EuroCheapo is teaming up with airberlin and visitBerlin to offer this unique “Fall of the Wall” trip giveaway. Join the country in celebrating the end of a political division and the beginning of a peaceful reunification.

Spend the weekend of November 7-9 visiting artistic exhibits, touring the former Wall, taking in some theater, and experiencing the illuminated helium balloon installation along the former Wall’s border. And those are just a few of the festivities you could partake in. Read about many more here.

One lucky winner will receive:

• Two round-trip tickets on airberlin from the US to Berlin in November 2014.

• Complimentary accommodation for three nights in central Berlin, courtesy of visitBerlin.

How to enter

To enter to win, simply fill in the form below. By entering this contest, you will also be subscribing to EuroCheapo’s “Weekly Cheapo” newsletter.

On July 16th, we’ll randomly draw the name of one lucky winner. It’s that simple. Hopefully, you can join the party this November in Berlin. Good luck!

Sorry, this contest has now ended.

Contest rules

• Winner will be randomly chosen on July 16 and contacted by email. Winner will be given 24 hours to respond to the notification email. If no response is received within 24 hours, this entry will be voided and EuroCheapo will draw another winner.

• Winner receives two Economy Class seats on airberlin from any airberlin US departure airport to Berlin Tegel, valid for November 2014 travel.

• Three nights accommodation will be provided in a Berlin hotel or hostel (private room with bath).

• Participants must be at least 18 years old at date of entry. Other rules and restrictions apply. Contest is open to the public.

• By entering this contest, you are also subscribing to EuroCheapo’s “Weekly Cheapo” newsletter.

• Only one entry will be permitted per person.

• Current EuroCheapo newsletter subscribers and past contest participants are not automatically entered into the contest, and must fill out the form above to be entered into this contest.

The post Enter to win 2 tickets to Berlin this November to celebrate the fall of the Wall! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

If your answer is “well, I’m not sure just yet” and you’re wondering if a spontaneous getaway could still be in the cards, we’re right there with you. We’ve been madly searching through our 10 most popular cities on EuroCheapo to see if any still have reasonable rates and the results are fascinating.

But first, our methodology and a necessary disclaimer:

To trying to establish where the deals are, we used EuroCheapo’s hotel search engine to compare “normal” hotel rates for this time of year (i.e., winter), with hotel rates for one night in a double room on New Year’s Eve.

Specifically, we wanted to know whether room availability plummeted in each city on New Year’s Eve and by what amount, how much availability remained in our two main cheapo price categories (under $100 and $100 – $200), and whether the hotels that do have availability for New Year’s Eve are centrally located.

That said, in general we consider “cheap” rates to hover around $75 – $100 / night. But New Year’s Eve gets special treatment and expands our definition a bit and we’re considering centrally located hotels for less than $200 to warrant a look.

So where are the deals? Read on…

Amsterdam

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Getting, um, “festive” at Dam Square‘s beer tents. For a calmer scene to view the fireworks, pick a bridge over one of the city’s many canals.

Typical hotel availability: 324 hotels; 229 for under $100; 201 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 39 hotels (12% of normal availability); 0 for under $100; 8 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal: No deal. With only 12% of the normal hotel inventory available on New Year’s, the hotel options are sparse and are primarily located far from the action.

Barcelona

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Stuffing grapes into your mouth on Las Ramblas as the clock strikes midnight.

Typical hotel availability: 561 hotels; 500 for under $100; 239 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 242 hotels available (43% of normal availability); 15 for under $100; 180 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal: Deal. No stranger to offering travelers low rates all year long, Barcelona still has plenty of rooms for budget travelers on New Year’s Eve. We recommend the Hosteria Grau in El Raval, where rooms are $170.

Berlin

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Germany’s biggest party, between the Victory Column and Brandenburg Gate, attracts more than a million visitors. Yowza.

Typical hotel availability: 605 hotels; 509 for under $100; 237 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 40 hotels available (7% of normal availability); 0 for under $100; 13 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal? This is a toss up. Everyone seems to want to be in Berlin for New Year’s Eve – and we don’t blame them! – but this really drives down hotel availability. However, of the limited number of hotels that are available for under $200, several of them are in Kreuzberg and other fun neighborhoods, which sounds like a great place to be. So, okay…DEAL!

Florence

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Line the banks of the Arno to take in the city’s fireworks display.

Typical hotel availability: 461 hotels; 327 under $100; 296 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 76 hotels available (16% of normal availability); 0 for under $100; 11 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal: No deal, since nearly all available hotels are located outside the center of town. But again, one small exception: the Hotel Globus, which is one of our Florentine faves, is available for $234 on New Year’s Eve. Sure, that ain’t super cheapo, but it’s the best deal in the city on New Year’s Eve.

London

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Catch the royally impressive fireworks display at the London Eye on the South Bank.

Typical hotel availability: 714 hotels; 90 for under $100; 596 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 206 hotels available (29% of normal availability); 1 under $100; 28 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal: No deal. Sure, there are a couple dozen hotels that can be snagged for under $200, but nearly all of them are located on the outskirts of the city. This would make getting around town after midnight a frustrating (and pricey) experience for even the most patient Cheapo.

Madrid

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Once again, stuffing your mouth with grapes (it’s just a thing in Spain).

Typical hotel availability: 451 hotels; 407 for under $100; 169 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 261 hotels available (58% of normal availability); 93 for under $100; 173 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal? Deal, deal, DEAL! There are tons of fantastic budget gems available in Madrid on New Year’s Eve. Have a look at the Cason del Tormes in the The Puerta del Sol where rooms start at $120.

New York

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Ryan Seacrest. Times Square. Laughably humungous crowds.

Typical hotel availability: 232 hotels; 2 for under $100; 77 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 23 hotels available (10% of normal availability); 24 hotels available; 0 for under $100; 0 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal: Seriously? Let’s put it this way: An 3-star hotel in the Lower East Side (that shall not be named) that is usually $88 / night is charging $348 / night. And that’s the best deal we can find.

Paris

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Watching fireworks sparkle around the Eiffel Tower.

Typical hotel availability: 1,035 hotels; 153 for under $100; 930 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 233 available (22.5% of normal availability); 0 for under $100; 16 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal? Deal. Sure, the number of available hotels shrinks dramatically on New Year’s, but there are still more than a dozen to choose from in central Paris for less than $200.

Rome

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Huge crowds, live music, fireworks and parties throughout the city, centered in Piazza del Popolo and near the Colosseum on Via dei Fori Imperiali.

Typical hotel availability: 1,068 hotels; 709 for under $100; 566 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 484 hotels available (45% of normal availability); 9 for under $100; 203 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal: Deal. Rome’s hotel inventory is much less jarringly affected by New Year’s Eve rate spikes, compared to many of our other popular cities. Want to be a stone’s throw from the Colosseum and be in the center of the action? Have a look at the Hotel Paba, which still has rates for $198 on New Year’s Eve.

Venice

Iconic New Year’s celebration: Music and fireworks in St. Mark’s Square, then join locals to watch the sunrise and take a dip at Lido Beach.

Typical hotel availability: 325 hotels; 259 for under $100; 164 for $100 – $200
New Year’s Eve availability: 42 hotels available (13% of normal availability); 0 for under $100; 2 for $100 – $200

Deal or no deal: No deal. But there’s a hitch: one of the two available hotels for less than $200 is the Locanda SS. Giovanni e Paolo (say that three times fast), which is one of our Editor’s Picks, housed in an 18th century palazzo and has rooms for $183 on New Year’s Eve.

Where will you be for New Year’s Eve, Cheapos?

Let us know your plans! Tell us where you’ll be and what you’re up to!

The post Deal or No Deal: Cities that still have hotel deals for New Year’s Eve appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Ah,  the “Carnivale di Venezia,” an experience that should be had by every traveler at least once. Extravagant costumes, colorful masks, crowds dancing in Piazza San Marco, and special Carnival desserts that bars and cafés display proudly all make it unforgettable, and unique to Venice. What’s better is that many events are entirely free.

A Cheapo Carnival

Though hotel rates do spike during this time of year, it’s nice to know that virtually all of Carnival’s public activities are free. Of course I am not talking about the elegant aristocratic “behind closed door” parties, attended by the rich and the famous. Rather, I’m speaking of the real Carnival, the people’s Carnival, which is the Carnival at its best and the most enjoyable–and it’s open to everyone.

The 2011 Carnival

The theme of the 2011 Carnival is fantastic: “Women and the 19th Century,” timed to celebrate Italy’s 1861 unification.

The festival will be held Saturday, February 19 and Sunday, February 20, 2011 and then from Saturday, February 26 through March 8, 2011. The days packed with the most events are any weekends and on Thursday, March 3 (Shrove Thursday) and Tuesday, March 8 (Mardi Gras).

Here is a short list of some of this year’s free Carnival events. You can find more on the city’s official Web site.

Saturday, February 19: The Great “Brindisi”
Piazaetta San Marco
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

This is a joyful and elegant “toast” (“brindisi”) that offers the Venetians and tourists an opportunity to officially welcome in the Carnival. The festival will open with dances in San Marco Square, to the tune of the most famous Brindiam.

Sunday, February 20: Feast of the Venetians
Grand Canal and Cannargeio
10 a.m.

On Sunday, February 20 at 10:00 a.m. on the Grand Canal and around the Cannaregio district the “Feast of all Venetians,” dedicated to the citizens and visitors of the city, takes place. Rowing associations will perform a water parade from San Marco and will row along the Grand Canal until they reach the Cannaregio district.

Once in Cannaregio, they swish past the crowds lining the banks, waiting for the now famous “Flight of the Venetian Rat.” Upon their arrival, the wine and food booths open, dishing up and pouring out Carnival treats, such as the Venetian fritole, Galani and the beloved cicheti.

Saturday, February 26 and Tuesday, March 8: Feast of Marie
Various locations and times

On Saturday, February 26 the Feast of Marie departs at 2 p.m. from San Pietro di Castello, arriving in Piazza San Marco at about 4 p.m. On Tuesday, March 8 the water procession departs from St. James Gold at 3:30 p.m. and arrives at 5 p.m. in Piazza San Marco for an awards ceremony.

The event, called the “Festa delle Marie,” recalls the annual tribute that the Doge presented to 12 beautiful and humble Venetian maidens, awarding them with a generous dowry. The festival is a great opportunity to take in the traditional Venetian costumes.

Sunday, February 27: The Flight of the Angel
Piazza San Marco
Noon

The “Flight of the Angel” is an exciting “flight” of a secret guest of the city (usually a celebrity) from the top of
the bell tower in Piazza San Marco to the center of the square. The guest, or rather the “angel,” wears a beautiful costume with a special Carnival theme.

Saturday, February 26 to Tuesday, March 8: Shows in the Grand Foyer of San Marco
Grand Foyer, Piazza San Marco
2 p.m. – nighttime

The Grand Foyer of San Marco will host the festival’s “main stage.” Among the not-to-be-missed events offered are live music concerts hosted by DJs and radio stars, a circus with international artists, parades and comedians. The space will also host the festival’s famous dances every evening starting at 8 p.m. Don’t miss the grand finale on March 8: the Feast of Women and Mardi Gras.

Other events

Throughout the Carnival, from February 26 to March 8, you will be able to catch other events, such as performances in many of the city’s major squares by the commedia dell’arte. Additionally, costumed guides will lead city tours, and churches will be open late into the evening, many with classical concerts on offer.

Tuesday, March 8: Closing Night: The Rowing of the Silence
Grand Canal
Midnight

Don’t forget about the “Rowing of the Silence,” the event that closes the festival on Tuesday, March 8, at midnight. The Carnival’s big finale features a long procession of gondolas and rowing boats that travel the Grand Canal from Rialto to the Basin San Marco, following the sounds of a trumpet crying out from the first boat.

Along the way, the Grand Canal will be lit by candles and lanterns, recreating a subdued 19th-century atmosphere. Upon arrival in St. Mark’s Basin hundreds of bright balloons will be released into the air, signaling the end of the Carnival, and the metaphorical entrance into Lent.

I hope you’ll be able to take part at this year’s Carnival. Remember, you don’t need to shell out a fortune to have a blast!

The post Venice: A Cheapo’s guide to free Carnival events appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

For those of you with plans to ring in the New Year in Rome, the problem is not finding something to do. Rather, the real dilemma lies in narrowing down your celebratory options. Fortunately for Cheapos, Capodanno (New Year’s Eve) is one time when the city’s squares come alive with free events.

My favorite free New Year’s events include:

Free Concert at the Fori Imperiali (Imperial Forum)
New Year’s Eve
10 p.m.

New Year’s just wouldn’t be the same without its traditional Capodanno concert in Rome. Sponsored by the city, the free concert at the Imperial Forum typically has a big Italian name headlining the show.

For this year’s event, famous Roman singer Claudio Baglioni will put on a concert starting at 10 p.m. that will last about three hours. Just before midnight, the concert will be interrupted in order to do the traditional New Year’s countdown, followed by a magnificent fireworks display. The concert will take place along Via dei Fori Imperiali near Piazza Venezia. Large TV screens will be strategically positioned around the area to enable the tens of thousands of attendees to enjoy the concert.

The New Year’s Eve concert is an event definitely not to be missed. Plan to arrive early to find a good spot.

Free Classical Concert at Piazza Del Quirinale
New Year’s Eve
11 p.m.

Just off of Via Nazionale in the Piazza del Quirninale, a classical music concert is held on New Year’s Eve. The classical concert, usually attended by the Italian President (currently Giorgio Napolitano), takes place around 11 p.m. and is followed by fireworks.

Free Concert and Nativity Scenes Exhibit in Piazza del Popolo
New Year’s Eve
10 p.m.

The grandiose Piazza del Popolo will also put on a New Year’s Eve concert of its own with a mix of Italian music, street performers and fireworks. The festivities begin here roughly around 10 p.m.

Need a break from all of that rocking out? Head over to the Santa Maria del Popolo church, where just next to it is a giant exhibit of nativity scenes from nearly 100 Italian regions.

Metro Hours Extended on New Year’s Eve

Worried about how to get home after a long night taking in the capital’s festivities? Happily, the city has decided to extend the Metro’s hours of operation in order to ensure that people can make it home safely without having to resort to driving.

New Year’s Day Parade – St. Peter’s Square
New Year’s Day
From 10 a.m.

If you wake up with energy on January 1, you should consider attending the city of Rome’s fantastic New Year’s Day parade. The event kicks off at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Square, with the Pope’s New Year’s Day blessing. It then heads down Via della Concilliazione before winding up near the Castel Sant’Angelo. Tens of thousands of people congregate to witness the parade, with its military, civil and school marching bands and pageantry.

For Kids: Piazza del Popolo
New Year’s Day
10 a.m.-6 p.m.

While the big kids enjoyed the New Year’s Eve festivities, the little kids have lots more to look forward to on New Year’s Day. The city turns Piazza del Popolo into one big playground. The performances and activities include acrobats, clowns, street performers, musicians and face painters.

The post Rome: 5 free ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

We know with an estimated 3.5 million people lining Manhattan’s streets to catch a glimpse of floating Spider-Man and Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, heading out yourself can seem like a bit of a nightmare, but we have a few tips to make it all worthwhile.

The Route (and Where to Watch)

Floating Kermit. Photo: MJStewart

The parade starts at 77th Street and makes its way around Central Park, first south along Central Park West, then curving at Columbus Circle to head east on Central Park South. It will turn south down 7th Avenue until 42nd Street, where it will go east for a quick block before moving south again down 6th Avenue. At 34th it will head back west to 7th Avenue and its final destination: Herald Square and Macy’s itself. Got that?

Not to worry: All you need to keep in mind are three segments, our short list of best places to watch. We factored proximity to food and facilities into our choices, in addition, of course, to good views.

1. Sixth Avenue and 42nd Street

Subway: B/D/F/M to Bryant Park, N/Q/R/1/2/3/7 to Times Square

The 6th Avenue stretch is a wider street, which means more space on the sidewalk for onlookers, so pretty much anywhere on 6th will do, but the corner of 6th Avenue and 42nd Street is a particularly good vantage point. Floats move down 42nd from 7th Avenue, so at that corner you’ll have a direct view. Along Bryant Park is also lovely, but we do recommend staying north of 38th Street so as to give a bit of berth to the chaos that will be Herald Square.

Where to fuel up

Grab a coffee (and a delicious pastry) at the Pain Quotidien or Blue Bottle Coffee on 40th Street and 6th Avenue, just across from Bryant Park.

2. Columbus Circle and Time Warner Center

Subway: A/B/C/D/1/2 to Columbus Circle, N/Q/R to 57th Street/7th Avenue

If you’re claustrophobic, this area tends to be a little less crowded. We should caveat: It tends to be a little less crowded because higher winds in this small stretch sometimes spur balloon teams to race through a little quicker. That being said, they won’t be whizzing past fast enough that you’ll miss them, and you may be able to evade some of the throngs over here, on the west side of the circle.

Click to see these locations on Google maps.

An added bonus is that the Time Warner Center is a great place to avoid the elements. If it’s a nasty day, just head up to the second floor to watch from the windows there.

Where to fuel up

The Whole Foods on the lower level of the Time Warner Center is perfect for a quick cuppa joe and a muffin.

If you’d rather indulge before the evening feast, dig into a flaky croissant or a fluffy, fresh donut at Bouchon Bakery on the third floor.

3. Central Park

Subway Stops: 1 or 2 to Lincoln Center, A/B/C to 72nd Street

It’s never bad to be hanging out along Central Park, so it’s a great thing that the parade makes its way down Central Park West. The parade starts at 77th Street, so anywhere south of that is grand. (We’ve heard that from 61st Street to 72nd Street is a good stretch.)

Where to fuel up

For a slice of Paris, pick up some coffee and fresh bread or pastries at Maison Kayser (along Columbus circle) before moving north on Central Park West.

Or hang out around the enchanting Tavern on the Green, a famous restaurant with a famously expensive menu. There are public bathrooms here when nature calls.

Sugar fiends should note that Magnolia Bakery (69th Street and Columbus Avenue) is just a block from the park and will be serving up their heavenly confections and signature blend coffee on the big day.

The Basics: How to survive the parade

Timing: So you’ve scouted your spot. What time to arrive? Early. The parade starts at 9 a.m. at 77th Street, but wherever you choose to watch it, crowds will already be forming at least two hours in advance. We recommend getting to your chosen spot by at least 7 a.m., earlier if you’re concerned about being up front.

Clothing: Also, it’ll be chilly that early on a November morning, so layer up, and bring along a thermos or two of something warm to keep you going while you wait.

Thanksgiving Eve Inflation Celebration

Another option is heading out the day before for a little pre-parade revelry. Balloon inflation has become just as big a draw as the parade itself.

Public viewing is from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m on the two streets flanking the American Museum of Natural History, 77th Street on the south and 81st Street on the north. The entry point is 77th Street and Columbus, and from there the action winds northeast up to 81st Street. The area is sectioned off so that crowds can move through in a semi-orderly fashion.

The real action takes place around 5 p.m., but as can be expected it gets crowded around then too, so if you can show up earlier, it’s worth it to get close to big balloons when they’re spread out flat and being prepped. Likewise, don’t worry if you show up a little later. It all moves along pretty well.

Did Ya Know?
Finally, five fun Macy’s Parade facts for your reading enjoyment:

1. Zoo-crazy: During the first years of the parade (which started in 1924) the Macy’s employees who marched in costume—think cowboys and sheiks and knights, oh my!—brought along animals from the Central Park Zoo to join them. Donkeys and goats paraded down the street, and one year there were even lions and tigers and bears. Until, that is, they terrified small children.

2. Burst your balloon: The first balloon, in 1928, was Felix the Cat. Because he was filled with helium only, and helium expands in high altitudes, Felix, sadly, popped.

3. Biggest balloon ever: It’s a balloon, it’s a parade, it’s Superman, way back in 1939.

4. The long way down: The first parade started at 145th Street, a 5.5 mile trek down to Macy’s.

5. Doggone popular: Since his debut in 1968, Snoopy has gone through six incarnations, making him the character with the most balloons.

The post New York: Where to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

While a few Cheapos in our office were living in London the year before last, they had an admittedly hard time thinking about family back home, gathered around a table of carved turkey (or turducken), their aunt’s famous green bean casserole, and – especially – mom’s super-human homemade pecan pie.

Cue the drool!

Initially, these Cheapos thought about hosting a Thanksgiving feast at their flat, but didn’t find much in the way of Thanksgiving at Marks & Spencer. Instead, a restaurant in Notting Hill proved to be the right treat. The Cheapos gorged along with a packed house of other friendly American expats and had a happy, festive time.

While it could never be as good as grandma’s cooking, it sure tasted close to home. And while this year we’re all able to celebrate Thanksgiving with family, we thought it’d be helpful to round up a few suggestions for Americans abroad:

Paris
Join the Meetup Expats in Paris group for Thanksgiving dinner at Le Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement. Full details here.

Prague
Head over to the Radisson SAS Alcron Hotel and join the AARO (Association of American Residents Overseas) for a Thanksgiving meal. More information can be found here.

Brussels
A group of expats in Brussels will meet at the Sheraton Hotel, Place Rogier, for a meal on Thursday evening. Check out the American Club of Brussels calendar for more info.

London
If you plan to get meditative on turkey day, might we suggest the annual Thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Folks in the local expat meetup group here meet at the cafe across the street first, to break bread beforehand.

Barcelona
The American Society of Barcelona hosts an annual dinner. This year, the event happens at the Hotel Arts (Pau Casals Room, Marina 19-21). Learn more here.

Rome
Friends in Rome hosts an event at Le Bain (Via delle Botteghe Oscure, 33). Reservations are required. To prepare for feasting, go here.

Budapest
Head over to the Budapest Marriott Hotel (Apáczai Csere János u. 4.) for a full spread. You can register when you get there. Or, try this guy; he’s willing to cook for your whole family!

OK Cheapos, now it’s your turn. Where will you be eating your European turkey and stuffin’ this Thanksgiving eve? Leave us a note here and we’ll pass it on.

The post Where to celebrate Thanksgiving in Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.