Questions that come to mind are:

1. Which one is the bike lane?

2. Why do all the bikes look so shabby?

3. Why is no one wearing a helmet?

4. And finally, Where can I get a bike? I want in on this!

With these questions in mind, we’ve compiled a list of bike rental and tour companies in Amsterdam that all offer a very cheap way of exploring the city. No matter if you haven’t hopped on a bike since you were a kid or you’re ready to bike the city like a local, we’ve framed all of the affordable options so you can compare prices and details.

Bike rentals for beginners

If it’s been a few years since your last bike ride, look for bike shops with colorful rental bikes. There are a variety of business to choose from with obvious references: MacBikes offer bright red framed bicycles, Yellow bikes are yellow, and Green bikes are bright green.

To a local, these well-built but bold statements scream “tourist”, and for some visitors that’s a good thing. Locals know to be more cautious around the colorful bikes, which is great if you need more space and go at a slower pace. These places also offer rentals by-the-hour, so you can take a bike out for just a quick spin, if that’s more your speed.

Here are some colorful rental spots to try:

MacBike: Rates starting at €7.50 for 3 hours and €9.75 for a 24-hour period.

Yellow Bikes: Rates begin at €6 for 2 hours and go up to €20 for two days.

Green Bikes: Rent a pedal bike for €9 per day with each additional day for €6.50.

Bikes for more experienced riders

Most bicycles in Amsterdam have black frames and an old-fashioned build. Don’t expect a super mountain bike or sleek road runner around these parts, it’s just not practical. In fact, our bikes of choice are omafiets and opafiets, which literally translates to grandma bike and grandpa bike.

In terms of safety issues, make sure your rental bike is equipped with lights, breaks, and a loud bicycle bell. These will let you navigate the roads and help you feel like a real Amsterdam cyclist on the bike paths.

Here are a few companies that will outfit you like a local:

Star Bikes: A full-day starts at €7 for a traditional “granny bike.”

Damstraat Rentabike: City bikes are available for 7-day rentals at €35.25.

Holland Rentabike: Rates start at around at €8 per day.

Black bikes: Classic bikes with rates as low as €4 for a full day.

Affordable bike tours

If you’ve mastered the city bike life, or are looking for a guide to show you around on two wheels, there are plenty of guided bike tours to choose from. Some rides cater to the countryside or the harbors and waterways, while others focus on giving a city tour by bike or fun themes. Most of the popular bike rental shops mentioned above offer their own guided bike tours, but here are a few more to check out:

Mike’s Bike Tour: 2 to 3-hour tours of the city cost €21.

New Amsterdam Bike Tours: Free (yup, free!) tours by locals.

We Bike Amsterdam Tours: 3-hour group tours are €25 per person.

The post Amsterdam: The best cheap bike rentals and tours appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The success of the festival, followed by the announcement that it will become an annual event, cemented the fact that cycling in London is going from strength to strength. And there’s no reason why visitors to the city shouldn’t get in on the action too—there are plenty of options for budding cyclists and serious pros to see the city from two wheels.

Here’s my pick of the most budget-friendly options:

Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme

“Boris Bikes”, as they are widely referred to since London’s mayor, Boris Johnson, launched the Barclay’s Cycle Hire program in 2010, are an accessible and affordable way to make short journeys in London. There are over 8,000 bikes and 500 docking stations across the city where you can collect or drop off your bike.

The “pay as you pedal” option is ideal for visitors who don’t wish to sign up for a membership—simply use a credit or debit card to pay the registration fee (£2 for 24 hours) and off you go. The first half-hour is completely free—after that the price will rise incrementally, from £1 for an hour, to £50 for 24 hours.

Savvy travelers can avoid any cost at all by docking their bike every half an hour and then taking it out again, but that isn’t the most practical strategy if you’re trying to see the city! Keep the bike for two hours and it will cost you a piddling £6, though three hours isn’t such good value at £15.

The main draw to hiring a bike this way is that it’s very convenient—you don’t have too venture far to pick up your bike and you don’t have to drop it off in the same place you started. You can check for the nearest docking/pick-up point and plan routes on the website or by downloading the official app for iPhone or Android.

Long-term bike hire

For those wishing to cycle longer, it’s a better value to get your bike somewhere other than Barclays. On Your Bike in London Bridge has some of the best prices in the city center. 24 hours starts at £18 and you can get a full week for £45. Additional days are just £10 each. Pick one up and follow the Thames Cultural Cycling Tour map to take in London’s key sights. Bargain!

Affordable cycling tours

If you’d rather not hit the roads alone, there are tons of different organized cycling tours worth considering. The London Bicycle Tour Company runs daily tours in central London and the West End from £18.95 for 2.5 hours (and they also rent bikes out from £20 for 24 hours). Fat Tire Bike Tours has a nice selection including a four-hour “Royal London” bike tour for £20 and a sunset River Thames tour for £32.

To get off the beaten track then check out Alternative London, which runs a weekly 3.5 hour bike tour on Saturdays (£20) and a two-hour street art bike tour every Friday (£12). Alternatively, Brake Away Bike Tours has a daily 3.5 hour “Secret London” tour for £18.

The post London’s bike share program and other cheapo cycling options appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

All this happiness, in spite of high taxes and hefty price tags? After all, according to the Big Mac Index, a Happy Meal must cost at least $5 in Copenhagen! Yet we agree: Denmark is a happy (and happening) place!

Here are five of our favorite and free ways to boost your serotonin in Copenhagen:

1) Get cultured

In 2006, the National Museum and the Statens Museum of Kunst became free to the public. And, every Wednesday, a number of other major museums and galleries open their doors without a charge. We suggest the Tøjhusmuseet, where the relics of the Royal Danish Arsenal are housed, and the Hirschsprungske and Ordrupgaard Collections, two museums with some of the best French and Danish art from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. For more info and to browse current exhibitions, go to the Copenhagen Tourism’s art museum page.

2) Park yourself

Copenhagen has some of the most expansive and pretty parks in Europe. Retreats like Orsteds Park, Frederiksberg Garden or Vondelpark are free to enter and stroll. Both have incredible sculptures and fountains and a host of traveling street performers. We also recommend the Botanical Gardens.

3) Get thee to church

Seriously, not only are Copenhagen’s many religious establishments architectural marvels, but they’re free to visit, and often host free concerts. Some charge a nominal fee for truly spectacular shows, like the Danish boys choir Christmas concert at the Church of Our Lady (Vor Frue Kirke), founded in 1209.

4) Grab a bike without paying

Yes, it’s that easy. You see a bike. You need a bike? You take the bike and ride it. A minimal deposit (about $3) gets returned when you bring the bike back to any number of designated spots. The promotion runs annually from May 1st to December 15th. More info can be found here.

5) See the statues

Go for a walk near the Copenhagen harbor, and spend some time gazing at the Little Mermaid. (She can’t charge you a krone to check out her scales.) Near City Hall, visit with Hans Christian Andersen. Later, walk the stone path at the Thorvaldsens museum in Slotsholmen.

Whatever you do, take lots of photos… or take brochures. After all, they’re free!

The post Copenhagen: Five free things to do appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.