avoid humidity in Florida. Skip these two hot spots and instead visit a lesser-known island and/or mountain village on the mainland. Nearly every square inch of Greece is splendid — don’t succumb to the pull of Instagram-worthy photos of whitewashed homes with blue trim. There is so much more to see and experience!

6. Stay off the tour buses

Leave the tour buses, some of the most common tourist traps in Greece and many other destinations, for other travelers. Many of them include a stop at a “souvenir shop” in the middle of nowhere, holding you hostage for up to an hour, during which time you will no doubt throw money away on something you don’t need that likely isn’t even made in Greece.

Pay up for a beach chair — or lay a towel down for free. Photo: Nick Karvounis

7. BYOT(owel)

Don’t sit on a chaise longue on the beach unless you are prepared to pay for the privilege. Nowadays, that privilege can cost you upward of 25 euros in some places. Instead, take your beach towel (or sarong that doubles as one) and plop yourself down on the sand to enjoy your time on the beach for free.

8. Don’t pay for Wi-Fi

Forget about paying for Wi-Fi at your hotel. There is free Wi-Fi in many plateias and other public spaces, as well as in museums and libraries. Many of our favorite hotels in Athens even offer Wi-Fi for free.

9. Skip the beach eats

Eat before or after you head to the beach. One of the biggest tourist traps in Greece? Food prices at the beaches. Food ordered on the beach will run you 20-30% more than the same delectable food prepared with love at a nearby taverna.

10. Ditch the chain hotel rooftop views

Don’t buy into the very popular expat idea that you must have a drink at the Hilton hotel’s rooftop bar in Athens for the view. Athens is a city of hills — you can drink in an intoxicating view of the city from any number of places.

One of our favorites is free to visit: Lykavittos. If you are too hot or tired to walk up the hill, you can take the funicular for 7 euros one way or 10 euros round-trip. But if you’ve got energy, walk up and save that money for a ticket to the Benaki Museum or the Acropolis Museum, two of the best curated and organized museums in Athens.

Avoiding tourist traps in Greece

What are your favorite hidden gems of Greece? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 10 tourist traps to avoid when visiting Greece appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

• Related: 10 breathtaking views in Europe — for free!

A sliver of Amoopi Beach in Karpathos

1. Split Dishes at Ellinikon

Lunch or dinner at the mezedopoleion (restaurant selling lots of dishes to share — think tapas) “Ellinikon” in Pigadia. We returned here for meals numerous times, trying different dishes on each occasion, conversing with the friendly server and savoring our meals for hours on end. (Not making it to Karpathos on your upcoming trip to Greece? We also have advice on budget bites in Athens.)

2. Enjoy Food and Coffee at Asteri Café

Enjoy kolokithokeftedes (zucchini balls — think meatballs, but with zucchini instead of meat), tiropites, spanakopites and Greek coffee at Asteri Café in Pigadia. There are several hip cafés in Pigadia, and Asteri is not one of them. That’s why we like it so much. The owner is exceedingly kind and generous, the pites are made fresh at the bakery across the street and lots of local elders hang out there.

Karpathos’s Main Town of Pigadia

3. Spend a Day at the Beach

Visit Apella Beach, Kyra Panagia, Achata … or, for that matter, any of the dozens of beaches on the island. Walk, swim, nap, daydream, listen to the sea as it laps at the shore, watch the cloudscapes decorate the sky, and remember what it is to live in the moment.

If you venture down to Apella, make sure to stop at the sweet little cave chapel, Agios Loukas, about 500 feet up the road from Taverna Apella. The frescoes painted on and inside it are from the second half of the 13th century. Plus, its location, tucked into the mountainside, is enchanting. The local goats like the chapel, too! You may find them relaxing in the shade around it.

4. Walk Around the Village of Stes

Walk among the vineyards and down to the sea from Stes. This agricultural village without tourism on its mind may remind you of parts of the Napa Valley of yore. Walk through the village, take in the thoughtful architecture of the old homes and enjoy watching cats lounge in sunspots atop walls and steps. Drink fresh mountain spring water from a public tap outside the village chapel and meander down the hillside road to the sea.

Stes (Photo Credit: Becca Durkee)

5. Take a Local Tour

Hire locals to take you off the beaten path and introduce you to experiences you could only otherwise have if you had family and friends living in Karpathos. Go wine tasting, bird watching, hiking or camping. Prepare Karpathian delicacies. Try your hand at beekeeping.

Plan your own private tour to include the activities that interest you at a price point that works for you, or join in pre-organized activities and meet other like-minded wanderers.

6. Visit Panagia Mertonitissa Church

The church is located in in Mertonas/Mirtonas, by far the greenest village on the island. There are fresh mountain water taps along the path in front of the church. The view from the church and from the loop walk, which you can take down into the village and back up, is magnificent. Watch the sunrise here, or walk down to Kyra Panagia Beach (it will be a steep walk back up!) to take a dip in the sea there.

Olympos, Mountain Village of the Gods

7. Explore Olympos

Yes, that Olympos. Make sure to visit the cemetery. If you can take someone with you who reads Greek, all the better. The inscriptions on the headstones are unlike anything we have ever seen. If you get the sense that the mountain village is run by women, that would be correct. It is a matriarchal community. The views and hikes in every direction are glorious, so allow plenty of time for exploring.

8. Take in the Coves on Lefkos’ Shores

Meander around Lefkos’ expansive shoreline of coves. Whether you venture out by foot, by car or by bicycle, the area is a marvel of ever-changing topography to behold. After you’ve worked up a solid appetite, stop at Ellovos restaurant for a scrumptious, homemade meal with the offerings determined by what is freshly available that day.

Lucky Laki in Lefkos

9. Harvest Fresh Sea Salt

Harvest sea salt from the rocks along the water in Diakoftis. (If it rains the day before you go, the rain may wash all the salt water from the rocks, and when it evaporates there will not be any salt to harvest. It’s best to go when it’s been dry for at least a few days.)

The landscape is otherworldly. You may feel as though you are on the set of a Star Wars film but with a glorious sea just beyond the rocks. You may see goats here, despite how isolated the area feels. In fact, you may see goats everywhere on the island!

10. Stop by Spoa

Visit Spoa, a delightful village with winding pedestrian alleyways and stunning views around every corner. Fill up on delectable Greek staples at Folia. Venture down the hill from Spoa to the Agios Nikolaos marina, and stop part of the way down to stroll across the hillside. Vineyards dot the landscape, the views to the sea are amazing and very few cars will interrupt your reverie. If you are hungry again by the time you reach the marina, stop for a bite at Café Portobello.

11. Book a Budget Hotel

Before you head out on your trip, book a budget hotel in Karpathos. Many affordable lodgings on the island offer a lot of bang for your buck with perks like views of the sea from your room to free breakfasts and more.

Traveling around Greece? Make sure to check out these ways to save on a Greek vacation before your trip!

What are your favorite budget-friendly things to do in Karpathos? Share with us in the comments below!

The post Top 11 Budget-Friendly Things to Do in Karpathos appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Instead, consider these five great ways for you to enjoy a budget-friendly stay in Greece while also giving back to the local communities.

Related: Athens — 5 budget travel tips for a Greek vacation

How to Save Money in Greece

Fortunately, you can put your tourist dollars to good use and still save money in your travel fund with these simple tips.

Taking in the views from the spa town Therma on the island of Ikaria. Photo: KayMaria Daskarolis

1. Consider Less Touristy Islands

You may be surprised to learn that Mykonos and Santorini are not the only Greek islands. It’s true. There are, in fact, more than 6,000 islands in Greece, 227 of which are inhabited. Skip Mykonos and Santorini. Go to one or more of the other equally glorious and unique islands to save on your Greek island vacation. Everything is less expensive on these lesser-known islands. Really, everything.

2. Make the Most of Markets

Eat one of your daily meals at a taverna to support the local economy. Share several mezedes (think: tapas) with your companions. Then go to an open-air market or grocery store to get food for your other meals. Here are our suggestions for your shopping list:

• feta
• Kalamata olives
• tomatoes
• bell peppers
• cucumbers
• a loaf of bread
• fresh oranges
• a small bottle of Kalamata olive oil

Regardless of which Greek island you visit, there will be benches, tops of walls, parks, boulders, and beaches available for you to sit and enjoy your meal outdoors. Another scrumptious option for a budget-, body-, and soul-nurturing meal is to go to a fourno. This is a bakery — a zaharoplasteio is also a bakery, but typically only sells sweet baked goods.

At the fourno, buy tiropites (cheese “pies” in filo dough), spanakopites (spinach “pies” in filo dough), and other savory pites, with varied fillings to tantalize your tastebuds. For us, a single one of these is enough for a meal — which is not to say that we only eat one — and lightens our wallet by a mere couple of euros.

Related: Cheap Eats in Athens: 4 spots for Greek cuisine on a budget

3. Walk

Walk as your primary form of transportation. You can even walk around Crete, Greek’s largest island, to take in the sights. Not only will this save help you save on your Greek island vacation, but you are guaranteed to encounter ancient archaeological sites or natural hot springs.

You may meet some grandmothers whose families have lived on the island for too many generations to count. Perhaps you come across a herd of goats, a field of poppies, a grandfather selling honey on the side of the road, or any number of other magical happenstances you would miss if you were not on foot.

In fact, whether you’re in Greece or traveling elsewhere in southern Europe, hoofing it is a great way to get around.

4. Share a Taxi As Needed

Share a taxi to get from the ferry port or airport to the town where you and your companion(s) are staying. This is also a good way to make new friends. Since it is the time of COVID-19, make sure to fit your N95 on your face. Offer N95 masks to others who will be sharing the taxi with you.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Explore

Say “yes” to the multitude of opportunities that await you outside of the trendy spots. Just because a place has not been written about ad nauseam does not mean that it has less to offer than more popular spots. Get a bit off the Internet-beaten path. By doing so, you are sure to save money while you delight in a piece of your Grecian adventure you couldn’t have planned.

Bonus Tip!

And remember: It costs nothing to show respect and kindness. Show them both. Often.

Ready for your adventure in Greece? Check out our hotel picks in Athens.

If you’ve already visited the Greek islands, be sure to share your favorite budget-friendly tips with us in the comments below!

The post 5 Ways to Save on Your Greek Island Vacation appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Do I have a direct line to researchers developing a COVID-19 vaccine? Nope. Do I know something you don’t know about what the outgoing or incoming U.S. federal administration is going to do with regards to vaccine distribution? Nuh-uh. Do I have a crystal ball? (It had to be asked.) No, I do not (we wish!).

Am I nevertheless going to plan my return to Europe for 2021? Yes, I am.

Here are 11 tips I think will make planning your return trip to Europe in 2021 easier, safer, and less expensive than you’ve been imagining it could be.

Related: 11 Tips for Traveling to France in 2021 (Pass Sanitaire, Covid Testing, ete.)

Tips for a safe and Cheapo trip to Europe in 2021

1. Go with a friend

When we get sick or are injured at home, we all need someone who will advocate for us with health care providers when we can’t advocate for ourselves. While we Cheapos do love a great solo adventure, during these times of COVID-19 I’m opting to travel with a buddy. Then, if I get sick or injured, my buddy will be able to make sure I receive the treatment I require and vice versa.

This was already a good point to consider pre-COVID-19, but now planning for the worst is the only sensible way to travel.

Visiting Athen’s Acropolis helps the local economy — and is an open-air attraction. Photo: dariosusanj

2. Plan to visit places that rely on tourism

This has been a crazy hard year for most of us. But for nations whose economies rely primarily on tourism, this year has been especially difficult.

That’s why I’m heading to Greece. Not only has the nation suffered a TKO to its tourism industry, its primary source of income for the great majority of Greeks, but Greece has also provided asylum for more refugees per capita than most other EU nations.

And besides, after the year we’ve had here in the U.S., heading to paradise for my first trip outside the U.S. since the pandemic began seems like a pretty good idea.

3. Go during the off-season… for several reasons

Is there even still an off-season, with so many employees telecommuting and the majority of students studying remotely now? Yes, there most certainly is.

Even if students are attending class virtually, the majority of families who have taken any holidays in 2020 have done so during school breaks. That means the off-season is still when most schools are in session, so avoid planning travel for Thanksgiving week, the winter holidays, or June through August.

Why does off-season travel matter in the first place? That’s when the fewest people will be traveling, so you are less likely to find yourself seated beside a center-seat companion on airplanes, less likely to sit back-to-back with other guests at outdoor restaurants and cafes, less likely to have neighbors in the hotel room across from yours, and so on. Fewer fellow travelers almost always translates into cheaper room rates and flights, too.

Having fewer people to jostle around has always been a treat during the off-season, but during these COVID-19 times having more space to move and sit and eat is more than a bonus. It’s now a health consideration, too.

4. Buy trip insurance for peace of mind

You most likely won’t need to purchase travel insurance to protect you from expenses associated with rescheduling or altogether canceling your flights, because many airlines are including that in their airfares these days (of course, if the ticket you buy doesn’t include it, we always recommend purchasing it).

But medical evacuation and repatriation insurance are a must. Should you become ill or injured overseas, you may need to be evacuated in order to receive proper medical care–especially if you’re hiking or otherwise exploring more remote areas. Repatriation insurance covers the cost of flying your body back home, should you die while traveling abroad.

Of course, we hope you will waste your money on this and never have any need for it, but having it in your pocket is a necessity… just in case of the very worst-case scenario actually happening to you during your trip.

For more information on this topic, read our post on travel insurance.

JFK to Madrid in June… for under $500 nonstop? You could book it now and cancel if need be.

5. Book your airfare now for deals

We have no idea (though some speculate) how airfares will be impacted by COVID-19 or anything else over the course of 2021. We do, however, know how airfares are looking right now, and they’re cheap.

Really cheap.

We found round-trip September airfares from SFO to ATH with only one layover for as low as $687, and round-trip airfares as low as $603 for flights with two layovers. That’s less than we paid to fly to Greece in 2004.

6. Book a window seat to reduce risk

Studies have shown that the greatest risk of contracting COVID-19 during a flight is derived from the people sitting two seats ahead of you, two seats behind you, and two seats to either side of you. So, if you select a window seat, you’ve just reduced your risk by 25% simply because there are no seats to one side of you. According to this article from MIT Medical:

… Whatever your airline’s middle-seat policy may be, when it comes to the risk of contracting an illness in flight, a window seat may be your safest bet. Having a wall on one side automatically reduces your number of close-proximity contacts. A window seat also protects you from the inadvertent close contacts that can occur when other passengers are hoisting bags into overhead bins at the start of a flight or crowding aisles to deplane after landing.

7. Book your accommodations now for deals

As with flights, there is no sure-fire way to know what will happen to hotel room rates in 2021. But many hotels are offering deals to encourage travelers to book now so they can have a sense of how many guests they might expect to serve, so they can entice travelers to take advantage of the lower rates, and quite frankly so they can determine if they can even keep their doors open.

Nevertheless, most of these hotels are still offering complete refunds if you cancel within forty-eight hours of your arrival date, so you win if you go and you win if you don’t. Check the full details before you book.

Search for hotels in Europe on EuroCheapo.

Where will you go when it’s safe to ravel again? Photo: Unsplash

8. Pack these items for extra safety

• A roll or two of toilet paper
• Hand sanitizer
• Disinfectant wipes
• Disposable protective masks
• Cloth face coverings
• Disposable safety gloves
• Ballpoint pens

If you’re in the habit of getting off the beaten path quite often, you have probably long been in the habit of packing your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Continue to do that, even if you’re planning to stay primarily in urban areas when you return to Europe. Then, pack disinfectant wipes so you can wipe down high-traffic areas in your hotel rooms and at outdoor cafes, along with a supply of disposable masks that’s double the length of time you plan to be away.

So, if your trip will be for 14 days, pack 28 disposable masks. Here at home you use cloth face coverings and wash them after each use to limit your environmental footprint. Continue that practice by taking a few cloth face coverings with you when you travel, but in case you take one of your cloth face coverings off at a cafe to eat and then one falls onto the ground while you’re affixing it to your sweaty face before entering a shop, you want to have a back-up. (You definitely do not want to get stuck having to stay outside of a place you really want to enter and may not have a chance to return to simply because your mask fell on the ground or you left it behind and now you have no face covering to protect others and yourself.)

Though there’s not much use for disposable gloves if you are able to wash your hands, you may find yourself somewhere where you won’t be able to count on washing your hands before eating. What if you lose your hand sanitizer or it falls out of your bag and there is no sink available to wash your hands? That’s when the disposable gloves will come in handy. Just make sure you are smart about how you remove them.

Finally, bring at least three ballpoint pens with you so you always have your own to sign hotel guest registries and credit card receipts.

9. Take these precautions everywhere you go

Washing your hands often, wearing a protective face covering, and staying 6+ feet away from others isn’t just good advice for when you are around others back home; it’s good advice everywhere. Though you may be enchanted by your surroundings, always remember to keep your mouth and nose covered and keep a safe distance from others as you explore Europe.

And if you feel unwell while overseas, stay in your hotel and avoid potentially exposing others to your illness. If you test positive for COVID-19 while abroad, isolate yourself from others for 10 days, plus three more if your symptoms have not resolved themselves within seven days of starting your 10-day isolation period.

It will be a bummer to have to stay in your hotel room watching local television shows and reading the 99 books you brought with you on your e-reader, but that’s what must be done in order to be a good global citizen during these times of COVID-19.

Driving through Spain. Photo: kentwang

10. Stay safe while renting a car, and riding a train or ferry

Rent a car. Rent a car. Rent a car. (Seriously, rent a car.) Wear your mask when you initially enter it and for the first few hours of driving it, wipe it down with your disinfectant wipes, and drive with the windows down for the first few hours.

Just as you would here at home, wear your protective face covering when you fill your rental car’s tank with petrol, and apply hand sanitizer to your hands before removing your mask or putting your hands on your steering wheel once you’re back in your vehicle.

If you’re going to take the train (who doesn’t love the trains in Europe?), splurge on a couchette/sleeper car. You can wipe it down with your disinfectant wipes, wear a mask for the first few hours you are in it, and if the window opens you can open it up to get air circulating while keeping the door to the couchette closed so as to restrict air flow from the main cabin.

If you’re traveling to a country like Greece where you would typically use ferries to move from one island to another, consider staying on the mainland and solely using your rental car for transport, or fly among islands instead of taking ferries. Even if you can find sufficient space on a ferry to keep yourself and others safe, simply standing in the crowd waiting to board the ferry could be unnecessarily risky.

Search car rentals throughout Europe here.

11. Embrace the outdoors

If you don’t absolutely have to go inside shops, museums, and exhibits, skip them altogether this time around. Instead, enjoy the outdoor offerings of the place you’re visiting. For instance, although the Benaki Museum and Acropolis Museum are brilliant, during my 2021 return to Athens I will focus solely on visiting Lykavittos; the Parthenon; Hephaestus; other archaeological finds and architectural remains that can be enjoyed in open spaces; beaches; mountainous regions where we can hike to our hearts’ content; and the abundance of outdoor markets, cafes, and gardens.

Final thoughts

There’s no reason to fear returning to Europe (assuming those of us with U.S. passports are admitted…!) in 2021. Simply be smart about it and take every reasonable safety precaution, just as you would right here at home. Safe and joyous travels to you!

Your tips?

Planning a trip abroad in 2021? How do you plan to stay safe?

The post 11 Tips for Planning Your Return Trip to Europe in 2021 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

It may require a bit of diligence to ignore the masses of tourists hurling themselves up and down the town’s hilly roads at virtually all times of the year, but the sense of wonder Sintra imparts will be well worth the effort.

Related: 10 Days in Portugal on the cheap through Lisbon, Porto & Braga 

How to get there

Considering that stepping within Sintra’s limits feels akin to time travel, the ease of reaching the town for a day trip from Lisbon is surprising. Simply purchase a €4.50 round-trip ticket at Rossio Station, located in the historic center of Lisbon, for one of the trains departing the station; depending on the time of day, trains depart every 10-20 minutes.

Board the train, get comfortable in one of the trains’ cozy seats and savor a leisurely 40-minute ride out of the hustle and bustle of Lisbon and into a world of both natural and human-made splendor. As the train passes buildings covered in graffiti followed by a series of quaint towns, choose to quietly absorb the rapidly shifting landscape, rest, meditate, daydream, or read — perhaps consider digesting Eça de Queirós’s The Relic or other equally good Portuguese Renaissance literature to accompany the journey into Sintra’s wondrous world.

Getting around Sintra

Once on Sintra’s hallowed ground, exploring the town’s every nook and cranny is a low-cost delight. The 434 bus route was specifically designed for visitors to Sintra, and at €6.90 for round-trip travel, it is much less expensive than the €25 Hop-On/Hop-Off and other tour buses. In fact, while researching this post, we waited 20 minutes at each of two Hop-On/Hop-Off bus stops. When the buses finally arrived, we were told by the drivers that we could not board because no one was disembarking and there were no free seats.

This could potentially happen to you while you wait for the 434 bus, of course, and you should definitely expect exceptionally long lines of people queuing up to wait for the bus at every stop (especially the Palácio de Pena). Your alternatives are to rent a car in Lisbon and do the driving yourself (not at all a bad idea, and affordable if you are sharing the cost with others) or hire a tuk-tuk driver or taxi driver to take you for a private tour (at least €50per person).

The Hop-On/Hop-Off bus does offer two bus routes with many more stops than the 434 bus, but we found that unless you have physical limitations or are going to spend the night in Sintra (not a bad idea, either, if you have the time — then you can experience the town virtually free of tourists in the morning and evening!) the 434 is your best bet for a single day of exploration.

Accommodations: Search more than 250 hotels and vacation apartments in Sintra

Eating in Sintra

If you find yourself hungry after all your exploring, pop into Saudade (the Portuguese word for something close to nostalgia) for whatever your body craves, whether coffee, tea, a sandwich, or a full meal. The varied offerings will tantalize omnivores and vegetarians alike.

Day trip tip

Take the earliest train you can (maybe 7:01 am?) and return as late as you can (11:20 pm, perhaps?) and — though Sintra’s magnificence cannot be absorbed in a day — you will have grasped at least an appetizer portion of the area’s marvelous offerings to tide you over until your next visit.

The post Portugal: Saving in Sintra, a perfect day trip from Lisbon appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Take an inter-city bus from Bus Terminal B in Athens (Liossion Street 260, +30-210-831-7096) and pay only €13 each way. You will need to pay admission fees (€6 for the archaeological site, €9 for both the site and its excellent museum) but by taking the bus you will save yourself a good €60.

For background information, read up on Delphi before you go or pick up one of the Greek National Tourism Organization‘s handy dandy Delphi pamphlets for free (the office at Amalias Avenue 26 near Syntagma Square is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. through 6 p.m., and weekends and holidays from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m.; +30-210-331-0392.)

Today, Wednesday, April 18, is International Monuments Day, and admission to Delphi’s site is free for the day.

The bus takes three hours and leaves Bus Terminal B every day at 7:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. Unless you are planning to do an overnight trip or stop in Delphi on your way elsewhere, the last bus you should consider taking is the 1 p.m. bus, as the last return bus leaves Delphi at 6 p.m. Earlier return times include 5:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4 p.m.

The post Greece: Delphi the Cheapo Way appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here’s a short list of hot hip-hop and R&B spots in Athens.

Sunday: Bebek (Leoforos Ethnarchou Makariou 10, Faliro, 210-4834-190).

Tuesday: Boutique (Filellinon 15, Syntagma, 210-3231-315).

Wednesday: One Happy Cloud (Aristofanous 12, Psyrri, 210-3222-256).

Thursday: MAO (Plateia Agios Anargyron at Agatharchou 3, Psyrri, 210-3317-646).

Friday: L’AS (Leoforos Syngrou 259, Nea Smyrni, 210-9425-400).

Every night: Potopoleion (Panormou 113, Ambelokipi, 210-6911-672).

On Sunday February 4, budget-minded hip-hop fans should check out Nevma (signed to Family the Label) and Goin’ Through (two of the hottest Greek hip-hop groups) performing live outside of Village Park Cinemas in Nikaia at 7 p.m. Admission is—wait for it—free.

The post Athens Hip-Hop Brief appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.