Related: Our 10 favorite independent bookstores in New York City

WORD
126 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Web site

Situated on certifiably hip Franklin Street in Greenpoint, this cheery store is fully stocked, but somehow not overwhelming—maybe due to the helpful and passionate employees. Browse the latest literary fiction and nonfiction, plus an array of literary journals, and books by small independent presses you’ll be grateful to have discovered.

WORD also hosts a slew of fun literary events several nights per week, including readings by notable authors (past events have featured names like Kate Christensen and Maud Newton), several different book clubs covering everything from Russian literature to David Foster Wallace, and a new series hosted by blogger David Gutowski delving into the influence of music on writing.

Greenlight Bookstore
686 Fulton Street (at South Portland)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
Web site

Fort Greene has no shortage of literary prowess—authors like Colson Whitehead, Jhumpa Lahiri and Richard Wright have called the neighborhood home—and since October 2009, local residents have had a cool and quirky bookstore to call their own.

The shop is located on bustling Fulton Street, and owned by Rebecca Fitting and Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, two friends with decades of publishing and bookstore experience between them. The spacious, well-lit community meeting spot hosts compelling events and readings by local poets and nationally renowned authors every week.

powerHouse Books
37 Main Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Web site

Not all bookstores strive for quaint, and in fact, some fly directly in its face. In DUMBO, powerHouse Books occupies an airy and modern space, all white and brightly lit, with sculpture and modern art on display throughout. In addition to a thorough selection of fashion and art titles published by powerHouse Books, the store holds plenty of mainstream and independent fiction and non-fiction, plus an irresistible selection of colorful children’s books. Events like art openings, readings and performances are held in the mezzanine area.

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The key to sticking to your budget is finding affordable places to eat and free things to do. Keep reading for a full itinerary on a 20-euro Dublin day.

Breakfast at the Queen of Tarts. Photo: Spinksy

BREAKFAST

Start your day at Queen of Tarts, one of the best known bakeries in Dublin. You will have many choices for €5 or less here, including homemade apple scones with raspberry preserves (€2.95) or hot oatmeal with apple compote and maple syrup (€4.50).

Order at the counter and you won’t have to worry about leaving a tip (read more about tipping in Dublin).

MORNING ACTIVITY

Breakfast at Queen of Tarts will place you right at the far edge of Temple Bar. While this district is known for its rowdy tourist pubs, it is re-identifying itself as the cultural quarter of Dublin. Explore during the day when you will encounter street performers and markets full of €1 books and records.

Book enthusiasts will want to check out the shelves at the Gutter Bookshop while art lovers might want to duck into the (free) Gallery of Photography to catch an exhibition.

LUNCH

Finish wandering through Temple Bar at Curved Street, home to the Curved Street Café. This 2nd floor café is a cozy space serving up filling lunch options like hearty soups and sandwiches. The best value is the soups for €4 (served with a hunk of bread) while sandwiches cost about €6.

Once again, because you order at the counter, don’t worry about a tip. If you have a sweet tooth, all cakes here  (€2 to €3) are made at the excellent local Cake Café. Free Wi-Fi is also available here.

AFTERNOON ACTIVITY

After lunch, leave Temple Bar behind and cross the River Liffey over the whimsical Ha’Penney Bridge. Stroll along the Quays towards Dublin’s main thoroughfare, O’Connell Street, and head north towards Parnell Square. Step down into the Garden of Remembrance, a peaceful outdoor space that serves as a memorial to all those people who gave their lives seeking Irish independence from British rule.

Right nearby on Parnell Square is the Hugh Lane Gallery. Entrance here is free, and the gallery is home to one extremely popular exhibit: Francis Bacon’s studio. Here the artist’s studio has been recreated exactly as it was found on the day of his death. Several of his paintings are also on display.

DINNER

This area on the north side is well known for being home to many of Dublin’s best ethnic eateries. One of my favorites is the cozy Hop House, a restaurant serving Korean and Japanese food. All orders come with a free cup of steaming miso soup to warm you up when you step off the street.

All of the noodle dishes – such as Japanese noodles with tempura prawns – are priced around €11. There are a few sushi options for under €10 and teriyaki chicken wings (€8.90) are another local favorite. One trick is if you arrive before 5 p.m., you get to order off the lunch menu which is very similar to the dinner menu, only with cheaper prices.

Any coins left?

If you have any coins left in your budget, head to the attached pub next door to enjoy a Korean or Japanese beer and some live music.

Also in our guide: Heading to Dublin and looking to keep it cheap? Be sure to check out our reviews of the best cheap hotels in Dublin, all of them visited, inspected and photographed by our editors. Read more in our Dublin guide.

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So for each person on your list, be it the foodie or the hopeless lover of Paris, here are some suggestions for places to get inexpensive gifts.

Fashionista

The Marais has no shortage of vintage shops. Hop into the Vintage Désir on rue des Rosiers to rummage through the scarves, belts, or bags for under €10.  Other shops around the Centre Pompidou have all sorts of coats and accessories to explore with items as inexpensive as a few euros.  Mº St-Paul

Foodie

This might seem crazy, but for that special food connoisseur, head to Bon Marché’s Grand Epicerie, a veritable epicurean wonderland.  Normally people think everything in the store is overpriced, but there are cheapo options among the vast selection of locally-roasted coffees, condiments, hot chocolate, and holiday food if you look closely. No need for wrapping paper, either.  Just leave it in the shopping bag and you’ll be sure to impress. Mº Sèvres-Babylone

Inner child

Whimsical meets practical at Pylones, a design store that takes everyday items like ice cream scoops and dust pans and turns them into funky works of art. Take time to explore the whole store since every inch of counter space is filled with plenty of quirky and unique items. Bigger items can be a bit expensive, but most smaller items will still make you smile without spending too much. Check here for locations

Sweet tooth

For that insatiable sweet tooth, skip the chocolates and macarons and head to Epices Roellinger in the 2nd arrondissement.  The metal boxes of salted-butter caramels are only €5 and delicious.  Browse the shop’s spices and vanilla beans in case your sugar fiend likes to cook, too. 51 bis, rue Sainte Anne 75002

French fan

For that Francophile friend that has every possible Parisian item, check out one of the Fragonard shops for something unique but quintessentially French.  Perfumes, soaps, aprons, pillow cases, candles – they’ve got it all.  Consider the mini eau de toilette samples for guys and gals. It’ll cost less than Dior and it’s harder to find in the US. Check here for locations

Intellectual

For true intellectuals or that friend that adheres religious to geek chic, you can’t go wrong with an old fashioned paper book. Gibert Jeune by Place St-Michel has an amazing selection of travel and photo books that anyone will appreciate – even if they are in French. Used books and discount books are available throughout the store, so make sure you hit each floor. Mº St-Michel

Homebody

For someone who likes to stay home or just likes a well-decorated house, try Potiron for inexpensive but adorable home furnishings. Fun glassware, espresso sets, flatware, candles, and decorative boxes can all be bought for very reasonable prices. It’s like a Parisian version of Ikea with much cuter shopping bags. 57, rue des Petits Champs 75001

Can’t buy em anything?

If you have one of those friends who just can’t be bought for, fear not. The flea markets are a delightful alternative for inexpensive gifts from army surplus to decorative boxes and glassware. The weekend market at St-Ouen in the north of Paris is one of the biggest in Europe and is definitely worth a few hours of wandering. Even if they don’t appreciate the gift, you’ll have a great story to tell. Mº Porte de Clignancourt

Give us your suggestions

Who did I leave out, Cheapos? What other gifts can we get without going broke this holiday season? Tell us in our comments section.

The post Paris Gift Guide: Cheapo gift ideas for everyone on your list appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Toots, I did it again. I fell head over heels in love with Paris all over de nouveau.

Setting the scene, I had just finished inspecting a slew of hotels in the Latin Quarter, and was headed to meet friends at the wine bar 5ème CRU. This Cheapo haven is located at 7 rue du Cardinal Lemoine, so I decided to trek it there by way of the River Seine.

And there she was. As I turned the corner at the river, there was no mistaking the Cathédrale Notre Dame, glowing like an over-sized Lucite jewelry box. I got all smitten. Tears were shed, which caught me off guard (because I tend not to find inspiration at touristic hotspots), but on this bewitching night—there was nary a soul in sight. It was summertime and the swooning was easy.

For the love of Quasimodo and Esmeralda, let’s take a sentimental journey, shall we?

Stop one: Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris
6 Place Parvis Notre Dame
5th arrondissement (Métro: Saint Michel)
Web site

Queen of the French cathedrals

This iconic darling has had its share of monumental ups and downs throughout the centuries. Maurice de Sully (that’s “Bishop” to you) set the project in motion back in 1163. It was a very good year, but as time marched on, it took a toll on the cathedral’s interior and exterior. Well, we’ve all been there. Touché!

Thank writer and historic preservation activist Victor Hugo for jump-starting a sensational sightseeing frenzy, along with the much-needed renovation that followed the publication of his very first novel, Notre-Dame de Paris, in 1831 (released in English in 1833 as The Hunchback of Notre Dame much to the author’s dismay). A “vast symphony in stone” is how the eloquent and passionate Hugo described Notre Dame.

Word quickly spread, making Hugo a literary superstar, and inspiring beaucoup de visitors to pay homage with copies of the book in hand. However, at the time Notre Dame was pretty much in ruins because of the French Revolution and general lack of routine maintenance. Cheapos, it was high time for an extreme makeover: cathedral edition!

Paved paradise

Enter architect Viollet-le-Duc in 1841. Contributing his own interpretive gothic revival twist, he added a fantastical spire, and gargoyles to keep the evil spirits at bay, along with a good cleaning and various other minor changes.

Shortly (bare)after, 19th-century urban renewalist Baron Haussmann completed the redo by demolishing the medieval houses surrounding the church and creating a public square. Times are always a-changing.

Shakespeare & Company

Second stop: Shakespeare and Company
37 Rue Bûcherie
5th arrondissement (Métro Saint Michel)
Web site

To read or not to read, daddy-o

Yearning for your own copy of Notre-Dame de Paris? After getting an eyeful of the real thing, stop by the English bookshop Shakespeare and Company, located across the street in a former 16th-century monastery. Both paperback and hardcopies of the book are available.

A favorite Beat Generation haunt, George Whitman (Walt Whitman’s nephew) opened the rue Bûcherie location in 1951, under the name of “Le Mistral.” He changed its name to Shakespeare and Company as a tribute to his friend Sylvia Beach after she closed up the original shop by the same name, which had been a few blocks away. And yes, film buffs, here on rue Bûcherie is where the opening scene in the film Before Sunset was shot!

Stop Three: 5ème CRU Cave à Vin
7 rue du Cardinal Lemoine
5th arrondissement (Métro Cardinal Lemoine)

Are you ready for a break? Keep walking along Quai de la Tournelle until you reach Cardinal Lemoine, and then make a right. The wine cave and bar is located a few doors up on the left. A perfect place for quiet reflection on our mad, mad world, the wine is inexpensive, and their charcuterie and fromage platters are divine.

My favorite passage

I’ve decided to end this week’s post with one of my favorite passages from Notre Dame de Paris. Enjoy and keep on ringing the bells, Cheapos!

On that day the air was so fresh and clear that Quasimodo felt his affection for his bells returning. Clapping his hands, he ran to and fro from one rope to another, awakening his six songsters by this voice and his gestures, as a maestro leads his skilled musicians.

“Go on! Go on, Gabrielle!” he said, “Pour all your music into the square. Today’s a feast day. Thibauld, don’t be lazy. You’re slowing down! Go, go on! Are you becoming rusty, loafer? That’s it. Quick! Quick! Don’t let the clapper be seen. Make them all deaf like me. That’s it, bravo! Thibauld! Guillaume! Guillaume! You’re the biggest, but Pasquier’s the smallest, and Pasquier swings better than you! Those who can hear, I’ll wager you, hear him better than you! Well done! Gabrielle! Louder, louder! Hey! You up there, you sparrows! I don’t see you making any noise. What’s the matter with those brazen beaks of yours, that seems to be yawning when they ought to be singing? Come on, work! Sing! There’s beautiful sunshine; we have to have beautiful music!

The post Paris: A Notre Dame walking (and reading) tour appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

1. Another Country (Bookshop)
Riemannstraße 7, Kreuzberg
Tel: (030) 6940 1160
Web site
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.;  Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Don’t be fooled by the rocks it ain’t got. This shabby used bookstore in the stately Bergmannstrasse neighborhood is a gem. The fiction section may need a thorough re-cataloging, but the real highlight is the owner’s lovingly curated personal sci-fi collection. Many of the obscure titles are for borrowing only.

2. Saint Georges English Bookshop
Wörther Straße 27, Prenzlauer Berg
Tel: (030) 8179 8333
Web site
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

As Germans would say, klein aber fein (“small but fine”). The Saint Georges offers a reading series and a good selection that mainly caters to the expat crowd.

3. East of Eden
Schreinerstraße 10, Friedrichshain
Tel: (030) 423 93 62
Web site
Hours: Mon.-Fri 12 p.m.–7 p.m.; Sat. 12 p.m.-4 p.m.

I don’t know about Eden, but this indy shop certainly is on the eastern side of the city. Most books are used, except for new reprints of classics (read: cheap!).

4. Dussmann – das KulturKaufhaus
Friedrichstrasse 90, Mitte
Web site
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 a.m.–midnight

What am I doing writing about this mammoth corporation when I should be promoting small local bookshops? Well, just look at the newly built English section, tucked away in the back—it has plenty of seating and an up-to-date selection. Plus, it’s open until midnight, for those late night book cravings.

More planning advice: Are you planning a trip to Berlin? If so, be sure to stop by our guide to the best budget hotels in Berlin. Our editors have visited, inspected and reviewed affordable hotels all over central Berlin and recommend their favorites. Read more in our Berlin guide.

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Florence’s English-language bookstore

Located at Vialle delle Oche 4R, this little shop of treasures has been pushing books to Florence’s Anglo community since 1979 and some of their prices haven’t changed since! They carry a large selection of new and (not so) used books which enable paperback pick-ups for as little as 3 euros. They’ve got everything from travel to textbooks to poetry in a clean, cozy interior where Ikea meets the “New Hampshire cottage” feel. The staff is friendly, helpful and willing to special-order any books not found on their shelves. (This is a fast and convenient “no-access-to-Amazon” arrangement convenient when traveling or living under a bridge. Ahem.)

The Paperback Exchange lets you trade in your used books for credit towards purchases, which will chop down the cost even more! (My cheapo sense has just exploded from the double savings!)

But best of all, the store is reader-friendly, meaning you can peruse, sit and read before leaving with your golden nugget find. It’s also a good place to meet travelers or members of the local English-speaking community.

The Paperback Exchange is open on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Florence’s free English-language newspaper

Make sure to also pick up a copy of “The Florentine” while you’re at the bookstore. “The Florentine” is Florence’s free bi-weekly English newspaper which is loaded with news, sports, travel, and cultural events going on in the city.

Finally, check the store’s bulletin board for all things Anglo-related. It’s a mini carousel of information for courses, services, and social groups.

Other bookstores in Florence

Other bookstores scattered in the downtown core include Feltrinelli and Mel Bookstore on the nearby via Cerretani. They carry mostly Italian titles and don’t sell secondhand books, but their international sections are peppered with pretty good stuff.

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Browse the wide selection of English books in the storefront (including the box of freebies by the door), and don’t be shy to ask the English-speaking staff if they can order a copy of what anything don’t have in stock. After you’ve grabbed an expat (or expat-in-spirit) appropriate book, head to the back café and sit on or under its grand balcony.

The current owner has a keen eye for the aesthetic experience which works in the café’s favor, making it atmospheric without the overkill. Currently the works of Roman Zakrzewski, whose collection “The Only Woman in the World” features portraits of his wife at various ages, flirt with the eye (and can be purchased for a decidedly non-Cheapo price of $3,000 each).

A hand-picked mix of jazz, European house, and techno remixes of opera arias msehes well with the reasonably priced drinks (stop in for half-priced cocktails every day between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m), and the live music featured on Friday and Saturday nights. In addition to the print menu of beverages and desserts, there is also a dinner menu that offers great portions, wonderful flavors, and prices as friendly as the waitresses.

The post Prague: The Globe bookstore caters to expat scene appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

It’s no secret that Londoners love literature just about as much as they love their tabloids. When not sifting the mags to find out where Posh and Becks are currently being preposterous, Londoners are usually nose-in-novel on the Underground or while queueing at Sainsbury’s.

Here are just some of the places where we find our favorite wordsmiths in London:

1. Foyle’s bookshop was co-created by two brothers in 1903 after they both failed their civil service exams. The store first sold only textbooks; today it hosts author events (Chuck Palahniuk ring a bell?) and gallery tours at its flagship location in SoHo. It may not be the largest and most exciting shop, but it’s distinguished and impressive.

2. Travel fans (know any of those?) should visit Daunt Travel Bookshop in Hampstead, where it’s rumored that George Orwell once clerked. The bookstore has long been known for its courteous, brilliant staff (owner James Daunt writes reviews for The Times and The Guardian) and though the names that grace their events diary may not be household to us, the talks at Daunt sure do enlighten. Ol’ Jimmy Boy co-hosts many events with another famous lad from around the corner, John Keats.

3. Waterstone’s. If you like your bookstores big and comprehensive, then Waterstone’s is the place for you. The store on Piccadilly has six floors of literary madness. Look for JK Rowling when she signs copies of the next (and last) Harry Potter here in July.

Happy reading!

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