When you get tired of soaking of the sun, just stroll the palm-lined boardwalk or head to the whitewashed, charming Old Town for a look around.

Related: Easy and affordable day trips from Barcelona

How to get there and get around

The nearest airport to Sitges is Barcelona’s El Prat and there are flights from cities throughout Europe starting at €50. From Barcelona, getting to Sitges costs around €3-6 via train (42 minutes) or  about €4 via bus (30 minutes).

Sitges is only half an hour away by car, and 40 minutes by ferry from Barcelona’s port (€20 one way, €29 round trip). Once you get there, the city is flat and walkable, so there’s no need to hop transit to get around.

Free & Cheap Things to Do

Leisure time and tourism in Sitges revolves around the seafront. Sure, there are the festivals, a few museums to see, and a charming old town, but the main event here is the beach.

Take a dip in the Mediterranean just steps from the town. Photo: Jorge F.

Beaches

Building sandcastles, playing Frisbee, and frolicking in the Mediterranean are your best bet for activities on a budget in Sitges. Unfortunately, seaside luxuries like jet ski rentals, sailing lessons, and scuba diving are not cheap.

However you decide to spend your time by the seaside, just be sure to choose your Sitges beach carefully. Three of them, Platja dels Balmains, Platja d’Aiguadolç, and Playa del Muerto are nudist.

Free events and festivals

The city’s wild Carnaval (late February to early March) and Festa Major (August 20-25) are a great time to take in dozens of free events from concerts to dramatic regional traditions like fire-runners and human towers. Sci-fi and fantasy film aficionados may find it worthwhile to attend the Sitges Film Festival in October and even participate in its zombie parade, although accommodation fills up fast for above-normal prices.

Free art

While Sitges has a few museums, there are no free days (or even a free afternoon). Luckily, for Cheapos, the city’s cobblestone streets are crowded with private galleries of all shapes and sizes. For an afternoon or morning of free art, don’t be shy — walk into any that catch your fancy and have a look around, even if buying original art isn’t in your budget this trip.

Budget-friendly Eats and Nightlife

Xató is to Sitges as paella is to Valencia. This typical local dish is an endive salad topped with cod, tuna, anchovies, eggplant, and black olives then drizzled with a thick pepper, almond, and garlic sauce.

For traditional tapas in an authentic setting, grab a table at El Cable (c/ Barcelona, 1), but be prepared to make your order in Catalan for better service.

For a cheap daily menu, try the 3-course midday offering for €10 at Triana (Passeig de Vilanova, 12). It also includes wine or beer and an after dinner coffee.

For inexpensive vegetarian and healthy fare, head to Lizy’s Kitchen (c/Sant Bonaventura, 3).

When it comes to going out in Sitges, a lot of local establishments cater to gay clientele. For drinks on the wild and cheap side, head to Calle 1er de Maig, known to locals as the “Street of Sin”, full of partiers and music leaking out into the street. For a quieter night out on the town, pull up a chair on a bar terrace at Plaça del Cap de la Vila.

Cheap Sleeps

Sitges is popular year-round, but things really pick up in July and August and in the dates around the larger festivals, so book as far ahead as possible for the best selection at the best price.  For extra savings, try to book your stay in the middle of the week.

Even if you can’t wrangle an off-season, midweek stay, hotel and B&B rooms with private bathrooms can be had for around €85/night. Shared dorms at hostels start at €20/night.

A seaside double room at Hotel Subur. Photo: Booking.com

We like the comfortable, reasonably priced rooms and the pool at Hotel Galeon and Hotel Subur for their beachfront location. Avoid places just off the boardwalk with a menu in five languages as a rule of thumb; if it looks like a tourist trap and feels like a tourist trap, it’s probably a tourist trap.

Search over 600 hotels in Sitges, Spain. 

Your budget tips for Sitges, Spain

Have a tip to add to our list for visiting Sitges? Join the discussion by leaving a comment below!

The post Budget guide to Sitges, a quick hop from Barcelona appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Once home to Spanish King Charles I’s court, in its heyday, Toledo was known as the Imperial City. Beyond the iconic walls and historic buildings, its also a good place to obtain a souvenir like a traditionally made sword, knife or weapon, as the city has specialized in steelmaking for centuries.

Getting there

The nearest airport is Madrid. Budget airlines fly regular routes between Madrid and major European cities like Paris, London, and Barcelona. You can search for flights on EuroCheapo.

From Madrid, you can hop a high-speed train for a 33-minute trip to Toledo for around €20 round trip. If you want to save a little bit, spend about half that and get to Toledo in around an hour with a direct ALSA bus from Plaza Eliptica. If you’ve got more time than money, go for a ride share with BlaBlaCar for around €5. You’ll get there in a little over an hour.

And regardless of whether or not you take the train, make sure to have a look around inside the city’s main station, a 19th-century Neo-Mudejar style building with tiled ceilings and floors, and stained glass windows.

Free and Cheap Things to Do

Free Walks

While many of Toledo’s attractions charge an admission fee, all of them are free to look at from the outside, so come dressed for the weather, wearing good walking shoes.

One option is exploring the city’s old town on foot, stopping to snap shots of historic convents like the Convent of San Pedro Mártir and opulent government buildings like Toledo’s Town Hall with its twin towers and Tuscan columns and Fuensalida, a 15th-century noble’s palace.

Don’t miss local landmarks like the Alcazar, a Moorish fortress perched on the highest hill in the city, the charming Bridge of San Martin, first built in the Middle Ages, the Roman era Alcántara Bridge, the 13th-century Primada Cathedral, and the ancient Cristo de la Luz Mosque with its red and white horseshoe-shaped arches, built in 999.

Or you can stroll the outskirts of the old town in search of Toledo’s eight famous city gates, what’s left of the wall that once protected the city. There’s a gate for every personality, from castle-like gates at Bisagra and Sun Gates to simpler arched gateways like the Bab-al-Mardum and Alfonso VI Gates.

Yet another option is putting Toledo’s historic buildings in better perspective with a hike up the ancient hill of the Cerro de la Virgen de Gracia for views of the San Juan de los Reyes Monastery. You could also cross the river Tagus, and head to the Mirador del Valle for panoramic views of the entire city.

Free Afternoons and Weekends

When heading to Toledo’s most famous museums, buildings, and monuments, remember that going on the weekends or late afternoon can save you the entry fee.

·      See the spectacular Gothic-style Great Reading Chamber at the Synagogue of El Transito for free on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

·      Wander the Alcazar fortress and the Military Museum inside for free, all day Sundays.

·      Get to know El Greco at the museum dedicated his life and works, particularly his over 40 years residing and painting in Toledo, free Saturdays after 4 pm, and Sundays, all day.

·      Walk the halls of a 16th-century hospital in search of mosaics, artifacts, and art at the Santa Cruz Museum, free Monday through Saturday from 5 pm – 6:15 pm.

Should you buy a Toledo Pass?

The Toledo Pass offers entry to different attractions for one price. There are five different passes and prices ranges from €4 – €36.

Think about what you want to do before you buy it. Unless you really want to go inside multiple monuments and can’t make a free entry day work with your itinerary, you might want to pass on it. If you’re happy enough to wander around, and there’s only one or two buildings or museums you actually want to go inside, it won’t be worth the money.

On the other hand, if you’re in a rush or want some guidance and plan to see lots of sights, all of the passes let you skip lines at admission and offer guided visits.

A sampling of local specialties from Toledo. Photo: michalo

Eating on the cheap

Make a cheap breakfast or snack of coffee and delicious pastries at La Felipa Pan y Café (Avenida de Madroño, 6). They’ve also got reasonably priced hamburgers and sandwiches on offer if you’re really hungry.

Fill up on local specialties like Venison in mushroom sauce and Carcamusa—stewed pork with tomatoes and peas for around €10 to €15 with wine and bread at Bar Toledo (c/ de las Armas, 15).

For an after dinner treat pick up a box of Toledo’s celebrated handcrafted marzipan sweets for around €5.

Hotel Sol is an affordable choice ideally located close to the center of town. Photo: Booking.com

Sleeping without breaking the bank

Due to the somewhat limited accommodations in this smallish Spanish city, staying overnight here can be more expensive than in Barcelona or Madrid. Even so, sleeping in Toledo is quite reasonable, with clean and basic hotels and pensiones in the historic city center starting at €60 – 75 per night. Shared dorm rooms in hostels and albergues start at around €13 per night.

We like the basic but clean rooms with private bath at Hotel Sol, less than half a kilometer from the city center and Toledo’s main sights. If you want to spend less and are traveling with a group, they also have three and four bed hostel rooms.

Search now: Search Toledo hotels on EuroCheapo

The post How to save on your trip to Toledo, Spain appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Sandstone country

The Exe Valley in east Devon comes with its own colour theme: red. Even the sheep that graze on riverside meadows north of Exeter take on the rust shades of the underlying soils in their fleeces. The White Park cattle at Bickleigh are that little bit less white than other White Parks.

So Exeter Cathedral should surely be red, just like the old Georgian terraces, the city walls and the fractured remains of the old castle (often called Rougemont in deference to the local geology). But the cathedral is not red. It is elephant-grey.

Exeter Cathedral’s intricately carved astronomical clock. Photo © hidden europe

These are just two of the surprises packed by Exeter Cathedral. Another is its remarkable aesthetic unity. Many English cathedrals reveal a patchwork quilt of architectural styles. Exeter was built within a relatively brief period, and while the discerning eye will pick out incorporated elements from earlier churches on the same site, notably the two great Norman towers, this is a cathedral that mainstreams on decorated Gothic. It is often compared with Salisbury, but where the latter is frugal, even austere, Exeter is opulent.

In short, Exeter Cathedral is more than merely worth a detour. The only ancient cathedral in south-west England is a star of Western ecclesiastical architecture. The Cathedral Green in Exeter is a sublimely beautiful urban space and a lovely spot to relax on a warm summer day. The Green is very much part of the city. That lovely patch of open space and the cathedral are the very heart of Exeter.

The carved screen on the West Front of the cathedral, best viewed in soft early evening sunshine, is an exquisitely intricate tutorial in biblical history. And that’s the place to start any exploration of the cathedral.

Visiting the cathedral

Admission to the cathedral is free for those attending services of course, but at other times there is an admission charge of £6 (reduced to £4 for students and seniors).

But why not take in a service? Cathedrals are not galleries or museums. And the only real way to take the pulse of a cathedral is by joining the local community at a service. You can check service times on the Exeter Cathedral website. Choral evensong or evening prayer is usually at 17.30 (or at 16.00 on Saturdays and Sundays).

Serlo’s for Devon cream tea

Though the focus of cathedral life is on providing nourishment for the soul, the adjoining café is not to be missed. It is called Serlo’s, taking its name from the very first Dean of Exeter Cathedral.

At some English cathedrals, the eateries are grotesquely overpriced. (Traditional afternoon tea for two at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London will set you back £31.90). Exeter approaches these things much more sensibly, and the full works (finger sandwiches, cake, scones with jam and clotted cream and your choice of tea) costs just £12.50 for two. Café manager Julie Hernandez does a fine job managing a venue that melds real style and a sense of history with great value.

Good value lunches

Serlo’s is also a good place for lunch. Main courses never top the £7 mark and a hearty helping of home-made soup won’t cost more than £4. On selected dates in Advent, in the run-up to Christmas, Serlo’s offers traditional turkey lunches with all the trimmings for just £6.95.

That’s the thing about Exeter Cathedral. Those two solid Norman towers keep it tied to the ground, more linked into reality than many other English cathedrals. No flights of fancy here. And that feeds right through to the cathedral café. This is a place strongly rooted in its local community.

Travel facts

Exeter is just two hours from London by fast train from Paddington. Services are operated by First Great Western. There is a slower option, often much cheaper, with South West Trains from London Waterloo. But Exeter (and indeed the entire county of Devon) deserve far more than a day.

Find out more about Devon’s wider appeal in our blog post last week here on EuroCheapo.

The authors willingly admit that cream tea at Serlo’s was hosted by Exeter Cathedral. But Susanne’s and Nicky’s fearless commitment to objective reporting is never subverted by a mountain of scones and lavish helpings of delicious clotted cream.

The post Devon’s Heart and Soul: Exeter Cathedral appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Brighton is the nearest point on the Sussex coast to the capital and generations of Londoners have flocked to Brighton for sun, sea and sand — and all manner of fun and frolics, some legal and others less so. In his excellent guide, Tim Locke reminds us that Brighton has attracted all types. “Far too many of the wrong sort of people,” averred Queen Victoria. There has certainly long been a seedier side to Brighton life. But let’s not worry here about what goes on behind the shuttered windows of those sedate Regency terraces.

Squid, skate and sole

Seaside kitsch, fish and chips and the statutory pier provide the necessary ingredients for a fun day out. A shopping area known as The Lanes is all rather twee and is the stuff of picture postcards. But foodies should certainly dive into The Lanes to discover Riddle and Finns (12 Meeting House Lane) where, amid the candelabra and chandeliers, you’ll find squid, skate, sole and plenty of other seafood diversions.

North Laine beats The Lanes

The area just north of The Lanes is the heart of bohemian Brighton – a tad confusingly referred to as North Laine (note that “i” – so Laine). Centred on Gardner Street, just a short walk from the main railway station, the North Laine area is a world apart from The Lanes – and very much more interesting. The North Laine district is the place for vegetarian shoes and hand-knitted organic muesli.

Stop off at Temptation (56 Gardner Street) where Peter Allison tempts you to a Sussex breakfast (£8.95). Peter is a legendary knitter and the café currently showcases his latest work — a scale model of the Brighton pavilion. We think it beats the real thing!

Then wander north up Gardner Street past Whirligig and Toby Tiger (both great toy shops) to boutiques like Nola and Aurora. Punktured is good stop-off for body piercing and, for eco-friendly footwear, don’t miss Vegetarian Shoes.

Ticket tips

Fast trains run thrice hourly from London Victoria station to Brighton, with travel times running to between 50 and 65 minutes. To keep fares down, buy the Southern DaySave Ticket, which gives unlimited travel on the Southern network from 9.55 am weekdays (and any time on weekend days). It costs £14 for a solo traveller or £28 for a group of up to four (adults, children or a mix). This is superb value, meaning that four friends heading to Brighton for a day out need only pay seven pounds each for the return train journey.

A DaySave ticket also allows travel over a much wider area of course, extending from Southampton in the west to Ashford in the east. You can even use it on Southern trains that run through the capital to points north of London, such as Milton Keynes. But, take it from us, you’ll not find vegetarian shoes in Milton Keynes.

The post Day Trips From London: Escape to Brighton appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are some suggestions for day trips into the Scottish hills.

Heading for the Spey Valley

The Highlands are a vast area of rugged terrain, much of it very remote from Scotland’s two principal cities. A decent tour of the Highlands demands at least a fortnight. But it is possible to get a feel for the mountains in easy day trips from Edinburgh or Glasgow.

From either city, it is just two and half hours by regular fast train to Kingussie. It is a pretty enough Highland township in the Spey Valley, but the real reason for making the journey is just to gaze through the window at the passing scenery. North of Perth, the hillsides tilt ever sharper as the train follows the Tay Valley north, before climbing over wild Drumochter Pass and dropping down into the headwaters of the Spey.

Into the Trossachs

If you are really pushed for time, and just want to catch the spirit of the Highlands, then head for the Trossachs (little more than an hour’s drive from either Glasgow or Edinburgh). Sir Walter Scott popularised this gorgeous sweep of mountains, forests and lakes in his narrative poem The Lady of the Lake. This one poem, first published in 1810, did more to promote the Trossachs than all the tourist brochures ever published since.

Take a boat trip on Loch Katrine where the steamship SS Sir Walter Scott runs regular tours from April till October.

The bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

Even closer to Glasgow is famous Loch Lomond, its waters lapping onto the edgelands of Scotland’s largest city. Just 47 minutes on the twice-hourly local train from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch and you’ll be able to see the loch and its surrounding mountains. It’s the traditional excursion for urbanites who just want a peek of the Highlands without getting tousled hair and muddy shoes.

To the west coast

If you’re the type who needs a bit of sea along with your mountains, then Oban is the obvious choice. Scotrail runs regular trains from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban. It is a three-hour journey that takes in Loch Lomond, Loch Awe and grand views of many a Munro. (If you are a Scotland novice, you’ll need to check out what a Munro is.) Trains run three or four times daily on the route from Glasgow to Oban.

From June 23rd to August 25th, Scotrail also runs a direct Sunday excursion train from Edinburgh to Oban. It departs Edinburgh Waverly at 8:10 am, and the schedule allows five hours in Oban before the journey back to the Scottish capital. That’s just enough time to catch the ferry from Oban to Mull and back—proof indeed that one can see something of the Scottish Highlands and Islands in a day!

Anything to add?

If you consider yourself a Highlands expert, or you just have a couple tips to share, head down to the comments section below and let us know!

The post Heading for the Hills: Escapes from Scottish Cities appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Tarragona

This is a favorite, but it always takes a lot of convincing on my part to get my visitors to go there. When they return they always thank me, enchanted by the experience in this Roman city. Take the train from Barcelona to Tarragona from l’Estació de França, which will get you there in about an hour. Many trains head to Tarragona throughout the day.

Upon arrival, climb the steps to the city’s “balcony” where the Mediterranean Sea poses before you like a brazen movie star, waiting to have her photo taken. You’ll snap her photo, and then move onto the Roman amphitheater, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the old city quarter. There’s a lot to see here, so go early and plan to have lunch in one of Tarragona’s many breezy plazas.

For more information and for help planning your trip, check out the Tarragona Tourism website.

The mansions and gardens of La Garriga make for a relaxing respite from Barcelona’s bustle.

La Garriga

Not many tourists make it to La Garriga, which is part of its charm. A small village in the mountains near the Montseny Natural Park, expect cooler weather and lots of green. The main draw in La Garriga are its thermal springs. You can get a day pass to soak in the springs or spend the night in one of the few hotels in town.

Don’t miss the Saturday morning market, where a rainbow of local veggies are sold. La Garriga also has a large number of Art Nouveau mansions in its city limits, some crumbling and others in exemplary condition.

Read more about the hot springs at the website of the Blancafort Hotel and Spa.

Sitges is a great option for a Spanish beach getaway.

Sitges

As the weather warms, Sitges calls visitors back.  This is one of the top beach escapes within 45 minutes from Barcelona in that it offers swimming, sunbathing, shopping, art, history, nightlife and countless restaurants. It’s also one of Europe’s gay getaway spots (their Carnaval festivals in February are fabulous).

Related: Budget guide to Sitges

Go for the day and stroll the boardwalk, have lunch and then snooze on a beach lounger (which you will have to rent). Note that in the summer months you might feel a bit like a sardine on Sitges tiny beaches, which are very popular.

For more information about the city, check out the Sitges Tourism website.

Anything to add?

Do you have your own favorite day trips from Barcelona? What about advice on visiting Tarragona, La Garriga or Sitges?  Let us know by posting in the comment section below.

And be sure to check out our Barcelona hotel recommendations for a place to stay, as well as this article in our Barcelona guide for more information on great day trips from the city.

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You’ll catch some sense of the beauty of this region on the journey by train from London to Brighton — where the ride south from Gatwick Airport towards Brighton cuts through an outstanding stretch of Wealden landscape.

A day trip to Lingfield

There are Wealden villages aplenty which are very accessible from London by train. One of our favourites is Lingfield. It is so easy to reach that it is a good spot for a summer day or evening excursion from London.

Lingfield public library. Photo © hidden europe

Unless it is a race day, you’ll not find the crowds heading for Lingfield. The village happens to be home to one of southern England’s premier horse racing courses. But, that detail aside (and the oddity of a major Mormon temple about two miles west of the village), Lingfield’s appeal is its unsung ordinariness. It is a spot worth visiting for the manner in which it captures comfortable middle-England.

Lingfield’s vernacular architecture

From the station, it is a seven-minute walk west across meadows to the middle of Lingfield. Don’t expect high drama. The appeal of Lingfield is in the detail of its vernacular architecture.

The village church, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, is striking — one of the very few churches in Perpendicular style in the region. That’s a very distinctive type of Late Gothic. The church boasts some extraordinary tombs of locals who were judged important enough to clutter up the nave. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described the brasses in Sts Peter and Paul as the finest anywhere in Surrey.

Tucked away in quiet corners around the church are some of the most photogenic buildings anywhere in the Wealden region. Look out for the 15th-century timber-framed library. Public libraries don’t come any better than this. Just by the church there is a stunning old farmhouse, with a Horsham slate roof. Then track through the churchyard to the buildings at the south end: the Star Inn Cottages, Pollard Cottage and Old Town Stores. This is a gorgeous ensemble of local Wealden building styles — as picture-perfect as any in more celebrated tourist destinations.

Lingfield is a quick trip south of London. Click to enlarge the map.

Getting there

There are plenty of direct trains to Lingfield from London Victoria Station. These trains are operated by Southern and they run every 30 minutes Mondays through Saturdays — and hourly on Sundays. The journey takes 40 to 50 minutes. The last train back from Lingfield is not till well after 10 p.m., so there is a chance to linger. The off-peak day-return fare from London to Lingfield is £12.30 for one person. Southern offer some great deals for small groups. For example, a return off-peak GroupSave ticket for four adults is just £27.60. These are not fares that require advance booking. Just roll up at Victoria Station in London, buy your ticket and hop on the train.

The village boasts a bevy of great pubs. The Star Inn and The Old Cage, both in the middle of the village, are reliable choices — each with reasonably priced food.

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Reforming zeal

Torgau is a place that has, for several hundred years, punched considerably above its weight. It is a mere fleck on the map, a riverside community of less than 20,000 souls. But it is one of those spots which have helped shape European history. Worms and Wittenberg may both claim to have kindled the spark of Lutheranism, but Torgau was the affirming flame that gave early strength to the Reformation.

Reshaping Europe

Those familiar with more recent European history will recall that Torgau witnessed a defining moment towards the very end of World War II. It was here that Soviet Union forces advancing over the Elbe first encountered the Americans who were pushing east across Europe. That was on 25 April 1945.

The encounter was symbolic in many ways. It signaled that Hitler’s days were numbered, but it also anticipated the future Cold War division of Europe. Just as in the days of Martin Luther, Torgau found itself at the heart of a new world order — and played a key role in helping define and map that order.

The palace at Torgau

A place to relax

These various facets of history are beautifully recalled in modern Torgau, with signposted walks and informative leaflets. It’s rare to stumble on a town in eastern Germany that has such high-quality tourist information in English.

History may beckon, but for many it will not be the main reason for traveling to Torgau. The town is, quite simply, a fine place to be. The town’s unhurried demeanor is its prime asset. The historic town center boasts a feast of Renaissance buildings. There are super riverside walks and a galaxy of appealing cafés to pass the time of day.

If you are tempted to stay overnight, the Hotel Goldener Anker on the main market square offers rooms from €45.

Travel details

By road, Torgau is 60 km from Leipzig, 90 km from Dresden and 130 km from Berlin — all three journeys follow secondary highways. These offer a different driving experience from Germany’s modern autobahns — they are quieter, offer a more intimate connection with the landscape and are a delight to drive.

Torgau is easily reached by train, being served by hourly regional services that trundle east from Leipzig. The journey from Leipzig to Torgau takes about 40 minutes. Through fares from Berlin (using the fast train Berlin to Leipzig then on by local service) start at €19.

It is do-able as a day trip from Berlin. If you don’t mind slow trains, there is a good budget route from the German capital using cheaper regional services, with just one change of train at Falkenberg (Elster). Travel time from Berlin to Torgau via Falkenberg is two hours.  The Berlin-Brandenburg Ticket (just €29, valid for up to five people) is the best deal here, though you will have a small supplementary fare (€6.80 per person return) from Rehfeld, which is the last station in Brandenburg, to Torgau.

The post Torgau: A taste of small-town Germany appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

By day

This diminutive polity, with its capital (also called San Marino) on Mount Titano has a grand title: Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino. But San Marino’s serenity is an elusive commodity by day. Tourists jostle for space on the narrow streets of the capital. Those with cash to spare splash out on discount luxury goods or replica weapons, while those with more sense head up to the ramparts and fortifications whence there are fine views. Look east towards the Adriatic and gaze west over successive ranges of hills towards Tuscany.

The Palazzo Pubblico, seat of government for San Marino.

By night

Come evening, though, the day trippers head off down the hill. The parking lots, so crammed with tour buses during the day, empty out. San Marino then assumes quite a different demeanor.

In the quiet of the evening, it is possible to catch the sense of how this hilltop city-state once so impressed the world with its pacific gentility and commitment to liberty. So much so that Abraham Lincoln — when made an honorary citizen of San Marino in 1861 — wrote to the Captains Regent of San Marino: “Although your dominion is small, your State is nevertheless one of the most honored, in all history.”

An American connection

Spending a few days in San Marino a month or two back, we were impressed to see that the American connection was not limited to Lincoln’s correspondence. On a terrace in the capital is a fountain that marks the gratitude of the people of San Marino to America — most particularly for having in the 17th century helped modernize the republic’s water supply.

Emblems of statehood

Seventeenth century? Well yes, because San Marino still has a habit of reckoning time back to the day in 301 AD when it first acquired a few emblems of statehood. So just now, we are in 1711 San Marino time. These things should not be taken too seriously, of course, but that question of dates is a little reminder that San Marino is distinctly different from the rest of Europe.

Not a member of the European Union, but a user of the euro, San Marino confounds and confuses many first-time visitors. San Marino boasts its own euro coins and sells an impressive array of postage stamps. It has headed off invasions and given shelter to the needy. Garibaldi sought refuge in San Marino when pursued by the Italian authorities.

Getting there

Those are the facts, yet the most important detail is that San Marino is simply an exquisitely fine place to be. Take time out from a tour of Italy to spend a few days in San Marino.

It is easy to reach, with buses running about hourly from Rimini railway station in Italy. The journey by bus to the capital of San Marino takes 50 minutes. Note that outside the peak summer season there are no evening buses on the international route from Rimini.

Sammarinese hospitality

There’s an excellent choice of accommodation. We were impressed with the Hotel Joli which occupies a plum spot just outside the old city walls of the capital and is conveniently close to the bus stop for the Rimini connection.

As to food, we would offer a note of caution. The heart of the Old Town is full of cheap cafés geared to the needs of day trippers. For more traditional Sammarinese fare you need to cut off the main drags to find the spots more favored by locals. For culinary perfection San Marino style head for Cantina di Bacco (at 35 Contrada Santa Croce) where Luigi Monetta works a little magic with local ingredients to produce the finest food in town. Cantina di Bacco is open for lunch and dinner every day except Tuesdays.

The post The Most Serene Republic: San Marino appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

And although “Tulipmania” (yes, that’s a real term) ended in the 1600s, the craze of experiencing fields of flowers is still an attraction for thousands of travelers to Holland, especially during tulip season, which spans from March to May. And if you’re one of the many dreaming of walking through an endless garden of flowers, the Keukenhof is your destiny.

Getting there: Keukenhof

Keukenhof is located just outside of Amsterdam, a short trip to a town called Lisse where nothing much goes on except for the yearly flock of flower lovers that happens every season. This means it’s not easy to get to unless you have a car, but it’s not impossible.

Your best bet is to get to the Amsterdam Schipol Airport via train and take bus No. 58 to Keukenhof. It runs Monday through Friday every 15 minutes, the last bus back to the airport leaving around 7:30 p.m. Local buses leave from the airport just outside the main entrance. The ride lasts a little over half and hour, and the bus drops you off right at the park’s entrance. A round trip ticket from Amsterdam to Keukenhof shouldn’t cost more than around €10.

Getting in and around

Keukenhof is a national landmark in Holland. Kodak deemed it one of the most photographed places in the world. Everyone knows about this place, and since it’s only open a few months out of the year it gets packed. Real packed. It might be tricky to get to on your own, but don’t forget about all the package tours that scoot to this picture perfect spot on an hourly basis.

Just get there early and make a day out of it. There are over 6 million flowers to see, but if you do it on time you’ll save yourself a lot of pushing and shoving. Keukenhof is open daily from 8 a.m to 7:30 p.m. daily, including Sundays and public holidays. If you make an effort and sight see early, you’ll be able to relax at the café or chill out on a bench and people watch the afternoon away.

What not to miss

It’s hard to pin point particular flowers as a “must see” when there are millions of them, so the best tip is to walk the 15 kilometers of footpaths and never blink, ever.

Just kidding. The best part about Keukenhof is that you don’t have to see everything. Grab a map and start by sections. The “Walk of Fame” is a popular one, and every year there are new tulip species with different celebrity names – from Hillary Clinton to Madonna. There is also a guide available, in different languages for €4.

If you’re in the mood to bike around the outskirts amongst the tulip farm fields, Keukenhof offer bicycle rentals and routes ranging from five-kilometer cruises to 25-kilometer day adventures. It’s €8.50 per day to rent a bike from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. – not a bad deal, and cheaper than some bike rental spots in Amsterdam.

There are also boat trips available through the countryside, and even photography courses are an option. In addition, check the Web site to find out about upcoming events and plan either on or around those dates. Either way, Keukenhof is a must for springtime visitors to Holland.

Keukenhof Fees
Adults and seniors: €14.50
Children 4 to 11 years: €7
Parking: €6 per vehicle

Also in our guide: If you’re planning a trip to Amsterdam and looking for an affordable place to stay, be sure to stop by our guide to budget hotels in Amsterdam. Our editors visit, inspect and review only hotels that are central, clean and cheap. Read more in our Amsterdam hotel guide.

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