Some visitors and foreigners in Paris take a “no-tip” approach to everything in Paris, based on the idea that service is included in the price listed on the menu. There are general rules, however, for those who want to be good customers, especially those who want to become regulars at neighborhood establishments.

Related
• 50 Ways to save time and money on your trip to Paris
• The top 25 Free things to do in Paris
• Simple ways to save on your Paris hotel 

Tipping in Paris

Before you lay down a tip everywhere you go, brush up on these tips to help you navigate tipping culture in Paris.

When NOT to tip:

In general, it is never wrong to tip, but some people just don’t expect it. Imagine if you left the dentist a few dollars after a mouth cleaning — it’s nice but also, let’s admit, kind of weird.

Cafés: A quick coffee and croissant at the local café may set you back €5, but there’s no need to drop an extra euro on the tip. The server isn’t working for tips, and his salary is consistent despite how many tables he or she gets.

Bars: Drinks at a bar are usually tip-free and bartenders rarely expect anything extra, which is good news for happy hour fans.

Clubs: At clubs, coat checks already cost a few euros, so tipping more is unnecessary. I can only imagine tipping the checkers in ritzy clubs that budget-seekers don’t frequent anyway.

In general, the less something costs, the less likely it is that a tip will be necessary. Leaving 15% on a coffee that only cost two euros seems like you were trying too hard.

Related: Paris: 10 money-saving tips for first time visitors

When TO tip:

Restaurants: When a server goes out of their way to explain the wine list in a cozy neighborhood restaurant or is exceedingly nice throughout the service, a small tip is absolutely deserved. You can leave up to five euros depending on the bill and expect a gracious “merci.”

Taxis: Taxi drivers usually expect a bit extra, understandably. Driving in Paris isn’t easy, and they will often be very helpful with luggage and shopping bags.

Tour Guides: Tour guides are not poorly paid, but those who go the extra mile to answer questions and make the visits enjoyable deserve to be tipped. Anyone in the service industry, familiar with foreigners, will often expect a tip, so have a few coins on hand.

Hotels: If a staff member helps to bring your bags up to your room, then you can offer a few euros in return. However, most of the hotels we stay at, we lug our own bags! You can also give a tip to a concierge for making reservations at a restaurant or helping you get tickets to a show. Check in at one of our favorite budget Paris hotels.

Salons: Hairdressers and barbers, especially if you want to become a regular without mangled bangs, appreciate a few extra euros.

Related: Our 8 favorite hotels in Paris under €80

Doubtful?

Not sure if the service was good? You spent two hours in a café and only bought two coffees? The taxi driver was a bit erratic driving down the Champs Elysées? When in doubt, just round up the bill, even if that means leaving just 50 centimes.

Although Parisians seem exceedingly proud, no one is going to refuse your tips if you offer it. Money speaks the same in any language!

Your tipping advice?

Got a tip for us? What has been your tipping experience in Paris? Tell us about it in the comments section.

The post Paris: When (and when not) to tip in Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Keyword being many. There are affordable (and awesome) rooftop bars to be had in this fair city, and we’ve rounded them up for you, dear Cheapos. The list that follows includes only bars with beers and cocktails in the $6-$11 range, at least during happy hour. However will you repay us? Well, we’d love for you to share your  rooftop party photos and dispatches—now get to (roof) drinking!

The Delancey
168 Delancey Street
Lower East Side

The roof of this Lower East Side playground is equal parts sleek and airy, with a deck, potted palms and white lounges. The drinks aren’t necessarily cheap, but they aren’t the most expensive we’ve seen either. We recommend bottling this spot as a happy hour place (the scene gets a little crazy late at night anyhow). Happy Hour: $2 off every drink, Monday through Wednesday, 5-7 p.m.

Met Museum Roof Garden Café and Martini Bar
1000 Fifth Avenue
Upper East Side

You don’t get more iconic New York than the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And its roof bar, surrounded by still more art, plus Central Park and West Side Manhattan views? Well worth a $9 beer (or a splurge on a $14 cocktail). The café is open (and serving wine and beer) from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily, and the martini bar is open until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

It’s a cheery scene in Juliette’s roof garden. Photo: Juliette

La Birreria
200 Fifth Avenue
Chelsea

Foodie darlings Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich joined forces to bring this cheery beer garden to the roof above their popular Italian food emporium, Eataly. Many beers come (surprise) from Italy, but there are also housemade ales, brewed 30 feet from where you’ll mingle with friends, strangers, and views of the Flatiron, Empire State Building and Madison Square Park. There are also wines on tap.

Juliette
125 N. Fifth Street
Brooklyn

You don’t have to be a Francophile to visit this Williamsburg favorite. The cavernous and festive restaurant is one thing, but the roof garden takes whimsy to a whole new level. Frenchy-themed cocktails (think a Citronelle Sucre made with lemongrass gin, grapefruit juice and basil) range from low to average ($8-12) in price, and beers and wines start at an affordable $7, with some bargain wines by the bottle as well.

Hudson Terrace
621 W 46th Street
Hell’s Kitchen

Any farther west and you’re in the Hudson, but what you get for trekking to no man’s land are sweeping views of the river and an extra dose of swank. We’ll be honest, a Cheapo this place is not, so the only time we recommend going is during happy hour, when it’s two-for-one drinks (Tuesday through Friday 5-7 p.m.).

Midtown 1015
1015 Second Avenue
Midtown East

A dark sports bar downstairs, Midtown 1015 brightens on the roof, with brick floors and red umbrellas. Drinks here are fairly affordable all the time and downright cheap at happy hour. Monday through Friday from 4-8 p.m. you can score $4 Budweiser, $5 wine and $24 pitchers of sangria.

Berry Park. Talk about a beer with a view. Photo: Berry Park

Berry Park
4 Berry Street
Brooklyn

It’s beer only on the roof of this mammoth beer hall (cocktails and wine are available downstairs), and the scene is just what you’d expect a Williamsburg roof garden to be: concrete floors, a smattering of simple-yet-hip picnic tables, smokestacks (and gleaming new condos) rising—and Manhattan stretching out in the distance. Most beers are under $10.

Hotel Chantelle
92 Ludlow Street
Lower East Side

The Hotel Chantelle’s unmarked doors open to a moody, 1940s-esque hideaway, but up on the black-and-white roof things are far more casual. Drinks are pricey by night, so the time to come is brunch, when mint juleps, mimosas, bellinis, and bloodies cost a mere 92 cents (yes, you read that right). There is often live music during brunch as well.

Brass Monkey
55 Little West 12th Street
West Village

Hudson River views and 75-plus brews on tap make this Meatpacking District beer hall the place to be on a perfect summer night. Doubly so if you like your Guinness—these Irish bartenders are known for their perfect pours. Come Monday through Friday between noon and 7 p.m. to receive $2 off domestic beers and wines.

A night on the roof of Night of Joy will be nothing less than, well, joy. Photo: Night of Joy

Night of Joy
667 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn

In Manhattan, bespoke cocktails culled from fresh fruit and botanicals would cost upwards of $13 (sometimes even $20), especially if served among twinkle lights and planter boxes on the roof. In Williamsburg, the concoctions on the handwritten menu run $10 and less at all times—and $6 during happy hour (daily from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.). Paper lanterns combine with graffitied brick walls for the ultimate urban-chic effect.

Vu Bar
17 west 32nd Street
Murray Hill

It’s hard to believe that tucked inside an unassuming Koreatown La Quinta Inn, house one of the quirkiest rooftop bars in the city. It’s nothing fancy, but with a position in the shadow of the Empire State Building and drinks that run $7-12 regularly or $5 during daily happy hour (5-7 p.m.), it doesn’t have to be.

Anything to add? We’re always on the lookout for more affordable rooftop bars where we can spend our summer evenings.  If you have your own favorites, let us know in the comment section below.

The post Rooftop Bars in New York with the Best Drink Deals appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

However, as discussed is our Stockholm budget tips article, it is possible to visit Stockholm without blowing your budget. Having just spent several beautiful days in the capital, we’ve come across a few tips to keep it cheap:

The Rex Hotel offers rooms from $137 a night.

1. Find a central, cheap hotel or hostel.

First things first, aside from getting to Stockholm, your biggest expense will probably be your hotel. Surprisingly, the city offers plenty of budget hotel options, most of them situated in the center city and all clean as a whistle. While “affordable” hotels can still easily set you back $150-200, there are cheaper options. Regardless of where you stay, you can expect superior service, clean rooms and an included breakfast.

We’ve visited and reviewed dozens of budget hotels in Stockholm, from three-star charmers like the Rex Hotel in Vasastaden to the Archipelago Hostel Old Town, located in Gamla Stan (which offers both dorms and affordable private rooms). Here’s a list of recommended budget hotels in Stockholm that we’ve visited and reviewed.

2. Fill up at breakfast.

Happily, breakfast is included in the room rate at most hotels in Stockholm. And the Swedes know how to lay out a breakfast buffet. At most hotels in town, you’ll be able to stock up on several varieties of yogurt, cheeses, sliced meats (salami, ham and sausages), musli and other cereals, several kinds of jams, rolls and breads, and (of course) strong, black coffee.

Breakfast is a great opportunity to fill up for the day. It’s worth going lighter (and cheaper) at night—you can make up for it in the morning!

The Vasa Museum is included in the Stockholm Card.

3. Buy a Stockholm Card.

Planning to visit the Vasa Museum (110 SEK / $15)? Skansen Open Air Museum (140 SEK / $20)? Drottningholm Palace (145 SEK, with Chinese Pavilion / $20)? The Stockholm card has you covered at these and 75 other attractions.

The Stockholm Card not only simplifies and speeds up the sightseeing experience by allowing cardholders to skip ticket lines, it can also present some real savings, depending upon your itinerary and cultural appetite.

A three-day pass will set you back 750 SEK (about $105), while a five-day pass runs 950 SEK ($133). Admission to most of the city’s sights are included in the pass, as is public transportation around the city and city sightseeing bike rides and tours. The pass also grants special discounts on other tourist activities, such as a boat ride to Drottningholm Palace.

Read more about the card’s benefits and prices on the Stockholm Card’s Web site.

4. Reach for beer, not wine.

For a country so Absolut-ly identified with liquor, alcohol is surprisingly expensive in Stockholm and throughout Sweden. However, not all booze is priced equally, and beer is always quite a bit cheaper than wine or a mixed drink.

At many bars in central Stockholm, for example, a beer might run about 50-60 SEK ($7-9), while a glass of wine goes for about 85-100 SEK ($12-14). Fancy a mixed drink? Get ready to pour out about 110 SEK ($15)… or more.

5. Get thee early to the club.

Many clubs and trendy bars in central Stockholm charge a cover to enter once things get bumping (usually around midnight), especially on weekends and Wednesday nights (the “hot” night for going out during the week). If you don’t mind showing up when most of the locals are still at home (having much cheaper drinks before heading to the club), you can skip this charge simply by showing up early.

Your tips?

Do you have a tip to add to our list of ways to keep it cheap in Stockholm? Share with us in our comments section below!

Note: This post is part of a series sponsored by airberlin, which is promoting its flights from New York to Stockholm. For more information, including schedules and special rates, visit airberlin.com.

The post Stockholm: 5 budget tips to keep things cheap appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

To avoid hearing me groan when you tell me what you paid for your sandwich, here’s a list of suggested “price ceilings” for some Parisian basics. It’s a good list to keep handy to save a few euros or, you know, if you’re ever a contestant on a French version of “The Price is Right”…

1. Glass of wine

While beer and cocktails can dent the wallet pretty quickly, wine should never be too expensive in a standard café or bar. Avoid the more specialized wine shops and wine bars and opt for a glass of red or white at a more low-key joint. Limit: €4

2. Steak frites

Most cafés and bistrots serve traditional yet affordable French fare. From the well-traveled but enjoyable Chartier to the classic Les Philosophes in the Marais, a cut of meat and frites shouldn’t be a splurge. Limit: €18

3. Walking/bike tour

With multiple free walking tour options, some tourists prefer a private tour to explore the city more intimately. With dozens of choices out there, it’s hard to pick. A walking tour with Oui Paris Tours or a bike tour with Fat Tire is a great, affordable way to get to know the city. Limit: €30

4. Electronics adapter

Many a traveler forgets that outlets and plugs are different in Europe. Souvenir and electronic stores sell adapters to make your chargers fit into the wall outlets, but the cheapest ones can be found at BHV, the all-purpose department store in the Marais. Limit: €10

5. Crepe/Sandwich

Street food can be found everywhere, so prices are competitive. At lunchtime, the choice often comes down to a sandwich or a crepe. For a gooey ham and cheese crepe or a chicken and veggie sandwich, I never worry about having enough money. Limit: €5

6. Clothing

With wintertime approaching, having appropriate socks (ones without holes) seems important. Unprepared visitors often wonder where to get the latest Parisian fashion as they shiver in their tee shirts. Do like the Parisians do and head to the closest H&M or, better yet, to Japanese department store Uniqlo by the Opera Garnier for some good shopping and great site-seeing. Limit: €40 pants, €40 sweater, €3 socks

7. Café

Instead of 7-11 and Dunkin’ Donuts, the French head to the café for a pick-me-up that won’t break the bank. A café (an espresso) may leave some tourists longing for a cup of Joe, but for mere euros you can squat a seat for as long as you’d like. (Tip: Stand at the cafe’s bar for cheaper prices.) Limit: €2

8. Theatre/Opera tickets

If you packed a top hat or a ball gown anticipating a night at the theatre, there is hope. Last minute “rush” tickets for the Opera Garnier and Bastille are extremely affordable if you are patient enough to line up 2-3 hours before the show. Théâtre du Châtelet, which often hosts musicals like Les Misérables and Sweeney Todd, offers rush tickets up until the minute before curtain. Limit: €30

9. Pastry

Unless you’re going to try the trendiest macaron or a French-style cupcake, pastries are a steal in Paris. Bakeries all over the city will serve up the best flaky croissants, lemon tarts, or apple pastries for mere coins. Limit: €3

10. Entrance to a bar/club

If you choose to go to a bar or club on the Champs-Elysées, good luck to you. Personally, I’d never enter a place that made me pay a cover. There are plenty of nightspots on rue de Lappe by the Bastille or in the winding streets of Montmartre that will keep the budget-conscious partier happy.  Limit: €0

What do you think, Cheapos?  What other price limits can you imagine in Paris? Share your own “price ceilings” in our comments section.

Also in our guide: Planning a trip to Paris? Our editors have inspected, reviewed and photographed Paris’ best inexpensive accommodations. We’ve got picks all over town, in the Latin Quarter, near the Louvre, in the Marais and more central neighborhoods.

The post Paris Prices: The maximum we’d pay for everyday items appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

A stop by one of these bars should guarantee some great booze for your Cheapo buck:

Spain Restaurant
113 W. 13th Street, Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Web site

Spain Restaurant, a popular Beat generation haunt, dishes up Spanish-themed food and drink for a new crop of thirsty and fabulously interesting patrons just south of 14th street in the Village. Sit at the bar or a table in the front, order a $4 drink, and the (sometimes gruff) servers will bring free plates of tapas (meatballs, Spanish tortillas, fried potatoes). Cheapo groups should consider splurging on a pitcher of their famous sangria for $17.

El Cantinero Mexican Cantina
86 University Place, Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Web site

Prepare for a Cheapo fiesta: Mexican food is all you can eat for $11.95 on Mondays and Thursdays. After you’ve eaten your fill, head to the second floor where drinks are just $4 during the all-night happy hours. If you enjoy yourself during the week, head back to El Cantinero on the weekend when a DJ spins salsa (for dancing, not for eating!) and other Latin genres on the second floor. Friday and Saturday a happy hour starts at 5 p.m.

Verlaine
110 Rivington Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan
Web site

Southeast Asian tapas bar Verlaine is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year by falling back to their 2001 happy hour prices on Sundays and Mondays. Cocktails, including their famous lychee martini, are just $4. Can’t make it down to the Lower East Side on those days? The lychee martinis will set you back an extra dollar until 10 p.m during the rest of the week. We’ll definitely drink to that.

Common Ground
206 Avenue A, East Village, Manhattan
Web site

Well drinks (not made with top-shelf liquor) and wine are just $4 between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. every day at this East Village bar, but the $2 pints of beer are the real cheapo deal. Soak up your drinks with buy-two-get-one-free appetizers and paninis and choose from a fun selection of board games. During the weekend all 12 of their draft beers go for just $3 starting at noon. Risk a double hangover with a $4 hair-of-the-dog Cajun Bloody Mary. Go on, you can afford it.

Cherry Tree Bar
65 4th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Even if you don’t live in Park Slope, this semi-divey bar is worth the trek. Go for the backyard garden (during the warmer months, at least) and stay for the deals: from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. $5 gets you the Cherry Tree combo, a beer and shot of whiskey. Chase your combo with $3 shots and PBRs, and $4 well drinks.

Have a happy hour to add?

Do you have another favorite downtown happy hour to add to our list? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Also in our guide: If you’re planning a trip to the Big Apple, be sure to check out our reviews of the best cheap hotels in New York City. Our editors have visited, inspected and reviewed hotels throughout Manhattan, from Battery Park to Harlem, looking for the best hotel values.

The post New York: 5 bars with great happy hours appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

So here’s what to do to keep the coins in your pocket and the wine in your tummy.

Squat a Piazza

If you’re not picky on location but like to be around people, here’s what I suggest. Make your way to one of the piazzas, like Piazza Sant’Ambrogio and find yourself a seat on the steps of the church or any of the benches.

Next, resist the temptation to drink at one of the surrounding establishments. They will be overpriced and lousy. Instead, walk the neighboring streets until you find a little store (some call it a “kiosk”) that sells cheap beer and wine. There are lots of these in Florence and lots of people do it.

Purchase a beverage, return to the piazza, soak up the ambiance and toast the stars.

Fun bars for aperitivo

If you are not big fan of “piazza guzzle” here’s a few bars that are fun. First try “Volume” in Piazza Santo Spirito with its vintage/museum deco. Or the nearby La Cité (still my personal favorite) with its book-covered walls and small music stage.

Or maybe it’s food you want with your aperitivo, so try Kitsch Bar where you’ll have access to a full buffet of Italian specialties during aperitivo time.

If pubs are more your thing, try The Lion’s Fountain Pub, which is usually overflowing onto the square.

Bottoms Up

Have you heard of Vin Santo? If not you need to try it. Often made in Tuscany’s very own Chianti Region, Vin Santo is a strong sweet wine served either before or after dinner (or at any other time of the day that you see fit). You can pick it up anywhere that sells wine, but my suggestion would be one of the larger supermarkets where it is definitely cheaper (Coop, Esselunga, etc.).

And if you are completely new to the Italian drinking scene, consider trying an ice cold shot of Limoncello, a lemon liqueur from the south or a shot of Grappa, Italy’s answer to Tequila.

The post Florence: How to enjoy a cheapo aperitivo appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

When it comes to summertime bars in Dublin, there are a few spots that are ideal both for atmosphere and the sunshine factor. If you’re lucky enough to travel to Dublin this summer and experience extended sunshine, raise a pint bottle of Bulmers (or “Magners,” as we call it in America) to whatever forces kept the clouds at bay.

Here are a few of my favorite summertime bars in greater Dublin:

Johnny Fox’s
Glencullen, County Dublin
Web site

Now Johnny Fox’s isn’t technically in Dublin City, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the best local summertime drinking holes. Located up in the Wicklow Mountains (south of Dublin city center), this pub is full of ancient Irish knickknacks that will become increasingly interesting with every pint of Guinness you enjoy in the sun.

The appeal of Johnny Fox’s is the great views of the mountains, a sunny patio with tables for big groups and the traditional music that gets going later in the afternoons.

Gravity Bar at the Guinness Storehouse
St. James’s Gate, Dublin 8
Web site

While the Guinness Storehouse might be one of the most popular attractions in Dublin, this is for a good reason. Beyond the excellent exhibits is the Gravity Bar, perched at the top of the brewery with sweeping views of Dublin. This is a great spot to have a few summertime pints on a sunny day.

Views that are sometimes obscured by clouds will finally be appreciated on a sunny summers day. Book your ticket to the storehouse online to save a few euros – the ticket comes with a free pint of Guinness in the Gravity Bar. Here you will also learn how to pour the perfect pint.

Davy Byrne’s Pub
Duke Street, Dublin 2
Web site

Some travelers might want to raise their glass right in the center of Dublin. You can’t get much more central than Davy Byrne’s Pub, located right off Grafton Street in the heart of the city. Located on pedestrian-only Duke Street, there are many tables out front of Davy Byrne’s for people watching.

This literary pub also specializes in seafood, and is a great spot to try the famous Irish combination of oysters and Guinness. While this pub might be central, it isn’t filled with tourists. Don’t be surprised if you’re surrounded by locals stopping in to fulfill a craving for this duo of Irish specialties.

While the Irish certainly don’t need an excuse to visit the pub, the sunshine and summer weather provide one. Join in on the fun at these bars that have a special buzz during the summer months.

Your favorite summer bars?

Have a bar to add to our list? Tell us about it in our comments section.

The post Dublin Pubs: Our favorite summertime bars appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Among the many beer garden options the city offers, these four stand out:

Prater

Kastanienallee 7-9, Prenzlauer Berg

The one and only Prater is a mandatory summer stop for locals and tourists alike. Said to be the city’s oldest beer garden (dating back to 1837), this Prenzlauer Berg institution can accommodate up to 600 guests in its garden and indoor restaurant. Forget Oktoberfest–this is the real deal.

Schleusenkrug

Müller-Breslau-Str. 1
www.schleusenkrug.de

Located near the Tiergarten, right on the river, this small bar/kiosk fires up the grill in summer for brats and other goodies. Cold beer, good views, nice people–it doesn’t get much better than this.

Come to Golgatha after the sun goes down. Photo: Eugene Kim

Golgatha

Viktoria Park, Kreuzberg
www.golgatha-berlin.de

Kreuzberg’s answer to Prater, this beer garden inside a public park really gets going later in the evening. Beach chairs complement picnic tables. If you’re feeling anti-social, they offer Wi-Fi. But if you feel like mingling, there’s also dancing.

Loretta am Wannsee

Kronprinzessinnenweg 260, Wannsee
www.loretta-berlin.de

For a day trip, Wannsee, one of the largest and most popular lakes around Berlin, offers a sandy beach, shallow water and Loretta–a beer garden with a good wine selection. Watch the sailboats (or nudists, depending on where you’re looking) pass by as you kick back with a drink.

Other beer gardens

Have another beer garden in Berlin to recommend? Tell us about it in our comments section. Prost!

Also on EuroCheapo: If you’re planning a trip to Berlin and looking for affordable places to sleep, swing by our city guide to read reviews of our recommended hotels in Berlin, all of them visited, inspected and reviewed by our editors.

The post Berlin: The city’s best beer gardens appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

London is a pricey city, and visitors tend to suffer a decent hit to their wallets before they even get to cocktail hour. Here are three trusted happy hours around town to ensure you get a bit of a bargain to kick off your night.

Dirty Martini’s

11/12 Russell Street
WC2B 5HZ
Tel: 0844 371 2550
Web site

Happy hour: Monday to Thursday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday all night.

Classy after-work kind of place, worth getting a bit dressed up for. It’s in a chic basement off the Covent Garden piazza, away from the crowds and street performers, and the cocktail list even includes diet-conscious options for those still hanging on to their New Year’s resolutions. During the daily happy hour, choose from half-price bottles of wine and glasses of champagne (with bottles of champagne offered at a £10 discount), as well as delicious martinis for £4.

Mustard Bar and Lounge

2 Old Change Court
St Paul’s
EC4M 8EN
Tel: 020 7236 5318
Web site

Happy hour: Monday to Friday 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The oddly named Mustard Bar is in the City’s square mile financial district, located just a few steps from the towering dome of St. Paul’s. Top off your trip around the cathedral with some weekday discount drinks, with selected cocktails and beers for £6 and £2.50 respectively, and 20% off selected wines (presumably all served without mustard).

The Roxy

3 Rathbone Place
W1T 1HJ
Tel: 020 7255 1098
Web site

Happy hour: Monday to Friday 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Cheerful studenty place just north of Oxford Street, with a rowdy line-up of club nights and a young clientele. Good for a fun weekday binge when you’re on a budget. Take your pick from half-price cocktail pitchers at £7.95, two for one Grolsch beers at £3.40 and half-price bottles of wine.

The post 3 Bars in Central London with Great “Happy Hours” appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Welcome to the Weinerei

Tourists to Berlin often refer to the busy bar on Weinbergspark in Mitte as “the free place,” although its official name is “Weinerei.”

The Weinerei, in fact, has been such a hit that it has opened two sister spots elsewhere in the city that function on the same honor system. The décor at all three bars is cozy, and the free WiFi access means that Mitte’s many students and writers often take root in the bars all evening.

According to Jürgen Stumpf, the Bavarian-born owner of Die Weinerei, “every night is essentially a wine tasting.”

How it works

Guests pay €1 as an entrance fee and receive a glass. They are then invited to sample the predominantly German-made chilled white wines and rich reds (plus an impressive array of rosé), as well as dine from a buffet of home-cooked, organic German fare.

All this means that Cheapos can drown their sorrows for a few cents and the so-inclined can chug endless glasses of rosé, throw €5 in a fishbowl, and then stagger home. The warm atmosphere, however, actually means most people pay more than they owe. Typically, diners part with €10-15 for an entree, salad, desert and a few glasses of fairly good wine.

“The food is good,” confirms one local expat customer, typical of the international character of regulars. “But its not much better than most other places around here. However, I always pay a bit more out of guilt or gratitude.”

Whether it’s because they are too sloshed to calculate the exact amount or just feel warm with goodwill towards their hosts, everyone seems to leave the Weinerei happy.

Die Weinerei
Veteranenstraße 14, 10119 Berlin
Mo-Fr 13:00 – 24:00, Sa 11:00 – 24:00
Tel / Fax 030 4406983

Forum
Fehrbelliner Strasse 57
030 600-53072.

Weinwirtschaft 28
Zionskirchstraße 28, 10119 Berlin
Mo-Fr 13:00 – 2:00, Sa 11:00 – 2:00
030 24729110

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