Air conditioning is virtually unheard of (including in hotels in Berlin), and the subways and buses start feeling more like saunas. When the thermometer starts rising, try these popular ways to cool down, local style.

1. Bathing: Au naturel

When summer rolls around, half the city heads to the lakes that dot Berlin and its surrounding area. Consult this Berlin swimming map and head out to nature.

And by “nature,” I mean that clothing is optional.

2. Bathing: To see and be seen

But if you’re more the type to lounge than lunge into the water, a quiet lake in a rustic forest just won’t do. Slip into something sexy and head to Badeschiff (pictured, top), a small bathing platform floating in the river smack in the middle of the city.

This is where “scenesters” come to strut their stuff and check out one another. Evening concerts and parties are especially popular. A ticket is only €8, but you have to reserve your time slot online in advance.

Look out for ice cream trucks. “Ice cream makes you happy.” Photo: Scottog

3. Ice cream

You can’t seem to walk a few blocks without walking past an ice cream parlor in the German capital. Homemade, all-natural ice cream is the norm, not the exception — there are countless independent shops that serve frozen treats in all shades and flavors. Here’s a list of some of the best.

Also, keep an eye out for ice cream trucks. On a hot day, you might just come across one for a quick and cheap cool down!

4. Fight fire with fire: Hot Currywurst

Sometimes you need to warm up to cool down. Case in point: currywurst. But where can you find currywurst in Berlin that really turns up the heat?

A glaring omission in my past post about currywurst was Curry & Chili, which has the hottest wieners in the city.

5. When all else fails: Street water pumps

Berlin sits on a huge underground water reserve, and until the 1930s Berliners used hand-operated pumps on the streets to clean, put out fires and even drink. Some 2,000 pumps remain functional today, and though they deliver untreated water straight from the ground underneath, 2/3 of them deliver drinkable quality water. (Berlin’s tap water, by the way, is excellent.)

So pump out some water, splash it on yourself and go on your merry way. It won’t cost you a thing.

The post Berlin in summer: 5 easy ways to cool down appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

One of the top five reasons I live in Barcelona is the weather. I’m from the Pacific NW in the United States, which is lovely when the clouds lift. Sick of the rain, I wanted to be in the sunshine which motivated me to move to Costa Rica, Guatemala and now Spain. But I digress…

As much as I love the sunny Mediterranean summer we’re having this July, I have to say: It’s HOT. Really hot the past couple of weeks. So hot that walking around outside makes me feel faint and in need of a siesta... and an ice cream.

Luckily, both of these essential needs are easily met in Barcelona. A siesta can be taken anywhere (in the grass, on the beach, on a bench; in this city anything goes), and ice cream shops are almost as plentiful as bars!

Vioko
Passeig de Joan De Borbó #55
La Barceloneta
Web site

Some ice creameries are better than others. The number one, best of the best, top-dog ice cream shop is Vioko, in La Barceloneta by the beach. There are always people getting cones and cups here, even in the winter. In the summer there’s a line, but go ahead and grab a number because it’s worth the wait.

Vioko has weird ice cream flavors such as “Violet and Jasmine with Grapefruit,” which sound strangely delicious though I haven’t tried them. I have licked their Chocolate Tentacion which has dulcede leche and brownie in it, as well as their Strawberry with fresh fruit, their Mint and Chocolate, and their Cheese Cake with Berries. As you can see, I’ve been a regular at Vioko “researching” this post.

Their cones are slightly more expensive than other ice cream shops in the area, but only by twenty or thirty cents. Their portions are bigger than other shops, so it all works out in the end.

Bellamia
Calle Espaseria 14
El Born
Web site

Bellamia in El Born neighborhood is another appetizing choice if you’re after a traditional Italian gelato. On Carrer de L’Espaseria, this is the place to go after a tasty meal at one of the barri’s many cutting-edge restaurants. Order a couple cups at Bellamia and then take them over to Passeig del Born and sit on one of the benches there, people-watching and taking in the balmy Barcelona night.

Horchata

While I prefer ice cream, lots of locals would rather have an horchata than a gelato. Horchata is a super sweet and very typical Spanish drink that’s popular during the summer. Grab one at Planelles Donat in the center of the city or at La Valenciana, which is a happening ice cream and horchata joint in the Eixample. Both of these shops are historic dating back to 1850 and 1910, respectively.

The post Barcelona: 4 divine ice cream shops in Barcelona appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here’s a list of some of the city’s top outdoor spots to take a dip.

1. Podolí
Podolská 74, 147 50, Prague 4
Tel: 241 433 952

Plavecký Stadion Podolí, or just “Podolí” as it’s most often referred to, is located just off a main tramline street running alongside the river in Prague 4. Comprised of an indoor pool and two outdoor pools, Podolí was built over 50 years ago as one of Czechoslovakia’s preeminent grounds for swim competitions.

Today visitors sunbathe on towels on the metal bleachers bordering the pools, directly on the concrete or in a large grassy area, which is bordered by the base of a rocky hill. As with many of the public pools, it does get crowded during the summer, but Podolí is one place where you can actually get in a few laps.

Open daily 6 a.m – 9:45 p.m. A full day ticket costs 150 Kc for adults. Head there after 3 p.m. and the price is reduced to 110 Kc.

2. Pražacka
Sportovní a rekreacní areál Pražacka
Za Žižkovskou vozovnou 19/2716
CZ-130 00, Prague 3 – Žižkov
Web site

For a truly neighborhood feel, head to Prague 3’s Pražacka in the Žižkov neighborhood. Open from June through September, Pražacka’s outdoor pool measures 25 x 12.5 meters and is heated. Hang out on the newly built terrace, or lay on the grounds bordering the pool or the grassy lot. After a dip, enjoy a cold beer and klobasa.

During the week, the pool is open from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., but then closes for two hours before opening back up at 10 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. The cost for the full day is 100 Kc. Reduced admissions (60 Kc) applies after 5 p.m. (You can get in an additional 90 minutes in from 8 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.).

3. Slavia
Vladivostocká 1460/10, Praha 10
Tel: (+420) 267 311 062
Web site

Located in a residential area of Prague’s Vršovice district, Plavecký Stadion Slavia has one of the city’s largest outdoor pools at 50 meters long. As with Podolí, the center features metal bleachers and lots of Communist-era concrete architecture. Grab an ice cream or beer at one of several kiosks. Find a spot on the grounds surrounding the pool or in the grassy areas.

For those who wish to fully catch some rays, Slavia features an area for nudists (as does Podolí).

4. Divoká Šárka
Šárka Nature Reserve, Praha 6
Tram 20, 26 to the “Divoká Šárka” stop

An exceptional forest location makes this Prague pool the most enchanting. Follow a path through the trees to this swimming area, which features two large pools, including an exceptional invigorating one (due to its very cold temperatures) that is stream fed. Play ping-pong, grab a snack at the obcerstvení (snack/refreshment seller) or just dream away the day on the large grassy area while looking into the forest surrounding you.

The price is 60 kc before 4 p.m. when the price drops to 40 kc.

The post Prague Pools: Where to go swimming this summer appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

First, what makes it so darn hot here anyway? The main reason is that Florence is surrounded by hills which limits the airflow to the city. Mix this with smog and that big yellow ball in the sky and you’ve got yourself one gigantic pressure cooker.

Boat Tours

Believe it or not, even with that juicy river passing through the center, Florence doesn’t offer much in terms of boat tours. There are a few small private tours which float tourists along the Arno using vintage Tuscan “push boats,” but these can be quite expensive and change owners all the time.

My advice would be to pass by the Tourist Office on via Cavour 1r to inquire about which companies are still afloat and which are most affordable.

Head to the Lake

For those extra hot days, why not consider a short trip outside the city? One suggestion is Lago di Bilancino, Tuscany’s largest artificial lake. Just a half hour from Florence, it’s both cheap and easily accessible by buses and trains.

Click here for more info how to get there and what to do with yourself once you’ve arrived.

Free Water

One thing’s for sure. Taking in the sights during the summer means stocking up on plenty of water. And trust me, the cost of buying those little bottles in the center can quickly add up.

But great news, because the city of Florence has just installed purified bottle-filling stations around the city. And the best part is that they’re absolutely free! (How’s that for cheapness?) You can even choose between sparkling or still! Test it out at Piazza della Signoria behind the Zeus fountain.

And if you’re still desperate for a bowl of soup, I’d really recommend the gazpacho.

The post Florence: How to keep cool during the summer appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

For all other readers, here are a few activities in Florence that will keep you on the cooler side of the sun without spending a ton.

Swimming in Florence

The biggest and most frequented pool complex in town is la Piscina Comunale Costoli near the Campo di Marte Stadium. The complex contains three pools and during the summer  is open to the public for €6.50. There is also a baby pool and water slides. To get there, take ATAF buses 10, 17 or 20 or walk five minutes north of the Campo di Marte Train Station.

Another option is the Parco Piscina Le Pavoniere, an outdoor pool set in a green space along the Arno River. Entry costs €7 on weekdays and €8 on the weekends. The pool is within walking distance from the center. It can also be accessed by ATAF bus 17C.

Beaches near Florence

Public beaches are quite scarce in Italy, so a trip to the sea could mean dishing out some cash for a spot in the sand. Typical expenses on these private beaches include fees for chairs, parasols or an entrance fee to the beach.

The closest option from Florence is Viareggio, which can be accessed by train in an hour and a half.  (It makes a good day trip.) A round-trip ticket costs around €12, but the rest of your excursion could run a bit higher depending on which part of the beach you settle on. Being the closest beach to Florence, Viareggio can also get quite packed, and the prices in the city tend to be on the spicy side.

If you have access to a car, why not take a little adventure up the coast? Everyone raves about Cinque Terre, but Tuscany’s Riviera Apuana is much less crowded and closer to Florence. Plus,  it has its own share of Mediterranean charisma.

Parks in Florence

While in Florence, shade is your friend. And trees give lots of shade so you will definitely want to be friends with them. The problem is that there is not much green in downtown Florence—unless you visit the little parks peppered between the streets.

A perfect example is the small yet beautiful Giardino del Palazzo Vivarelli Colonna near the Santa Croce Basilica.  It’s open Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It offers lots of trees and lots of shade, and it’s entirely free.

A second option is Le Cascine, the largest public park in Florence. Situated along the Arno River, it’s a great place to picnic, read and relax. On Tuesdays, it turns into a huge market from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. However, like all big city public parks, it’s best to avoid it once the sun sets.

And as a last option to beat the heat: There is, of course, air-conditioning.

The post Florence Pools, Parks, and Beaches: Cheap ways to keep cool under the Tuscan sun appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.