Though costume parties for October 31st are growing increasingly popular across the continent, most countries in Europe still do not celebrate Halloween in quite the same way as the United States does. Trick or treating has just not caught on yet.

To get your spooky fix on that next European vacation — whether on All Hallows Eve or any other time of year — check out one of these spine-tingling tours and attractions.

More spooky posts on EuroCheapo:

• EuroCheapo’s Spookiest Hotel Ghosts (7 photos!)
• Five haunted (and free!) spots in New York City
• Free haunted walking tours in NYC

Paris: The Catacombs

From the late 1700s to the mid-1800s, the remains of about six million Parisians were dug up from cemeteries around the city and reinterred in a central ossuary, known as the Catacombs of Paris, a site that should be on every traveler’s shortlist of must-see Paris attractions.

Visitors descend 130 steps beneath the Paris streets for a 1.2-mile trek through poorly lit passageways. Whoever designed the Catacombs definitely had a taste for the macabre: An engraving above the entranceway to the ossuary reads, “Stop! For this is the kingdom of Death,” and the bones are artfully arranged in mounds with scores of skulls on top that seem to stretch on indefinitely. Perhaps the creepiest thing about the Catacombs is the pile of bones at the street exit — the artifacts that visitors have tried to take home as souvenirs.

Details: 1, Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy. Admission is €13.

London: Jack the Ripper Tours

We may never know the identity of the UK’s most famous serial killer, but the legend surrounding Jack the Ripper still scares the bejeezus out of us. Tramping through the back streets of East London on a dark October night seems a fitting tribute to this grisly murderer.

Though many groups offer similar excursions, London Discovery Tours claim to have the “original” Jack the Ripper tour. With a published historian at its head, the company certainly promises a thorough background in the murders, the suspects, and neighborhood history. The two-hour circuit winds through cobblestone streets to point out sites where the victims lived and died.

Details: Tours start at the Aldgate East Underground station at 7 pm nightly. Reservations must be made in advance; the cost is £10 per person.

Exploring the spooky Underground Vaults in Edinburgh. Photo fw42

Edinburgh: The Underground Vaults

Many cities boast myths of people living underneath the streets, but in Edinburgh the legends are true. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, a veritable underground city of chambers, vaulted rooms, tunnels, and passageways existed below South Bridge. In these darkened, confined spaces thousands of people lived — and some say their spirits never left. Abandoned in the 1830s, the Underground Vaults reopened to the public in 1996.

Your guide into this underground world is Mercat Tours, who will lead you on a 1-hour and 15-minute tour of the haunted vaults.

Details: From October to March, Mercat offers tours daily at 3 and 5 pm. Reservations are £13 for adults.

Budapest: Nighttime Visits at the Labyrinth of Buda Castle (currently closed)

Located underneath Buda Castle, the Labyrinth is eerie enough in the daytime when it’s illuminated by electric lights. After dark, however, with only a lantern as a guide, the stone passageways are downright spooky. Personally, we’d steer clear of the Labyrinth of Love (where couples start at opposite ends of the maze and meet in the middle for a “romantic” rendezvous undisturbed in one of the chambers), but a Dante-themed program makes our skin crawl in a good way. Forty minutes alone in the darkened halls with visions of the Divine Comedy in our heads? Let’s not think about what demons may be lurking just around the corner!

Find your own way out of purgatory by booking your night tour in advance via the Labyrinth of Buda Castle website (hours and days vary by tour; the Dante tour is available Mondays at midnight, Wednesdays at 11 pm, and Saturdays at 5 am). Adult tickets cost 2,000 forints (about $9) and include one regular admission during daytime hours.

Note: the Labyrinth is temporarily closed and is undergoing government inspection — we hope it will be back open sometime soon!

About the author: Liz Webber is an associate editor at ShermansTravel.com, a leading site for hand-picked travel deals and expert destination advice.

The post Boo! Spooky places to celebrate Halloween in Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

We’re here to help, with a round-up of private tours that specialize in specific aspects of visiting the French capital. These guides are vetted and approved by us, and worth a little splurge in Paris.

Related: Free walking tours in Paris

Discover Paris

Explore Paris’ black history with Monique Wells. Tours focus on various black cultures that became part of Paris, including African-American culture during the early 1900s. Visit haunts made famous by Josephine Baker, Langston Hughes, and other notable black figures. They also have self-guided walking tours that you can download.

Walking tours last about two hours; email for prices.
Visit the website

Pedal through quaint French villages with an expert guide with French Mystique Bike Tours. Photo: French Mystique Bike Tours

French Mystique Bike Tours

There are numerous bike tours in Paris, but few actually take you outside the city. Bruce McAleer at French Mystique Tours takes small groups just outside Paris by train to bike the beautiful Parisian countryside, including small towns and chateaus. He also offers quirkier tours in Paris if you’d like.

Tours from three hours, from €150 for the entire group.
Visit the website

The Gay Locals tour will show you LGBT history in surprising places, like this plaque on rue Montorgueil. Photo: The Gay Locals

The Gay Locals

The Gay Locals offers gay or lesbian travelers (and their friends), an LGBT-focused tour that covers gay and lesbian sights, issues, and history beyond just the bars of the Marais. (Although tours hit up the bars, as well!) Private tours are available through one or several neighborhoods. (Note: Send me any questions about these tours, as I’m one of the tour guides for the Gay Locals.)

€350 for a 4-hour neighborhood tour for up to 8 people (including admissions and transit).
Visit the website

Ghost Tours of Paris

For something a little different, the team at Mysteries of Paris tour attempts to take a more frightful approach to the city. Ghost and vampire tours in the evening may be a good option for teenagers and those who might not care as much about history and cheese.

Groups up to 25, €25 per ticket (€20 when booked in advance online).
Visit the website

Take a cooking class or a tasting tour through Paris with La Cuisine. Photo: La Cuisine

La Cuisine

The team at La Cuisine started off with cooking classes, including one that tours a local market. But they also organize a food tours in Paris, including a sweets tour of the Marais and a tour through the old market district Les Halles. They also host a unique trip out to Versailles to learn how the royalty ate at this former royal palace.

Tours from three-hour shopping and cooking, from €95.
Visit the website

A group enjoying the tastes of the Latin Quarter food tour by Paris By Mouth. Photo: Paris By Mouth

Paris By Mouth

Few people can claim the culinary capital amassed by the team at Paris By Mouth. Their tours take visitors to the city’s most iconic neighborhoods, tasting along the way. Group and private tours are also available. Come hungry.

Three-hour tours (with tastings) from €95.
Visit the website

Reduced mobility travelers can book planning services or a tour from Paris for Seniors. Photo: Paris for Seniors

Paris for Seniors

Walking tours aren’t accessible to everyone, but this company thinks that sightseeing in Paris shouldn’t be physically daunting. Genevieve Spicer has created a company that helps reduced mobility travelers in Paris. From knowing how to get around, to hiring a car and a private guide, she can take care of it all.

Half-day tours from €400.
Visit the website

Running past the Eiffel Tower is just one of the highlights of Paris Running Tours. Photo: Paris Running Tours

Paris Running Tours

If you’re looking for both a city tour and a way to burn off those pastries, this company can help. Their experienced local runners will jog you around Paris, showing you some of the best sights along the way. Culture and calorie burning? Sign me up, please.

One-hour tours run from €55 per person.
Visit the website

Exploring a flea market during the Secrets of Paris tour. Photo: Secrets of Paris

Secrets of Paris

Heather Stimmler-Hall, the creator of Secret of Paris, is a Franco-American who has been touring the city for years. If you’re looking to get off the beaten track, she customizes every tour to your needs and expectations, so there’s no script that she’ll be rattling through.

Two-hour tours €250 (up to 6 guests); half-day tours €300-500 (1-6 guests), including admissions.
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Get up close to your favorite scenes with a tour from Set in Paris. Photo: Set in Paris

Set in Paris

Paris can often seem like a giant Hollywood back lot, with big productions shooting in the streets and sidewalks, from Funny Face to Midnight in Paris. Movie buffs might appreciate this tour company that focuses on visiting the scenes of some of Hollywood’s most memorable Paris scenes. They offer walks through different districts, and even offer the chance to design a tour based off your favorite movies.

Two-hour walking tour €20 adults, €12 children.
Visit the website

Go on a fun scavenger hunt through the Louvre with a tour from THATLou. Photo: THATLou

THATLou

How do you visit the world’s most visited museum? Why not with a specialized treasure hunt. That’s the idea behind THATLou (Treasure Hunt at the Louvre), where owner Daisy de Plume creates thematic hunts that put teams against each other while discovering many of the 35,000 pieces housed in the Louvre in an innovative way.

Private hunts (up to 15 people) €25 per person, public hunts from €18 per person.
Visit the website

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Enter Street Art London, a small operation run by some incredibly passionate guides who seem to know all there is to know about the city’s best street art. Tours are currently running on Saturdays and Sundays and cost £15.

Street Art London

I decided to give it a go and went along to one of the Saturday tours which start at Old Street station in East London at 11 a.m. I was surprised to find another 25 people shivering away and waiting for the tour to start, a testament to the fact that London’s street art really is worth seeing.

James Cochrane paints those he’s met along the way.

The tour changes, of course, depending on whether new pieces of art have gone up, if works have been buffed over by the council or even painted over by other artists.

A sticky start

I must admit, our tour didn’t start as I’d imagined. Our guides herded us across the road and we huddled around to squint at a new piece by Ben Wilson, a street artist who solely focuses on painting miniature artworks on chewing gum stuck to the pavement. Even if you needed a magnifying glass to see the minute detail, it was pretty incredible.

The tour wound its way around Hoxton and into Brick Lane, stopping at pieces by some of the UK’s biggest street artists like Stik, who’s simple yet strangely emotive “stik” people hover in doorways and high up on billboards all over the city. We even caught a glimpse of a few perspex-covered artworks by Banksy.

Roa’s monochromatic animals lord over abandoned buildings.

We were left open-mouthed as our guides explained that while the legendary Banksy has the support of the council, he has ruffled a few feathers with other graffiti artists who set out to deface his work as soon as a new piece goes up. It was these stories that really added color – finding out where an artist is from, what their background is and what their work stands for really brought it to life.

Bastardilla’s lively pieces really stood out, but more so when our guides explained they were a commentary on the diamond trade in her native Colombia. Australian-born James Cochrane’s multi-layered portraits of locals and people he has met on his travels perfectly illustrated the high quality of the art you can find on the street.

We were also treated to numerous pieces of awe-inspiring artwork by Belgian artist, Roa. Roa’s somewhat fantastical and larger-than-life monochrome animals grace the sides of derelict buildings and peer out of forgotten corners of the city, as though London’s underworld was being run by oversized storks and snoozing warthogs.

It’s easy to pass Pablo Delgado’s tiny works without noticing.

Making the streets fun (and fun of the streets)

Beyond these big statement pieces, the tour also opened my eyes to previously unnoticed humorous ideas that make walking the streets of London a lot more fun. Pablo Delgado’s miniature characters that reside on the very bottom of walls, Christiaan Negal’s mushrooms that sit on top of buildings, and the mysterious ceramic pigs that have started to appear in the city… They all seem to be smirking at the busy pedestrians, who mostly pass by without noticing. They brighten up the streets and, if you spot one, will make you smile.

In the end the tour lasted five hours instead of four, giving us our money’s worth. This was largely because the guides kept thinking of more things to show us. (It might be worth taking a snack with you as there is no break for lunch.)

Most importantly, the tour lets you in on a secret. It opens your eyes to what’s right before you in the streets of London.

For more information visit Street Art London.

Also in our guide: If you’re wandering the streets of London looking for a great affordable place to sleep, check out our London guide. All of our recommended hotels have been visited, inspected and reviewed by our editors.

The post London: A street art walking tour, from Banksy to Bastardilla 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.

Check out the atrium.

Now sporting a chic modern look that nevertheless manages to pay homage to her expansive Belle Époque days, Printemps’ new three-level atrium is finally open to the public. Window lickers (as the French call window shoppers—”lèche-vitrine”) of the world, unite.

Heads up, Cheapos! A special unveiling of the store’s newly-restored façade, along with its notorious holiday window displays, happens on November 12, 2009. And there are still more wonders are yet to come!

Équipe (“team”) effort

On the case is the Canadian architectural firm Yabu Pushelberg. (Toronto duo George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg were also responsible for New York City’s Tiffany & Co. Wall Street, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman’s impressive good looks.) No holds were barred, as roughly €70 million have been poured into Printemps’ extensive interior and exterior revamping. The rest of the project’s completion is slated for spring 2010.

A rather large bag.

Like a dream

Meanwhile you’ll be dazzled by the recently installed super-cool (and eco-friendly) LED lighting system that illuminates and opens up the heart of the store: the center atrium. Resembling an oversized Lucite box, this pleasing eye candy is decked out in slick marble, sleek bands of iced chrome, and live trees that sprout multi-colored handbags. Ma joie!

Jutting out between the bustling, zigzagging escalators are towering cubbyholes (three stories high) stuffed with shiny fab accessories, just enough out of reach to tantalize. But one can always dream, can’t one?

Don’t skip the loo, my darlings

Check out “the first luxury public toilets” by Point WC (as touted on their website). One euro buys you private seating in a water closet lit by rose-colored lights, and handsomely stocked with shocking fluorescent toilet tissues in pinks, greens, and blues.

Skip to the loo!

You can’t miss the €1800 price tag for the commode, but happily you don’t have to buy it to experience it! Cosmetics for touch-ups, souvenir rolls of toilet tissue, and even beverages are available at the Point WC welcome desk.

Yes, I know, life is good–and with flattering lighting to boot. So make a beeline! Stopping by the loo has never been more fun or stylish! (BTW, you’ll also find a Point WC at the Carrousel du Louvre.)

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With the oldest of the three, Humboldt, in the midst of a 200th-anniversary celebration, it’s a great time to get in touch with Berlin’s collegiate side. German schools aren’t really known for their wild celebrations, so don’t expect to stumble across raucous soccer matches or wild kegger parties while touring the two most visit-worthy campuses.

Instead, FU and HU boast historic buildings, memorable museums, ultra-contemporary libraries, and tasty, Cheapo-friendly “Mensas” (cafeterias).

Humboldt Universität zu Berlin

Founded in 1810 by the education innovator Alexander von Humboldt, HU is regarded as the first “modern” university because it offered courses in diverse subjects, such as chemistry and physics, in addition to standard classes on the humanities.

Since its debut, the university’s (now faded) halls have hosted dozens of star students and faculty, including the economist Karl Marx, the folklorists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and the physicist Albert Einstein.

A statue of Humboldt guards the central building (Unter den Linden, S-bahn: Unter den Linden), a gorgeous 19th-century palace on Berlin’s monument-studded main drag, Unter den Linden. After browsing the used book stalls set up in the front yard (Mon.–Sat.), pop inside the entrance hall to marvel at the marble-bedecked East Germany-era staircase. It features a gilded quote by Marx.

Stroll through the back courtyard to reach the university’s newest building. Designed by the Swiss architect Max Dudler, the streamlined Brüder Grimm Zentrum (Brothers Grimm Center, Geschwister-Scholl-Str. 1/3, S/U-bahn: Friedrich Str.) houses the university’s central library.

Freie Universität

Nestled in Dahlem (U-bahn: Dahlem Dorf), a leafy suburb southwest of the center, “the Oxford of Germany” is newer, bigger, and more highly-regarded than Humboldt. In fact, HU is still fuming about the fact that FU beat it out for a spot on the exclusive list of German Centers of Excellence, a distinction awarded to the country’s best schools.

In addition to its trio of fantastic museums—the Asian Art Museum, the Ethnological Museum, and the Museum of European Cultures—FU boasts an impressive library of its own.

Opened in 2005, Sir Norman Foster’s cerebral Philologische Bibliothek (Philological Library, Habelschwerdter Allee 45) is literally shaped like a brain. Step inside the so-called “Berlin Brain” to find a curvaceous central chamber that plays host to nearly a million books.

If you find yourself in need of a study break, head to one of the campuses many Mensas for a cheap and filling meal. The best of the bunch, the bright orange Mensa FU II (Otto-von-Simson-Str. 26), is right next door to the library.

The post Berlin Universities: Visit these famous institutions for free appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Not surprisingly, the city’s tourism industry doesn’t shy away from a little “Do-Re-Mi.” Movie-related reminders are available throughout the city (on chocolate and marzipan), a marionette show packs ’em in, and of course, more than one bus tour will shuttle you from sight to sight.

These “Sound of Music” bus tours are popular with the tourist set, as they offer audio commentary, an easy ride, and lots of photo-ops. The bus is especially convenient for reaching those locales outside the city, such as the lovely St. Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang, the rolling hills behind the opening credits. These tours can get pricy. Panorama Tours offers the four-hour “Original Sound of Music Tour” for €37 for adults ($53) and €18 for children ($26).

Do it yourself Sound of Music tour

However, you don’t need to take a bus tour to visit many of the locations used in the film.

The website Visit Salzburg offers a “do it yourself” Sound of Music tour, with background information on sights used in the making of the movie. Most of the locations listed are in central Salzburg, and many can be visited for free.

Their free walking tour includes the Nonnberg Nunnery (where the nuns sing “Maria”), Mirabell Castle and Mirabell Gardens (the place where Maria and the children sing “Do-Re-Mi”), and the Felsenreitschule and Festival Halls (the stage where the Trapps perform during the Salzburg Festival). For more information, check out Visit Salzburg’s website.

Salzburg’s tourism office offers additional “Sound of Music” locations on their website, Salzburg.info. Sights here include St. Peter’s Cemetery and Leopoldskron Palace. (Read the whole tour here.)

Also see: Our reviews of cheap hotels in Salzburg.

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