Places: Glasgow, United Kingdom

In terms of budget travel, the United Kingdom is a relatively expensive country to visit. Scotland, however, can be much more affordable than other major UK cities such as London, if done properly.

The Scots are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet and between pub-hopping, getting fish & chips take-a-way or exploring one of the cities many artsy cafes and tea rooms, you are bound to encounter many a smiling Scot.

Getting To/From:

Glasgow Prestwick Airport was basically set up to service the budget airlines such as Ryanair. I learned a *VERY IMPORTANT TIP* about taking a train from Prestwick to the city centre: DO NOT PURCHASE TICKETS IN ADVANCE. (Buying tickets in advance generally works in your favor — this time it is not the case!) If you purchase your tickets from the conductor on-board, with a valid airline boarding pass you get 50% off a one-way ticket. A ticket to Central Station cost £3,60.

Budget Accommodation:

Just as any major city, Glasgow has a wide range of hotels, hostels and guesthouses to fit every budget. Here are two recommendations:

easy Hotel Glasgow – This easyJet brand of hotels is exactly like the airline: low cost and no frills or gimmicks. The rooms are clean and very standard but be expected to pay for any extra services such as borrowing a hair dryer or using the television. At the reception desk you can pick up coupons for discounts at several of the local restaurants and cafes.

Rennie Mackintosh Hotel (Central Station) – This budget hotel is located on the same block as Central Station, so a perfect location if you plan on traveling around Scotland. Rooms are the Rennie Mackintosh have much more character than the above mentioned hotel and come with complimetary water bottles and cookies with tea and coffee. The best thing about the hotel: Free Scottish breakfast every morning including regular and vegetarian options and a cold buffet of cereals, yogurt, toast and jam. A double room cost around £32 per night.

Budget Dining:

You will quickly learn that Glasgow is all about food at your [frozen] fingertips. There are kebab and takeaway shops on nearly every corner. Sausage or bacon rolls run £2 or less on average. Scotland is not known for their health foods but if you look in the right place you can find salads and even vegetarian bean burgers.

Driftwood Bar is the place to go if you don’t want to spend a lot of money and are sick of Scottish breakfasts and fried foods. Driftwood serves a full Mexican menu of delicious dishes such as burritos and fajitas. They always offer 2-for-1 specials and well drinks for just over one pound.

One excellent tip if you are staying in an expensive city is to book a hotel or hostel that includes breakfast in the price. Having a free breakfast at your hotel can save you at least £8 per day.

Budget Activities:

West Brewery is located in the scenic Glasgow Green (which is free and worth taking a stroll through). If you are not up for taking a tour, you can at least sit at the bar and try a few pints for under £5 per glass. I recommend their top beer St Mungo!

Ashton Lane is a quaint little street filled with restaurants and bars — certainly a place for the young university crowd to hang out. Drinks can be a little on the pricey side, but if you are a student with a valid student ID, many places offer very good discounts on drinks.

Places: Nice, France

While the French Riviera is not exactly the ideal place to travel when on a tight budget, you can still manage to have a great time without spending a huge chunk of change. With it’s beautiful turquoise waters, famous Niçoise salad and soupe de poisson and the vibrant and bustling Vieille Ville (Old Town), Nice — the most popular holiday destination in the French Riviera — provides nothing short of mega sensory overload!

Getting To/From:

Because Nice is a major European holiday destination, it isn’t the cheapest airport to fly into. Many budget airlines do fly there, however, such as easyJet and Vueling. Taxis in Nice are not cheap so I recommend taking the airport bus for 4 €, which will take you on a route along the beach and ending near the Old Town.

You might also chose to arrive at the gare Thiers (main train station located in central Nice) from Marseilles, Monaco or Genoa. If you plan to spend several weeks or months in the French Riviera and will be traveling by train frequently, it is worth applying for the ZOU! card. It costs around 30 € and is good for 50-70% off all train fares within the defined PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) region.

Budget Accommodation:

Hotels in Nice are expensive so your best bet when staying in the city is to book a hostel or find a room / apartment for short-term rent on Airbnb. My personal favorite hostel(s) in Nice are the Villa Saint Exupéry Gardens and Villa Saint Exupéry Beach. The gardens hostel is further out of the city but easily accessible by tram and is situation on top a hill in an old monastery — very ideal if you are looking for a quieter stay. The Beach Hostel is centrally located, close to train and bus stations and has a very lively bar at night. Both have a great happy hour deal of 1 € beers and offer free breakfast of 10+ types of cereals, toast with jam and coffee and teas.

Budget Dining:

On almost every street corner in Nice you will find a boulangerie (bakery) where you can get cheap croissants, baguettes or what ever fancy pastry your heart desires. Pair that with some meat and cheese from the local supermarket (Casino is the most affordable supermarket), and you have yourself a very cheap “French” meal!

If you look in the right places you can find inexpensive cafes, kebab shops and pizza places all over the city. Pizza Pili makes quality pizzas for as little as 6 €. You can even find some local delicacies on a budget — moules et frites (mussels and fries), Niçoise salad and fish soup — just make sure to stray away from the main tourist areas!

Free Things To Do:

The lovely village of Èze

Hitting up the beach in Nice is an obvious decision to make. The main beach is great but if you want a little privacy for sunbathing “au natural,” I suggest heading slightly east of the port to a beautiful and more private area filled with rocky cliffs and mounds, where you can easily claim your own private sunbathing cliff if you arrive early enough in the day.

Visiting the medieval village of Èze is a must-see attraction while staying in Nice. It will cost you a few Euros to get there and back but the breathtaking scenery from a medieval village overlooking the French Riviera will make it all worth while. If you feel up for a nice hike, take the bus there and then hike down where at the bottom you can catch a train back to Nice. This trail was done many times by Nietzsche and you will quickly see why he spent so much time there.

Entertainment:

Nice doesn’t have the wildest nightlife on the French Riviera (Cannes is better suited for that) but there are several bars and clubs worth noting for a night out in the town. Most bars and clubs close around 2 AM.

L’Abat Jour is a good underground (literally, it is underground) electronic music club located in the Old Town.

On Wednesday nights join some of the younger expat crew for Quiz Night at Snug And Cellar in Old Town and also enjoy some pretty decent pub food while there.

For a more alternative experience, Le Volume often has local bands playing everything from metal to reggae. Le Volume is located on Rue Defly, as is in walking distance from Old Town.

* Important Tip:

When taking the tram in Nice, always make sure to validate your ticket! If you get caught on with no ticket or an unvalidated ticket you will be fined 40 € on the spot! They accept no excuses — trust me, I learned this the hard way 😉