1. Livre d’occasion from Gilbert Jeune

With outlets on both sides of the St. Michel fountain, the Gilbert Jeune bookstore both buys and sells books. That’s good news for Cheapos, since the store often resells the livres d’occasion (used books) at 50 percent or more off the original price. Find an extensive selection of discounted books on the top floor of the shop (the one on the left side when facing the fountain), whether your French reading level is Le Compte de Monte Cristo, Le Petit Prince, or Les Couleurs.

2. Bottle of wine from Nicolas

In France, pretty much all wine is good wine, even the cheapest bottles. Nicolas, a chain of wine stores, sells bottles in every price range, with plenty of decent vintages for less than €5. The salespeople are also helpful in assisting customers in finding the type of wine they want. The main Paris store is located at the Place de la Madeleine, though there are numerous outlets throughout the city.

3. Notebook from the Louvre

The Louvre museum store sells a number of small items, like postcards and bookmarks, for only a couple of euros. Why not take home a souvenir and start recounting your travels at the same time with a notebook featuring the Mona Lisa on the cover?

4. Checkered scarf

No matter what the weather, a checkered scarf is part of the uniform of many Parisian boys (and girls!). The kitschy tourist shops you’ll find on virtually every corner in central Paris sell various scarves and pashminas, many of which are €5 or less. Check out the kids on the street for hints on how to wear your new scarf!

5. Mustard from Maille

The Maille store at 6 Place de la Madeleine in the 8th Arrondissement is a mustard-lover’s dream, with dozens of flavors you won’t find elsewhere, like cassis (black currant), basil or peach. There are a couple of different size jars that won’t empty your wallet, though you can splurge on a multi-pack gift set or one of the mustards “on tap” that come in refillable crocks.

Your Cheapo Paris souvenirs

Did you come home from your European vacation with a neat souvenir that cost less than €5? Tell us about it in the comments section!

The post Paris Cheap Souvenirs: 5 gift ideas for less than €5 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Home sweeeeeet home

Vienna’s confectioners have been pouring, filling, and forming small candies for hundreds of years. Empress Sissi, for example, was a fan of candied violets. Feline aficionados have their own “cat tongue” chocolates, while dog owners can find canine-shaped gummy candies. We won’t even mention what you can find made of marzipan!

Demel has been in the candy business for over 200 years. Located at Kohlmarkt 14, customers can watch craftsman create as they peruse delicately decorated boxes of sweet treats. Altmann and Kuhne, at Graben 30, is famous for selling tiny, hand-made chocolate horses and angels sold in beautifully designed boxes shaped like miniature chests of drawers.

Prices vary depending on chocolate type, quality, and size. Some pieces are sold 10 for €1.50, others 10 for €4. Marzipan is available for 10 pieces for €2.50. Some cookies and cake slices sell for €4 (but you’ll probably have to eat these before you get home!).

While you’re at it…

Why not commemorate Vienna’s Kaffeehaus kultur with a napkin or two? In between savoring slices of apfelstrudel, guglhupf, or sachertorte, keep your eyes peeled for napkins illustrating the names and exteriors of the cafe. Guten Appetite!

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Take home prize for bullies-

The violent dance between man and bull has been a custom since prehistoric times, when its beginnings were linked to bull worship and sacrifice. Spain put their footprint on the sport in 1726. Francisco Romero was the first matador (torero) to publicly fight a bull (toro) without riding an animal for assistance. Soon, fancy equestrians were replaced by commoners on foot.

The easiest and safest way to be a bullfighter, without exactly throwing yourself into the ring, is to purchase a personalized bullfighting poster, touting your own name. Stroll up and down Tetuan and Sierpes Streets for a picturesque walk, and to track down posters and flamenco trinkets. Look for the words, Tu Nombre Aqui, on sample posters and put ‘Your Name Here.’ Prices start at €7.

If it’s a real fight you’re after, check out Plaza de Toros’ web site for bullfight schedules.

While you’re at it…

Grab anything with a bull and go. Napkins, beer coasters, pamphlets, ticket stubs. Little items that seem trivial while on the road take on a whole new meaning miles from the bullring. Ole!

The post Seville cheap souvenir: Bullfighting poster appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Collectables for comrades

Multiple open-air markets around the formerly-communist Krakow are a feast for bargain-hunters. Medals, pins, and statuettes featuring the many faces of Lenin can be found at affordable prices.

The Old Kleparz Market is nearest to the city center. On Tuesday and Friday, you’ll find interesting old trinkets for sale. (On other days, the market sells food, flowers and clothes.)

The vendor scene on Grzegorzecka Street near the Market Hall is the busiest in Krakow, and you’ll find books and unearthed antique treasures every Sunday. (On other days, you’ll find meat, fruits and vegetables for sale.)

More vendors sell their wares at the Tomex Market in Nowa Huta, while Krakow’s antique dealers are mainly located around the Platy gardens.

Note: Although we recommend picking up some cheapo communist bric-a-brac, especially valuable antique items predating 1945 are illegal for export without special permission. However, items of lesser value from this period are not only safe for export, but plentiful.

While you’re at it…

Hit the Propaganda Pub, located at 20 Miodowa, for a beer. The walls are covered and the tables are chock full of communist memories.

Also see: Our recommended budget hotels in Krakow, along with our review of the Good Bye Lenin Hostel.

The post Krakow cheap souvenir: Communist mementos appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Bring home a saucy surprise

The “Chef” brand of brown sauce hit the commercial Irish market in 1921 and has accompanied meat and potato dishes ever since. Much like Americans use ketchup, the Irish pair brown sauce with all kinds of dishes: baked ham, potato cakes, soda farl, and so forth. Brown sauce sports a unique and zesty flavor. Americans might describe it as a tangier A1 Steak Sauce, while Brits might find it similar to their HP Sauce.

Brown sauce is commonly found in single-use serving packets on the tables of restaurants and pubs. Dress up your meal with some special sauce at the bar, and then stash away a couple of extra packets for the diners back home.

While you’re at it…

As long as you’re grabbing things off the table, be on the lookout for sugar or vinegar packets sporting interesting quotes, illustrations, or depictions of local sights. After all, nothing is sweeter than a sugar packet stamped with a quote from Oscar Wilde or James Joyce. (For inspiration, check out this collection of Irish and British sugar packets.)

Also see: Our list of recommended budget hotels in Dublin.

The post Dublin cheap souvenir: Special (brown) sauce appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Although some pieces of Danish ingenuity can be very pricey, many smaller, easy-to-pack items won’t cost all of your kroners. Modest vases, picture frames, and jewelry boxes travel well, and are useful and stylish souvenirs.

Danish house wares: Tasteful and practical

Take a trip to the Danish Design Center and the fancy shops on Amagertorv for inspiration, then head over to Magasin du Nord, Scandanavia’s first department store, at Kongens Nytorv 13. There you will find similar kitchenware and home furnishings available for much less.

If you’re planning to enjoy low-priced meals from the grocery store or will be picnicking in the Ørsteds Parken, why not dress it up with some trendy utensils? Collapsible cups and bowls and two-in-one salt and pepper shakers are simply elegant, and will be a hit back home. These pieces can be found for DKK 100 (about US $20).

While you’re at it…

Keep some Danish kroner. Hearts, swirls, and depictions of lions and crowns surrounded by a curvy typeface make for creative coinage. Not only is the fancy money fun to hand out to friends, but you can save it for your next trip. Danes have repeatedly rejected the adoption of the euro, although the government is still committed to its eventual adoption.

Also see: Our list of recommended budget hotels in Copenhagen.

The post Copenhagen cheap souvenir: Dane to design appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Cheapo-friendly Manneken Pis memorabilia flood the streets of Brussels. While large statues can be expensive and too heavy to carry, smaller and cheaper versions are easy to pack and will likely provide plenty of laughs for the folks back home. With a little hunting, you might also find some freebies…

Let’s hear it for the little squirt

In the case of the Manneken Pis, toilet humor is historically justified. There are several legends about the meaning of the statue, most of which involve a small boy urinating on armies attacking Brussels and thus saving the day.

This bronze statue was cast in 1619 by sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy and is located at the corner of Rue de l’Étuve & Eikstraat, very near the Grand Place. Needless to say, the fountain is one of the city’s most famous attractions.

Replicas and pee-themed souvenirs are celebrated city-wide. Entire stores are devoted to M.P. memorabilia. Some of our favorite items include:

• Manneken Pis Belgian white beer
• Manneken Pis butane lighter
• Manneken Pis postcards depicting the boy in various costumes
• Manneken Pis shot glass
• Manneken Pis corkscrew

You can preview these souvenirs above, but know that you’ll be able to find cheaper versions from street vendors or shops in town.

While you’re at it…

If you find yourself eating some of those famous Belgian fries or waffles, check out the napkins. You might find depictions of the Manneken Pis you can take home for free.

Also see: our recommended budget hotels in Brussels.

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