Not even the Ulmer Münster, the world’s tallest church steeple, was able to vanquish my enthusiasm for gaining a bird’s-eye view of every city I visited. (Although it did turn my and my host sister’s legs to jelly. Who knew going down those tiny, curvy staircases was as much of a workout as going up?)

While I no longer climb everything in sight, I still enjoy watching the workings of a city from on high. Berlin, London and Paris all offer visitors various options for getting above the fray. Here are some of my favorite views from the top.

Berlin’s high points

The Reichstag is at the, um, top of most Berlin to-do lists, especially for first-time visitors. When it was built in the late-19th century, the now iconic Parliament building towered over even the City Castle. After it was destroyed in World War II, the Reichstag was rebuilt in the ’60s, and its new, modern glass dome (added in the ’90s) has become a Berlin Landmark.

Today, due to security concerns, visits to the Reichstag’s dome are possible only with advance online registration. They are, however, free, and the building is open daily (with a few exceptions noted on the Web site) from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Alternatively, you can visit the top of Berlin’s Fernsehturm at Alexanderplatz. Open daily from 9 a.m. (summer) / 10 a.m. (winter) to midnight. Admission €12 for adults. Visit the Fernsehturm’s Web site for more information about planning a visit.

London high points

Tours of Big Ben are available to UK permanent residents only. Tickets must be requested in advance (allow 3-4 months) through the resident’s MP or MHL office. There are three possible visits per day, weekdays only (closed bank holidays). Admission is free.

The dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral has three galleries — one internal, two external — which allow for panoramic views of central London. Open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (last entry 4 p.m.), closed to visitors Sundays. Admission £15. Read more on St. Paul’s Web site.

Paris’ high points

Skip the long lines at the Eiffel Tower by booking your ticket in advance online at no extra cost. In summer, you may need to book your tickets at least two months before your intended visit. Open daily from 9 a.m. – midnight (summer), 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (other three seasons). Admission (elevators to all levels) €14.

If the views from the hillside of Montmartre still aren’t high enough, climb up the dome of the Sacre Coeur Basilica. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (winter) / 7 p.m. (summer). Admission €5. (Read our tips for visiting Sacre Coeur.)

Your favorite high points?

Do you have a favorite high place in Europe? Share with us in our comments section!

The post Our favorite “high points” in Berlin, London and Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Where to stay

Naples is full of affordable hotels if you know where to look. I spent one week in the Hotel San Giorgio, a three-star hotel by the train station that charged about €30 a night.

I was skeptical, too. Many reviewers online said the train station neighborhood, by Piazza Garibaldi, was too seedy and far from the action. The neighborhood, however, while not the most charming, is adjacent to the historical center and I never felt unsafe. Within 10 minutes I was at my favorite pizza restaurant and could indulge in a bottle of wine with dinner. It was clean, convenient, and comfortably close – and did I mention cheap?

Tip: Do a quick search on EuroCheapo for cheap hotels in Naples. Rates and availability fluctuate with the season, so check your dates and make sure that you’re not planning to come during high season.

How to roam

Naples is a great base to visit the surrounding area, which has enough destinations to occupy you for at least a week. The Circumvesuviana train, a regional line, will get you out to the Roman ruins at Pompeii or Herculaneum for around €6 round trip. To take the train all the way to Sorrento, the home of Limoncello, you’ll pay only €8 round trip.

Ferries out to the islands, like Capri and Ischia, can be trickier. The Naples Office of Tourism provides you with a schedule with no prices (ranging between €10 and €20 a ride), but be aware that there are two ports, one for expensive hydrofoil ferries (Beverello) and one for less expensive boats (Porta di Massa).

Even among the cheaper boats there are two different prices. There is no science to it, so get to the port at least 30 minutes in advance to figure out which boat you want, and know that the cheaper one does not take significantly longer to get anywhere and is a great way to enjoy the coastlines from the deck of the ship.

Eating in Naples

I can’t imagine coming to Naples and eating anything other than pizza. The native Margherita pizza, with tomatoes and mozzarella, sets you back between €3 and €5. No typo there. Just look for pizzerias that display “Verra Pizza Napoletana” to be sure you’re getting a real, traditional pizza – there are rules and the Italians aren’t kidding around.

Similarly, gelato and pastries are extremely inexpensive and you can eat copiously without heading repeatedly to the ATM.

Like Paris, coffee is always cheaper at the bar, where many Italians gather for a quick espresso and biscotti. If powerful tiny shots are your thing, you’ll fit in at the Napoli café counter and you probably won’t pay more than a euro for your coffee.

Attractions

In Naples itself, there aren’t many must-see attractions. There is no tower, cathedral, or museum that I was itching to enter. Instead, wandering around the city, you quickly realize that most monuments and buildings are free to enter. The Castel dell’Ovo offers great views of the city from up above, and it’s free to wander.

Atop the city, the Castel St. Elmo offers some of the most breathtaking views of the city, the ports, and Mount Vesuvius lurking in the distance. A man sitting at the entrance will direct you to a ticket booth, but the ticket is unnecessary. You can simply take the elevator on your left up to the top of the Castel and stroll the ramparts without entering the tiny museum that requires the ticket.

Museums and excavation sites at Pompeii and Herculaneum do cost money and unfortunately very few discounts are available, but with a €3 pizza for dinner, the entrance fees don’t seem so daunting.

Your budget tips for Naples?

Do you have any tips for visiting Naples on the cheap? Share with us in our comments section.

The post Naples Budget Tips: How to keep it cheap in Napoli appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Not too long ago, Umbria–with its rolling hills covered in vineyards and olive groves and topped by tiny medieval stone villages–was touted as the cheaper alternative to Tuscany (her neighbor to the north). This is not so true anymore, as this region in central Italy has begun to show up on more travelers’ radars and prices have risen according to demand.

That said, Umbria doesn’t necessarily have to take a Tuscany-sized bite out of your wallet. Be it shoe-string or tight, here are four tips to help you stick to your trip budget in Umbria.

Time it right

The chances of scoring deals on flights, accommodations and car rentals rise exponentially by choosing a “shoulder” season (those buffer months between high and low seasons). This doesn’t mean you are stuck with the dog-days of January; shoulder season for Umbria generally includes the months of March (and some of April) and November (and some of October).

The weather can be spottier than it would be at the height of summer–with cool, crisp days interspersed with some showers—so bring clothes you can layer, and make sure you have both indoor and outdoor sights on your itinerary so you can work around anything the weather might toss at you.

Stay in an agriturismo

You can hardly spit in rural Umbria without hitting an agriturismo, or “farm holiday,” which are scattered throughout the region. These working farms offer accommodation (and sometimes small restaurants) and are a great choice for travelers counting their pennies.

Rates tend to be lower than hotels, many offer self-catering apartments so you can do some of your own cooking, and if you’re lucky and time it right you often have access to a vegetable garden, farm-fresh eggs, homemade wine, and olive oil. You also have the chance to savor authentic country life with an Italian family… an experience no money can buy.

Bring home the bacon (or prosciutto)

While we’re on the subject of the advantages of an agriturismo, let’s talk food. With access to a kitchen, you can dramatically cut down your restaurant expenditures by cooking at home and preparing picnics to take along on day trips. If you’re worried about missing out on Umbria’s fabulous regional cuisine, don’t fret; this simple fare is founded more on fresh, local ingredients than fancy preparation techniques.

Take the time to wander through the region’s farmers’ markets, local butchers, specialty cheese, pasta, and bread shops and pick up a little culture along with your dinner ingredients.

Sometimes the best things in life are free

Umbria is particularly budget travel friendly because so many of its sights are free. Almost all major artworks and architectural treasures are in churches open to the public. Much of the region’s charm is in taking scenic drives through the rolling landscape, walks in one of the region’s parks, or simply wandering the streets of its numerous picturesque hilltowns.

Umbria also has a plethora of music festivals from spring through late summer, and many hold free concerts during their program. A stroll through sleepy Spello, a drive along the Nera river, gazing upon the iconic frescoes in the Basilica of Saint Francis, watching the sun set over Lake Trasimeno, dropping in on an open-air jam session in Perugia, a picnic on Mount Subasio: all unforgettable moments in Umbria that won’t cost you a cent.

About the author: Rebecca Winke moved to Italy from Chicago in 1993 and shortly thereafter opened an agriturismo in her husband’s renovated family farmhouse at the foot of Mount Subasio near Assisi, Umbria. She spends her time taking care of guests at Brigolante, blogging about the lovely region she now calls home at Rebecca’s Ruminations, and wondering about what strange winds blew an urban vegetarian to a farm in Umbria.

The post Umbria, Italy: Tips for budget travelers appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Walking leaves the discovery to you, and one of the best ways to get your bearings is to tag along on a walking tour. Paris has no shortage of private tour guides, and all sorts of themed tours are available (including the French Revolution-themed walking tour offered by “Paris Walks”, shown in the photo above).

Luckily for Cheapos, there are several companies that offer free walking tours, in which the guides work solely for tips. (Although it may seem odd not to tip a waiter in Paris but to leave money for a tour guide, that’s how these tours work.)

Here are three companies that organize well-known free walking tours in Paris:

City Free Tours

Duration: 2 hours
Reserve in advance: Yes
Website

City Free Tour has been offering a variety of two-hour tours in Paris since 2009. The knowledgeable English-speaking and expat guides cover the big sights like the Marais, Montmartre and Notre Dame. You’ll get acquainted with certain neighborhoods and you’ll have the expertise of your guide to point you on your way after the tour. Space is limited, so it’s best to secure a spot through advance reservations.

Sandemans New Paris

Duration: 3.5 hours
Reserve in advance: No
Website

Sandemans New Paris has been running their famous 3.5-hour free tour just about every day since 2004. The guides are known for adding a lot of personality to their tours, combining entertainment with history and culture. The tour is a great overview of the entire city, starting at the fountain of Saint Michel and ending by the Champs-Elysées.

No reservations are required, just show up at the meeting spot at the appointed time. The tours are free and, again, guides work on tips, but the company also offers several inexpensive paid tours, including a Versailles tour and one of Paris’ only pub crawls. English and Spanish are available for all tours.

Discover Walks

Reservation needed: No
Website

Still another company, Discover Walks, offers themed walks through Paris including a landmark tour and a Left Bank tour, all in English. They also offer a tour along the river that is ideal for lovers or those looking for love. Their array of native tour guides pride themselves on their local perspectives.

No reservations are needed unless you are coming with a group of eight or more. Just check the site for information, show up at the designated time and remember, again, that the guides work on tips.

Walking Tour Tips

Ask away: All of these tours offer great introductions to Paris’ biggest sights and most famous neighborhoods. You’ll get the layout of the land and, armed with plenty of information and know-how, you’ll be able to explore Paris like a local. In case anything doesn’t make sense, however, ask. The guides are there to answer questions and share information with you.

Dress comfortably: Remember to wear comfortable shoes and bring an umbrella. Tour guides expect you to stick with them, rain or shine, and stopping halfway through the guide’s speech on the French Revolution because your feet hurt is not appreciated.

Drink water: Also, make sure you hydrate, especially in the summer. Tours are usually not strenuous, but it can get hot in Paris, especially in the midday sun. Don’t be afraid to buy bottles of water for one euro from the men selling them out of buckets in the street. (Support the local economy, I say!)

Prepare for the sun: Finally, avoid burning by putting on some sunscreen and wearing sunglasses. There’s no real need to try to “fit in” by dressing fashionable when you’re on a tour. Be a tourist, be comfortable and worry about introducing your stilettos to the cobblestones later that night.

Your thoughts on walking tours in Paris

Have you tried any of Paris’ free tours? Do you know of any others? Share your thoughts and tips in our comments section.

The post Free Walking Tours in Paris: 3 tours for Cheapos appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Padova is famous for having been home to Saint Anthony, a Franciscan friar who lived in Padua for several years and died there on June 13, 1231. The remains of Saint Anthony are preserved in the Basilica of St. Anthony, the destination of many pilgrims from around the world and one of the city’s main attractions (see below).

Some of the sights I recommend visiting:

Loggia della Gran Guardia

On the corner of the road which leads from Piazza dei Signori to the Duomo, the true heart of the town rises. The Loggia della Gran Guardia got its name because this is where the Great Council used to meet after the fire of the previous hall in 1420. The elegant Renaissance building was designed by Annibale Maggi da Bassano. The building is commonly known as “Gran Guardia.”

The Palazzo della Ragione

Scrovegni Chapel

One of the masterpieces of international art, well worth a visit to the city, the Scrovegni Chapel stands in the ruins of the ancient arena in Padua (probably built between 60 and 70 AD). In the fourteenth century it was bought by the Scrovegni family, a wealthy Paduan family of bankers and usurers, and in 1300 the family began building their palace.

Between March 25th, 1303 and March 25th, 1305 the Chapel of Our Lady was erected by Enrico Scrovegni in memory of his father Reginaldo. The father, you see, had been condemned to Hell by Dante (in his Divine Comedy) because of his unfair business practices.

Giotto was given the task of representing a sequence of stories from the Old and New Testaments, culminating in the death and resurrection of Jesus and the Last Judgement. He wished to urge those who entered the chapel to meditate on Jesus’ sacrifice. The work was completed very quickly so that in 1305, after only two years of work, the chapel was decorated throughout and was consecrated a second time. Giotto work in the Scrovegni chapel is considered by many to be his masterpiece.

The Chapel is open only by appointment by booking on their website.

Admission charges: Full-priced ticket: €13, Museum ticket only: €10, Reduced-priced ticket: €8, Special reduced ticket €6.

Palazzo della Ragione

Palazzo della Ragione

The building of the Palazzo della Ragione helped revolutionize construction techniques and designs in the Middle Ages. The Palazzo is popularly called “Il Salone” (The Big Living Room). The great room upstairs was a miracle of architectural boldness and solidity. Palazzo della Ragione is situated in the center of a cluster of municipal buildings, including the palace.

Entrance from “Scala delle Erbe”, Piazza delle Erbe
Opening times: from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., closed Mondays.
Entry tickets: full tickets € 4, reduced € 2, free entry for children up to 6 years old and for people with disabilities.

Prato della Valle

Prato della Valle, one of the great symbols of Padua, is a great elliptical square, which aside from being the city’s largest square (88,620 square meters), is also one of Europe’s largest, second only to Moscow’s Red Square.

The elaborate design of the square was inspired by the great tradition of Venetian patrician gardens. The square is a monumental space featuring a central island green called “Memmia Island” in honor of the mayor who commissioned the work. The island is surrounded by a canal adorned with statues of famous personalities from the past. Today you can see 78 statues, along with eight pedestals topped by obelisks, while two are empty. Four lanes on bridges across the lawn meet at the center of the island.

Caffe Pedrocchi

In Padua, as in Venice, in the late 18th and early 19th century, many cafes were opened where people used to meet and read.

Antonio Pedrocchi in 1816 commissioned the famous Venetian architect Giuseppe Jappelli to expand upon the small coffee house he inherited from his father. In his plan the new cafe had to be the “fairest of the land.” It opened in 1831. For more information, visit Caffe Pedrocchi’s website.

Palazzo Zuckermann

The Palazzo Zuckermann houses the Bottacin Museum and the Museum of Applied Arts. Established in 2004, the new museum of Palazzo Zuckermann, opposite the Scrovegni Chapel, houses an extraordinary collection of over 2,000 objects, including hidden assets of the Civic Museums of Padua.

For visitor information, visit the Palazzo Zuckermann’s website.

Basilica del Santo

The Basilica of St. Anthony, known as “The Saint,” is the city’s most important religious center and attracts thousands of pilgrims each year. The Basilica is especially busy on June 13, the Feast of the Holy, when thousands arrive in the city for the famous procession. The enormous building presents a remarkable fusion of styles: Romanesque, Gothic Byzantine and Moorish.

For more information, visit the Basilica’s website.

Museum Cards

Padua offers two tourist cards that are intended to make your visit more convenient and affordable. They are:

PadovaCard

The PadovaCard grants admission to Padova’s major sights and monuments and offers discounted fares for parking and transportion throughout the city. For full details, visit the PadovaCard website.

Validity: 48 or 72 hours
Cost: €15  (48 hours), €20 (72 hours).

PadovaMusei

The PadovaMusei card offers admission to the city’s major museums. The cards can be purchased at museums and at Piazza Hermits.

PadovaMusei Family pass: 2 adults and 2 children under 12 years
Validity: 15 days from the date of first use
Cost: €25

PadovaMusei One-Year Pass (per person)
Validity: One year from the date of first use
Cost: Adults €15, reduced €12

Getting to Padova from Venice

Padova is situated just about 40 km from Venice, within easy reach by car or by train or by bus. The train journey is only 25 minutes from Venice Santa Lucia train station or from Mestre train station, a round-trip ticket cost about €6 and the trains are very frequent.

The bus journey is more pleasant, as you get to follow the River Brenta and you get to see amazing Renaissance villas on your way. The bus leaves from bus lane C4 in Piazzale Roma. Tickets costs about €8 and the trip takes about one hour.

The post Padova, Italy: An art-filled day trip from Venice appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Come on, Cheapos, walk this way!

Getting there

Along the Champs-Elysées

For instant gratification or if you’re pressed for time, get off at Metro “Place Charles de Gaulle.” But for the love of anticipation, take the Metro to either “Franklin D. Roosevelt” or “Porte Dauphine.”

Center of attention

Like a sympathetic angel in a Wim Wenders film, the Arc de Triomphe looks down on the city of Paris from her post on top of the hill of Chaillot. Located at the center of the heavily trafficked Place Charles de Gaulle, she is the key piece of L’Axe historique — a series of monuments that starts at the Sun King’s equestrian statue in the Musée du Louvre courtyard and ends in the outskirts of Paris at La Defense.

L’aimant (The magnet)

Although the Arc was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806, she didn’t reach her full regal glory until the 1860s when city planner Haussmann made her an urban center of attention. At 165 ft high and 150 ft wide, she’s the second largest triumphal arch on earth (a slightly larger one is an expanded replica in Pyongyang, North Korea).

Her domineering stature has made her the perfect staging ground for pageants, parades, and demonstrations. She’s attracted lovers, daredevils, and more than the occasional suicide.

View from the top.

Bit-o-history

Almost immediately after her completion, desperate women started throwing themselves off the rooftop parapet, climbing the 284 steps to reach it. Figuring out which police department to contact after one of these unfortunate events was often a major source of confusion for French officials, because the Arc de Triomphe sits at the juncture of four arrondissements and they had never clearly settled whether the departure spot or the point of arrival should be the determining factor in establishing proper jurisdiction.

In 1919, French aviators were somehow left out of the planning for the WWI victory parade. They were quite sore about it, so they decided at an impromptu meeting at Fouquet’s bar on the Champs-Elysées to “repair the affront.” Lieutenant Charles Godefroy was assigned to the task of rectifying the omission. On the 9th of August, he flew his Nieuport biplane through the womb-like arch with the greatest of ease, after practicing with a wooden replica of the same size.

It was a risk worth taking, as the aviators were never left out of any future celebrations. In fact, nowadays the French Air Force provides the finale for the Défilé militaire du 14 juillet (The Bastille Day Military Parade) the oldest and largest military parade in the world, which has been held each year in Paris since 1880.

This has been Theadora Brack! Keep on flying, Cheapos!

More info

Arc de Triomphe
Official website

Hours:
April 1 to September 30: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
October 1 to March 31 : 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Admission:
Adults: € 9
Reduced rate: € 5.50
Free: Children under 18 (and citizens of EU member countries under 25 years old), disabled visitors and unemployed visitors.

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