Built in the 1860s in the Neo-Renaissance style, the opera house itself is a treat. It dominates the southern portion of the “Ring” with its ornate facade, statues, and arched windows. And with 300 performances a year, it offers visitors a chance to treat themselves to a different performance every night of their trip.

Another reason to go this year is that 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of the Vienna State Opera which opened on May 25, 1869. And the performance that filled the stage on that historic night? Mozart’s Don Giovanni!

Advance Tickets

Ticket prices vary greatly depending on the performance, date of the show and, of course, seat location. Rates can range from around €7 for a spot in the top balcony to €500 for prime seats on opening night.

The safest bet is to visit the Staatsoper website before your trip to check on the schedule of performances and ticket prices. And fear not, budget travelers can book the cheap seats through the site. However, there are cheaper options…

Standing Room Tickets

Cheapos with a bit more flexibility and willingness to take a risk may opt for a €2-€4 standing room tickets, sold 80 to 90 minutes before the show starts from the western side of the Opera (the opposite side of the building from the gift shop). Keep an eye out for the sign that says “Stehplatz-Kasse | Standing Area”.

You read that right: Standing in the back of the auditorium will only cost between €2 and €4, depending on the show and the location of your standing “spot.” Spots are available in the “Parterre” (ground floor), higher up in the “Balkon” and all the way up in the “Galerie.”

The number of tickets is limited and given out in order of those lined up. For an 8 pm show, for example, tickets will be sold at 6:40 pm, but the line will most likely form well before that.

One final consideration: You do have to stand, although many spots offer a wall for leaning.

While these standing room tickets may sound risky or even exhausting, think about how exhilarating it will be to take in a world-class opera or ballet for less than you’d pay for a beer. Or coffee. Or würstchen.

And, as one local opera lover told us, “If you’re not into the show, you can leave at intermission. You only paid €3!”

Vienna hotels

For suggestions on affordable places to sleep while visiting Vienna, be sure to check out our guide to Vienna’s best budget hotels, all inspected and approved by EuroCheapo’s editors.

The post Buying cheap tickets to the Vienna State Opera House appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

That’s why no trip to the city is complete without attending at least one show.

Even the most casual observers are familiar with Broadway, the glitzy home of “Wicked,” “The Lion King” and “The Book of Mormon.” (And, indeed, I wrote a post last week about how to score cheap seats to Broadway shows.) But some of the best shows take place in smaller theaters — where tickets are a fraction of the cost and, sometimes, the stars are shining just as bright.

Related: Best cheap hotels near Broadway theaters

Broadway, Off and Off-Off: What’s the difference ?

Theater in New York City falls into three categories: Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway. And while it’s true that the flashy mega-musicals like “The Lion King” and “Wicked” are all playing on Broadway, the distinction has nothing to do with show’s content or quality. It’s all about the theater.

Broadway shows are performances taking place in one of 39 venues officially designated as Broadway theaters and ranging in size from about 600 to 1,900 seats. Most, but not all of them, stand around Times Square.

But ask someone about the term “Off Broadway” and you’re likely to get a blank stare or even concern about seedy theaters in dangerous parts of town — which couldn’t be further from the truth. It simply refers to smaller theaters all around the city, each with roughly 100 to 500 seats.

Then, there’s a third designation, “Off-Off Broadway.” The nonprofit Theatre Development Fund describes them as “more adventurous” offerings in “small or unorthodox” theaters seating fewer than 100 people.

Off Broadway: High quality and cheaper seats

Mega-shows perform on Broadway because they need the larger stage to accommodate larger casts. Not to mention larger audiences paying larger prices to cover larger production costs. But it doesn’t mean they’re better shows.

Some of the best in New York City — actually, some of the best in the world — perform Off Broadway with smaller casts and smaller budgets in smaller theaters. One good result is smaller ticket prices as well. But another is a wider variety of shows. When you don’t need to attract so many people paying top dollar, you can afford to produce whimsical comedies, risqué dramas or philosophical pieces with more of an edge.

What does all of this mean for Cheapos?

Don’t focus only on Broadway! You can have a great evening of theater Off Broadway. And you may still catch some notable stars or even see the next big Broadway hit.

Not long ago, I sat just off the stage in an intimate, eight-row theater for the final Off-Broadway performance of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.” For more than two hours, I laughed relentlessly through one of those whimsical comedies as stars David Hyde Pierce, Kristine Nielsen and Sigourney Weaver led a phenomenal cast through racy routines, philosophical rants and some of the finest acting you’ll ever see. Laughing just as hard, a couple of sections over, was the legendary Meryl Streep. A few months later, the show moved to Broadway, where audiences paid far more to sit in a theater over twice the size. The show eventually won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play.

For business reasons, most Off-Broadway shows will never make the trip to a larger, Broadway theater. But many are just as good artistically — if not better. Some may disagree, but for my money, Off Broadway is where the real action is.

The post Head Off Broadway for Great Shows and Cheaper Tickets appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

How bad can it get? A single orchestra (lower-level) ticket to The Book of Mormon, one of the hottest shows on Broadway, will set you back $169 to $299, depending on the seat location and day of the week. And that doesn’t even count the $8.50 service charge and any handling fees.

But don’t panic! It’s easy to enjoy the spectacle of Broadway without breaking the bank.

Here’s the big secret: You rarely have to pay full price. Except for a few blockbuster musicals that sell out every night or the occasional, short-running play headlined by some A-list Hollywood star, discounts are everywhere. You just need to know where to find them.

Related: Best cheap hotels near Broadway theaters

7 ways to save on Broadway tickets

Here are 7 ways you can save on tickets to most Broadway (and Off-Broadway) shows in New York:

1. TKTS Booth

You may have heard about the TKTS booth, an iconic fixture in Times Square for more that four decades, where tourists and locals alike line up to buy discounted seats for Broadway and Off Broadway shows that same day. TKTS also operates locations at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn where lines are much shorter.

The Good: All seats are 20-50% off, depending on the show, and it’s a fantastic option for someone deciding to see a show at the last minute.

The Bad: You’re never quite sure which shows will be available by the time you step up to the ticket window — and you’ll probably wait 30 to 60 minutes in line before you get there.

Insider’s Tip: Download the free TKTS app to track what’s available; visit the South Street Seaport or Downtown Brooklyn location to get next-day tickets for matinees only; and have a backup plan in case the show you want to see isn’t available.

2. Discount Codes

Theater producers regularly offer discount codes you can use at online ticket sites — Ticketmaster or Telecharge are the two most common — or at the theater’s box office. Plenty of websites list these codes. Two are BroadwayBox.com and NYTix.com.

The Good: Discount codes can land seats that are 20-40% off, often on par with prices at the TKTS Booth, and you can buy them weeks or months in advance.

The Bad: Producers can revoke discount codes at any moment, without notice. When does it happen the most? After shows receive Tony Award nominations, win some major honor or rave reviews are posted on opening night.

Insider’s Tip: Codes have expiration dates, but it’s not unusual for new ones to be issued as an expiration date approaches. Also, if you’re already in New York, buy directly at the box office to avoid paying the service charges tacked on by Ticketmaster and Telecharge.

You can join TDF as a local or “national” member.

3. TDF Membership

One of the best-kept secrets for finding truly cheapo seats is membership in the Theatre Development Fund, a nonprofit supporting the performing arts. Visitors living more than 100 miles from New York City can join for just $12 per year — less than the service charge for two tickets purchased online — and members enjoy huge discounts.

The catch: Not everyone qualifies, though membership is open to a lengthy list of people that seems to include everyone except middle-aged part-time workers or professionals in for-profit organizations. (Seriously, check the eligibility list to see if you or someone in your family qualifies.)

The Good: The prices can’t be beat and sometimes the seats are very good. Tickets run about $30 to $45 on Broadway, $20 to $30 Off Broadway and $9 Off-Off Broadway.

The Bad: You won’t know exactly where your seats are until you pick them up just before the show and only select dates are available for popular shows, if they appear at all.

Insider’s Tip: Monitor TDF listings regularly, since more popular shows often appear one to two weeks before the performance, and pay close attention to buying notes, including where your seats may be located and what theaters require when you pick up tickets.

HipTix is the Roundabout Theatre Company’s free program for theatergoers 18-35 years old. It sells tickets to all shows for $20.

4. Free Memberships for Young Audiences

In their ongoing effort to attract younger audiences, theater companies all over New York City offer free memberships that include cheap seats for people under 30 or 35 years of age. There are too many to list, but those staging Broadway productions include HipTix, LincTix and 30 Under 30.

The Good: The price, of course, which usually runs about $30 per show. Membership includes other benefits, as well, ranging from post-show parties to free stuff.

The Bad: There’s a limited number of member seats for each performance and, let’s face it, if you’re approaching middle age, you’re out of luck.

Insider’s Tip: Check membership guidelines for exact age requirements and join early if you’re out-of-town and want the best chance at the limited number of cheap tickets.

Lottery winners are announced before a performance of the “Book of Mormon”. Photo: andrepierre

5. Lottery Tickets

Some shows hold drawings where winners can buy one or two of the most inexpensive seats on Broadway. And sometimes those seats are some of the best, too — even on the front row, where the person sitting just behind you is paying $100 or $200 more. Rules vary, but most begin registration two-and-a-half hours before the performance and hold the drawing 30 minutes later. Details are available on official show websites, and Playbill.com publishes an overview of Broadway and Off Broadway policies.

The Good: Lottery tickets are dirt cheap, about $30 per seat, and it’s the only way to get cheap seats to blockbusters like Wicked and The Book of Mormon.

The Bad: There’s no guarantee you’ll win and lottery seats occasionally have a partial view (it will be stated in the rules). Oh, and make sure you bring cash; credit cards are rarely accepted.

Insider’s Tip: If you’re attending the lottery alone, double your chances of winning by finding someone else flying solo and agreeing to attend together if either wins.

6. Rush Tickets

Don’t want to take a chance on winning lottery tickets just before the show? Some theaters sell a limited number of lottery-priced discount seats, usually as soon as the box office opens, for same-day performances. “Rush,” as it’s called, is either for students only (“student rush”) or anyone at all (“general rush”). Details are available on official show websites, and Playbill.com publishes an overview of Broadway and Off Broadway policies.

The Good: You don’t need to hit the lottery to score some of the cheapest seats on Broadway and you can get your tickets early in the day — with plenty of time for Plan B if no tickets are available.

The Bad: The number of rush tickets varies by performance and there’s usually a limit of one or two per person.

Insider’s Tip: Arrive early! It doesn’t hurt to wander by a couple of hours before the box office opens and, if there’s no crowd, come back a little later.

7. Last-Row Seats

Some theaters offer last-row seats for $30 to $50. These are not true discounts — they’re just the least-expensive seats in the theater — but you will be paying $30 less than the person sitting right in front of you.

The Good: You can buy these long in advance.

The Bad: If you buy online, you’ll still pay service and handling charges.

Insider’s Tip: Buy early! Since they’re few and cheap, they may not last long.

With so many options, it can seem daunting to navigate the world center of theater to find good seats at a good price. But the fact is you can find discounts — and even truly cheap seats — with just a little research. And if you end up saving $50 to $100 per ticket, that can be well worth the time.

The post 7 Ways to Save on Broadway Tickets appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Discounted West End tickets

If your heart is set on a big-budget West End show, don’t be disheartened by the often shockingly high ticket prices quoted on theater websites. There are still plenty of ways to bag a bargain ticket, particularly if you’re flexible with which show you see.

Leicester Square is littered with cheap ticket shops, but make your first stop TKTS, the only official discount ticket booth run by the Society of London Theatres. TKTS sells lots of half-price and discounted tickets, and the stock is replenished throughout the day (so you don’t have to be in the queue at 9 a.m. to secure your seat). The booth is open Monday to Saturday until 7 p.m.

Travelex £12 tickets
National Theatre
Website

Travelex’s partnership with the National Theatre has become one of the most popular affordable passports to theater in London. Seeing a production at the National Theatre should come high up on any theater buff’s wish list. Occupying an iconic space on the South Bank, the National is home to three different auditoriums and produces more than 20 productions a year.

With Travelex, savvy theater-goers can bag one of 95,000 £12 tickets on sale throughout the year. At some performances this equates to almost half the seats! Keep checking the National Theatre website for details about which productions are being offered at £12 and act quickly when you see one you like–they get snapped up quickly! You can book online, over the phone (020 7452 3000) or in person.

10p tickets
Royal Court Theater
Website

Yes, you did read that correctly. Chelsea’s lovely Royal Court Theatre actually sells tickets for just 10p each every day. As you may expect, they’re not the best seats in the house (they’re actually standing tickets with a restricted view), but nonetheless, they will set you back a meager 10p, so you can’t really argue with that.

Four 10p tickets go on sale every day for performances in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs an hour before the performance starts, so get there early to claim your place in the queue. Tickets are sold at one per person.

If you would rather book your seats in advance then opt for the Royal Court’s £10 Mondays, when every ticket for performances in both the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs and Downstairs cost just £10 each. Get online and book your ticket early though, as Monday nights always sell out fast.

Free theater

The More London Free Festival is a four-month extravaganza of free culture in a fantastic location at The Scoop amphitheater, right by the River Thames at London Bridge. The program runs from June to September and encompasses a mixture of theater, music and film. Details of the 2013 season are due to announced in May, so be sure to keep an eye on the website if you’re visiting London over the summer.

Also check out the program at the Southbank Centre, where free outdoor performances regularly take place over the summer months.

Pub theaters

London’s pub theaters are a unique and quirky way to enjoy some culture in a truly relaxed environment, plus tickets are much more reasonably priced than glitzy West End shows. There are countless options and the quality of the performances will vary from production to production, but with tickets costing as little as £6 in some places, it’s worth the gamble.

Some of my favorites are:

• Upstairs at the Gatehouse located above The Gatehouse Pub in pretty Highgate Village.

• The Kings Head Theatre at the back of the Kings Head Pub on Upper Street in Angel.

• The Landor above The Landor pub in Clapham North.

Your London theater tips?

Have another favorite way to score cheap theater tickets in London? Tell us about it in our comments section. Also, stop by our London guide for more budget tips for visiting London.

The post London: How to find cheap and free theater tickets appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

1. Notre Dame’s birthday

Notre Dame is turning 850 and the party is going strong. With renovations, new bells, and a platform allowing a unique elevated view of the church, there will be plenty of activity around the world’s most iconic cathedral.

Paris is very popular on Facebook.

2. Because you “like” Paris

Paris is a social media phenomenon with more likes on its Facebook page than any other city. If that’s not reason enough to come visit, then clearly you’re behind the times. Be sure to tag us in some of your photos if you do decide to come.

3. Nothing to sneeze at

Have a food allergy? No need to hide! Along with Helmut Newcake, Paris’s first gluten-free bakery, other food establishments are offering more and more allergy-conscious dishes, making this culinary capital even more all-encompassing. Check out Noglu, a gluten-free and often dairy-free restaurant in the 9th arrondissement. Grocery stores are also increasingly displaying their gluten-free varieties, so we’re excited to see what 2013 has in store!

The Carreau du Temple will reopen in the spring or summer. Photo: Loresui

4. New life in the Marais

The Carreau du Temple, a 19th-century covered market, is opening sometime in the spring or summer, bringing even more life into the Upper Marais district. Haven’t checked out this area yet? It’s full of great shops, cafés, and the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the city’s oldest covered market. When the Carreau du Temple opens, the renovated pavilion will host a cultural center with different halls for events ranging from sports and theater to markets and art shows.

5. A new Place de la République

A new Place de la République will be unveiled, creating a more attractive journey between the Marais and the Canal St-Martin districts. Once construction is finished, the renovated plaza will boast new fountains, energy efficient lights, and an overall brighter atmosphere than of olden days.

Get closer to the Seine on your Velib’ in 2013. Photo: fgornet

6. New dedicated Right Bank bike lanes

Biking across Paris will be even easier as a path between Place de la Concorde and the Bastille will be opened, connecting the east and west of the city along the Right Bank. Currently, biking by the Louvre and the Tuileries towards either end of the city is a nightmare, but in 2013, Paris will become more of a biker’s paradise, allowing you to cruise along the river without worrying about buses and cars.

7. Last call for the food trucks?

Food will return to the table in 2013, at least it’s looking that way. The famous Camion Qui Fume and other food trucks don’t have quite the mobility that their American counterparts do, since the city doesn’t make things easy for these movable feasts. I predict that the novelty will wear off soon as Parisians and tourists alike realize that sitting down while eating wasn’t really a problem in the first place.

The Picasso Museum reopens in the summer of 2013. Photo: Heyrocker

8. Picasso comes home!

At last, at last, the Picasso Museum will reopen! Few remember when we last stepped foot inside the Marais haunt, but starting in the summer of 2013, as long as all goes well with the renovations, we’ll be able to relive the Blue Period and wrap our minds around Cubism all over again.

9. A little night music

Theatre doesn’t stop surprising us. After a hugely successful run of “West Side Story,” Sondheim’s “A Sunday in the Park with George” will be presented at the Théâtre du Chatelet April 15-25, 2013. And if Broadway isn’t your thing, the Opera Bastille and Garnier will hold stellar seasons as usual. “Hansel and Gretel” anyone?

The newest Louvre, in Lens. Photo: James Kirk

10. The Louvre through another Lens

There’s a second… Louvre? Yes, Mona Lisa’s home just wasn’t big enough to house all of the Louvre’s treasures, so the museum just opened a second address in Lens, a nearby coal-mining town. Take the train ride, just over an hour, to experience a very different and modern experience, the Louvre-Lens.

11. Bon app!

Parisians love apps. Forget reading books and newspapers in the Metro (well, not really…). Now they’re scanning the news on their tablets and smartphones. Need a pastry? There’s an app for that. Need to get to the airport? Check. Want to know where to find the nearest Vélib stand? Got it covered. There’s no telling what our smartphones will be doing in 2013.

TGV-Eco fares let you get out of town for less than €25. Photo: Gerard Stolk

12. Exhibits galore!

In 2013, Paris is still the place to be with some fun and fresh shows in the city’s most iconic museums, as well as some lesser-known ones. See Chagall at the Musée du Luxembourg (February 21-July 21), experience a collection on Miss Dior at the Grand Palais (March 22-April 3), or explore Da Vinci at Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (now on through August 18). And don’t forget the continually rotating free shows at the Hotel de Ville, including the upcoming Haute Couture exhibit (March 2-July 6).

13. €25 fares on the TGV

Trains are getting Cheapo, finally! The SCNF is introducing a new idea, the TGV-Eco, that will offer at least 1 million TGV tickets each year for under €25. The first trial will be on the Paris—Montpellier line, and include stops in Lyon and Marseille. If all goes well, this could mean good things for budget travelers looking to take a trip out of Paris for a day or two.

Your reasons to visit Paris in 2013?

What are you looking forward to in Paris this year, Cheapos? Add something to our list in the comments section!

The post Paris: 13 reasons to visit Paris in 2013 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Saving your pennies can feel like an impossible task in a city like London when just using public transport can burn a massive hole in your pocket. Thankfully, all the main museums are free, meaning that large chunks of your day can be spent admiring everything from the wonders of the universe at the Science Museum, to the world-famous artwork at the National Gallery without parting with a penny.

Beyond the museums, you need to be crafty to get the best value out of central London – so get your Oyster Card ready (see my previous post on saving on public transport) and follow these tips to have fun on a budget in London.

Cheapo-friendly live music

Ronnie Scott’s aside, many of London’s lesser known blues and jazz bars offer free entry and excellent live music. Plus, the venues are quirky and the atmosphere friendly and relaxed.

Try Ain’t Nothin’ But blues bar in Soho for a fun night of live entertainment without the hefty entry fees. There is live music every night of the week and free entry Sunday-Thursday. On Fridays and Saturdays it’s free to get in before 8.30 p.m.

The Spice of Life in Cambridge Circus, Soho, also hosts an eclectic open-mic night on Mondays and a blues jam on Tuesdays, both of which are free to get in.

Free laughs at Islington’s Camden Head. Photo: Dom Stocqueler

Alternatively, head to the Road Trip Bar in Old Street on a Wednesday night for the jazz-fusion Hoxton Jam.

For something more relaxed, factor in a trip to ‘Round Midnight in Angel, Islington for the Monday night acoustic session which kicks off at 8 p.m.

Free laughs

London is also home to an impressively large number of free comedy nights, so if you’re up for a bit of good old British humor, this is an ideal Cheapo way to spend an evening.

The beautiful Queen’s Head pub in Denman Street (Piccadilly Circus) runs The Absolutely Free Comedy Night every Wednesday and Sunday from 8.30 p.m.

The Camden Head, just off Islington’s buzzing Upper Street, plays host to Angel Comedy on Saturday nights, plus Free and Funny every Thursday and each second and third Sunday of the month, all of which start at 8 p.m.

If you’re in the mood for a New York sense of humor, don’t miss Lewis Schaffer is Free Until Famous at The Source Below, just behind Regent Street. The Brooklyn-born comedian’s twice weekly show has become pretty legendary on the London comedy scene and is now in its 18th year. Catch Lewis on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8 p.m. and be sure to register your name on the guestlist in advance to guarantee entry.

Eat, drink and be pampered

If you’re looking to frequent some of London’s more exclusive establishments on a Cheapo’s budget, be sure to check out Travelzoo’s Local Deals. I can’t guarantee what you’ll find as the deals change all the time, but I have been wowed by huge savings at some of London’s finest restaurants, as well as some pretty nifty deals to swanky spas and bars. The deals last for several months so even if you see something ahead of your trip you can snap it up and then use it when you arrive in London.

For discounts on all sorts of different restaurants across the city, from the cheap and cheerful to the downright expensive, make sure you check out TopTable before booking. This is especially good for lunch and pre-theatre menus.

Also in our guide: All laughing aside, we also have recommendations for great inexpensive hotels in our London guide. Our editors have inspected, photographed and reviewed hotels throughout central London looking for the best deals.

The post London: A Cheapo’s guide to free live music and comedy clubs appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Summertime and the livin’ is easy… and cheapo if you know where to head in Paris. While every other tourist is heading to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, the city offers an abundance of summertime options that will keep you dancing, bopping or enjoying a free flick.

Here are some of my favorite outdoor festivals happening this summer:

Cinéma en Plein Air
July 19 through August 21, 2011
Web site

The Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement hosts an annual summertime outdoor film festival that’s popular with cinephiles. An enormous screen in the park draws crowds every night of the week, except Monday, to view a variety of movies.

This year the films have been selected from around the world, including familiar French favorites like La Haine (Aug. 13) and Les Triplettes de Belleville (July 23). From the other side of the Atlantic, there will be plenty of English-language favorites as well. Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver will open the festival on July 19th and Woody Allen’s Manhattan will be shown on August 18th.

Keeping in tune with the Broadway musical theme that has pervaded Paris this year, both Singin’ in the Rain (Aug 10) and West Side Story (Aug 21) are lined up. Entrance to this event is, of course, free. Just bring a blanket, kick back and enjoy,

Outdoor Music Festivals

No urban summer would be complete without a concert series. Here are some of Paris most popular outdoor musical performances:

Paris Jazz Festival
Through July 31
Web site

At the Parc Floral in the picturesque Bois de Vincennes in the east of Paris, the annual Jazz Festival will run through July. Every Saturday and Sunday there are concerts at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. highlighting different types of jazz. Check out the festivals Web site for a schedule.

Classiques au Vert
August 6 through September 25, 2011
Web site

Picking up where the jazz left off in the Parc Floral, starting August 6th, singers and orchestras will be celebrating the Americas with concerts dedicated to their music during the Classiques au Vert. Every Saturday and Sunday there will be groups singing and strumming along, including concerts dedicated to great Broadway melodies (Aug. 13), Sousa marches (Sept. 18) and Hollywood repertoires (Sept. 25).

For those not interested in waving Old Glory during a concert, there are plenty of concerts dedicated to classical music as well, just check the program to discover what’s going on during your time in Paris.

Sadly the concerts during both festivals are not free. They will set you back €5, or €2.50 for children, so you may have to reconsider that second glass of wine. Concerts begin at 4 p.m. each weekend.

Keep an eye out for other garden concerts (click for the entire schedule). It probably won’t be translated into English before most of the events are over, but you can check by district and date to find out what musical performances are happening throughout the city.

Danse Avec Nous

Finally, why just listen to the music when you can move along with it? Along the Left Bank of the Seine, just behind the Ile-St-Louis, you’ll find all sorts of dancing going on late into the night.

Danse Avec Nous is a club that hosts free salsa, tango and regional French dance lessons in the tiny amphitheaters that line the river. Feel free to jump in with a partner–hopefully one that knows what he or she is doing–for one of the most memorable evenings in Paris.

Just walk along the Quai Saint Bernard near the square Tino Rossi (along the river, walking with your back to Notre Dame) and you’re guaranteed to stumble across the party– just listen for the music. Pack a picnic and the night is yours–free of charge!

Other summertime activities

Read our post about the ‘Paris Plages‘ for more summer fun. Know any other great outdoor festivals happening this summer in Paris? Tell us about them in our comments section.

The post Paris in the Summer: Outdoor film, music and dance festivals appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Now that the worst of the winter weather seems to be finally easing off, lots of fun London activities are quite rightly taking themselves outdoors. Theater is one of London’s biggest selling points, and one of the city’s beloved spring and summer activities is to catch an Open Air Theatre production in the stunning surrounds of Regent’s Park, or take in a riverside performance in the more urban setting of The Scoop on the South Bank.

Here are the details for how to enjoy London’s outdoor theater offerings this year:

Open Air Theatre
Regent’s Park
Web site

Open Air Theatre stages four outdoor theatrical performances annually. Starting in May, the 2011 program includes productions of William Golding’s sinister classic, “Lord of the Flies,” John Day’s comic ballad opera, “The Beggar’s Opera,” Shakespeare’s “Pericles” re-vamped for audiences of six years and over, and the popular Gershwin musical, “Crazy For You.”

Tickets for Open Air Theatre at the bottom end of the scale are delightfully affordable, starting from around £14 per person, and each production offers a window of dates with reduced ticket prices.

Book online or by phone on 0844 826 4242. You can make further savings by buying tickets for two or more productions at once or buying group tickets, and under-18s and senior citizens qualify for concessions. Check out the Open Air Theatre’s Web site for more information on dates and prices.

The Scoop
Thames riverside
Web site

An outdoor venue of an altogether different nature is The Scoop, a modern sunken amphitheatre by the river in the shiny More London complex, hosting theatrical performances from April to September. This year’s line-up includes lively Shakespeare adaptations, modern re-workings from The Merry Opera Company and a version of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales.”

The Scoop holds an audience of 800, and it’s absolutely free to catch a production here. Get there early to bag a space, and you might want to bring something to sit on, as the surfaces are quite hard. For further information on events and how to get there, see the More London Web site.

The post London: Open-air theater with cheap (or free) seats appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Whether you want to watch the curtain go up at the National Theatre of Ireland (the Abbey Theatre) or one of the more experimental theaters in town, tickets rarely cross the €30 mark.

1. The Abbey Theatre – The National Theatre of Ireland
26 Lower Abbey Street
Tel: +353 (1) 878 7222
Web site

Tickets: €20 – €25. Cheapo tickets on weekdays and weekend matinees.

Founded by poet WB Yeats, the Abbey Theatre is a source of national pride. Everything from Shakespeare to the latest productions from famous Irish playwrights such as Conor McPherson takes the stage here. It is possible to purchase your tickets before your trip on the Web site of the Abbey Theatre (no pesky Ticketmaster fees apply) and you can even pick your seat by previewing the stage from different vantage points.

2. The Peacock
26 Lower Abbey Street
Tel: +353 (1) 878 7222
Web site

Tickets: €18 – €25. Cheapo tickets on weekdays, previews and weekend matinees.

Beneath the grand Abbey Theatre is a grittier stage–the Peacock Stage. What was once a practice stage for the large theater upstairs has now evolved into its own personality. The capacity is much smaller in the Peacock, promising a more intimate experience. Expect productions here to be more experimental. This fact along with an atmospheric bar for drinks at intermission attracts a younger crowd than the Abbey.

3. The Gate Theatre
Cavendish Row, Parnell Square
Tel: +353 (1) 874 4045
Web site

Tickets: €20 – €30. Cheapos should avoid Saturday nights – ticket prices are higher.

The historic Gate Theatre is the kind of civilized place where you sip tea at intermission instead of a glass of wine. Be sure to arrive early to take in the physical beauty of the theater before the production begins. What you will see on stage can be unpredictable. The Gate keeps things fresh by featuring everything from Irish classics such as plays by Samuel Beckett to the latest hot play from New York, such as Tony award-winning “God of Carnage.”

4. Gaiety Theatre
South King Street
Tel: +353 (1) 677 1717
Web site

Tickets: €15 – €35. Cheapo tickets on weekdays, previews and weekend matinees.

The Gaiety Theatre is what many travelers envision as a classic European theater. Red velvet seats and private balconies give this theater an aura of sophistication–yet tickets are still reasonably priced. Purchase your tickets at the box office to avoid pricey Ticketmaster fees. The quality on this stage can vary. Everything from ballet to Oscar Wilde classics to plays intended for children are on the annual program. Choose wisely to avoid disappointment.

Smaller Theatres

The Temple Bar district, known for pubs and street performers, is also home to a couple of small, experimental theaters. At the Project Arts Centre (39 East Essex Street) or the New Theater (43 East Essex Street) you could see a performance for as little as €10.

You can also experience Irish history in a whole new way at the Vaults Live theater with tickets from €20.

The post How to find affordable theater tickets in Dublin appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

That means almost every night, you have three productions to choose from. They can run the gamut from the usual suspects (yes, Figaro, I’m looking at you) to more obscure choices (this season, we have two separate productions of a modern piece about Carmelite nuns during the French Revolution).

Though the competing directors seem to incessantly complain about budget cuts, all three operas, the Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper and Komische Oper, seem to be thriving, dutifully putting on new productions and old favorites from September through June. Luckily for us, that means there is a glut of seats to fill, so tickets are sold at heavily subsidized prices.

Here’s a guide to divas, deception and drama—all so unglamorously affordable.

Classic Card
www.classiccard.de

If you’re under 30, you’re in luck. The excellent Classic Card lets the cardholder buy any seat in any of the opera houses for €10. That’s right—center orchestra seat, close enough to see the singers quiver. Just one good seat pays for the card, which is €15 and valid for one year. Since it’s also valid at ballets and symphonies, this tiny piece of plastic has saved me thousands over the years. Buy at the box office and start using it right away.

Komische Oper
Behrenstraße 55-57
030 47997400
U-55/S-Bahn Brandenburger Tor or U-6 Französische Str.
www.komische-oper-berlin.de

Young, cool and cheeky, the Komische Oper on Unter den Linden puts on productions that are daring even by Berlin standards. You get individual subtitles, which also come in English, so you can at least try to keep up with the story lines. The cheapest top balcony seats can be had for €8 to €12 (premieres are always more expensive). Except for premieres, students under 30 and seniors over 65 get 25% off all tickets as well.

Staatsoper im Schiller Theater
Bismarckstraße 110
030 202683
U-2 Ernst Reuter Platz
www.staatsoper-berlin.de

While its sumptuous, cathedral-like home base is being renovated, this former East German crown jewel has fled to the West. In its temporary (and smaller) home at the Schiller Theater, tickets can be had for as low as €14, but students and seniors get 50% off all seats; or, they can risk it until an hour before curtain call and grab whatever is left over for €13. But the best deals are for kiddies: for designated children-friendly matinee performances, tickets are €3.

Deutsche Oper
Bismarckstraße 35
030.343 84 343
U-2 Deutsche Oper
www.deutscheoperberlin.de

The West Berlin opera is a mammoth black box of acoustic wonder. Nosebleed seats are €14, and as the theater is much bigger than the other two, you may actually struggle to see everything from up there. Students under 30 get 50% off all tickets one week before the performance, and pay no more than €13.50 one hour before performance.

One word of warning: There are two older box office attendants whose brusqueness is legendary. (I once saw a Spanish tourist reduced to tears.) Don’t take it personally. We’ve all been abused by them, but we keep going back for more.

Extra cheapo tip: Sometimes your opera ticket doubles as a public transportation ticket from and to the theater, so check the fine print on the ticket. If you have Berlin Welcome Card, you also get 25% off certain tickets at all of the three operas.

More unsolicited advice: I once saw a poor thing arrive in what seemed like a very uncomfortable prom dress. This is Berlin, so you really don’t need to dress up. You’ll see society folks in haute couture and students in jeans side by side. So just be yourself and enjoy the music.

The post How to find affordable opera tickets in Berlin appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.