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 😉

Places: Mbabane & Manzini, Swaziland

Swaziland is a country many people have never heard of. It is surrounded on all sides by the much more popular tourist destinations of South Africa and Mozambique — but Swaziland has a charm all it’s own. If you want to escape the every day life of “western” civilization, Swaziland’s pristine natural beauty (and lack of McDonald’s) will certainly leave you in awe.

Getting To/From:

Unfortunately South Africa’s backpacker-oriented Baz Bus no longer travels to Swaziland but you can find plenty of cheap bus lines and mini buses going to both Mbabane and Manzini from major cities in South Africa (Johannesburg and Durban) and Mozambique (Maputo).

Hiring a car in South Africa is generally affordable, but keep in mind that not all borders between Swaziland and it’s neighboring countries are open 24/7 and can often be crowded. Make sure to be aware of any visa restrictions before arriving at the border. And be weary when driving in Swaziland as it is a common occurrence to be pulled over by the police and asked to pay a “fine,” which then goes into their pockets!

Budget Accommodation:

If you want a true “African experience” I recommend staying in the Sondzela Backpackers. This is budget backpacker accommodation at it’s finest — located in the heart of Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. You will have warthogs and nyalas right outside the front door, not to mention a swimming pool, garden, braai (bbq) area and bar! There is also limited free parking and once at the hostel, you are just a short walk from the Mlilwane rest camp.

Budget Dining:

If you are feeling adventurous, Swaziland has loads of street vendors selling food alongside the main roads in town, including the infamous “walkie talkie” — fried chicken heads and feet. That certainly is not for everybody though, but just like every other country Swaziland has convenience stores and supermarkets so you can cook your own food or have a braai. If you want some simple fast food, you can try Pie King, where for a few lilangeni you can get yourself a decent (by fast food standards) steak & kidney pie.

Shopping:

Visit the Manzini Market to browse through a wide range of African handicrafts, local foods and even household items. If you plan to buy anything remember that it is very possible to negotiate prices, but keep in mind that while a few dollars means nothing to you, it could easily feed a family for several days!

If you are in Malkerns you will for sure want to swing by Swazi Candles. They handcraft beautiful candles of all shapes, sizes and figures. They make for wonderful and unique gifts from Swaziland!

Entertainment:

Malandela’s House on Fire – this is the place to crack a cold beer and get into the true Swazi spirit. It is an open venue where you will hear music, spoken word, poetry or anything at all and dance until the wee hours of the morning.

Game Parks:

Mlilwane – This is the most laid-back of the Big Game Parks. It is ideal for people who want to spend their time horseback riding, hiking, bird watching or taking low-key game drives. All activities can be arranged at the main rest camp.

Hlane – Hlane is the park for the real adventure seekers — this is where you pre-arrange game drives in Land Rovers with a guide who will get you upclose and personal with lions, cheetah and elephants! I find this the least accommodating of the parks so it is best left for a day trip.

Stone Camp at Mkhaya

Mkhaya – This is my favorite of the three game parks. I recommend splurging for a night and staying in the stone camp. You are literally within the park so don’t be startled to see an antelope while you are on the toilet or find that a monkey has thrown your toothbrush on the ground! It isn’t a rugged as it sounds as you are provided with comfortable beds and linens, mosquito nets and your room is lit up for you each night with kerosene lanterns by the wonderful Stone Camp staff. Each night a buffet-style meal is served around a campfire which may include impala, wildebeest or other (non-endangered/over-populated) game. Your stay at Mkhaya must be pre-arranged, as they only have certain pick-up and drop-off times at the main gate. You will not be disappointed with your stay at Mkhaya!

Places: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

I first knew I wanted to go to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina when I discovered pictures of the Stari Most online (See bridge photo). It looked like a beautiful place and upon further research, and finding that it had been the most bombed city in Herzegovina during the Bosnia-Serbian war, I knew I had to make it there one way or another. I found it to be a wonderful city with friendly and welcoming people. Much of the city is still in ruins and as depressing and that sounds, it actually tells a story about life and history in this much unheard of city.

Getting To/From:

As far as I know you cannot fly into Mostar. Most people take a bus from somewhere in Croatia or Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. To get to Mostar I caught a bus from Dubrovnik that I found out about through this website Autobusni Kolodvor. As usual with traveling, the times on the website were incorrect and I had some waiting around to do but Dubrovnik is a great city for killing some time. The trip between Dubrovnik and Mostar takes about 3 hours and costs around $10 (or equivalent in Kuna). Leaving Mostar I caught a bus to Sarajevo and the scenery along the way was breath-taking! I highly recommend this journey!

Budget Accommodation:

I booked a shared room at Hostel Dino because it was cheap and in walking distance to Stari Most. The hostel lacked atmosphere but that could have been because the bar / kitchen area was under renovation and there were not many other guests that night. I booked Hostel Dino through Hostel Bookers and it cost around $13 per night. The location was good and it was very central but if I went back I would probably try to stay in the old town, just purely because it was adorable!

Free Things to Do:

The main tourist attraction of Mostar is Stari Most. Signs all over the city will point you in the right direction. To get there you will wind through the old town, filled with souvenir shops and cafes. Lots of photo ops will present themselves!

Best Time to Visit:

September / October. These months are just beyond the normal tourist season so you will find many more accommodation options and everything will be much cheaper but it is still warm enough to enjoy being outside.

* Side Note:

I was in Mostar in late September and was lucky enough to stumble upon a local indie rock music and art festival happening in the old national library in the city center which has never been fully restored. The entry to this festival was free and I got to experience Herzegovina nightlife at its finest – with locals, art and beer! There is a big University in Mostar so stuff like that frequently happens. Make sure to chat with the residents so you don’t miss out!

Places: Andorra La Vella, Principat d’Andorra

Andorra. Budget. Two words you probably will never hear in the same sentence. Andorra is a beautiful and tiny country tucked away in the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France. It is a country with no sales tax, making it a dream for both ardent shoppers and people wanting to hide their money from the government. Most people go to Andorra for the skiing but there are plenty of other things to see and do, especially if money is of a prime concern.

Getting To/From:

If you don’t have 3000 € for a helicopter ride into Andorra you can always take a bus. We took a bus from the Eastacio de Nord in Barcelona. We pre-booked tickets online through ALSA and they came to about 54 € per person with an open return. You can buy tickets at the station but it is cheaper if purchased in advance and with a return. You more than likely will not stop at the border when entering Andorra but you probably will upon re-entering Spain. Make sure to bring your passport just in case!

Budget Accommodation:

While many hotels in Andorra La Vella can cost upwards of 200 € per night or more, there is no shortage of cheaper accommodation options. Hotels.com or Booking.com are two great websites for searching for hotels, guest houses and even some higher-end hostels. You can filter your results for specific accommodation requirements and sort the results from low to high in price. I ended up finding a great deal on Hotel Siracusa on Hotels.com for only 30 € per night. The hotel was clean with recently-remodeled / painted rooms, had a nice location in walking distance to the main shopping street and our room was looking right over a beautiful roaring river.

Budget Dining:

You can definitely spend a day’s worth of earnings on one meal in Andorra but there are plenty of cheap options if you look in the right places. If you get off the main streets you will find small cafes and snack bars scattered through out the city. Restaurante Juventus offered one choice from the plates of the day + water or wine + dessert or coffee for 6 €. If you are staying in a hotel / apartment with a kitchen you can always cook your own meals – there are tons of supermarkets all over the city. If weather permits, go to the supermarket and buy a baguette, cheese, jamon serrano and a bottle of red wine and you have yourself a picnic meal for 2 for less than 10 €! It is also a good idea to stock up on snack foods if you are going to be in a car or on a bus for any length of time to avoid stopping at restaurants or paying for over-priced bus station food. Also, in Andorra the tap water is crisp and fresh so you can save a lot of money by not purchasing bottled water.

Transportation:

Andorra La Vella is tiny and I tend to walk everywhere so I walked around the entire city with no problems. Drivers were polite and almost always stopped at crosswalks to let us cross. It takes about an hour and a half to walk the entire length of the city. If it is too cold you can always catch a bus for just a few Euros.

Free Things to Do:

Everybody goes to Andorra to shop but if you don’t want to spend any money, window shopping can still be fun. There are loads of expensive jewelry stores, electronic shops and shops filled with everything under the sun, such as E.Leclerc.

The old town of Andorra is adorable and it is very enjoyable to just walk around and look at some of the old buildings and churches. Stop at a cafe / bar in the sun and have a beer while you are at it (though that might cost you a few Euros!)

Splurge:

The Caldea Spa, located at the heart of Andorra La Vella, is the largest mountain spa in Europe. If you want to splurge a little on your trip, the spa is a great way to relax and de-stress or heal sore legs after a day of skiing. Entrance to the Thermoludic area costs around 34 € for adults. If you want to save a little money, you can enter for the last 2 hours of the night at 9:30 P.M. or 10:00 P.M. for only 28 € per person. You then get a free locker and have access to a variety of thermal pools, jacuzzis, saunas and even a hammam. If you feel like taking your splurge even further you can get a 10-minute localized head, neck and back massage for only 15 €. If you want to save an extra 3 €, bring your own towel.

Sometimes it is nice to splurge on a meal, especially when in a place like Andorra! We ended up going to El Refugi Alpi, even though it had some pretty bad reviews on Trip Advisor, mostly relating to poor service and cold food. I really wanted a cheese fondue so we figured at least we knew the fondue wouldn’t be cold! The service was fine and the fondue was excellent. You also get free bread and olives as a starter so if you are really hungry you don’t need to buy any extra entrees. The cheapest bottle of wine was 15 € and we even ordered mojito sorbet for dessert so our bill set us back about 64 € – but hey, we probably will never be back in Andorra again!

*Fun Foodie Tip:

Most of the bars / restaurants served free olives that you cannot buy in a store. They were absolutely delicious! Unlike traditional olives, they were only partially pickled and sprinkled with sea salt and herbs. Be warned; they are addictive!