Three weeks ago today, I embarked on my first budget-friendly trip in Europe. My destination? Majestic Austria, one of the hearts of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, and backdrop of some of the most incredible, and historically significant, places you'll ever lay eyes on.
Vienna State Opera before the Rusalka performance.
Two university friends accompanied me on this adventure, and I was initially proud of my money saving abilities - until I noticed unforeseen expenses piling up.
I'll admit it was daring on my part to dedicate only four days to this marvellous country, but there's only so many vacation days a student can take close to finals time. From this day onwards, I swear by Easyjet and their restrictive ''one carry on luggage only'' policy. My itinerary for this intense weekend was:
- Thursday: Arrive in Vienna in the afternoon, go to the Airbnb, and catch ''Rusalka,'' a Czech opera, at the Vienna State Opera.
Inside of the Vienna State Opera, before Rusalka ripped my heart to pieces.
- Friday: Tours of the Schönbrunn and Hofburg palaces, as well as of Sisi's furniture collection. Also visited Karslplatz, Stefansdom, and a lovely Christmas market.
Karlskirche Cathedral in Karlsplatz.
At the entrance of Schönbrunn Palace - maybe I frequented its premises in a past life?
Posing with Stefansdom.
The one and only Hofburg Palace!
- Saturday: Day trip to Salzburg began at 6:00 AM, and made the most out of my Salzburg card by visiting Mozart's home (the one where he was born (known as Mozarts Geburthaus), Salzburg Museum, and the DomQuartier. Also explored the entirety of the town's gorgeous Christmas market, where I found beautiful mementos to bring back home. In the afternoon, I was whisked away by the Sound of Music Tour. We explored many beautiful sites where the movie was filmed, and heard interesting historical tidbits.
Eating wiener schnitzel in Central Europe's oldest restaurant, which Murakami by my side.
Salzburg at night - can I not go back to studying?
Channeling my sixteen year-old self during the Sound of Music Tour.
- Sunday: Visited the Schönbrunn Palace Gardens and the Belvedere Museum, where I saw breathtaking Gustav Klimt portraits (including his iconic ''The Kiss'' and ''Adele''), as well as Impressionist art by Pierre Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet. Following a rushed morning, I ran to the airport and caught my flight back to Geneva.
Had to snag a photo in the Schönbrunn gardens! Absolutely worth barely missing the flight.
Gustav Klimt's ''Adele,'' or the original femme fatale.
With Gustav Klimt's ''The Kiss,'' or an observation of human tenderness and longing.
Another captivating rendition of Eros and Psyche - breathtaking to see, especially after admiring the other sculpture in St. Petersburg.
Critical Thinking, or Time to Poke Holes
After an unforgettable first trip planned 100% by myself, I had to sit down and think, long and hard, about what I could've done better, or what I could've spent less money on. After all, I'm not generating any income, and as much as I enjoy exploring for the sake of learning, I can't cause my family to break the bank (graduate school struggles galore).
Here are some of my final thoughts, alongside the advice I promised earlier:
- Golden rule: Budget airlines such as Easyjet, Ryanair, Vueling and Air Europe are your best friends. Sure, they'll force you to bring close to nothing when you travel, but believe me when I say it'll be absolutely worthwhile. In the end, if you'll only be gone for three to four days, you'll only need two pairs of pants, five tops and one pair of shoes. Leave space for carry-on friendly toiletries, souvenirs and pesky airline regulations.
Or the airline with deceptively comfortable seats.
- That being said, you do NOT need that extra pair of shoes or pants. Bring the minimum, and prioritise pieces that don't need to be steamed/ironed and that match with multiple things. In terms of accessories, bring two multicoloured scarves that complement the aforementioned tops. When in doubt, neutral-coloured shoes are the way to go.
- Either download MapsMe, or find out the cost purchasing a temporary SIM card. For safety and practicality reasons, it's imperative to be communicated. My friends and I used a 72 Hour Vienna public transport pass, which allowed us to use the city's efficient public transportation all four days. When I visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, two years ago, I bought a temporary SIM card that lasted a week, and helped stay in touch with family, friends and conference organisers. Do some research ahead of time, and you might find a great deal for a card that includes data, minutes, and text for less than $50 for a week.
Save yourself from heart attack-inducing roaming charges!
- Take advantage of walking tours. Not only are they free, but it´s a great way to explore and stay safe while traveling solo. You'll be led by friendly local tour guides who know the city's history and best spots. These tours are generally two and a half to three hours long, though there's quite a few options out there that easily last close to half a day. In the end, it's expected that you pay your guide a tip for their service - it's the least we can do for their amazing service! Since they're volunteer guides, it's readily apparent how much love they put into their roles. You're probably wondering: how much should I tip if it's free? Simple: find out how much paid walking tours in the city you're visiting cost, multiple an individual tour's cost by 0.20 (or 20 percent) and voila! Why that magical number? Because it's the average number used to tip for excellent service.
- From research I've done for my upcoming trips, Sandemans New Europe, Strawberry Tours, Free Walking Tours, Good Vienna Tours and Free Tours by Foot are fantastic places to check for these kinds of tours!
- Do yourself a favour and use public transportation. As much as I love Hop On-Hop Off buses, my first mistake was paying for a pass since I didn't make the most out of it. If you only have one or two days, it's the best way to explore a city while learning about it, and you don't have to worry about directions since the bus routes are constant. My friends and I ended up using our public transport cards a great deal, and since we were only a fifteen walk away from Schonbrunn, and rather close to other important sites, we were able to explore on our own rather easily. Hop On-Hop Off buses work best when you don't have much time in a city, and need to crunch as much as you can into a day or two. My experience with City Sightseeing and Big Bus tours were really good. Besides, using public transport has the added advantage of glimpsing into the lives of locals and blending in.
- Mistake #2: Overpurchasing. I'll admit I'm a sucker for deals, especially when it comes to travel. However, I got too carried away for this trip, and bought packages I either didn't use, or didn't use to their full extent. Through this unnecessary set of expenses, I decided to adopt a strategy that I think will help you explore, learn, relax, and spend as little funds as possible.
Gabriela's Budget Travel Survival Kit
- Step 1: Use Skyscanner to hunt for the best flight deals. Easyjet, Vueling and Swiss Air are indisputable winners for me.
- Step 2: Research free walking tour options in the city you'll be visiting, and book one a day. You might think about doing more than one, but if you this, you won't give yourself the opportunity to take in the sights and relax. Exception: do one day and one evening tour.
- Step 3: Research the city you'll be visiting thoroughly, and pick a maximum amount of paid tours. If it's a four day trip, then choose one each day, for instance, so you can devote half of your time to it, and half of your time to the aforementioned walking tour. For Amsterdam, I´ll be doing a few free walking tours, but I pay to go into the Van Gogh and Anne Frank House museums, due to their historical and personal significance.
- Step 4: Research public transport card options for tourists. Big cities usually have generous packages, where you pay a fee in advance, and can either pick up your ticket at the airport or designated office, or have it shipped home. Before paying, they'll give you multiple options, with unlimited 24, 48 or 72 hours being the most popular. These will allow you unfettered access to all forms of public transport, and will save considerable amounts of money in moving around the city.
- Step 5: For lodging, I swear by Couchsurfing and Airbnb. The former allows you to make connections while lodging somewhere for free - however, don't expect it to be a hotel. The beauty of Couchsurfing lies in its community, which emphasises fostering friendships with travellers from around the world. You'll make time for your host, cook for them, and do the things any decent person should do when someone offers their home. In terms of Airbnb, its prices are many times comparable to those of hostels, with the added benefit of privacy, and being close to strategic places.
- Step 6: Food-wise, I'd recommend looking up traditional dishes, and finding good street food spots. In countries like Japan, street food is some of the best around, and will cost a fraction of what'll find in restaurants.
- Step 7: Stay communicated! If you'll be traveling a lot, a data plan that includes roaming and text throughout Western Europe and other EU countries is the way to go. Otherwise, buying a temporary SIM card will save you from the astronomical fees that come with unforeseen roaming charges.
- Bonus: Travel with purpose! There's many opportunities that allow travellers to do short term volunteering. Not only is it a great way to meet locals and travellers, but you'll contribute, even if just a little bit, to the city's people, and learn about the struggles it faces.
