To avoid hearing me groan when you tell me what you paid for your sandwich, here’s a list of suggested “price ceilings” for some Parisian basics. It’s a good list to keep handy to save a few euros or, you know, if you’re ever a contestant on a French version of “The Price is Right”…

1. Glass of wine

While beer and cocktails can dent the wallet pretty quickly, wine should never be too expensive in a standard café or bar. Avoid the more specialized wine shops and wine bars and opt for a glass of red or white at a more low-key joint. Limit: €4

2. Steak frites

Most cafés and bistrots serve traditional yet affordable French fare. From the well-traveled but enjoyable Chartier to the classic Les Philosophes in the Marais, a cut of meat and frites shouldn’t be a splurge. Limit: €18

3. Walking/bike tour

With multiple free walking tour options, some tourists prefer a private tour to explore the city more intimately. With dozens of choices out there, it’s hard to pick. A walking tour with Oui Paris Tours or a bike tour with Fat Tire is a great, affordable way to get to know the city. Limit: €30

4. Electronics adapter

Many a traveler forgets that outlets and plugs are different in Europe. Souvenir and electronic stores sell adapters to make your chargers fit into the wall outlets, but the cheapest ones can be found at BHV, the all-purpose department store in the Marais. Limit: €10

5. Crepe/Sandwich

Street food can be found everywhere, so prices are competitive. At lunchtime, the choice often comes down to a sandwich or a crepe. For a gooey ham and cheese crepe or a chicken and veggie sandwich, I never worry about having enough money. Limit: €5

6. Clothing

With wintertime approaching, having appropriate socks (ones without holes) seems important. Unprepared visitors often wonder where to get the latest Parisian fashion as they shiver in their tee shirts. Do like the Parisians do and head to the closest H&M or, better yet, to Japanese department store Uniqlo by the Opera Garnier for some good shopping and great site-seeing. Limit: €40 pants, €40 sweater, €3 socks

7. Café

Instead of 7-11 and Dunkin’ Donuts, the French head to the café for a pick-me-up that won’t break the bank. A café (an espresso) may leave some tourists longing for a cup of Joe, but for mere euros you can squat a seat for as long as you’d like. (Tip: Stand at the cafe’s bar for cheaper prices.) Limit: €2

8. Theatre/Opera tickets

If you packed a top hat or a ball gown anticipating a night at the theatre, there is hope. Last minute “rush” tickets for the Opera Garnier and Bastille are extremely affordable if you are patient enough to line up 2-3 hours before the show. Théâtre du Châtelet, which often hosts musicals like Les Misérables and Sweeney Todd, offers rush tickets up until the minute before curtain. Limit: €30

9. Pastry

Unless you’re going to try the trendiest macaron or a French-style cupcake, pastries are a steal in Paris. Bakeries all over the city will serve up the best flaky croissants, lemon tarts, or apple pastries for mere coins. Limit: €3

10. Entrance to a bar/club

If you choose to go to a bar or club on the Champs-Elysées, good luck to you. Personally, I’d never enter a place that made me pay a cover. There are plenty of nightspots on rue de Lappe by the Bastille or in the winding streets of Montmartre that will keep the budget-conscious partier happy.  Limit: €0

What do you think, Cheapos?  What other price limits can you imagine in Paris? Share your own “price ceilings” in our comments section.

Also in our guide: Planning a trip to Paris? Our editors have inspected, reviewed and photographed Paris’ best inexpensive accommodations. We’ve got picks all over town, in the Latin Quarter, near the Louvre, in the Marais and more central neighborhoods.

The post Paris Prices: The maximum we’d pay for everyday items appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are six sandwich shops guaranteed to hit the spot:

Bar Postas
Calle Postas, 13
Metro: Sol
Telephone: (+34) 91 521 1942

At this unassuming spot between the hustle and bustle of Sol and the Plaza Mayor you’ll find the best calamari sandwich in town. There aren’t many tables at this establishment, so either eat the fried, crispy, goodness at the bar with a caña or take it for the road.

Bar Melos
Calle Ave María, 44
Metro: Lavapies
Telephone: (+34) 91 527 5054

Big appetites should head here. Bar Melos is famous for their zapatillas: an enormous sandwich overflowing with ham and cheese on what is almost like challah bread. It’s scrumptious.

Cervecería 100 Montaditos
Multiple locations
Web site

In Spain, Montaditos is similar to Starbucks in the States; they’re everywhere. Walk through the center and you’ll spot them on almost every corner. Although a chain, Montaditos is one of the best places to stop for bite-sized sandwiches at an unbeatable price. Tip: Swing by on a Wednesday when all sandwiches are only €1.

Museo del Jamón
Multiple locations
Web site

Yes, it looks like a tourist trap (see photo, top), but it’s a local stop for many Madrileños. And, although it feels like a museum, with ham legs hanging from the ceiling, it’s not. No, the Museo del Jamón is instead one of the greatest places to munch on an inexpensive bocadillo, elbow to elbow with locals.

Hurly Burly
Calle del Marqués de Cubas, 2
Telephone: (+34) 91 523 2367
Metro: Banco de Espana

Winner of many international sandwich contests, the Hurly Burly is a more expensive, gourmet option. Treat yourself to a bocadillo of cod, morcilla spread, and peppers. Or go for the goat cheese with tomato and paletilla ibérica. Or perhaps the fajitas with lomo, mushrooms and tomato sauce. Yum!

El Cubanito
Bravo Murillo, 10
Metro: Quevedo
Telephone: (+34) 91 471 547

El Cubanito is the spot if you’re craving a traditional Cuban sandwich. Not much more to say here, only that once you bite into this soft, juicy, and super savory bocadillo, you’re likely to order another one.

The post Madrid: The tastiest sandwiches in town for Cheapos appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Bakery sandwiches

Bakeries also usually sell sandwiches, which are typically “sub” style on a half or whole baguette. These are called bocatas or bocadillos. Expect to find bocatas with the following popular combos: ham with olive oil and tomato, Spanish omelet with olive oil and tomato, cheese with olive oil and tomato, dried sausage olive oil and tomato…

They don’t do the mustard and mayo combo here much, though you might come across the more standard American-style sandwich (called “sandwich”) in some bakeries. These will have mayo, lettuce and tomato, etc.

Bakeries are a good place to get cheap yet delicious and usually healthy breakfast and lunch food. You could also buy bread at the bakery and then grab some cheese at the market and make your own bocatas to take with you for the day. This is definitely the cheapest option.

A few bakeries I adore are:

Baluard
C/ Baluard 38
Barceloneta, Spain

The best bakery in Barcelona? Not sure, but it was ranked number two by Time Out. It’s fabulous, and on the weekends there’s a line out the door and down the block for its buns. They do bocatas, many sorts of breads, muffins, cupcakes, “pizza,” empanadas and a whole array of mouthwatering desserts.

BoPan
Various locations
Web site

With quite a few locations around town, this bakery is a bit more high-end, offering specialty breads and sweets.

Panadaria Paul
C/ Rosselló, 490
08025 Barcelona

One of my top-five bakeries in which to enjoy a coffee and a sweet raisin roll. It’s a love-hate thing, because Paul has caused me to break my diet routine many a time. Fresh baked bread, morning pastries, desserts with gooey chocolate and fresh berries.

Other options

While these bakeries offer something special, any bakery will do. Wherever you stay, there is sure to be a bakery nearby. If you don’t see one, ask the receptionist, as he probably has one close by that he likes!

I will never understand how Spaniards eat so much bread and sugar and stay so thin…. It’s a mystery.

The post Barcelona: Best bakeries for delicious cheap eats appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

And soon I was hooked. Still after all these years, my love for the classic French “sammiches” (as my musician brother Will says) is here to stay. And what’s not to adore? Individually wrapped, often in beautifully illustrated bags, they’re delectable, affordable and oh so portable.

So, as a nod to the upcoming picnic season and to New York Times 82-year-old street photographer Bill Cunningham, let’s pedal push wildly “On the Streets” of Paris, and find out what the best-dressed sandwiches are wearing this season. I’ll also tip you off to two of my favorite current joints for sandwiches—a café and a boulangerie. Relish that, Cheapos!

Jambon Beurre Gruyère (ham, butter and Gruyère cheese)

Tip one
Splurge-worthy: Café de la Mairie
8 Place Saint-Sulpice, 6th arrondissement (Metro: Saint Sulpice or Rennes)

Thank my sister Wendy for this discovery. During her recent trip to Paris, she’s the one who wisely suggested that we take a much-needed touring (and shopping) break at the Café de la Mairie, and I’m happy to report that the experience was a knockout win-grin.

I had photographed the café’s terrace-action for previous Cheapo stories, but I had never dined there. Truth be told, for the love of saving euros, I usually try to avoid the bars and cafés near tourist hotspots, and the Café de la Mairie is located in the heart of Saint-Germain, kitty-corner to Église Saint-Sulpice.

But to my surprise, the café latte with a Cantal cheese and butter baguette (pictured, top) wildly surpassed our expectations. Blame the attentive table service, dramatic skies, and the catbird seats under the big awning near a bustling bus stop, but the spontaneous moveable feast was worth every cent, down to the last drop.

While the coffee may have cost a tad more than at cafes located in less touristic areas, it was rich and hot, topped with a thick layer of foam. The substantial sandwich Wen and I shared? It cost just €4, and we sliced it down the middle. Dagwood in Paris experience? Priceless.

Who else found inspiration here? Henry Valentine Miller, Anaïs Nin, and Ernest Hemingway, along with F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saul Bellow, and Djuna Barnes. Let’s also add James Joyce, Samuel Becket, and Jean-Paul Sartre, but don’t forget Albert Camus, Edward Hopper, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Added bonus: After fifteen years of restoration work, the church of Saint-Sulpice across the square recently shed its scaffolding, and the view is once more a beauty.

Sunday night bread line at Le Grenier à Pain

Tip Two
Palace-worthy: Le Grenier à Pain
38, rue des Abbesses, 18th arrondissement (Métro: Abbesses or Pigalle)

Located in Abbesses, this is where I buy most of my baguettes and jambon-fromage sandwiches (ham and cheese with butter). Consistency, friendly customer service, and an eclectic house selection of breads, cakes, and pies are just a few of the Grenier boulangerie’s winning qualities.

Tip: If you spot the sandwich of your dreams but it doesn’t have crudités (lettuce and tomato), just ask, and they’ll happily add it.

Add award-winning to the mix, too. Handsome Boulanger Djibril Bodian won the 2010 “Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris” which not only earned him a sparkly medal and a wad of cash but also earned him the honor of baking bread for the Palais de l’Elysées (the French presidential palace) for one year! The annual award is based on aroma, honeycomb-like interior, and crust (which can never be too thin or too crisp). What makes Bodian’s bread so special? No shortcuts, long fermentation, and a dash of hazelnut!

By the way, the 2011 winner has not been announced yet. Perhaps the President and First Lady don’t want to lose their daily loaf from Le Grenier à Pain? Just guessing. Please stay tuned!

Baguette Thon Crudités Oeufs (tuna, lettuce, tomato and hard-boiled eggs)

Best-dressed list

And how are the baguettes dressed this season? Here are a few of my favorites. Take heed, they are dressed to fill!

Baguette Cantal Beurre (Cantal cheese and butter)

Baguette Jambon Beurre Gruyère (ham, butter and Gruyère cheese)

Baguette Thon Crudités Oeufs (tuna, lettuce, tomato and hard-boiled eggs)

Baguette Salami (salami and butter)

Baguette Poulet Crudités (chicken, lettuce and tomato)

Baguette Paté, Baguette Camembert (Camembert cheese)

Baguette Saucisson Sec (cured sausage)

Your favorite baguettes?

Do you have a favorite baguette sandwich? Share your experience in our comments section. And bon appétit, Cheapos!

The post Paris: The city’s best-dressed baguette sandwiches appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

For me, this sandwich embodies something special about outdoor food markets in Dublin. The farmer who raised that lamb somewhere in the country outside of the capital city was the one who had carved the tender, flavorful meat and made my sandwich by hand.

Ready to partake? Here are three outdoor markets worth visiting in central Dublin:

1. The Temple Bar Food Market
Meeting House Square
Saturdays 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Web site

The Temple Bar Food Market is the opposite of every sprawling outdoor market you’ve ever visited where nothing seriously enticed you. This market is densely packed into Meeting House Square in the center of Temple Bar. My advice is to arrive hungry, and do some nibbling before you commit to the Paddy Jack sandwich. Arrive early for breakfast, and try one of the sweet crepes and a mug of milky Irish tea. Biscuits and scones are also arranged in tempting piles.

After taking a stroll through Temple Bar, return to the market for two of the best delicacies in Ireland: cheese and oysters. Sheridan’s Cheesemongers is one of the best cheese shops in the city and they set up a stall at the market. John Mac’s Oyster Stall brings oysters that were harvested on Friday from the west coast of Ireland, in County Clare, and are devoured weekly by seafood enthusiasts. Don’t leave without trying the Paddy Jack sandwich – even if you have to divide it by two or three people.

2. The Mespil Food Market
Thursdays 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Web site

Some outdoor markets are all about food–but the Mespil Food Market adds atmosphere, too. This market is located in the leafy Ballsbridge neighborhood of Dublin–about a 15-minute walk through the Georgian district to the banks of a flowing canal.

On a sunny day, there is almost no better place to Dublin to take a seat and devour pizza, barbeque chicken, falafel, or even a second Paddy Jack sandwich. This market also specializes in sweets, so grab a cupcake for your walk back into the center of Dublin.

3. Smithfield Market
Sundays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Web site

Beyond the opportunity to taste local food, outdoor markets also offer the chance to explore new neighborhoods. The Smithfield Market will attract visitors across the River Liffey to the northside of Dublin, where the Smithfield Market takes over the largest square in the city on Sundays. If you happen to be in the city on the first Sunday of the month, you will be subjected to the tradition of the horse market in addition to regular market fare such as fresh fruit and baked goods. Unlike other markets, there is a picnic area here where you can relax (and devour) in comfort.

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