Travel to Europe for $2,000 or Less

Have you always wanted to travel to Europe but are intimidated by the amount of money it would take? Well fear no more! With this post A Boi Goes hopes to communicate just how fiscally savvy you can be when planning a European adventure so you enjoy a wonderful vacation without making your wallet sweat. Follow the steps, recommendations and tips below to get started on your travel plan. We will be using a real, ten-day sample trip as a budgetary guide for you to follow as you read.

1. The Idea...

Have you ever been at work and you get asked the millionth question of the day, answer the upteenth email or just wish your butt wasn't in an office chair? Well, maybe it's time for a vacation. Reward yourself for all of the hard work, productivity and capitalistic sweat that now stains your sanity with an adventure that won't break the bank.

Ok...dramatics over. Whatever inspires you to take a trip - be it work stress or just the love of travel - the initial idea can be one of the most exciting parts of the journey. Start asking yourself these questions so you can plan a worthwhile trip for you!

1. Where do you want to go?

2. What do you want to see?

3. Why are you taking this trip?

4. When do you want to go?

5. How do you want to feel when traveling?

All of these questions will affect your planning and are important to ask yourself BEFORE you leave. Not to sound too millennial, but the vibe of the trip will greatly impact your experience. And yes, much of the vibe is influenced by the place, people and present moments occuring on your trip, but you'd be surprised by how much agency you actually have on the mood of your adventure. So plan smart!

Our sample trip answers the questions like so:

1. Where do you want to go? Barcelona, Spain Toulouse, France, Paris, France & New York, USA

2. What do you want to see? Old friends, museums, holiday markets & the beach

3. Why are you taking this trip? To unwind from work, admire different cultures and see old friends

4. When do you want to go? Winter holidays (travel off season)

5. How do you want to feel when traveling? Relaxed and unencumbered by itinerary

Continue reading to see how to bring this trip to life!

2. The Transportation

Let's think about how we want to get to Europe from our current location. For the sample trip we are beginning in the US, and for the sake of budget we will not be taking a boat. As much as I wish to live out my Titanic and Life of Pi dreams (minus the sinking on both accounts) ship rides tend to be pricey and more time consuming. One day!

Airplane it is. Looking for flights can be a drag and depressing, but if you approach the process with plenty of time before your trip it can be exciting and fun. Start looking at least 3 months before you travel! Begin with an initial google search for flights during the pocket of time you want to travel. In this case, we searched for flights from the US to Spain for the first week of December, which is the "off-season" for western European travel; hashtag cheaper! Initial searches give you the average roundtrip prices for various airlines to and from your locations.

Here is where you need to get savvy.

Chopping up the trip into multiple one-way flights can definitely save you money. It will take some time. Time you feel you may not have. But if you replace an episode or two of your favorite bingeable show in the evenings for airline deal searching or search flights during your lunch break instead of scrolling on social media, you'll have the time.

The average price for a roundtrip ticket from Albuquerque, NM to Barelona, Spain with one layover is $980. Blowing half of our budget on two flights won't do. But, by playing the chop and change game, we were able to travel to Barcelona from Albuquerque and from Paris back to Albuquerque for $553. This figure will be less and less the closer you live to a large airport near the east coast. If you are closer to the west coast like A Boi Goes headquarters, traveling across mainland America can take a minute and cost a pretty penny. Here is our flight breakdown. All of these flights were found as one-way tickets.

Albuquerque, NM ---> Newark, NJ: $98

Newark, NJ ---> Barcelona, Spain: $175

Paris, France ---> New York, NY: $202

New York, NY ---> Albuquerque, NM: $78

It may have taken longer to find and purchase all of these flights individually but it saved us more than $500! Think of all the lovely things you can do, see and buy with those extra funds.

Notes: There is an element of risk when you do not buy all of your trips as one roundtrip. If a leg of your journey is delayed, canceled or you miss a flight, then there is a risk of the rest of the trip falling apart. To ensure this doesn't happen. Book the separate flights with plenty of time between them. Also, amenities are sacrificed for cheaper flight prices. You will have less baggage carry-on options, less leg room and less meal options with these cheaper flights...but hey, you're going to Europe. Prepare some flight-friendly snacks and stay in an Airbnb with a washing machine. Now a crappy in-flight meal and having to pack less clothing isn't a drawback!

Money spent so far: $553/$2,000

3. The Accommodations

Where you stay when you travel greatly impacts your trip. Period. We could be whimsical and say that wherever you stay will be magical because you're on the trip and can just explore and not worry about where you're sleeping that night...but no. Let's be honest. Where you sleep, rest and keep your belongings is hella important! You want to feel safe. You want your belongings to be safe. You want to relax.

Now, everyone's idea of safe and relaxing is different, so just be mindful of what that means to you when you're booking accomodations.

Let's talk about three different places to stay. There are hotels, hostels and airbnbs. A Boi Goes is a huge advocate for well-researched, reputable hostels because they encourage diverse socialization and can be quite charming. Airbnbs are a stellar choice for experiencing local domesticity and immersing in unique locations. Also, if you would like to have a place to cook and do laundry, Airbnb can be a solid choice. Hotels can be luxurious and convenient if you find a discount but can be pricey and lack some of the accommodations of the other two if you don't find the perfect room.

On this sample trip, A Boi Goes stayed in a hotel, an airbnb, a hostel and with two friends. Here is the cost breakdown of our stays per night on a ten-day trip.

Night 1: (Newark, NJ) Mojoy Homesuites at Runyon $74

Night 2-4: (Barcelona, Spain) Rodamon Barcelona Hostel $76 ($38/ night in 8-bed dorm)

Night 5: (Toulouse, France) Damien's Centre ville Studio Airbnb $44

Night 6: (Toulouse, France) Friend Julien's House! Thank you Julien! $17 (treated him to a drink and meal as a thank you)

Night 7: (Toulouse ---> Paris) Overnight bus $95 (seems expensive BUT you get to sleep - ish - and also travel at the same time)

Night 8-9: (Paris, France) Bastille Hostel $138 ($61/ night in shared double room with private shower)

Night 10: (New York, NY) Friend Anya's House! Thank you Anya! $10 (treated them to coffee and a pastry as a thank you)

Total money spent so far: $1,007/ $2,000

Notes: I know that two of the ten nights were spent at friends' homes and that this is a privilege not everyone will be able to utilize. What I can offer up is the following:

1. Increasing your nights spent in one accomodation can result in a reduction in the nightly rate.

2. If you're dedicated to staying under the $2,000 budget then consider a room-in-home option on Airbnb, shared hostel rooms or lower priced/ safe hotel rooms.

3. See ONE MORE city and take another overnight bus, flight or train to a destination.

3. The Food, Fun, etc.

This area of travel is where your wallet can get quite a cardio workout. Between public transportation, meals, drinks, museums etc. you could really rack up an extra-curricular bill that makes you question if you really needed that fifth chocolate croissant, daily bottles of water or VIP ticket to that cool museum. Below is a cost breakdown of the daily snacks, meals, activities and public transportation the A Boi Goes team did, ate and took. This list may help you plan activities and meals that are adventurous and budget-friendly alternatives to expensive tourist traps.

Day 1:

🍎- Pre-packed homemade bread, pre-packed baby carrots $4

🍔- Airport veggie smoothie from Keva Juice $7

🍔- Panera Bread Salad ordered with Doordash promo code from favorite Podcast $18

👟- Lots of flying and reading and napping in airports

🚃- Bus from Newark airport to hotel $3

Day Total: $32

Day 2:

🍎- Mixed fruit and coffee from hostel's complementary snack bar - FREE

🍔- Various tapas and snacks from the Boqueria Market $16

🍔- Rocambolesc Icecream Shop (dessert for dinner!) $9

👟- Sagrada Familia Christmas Market $7, free sightseeing, Gaudi Museum $35

🚃- Bus ride from hotel to Newark airport, two metro rides $6

Day Total: $73

Day 3:

🍎- Mixed fruit and coffee from hostel's complementary snack bar - FREE

🍔- Brunch & Cake by the Sea! $34

🍔- Self-made meal with groceries from local supermarket $11

👟- Los Bunkers hike with a friend (epic 360 degree views of Barcelona at the top)

🚃- Bus ride $3

Day Total: $48

Day 4:

🍎- Mixed fruit and coffee from hostel's complementary snack bar - FREE

🍔- Potluck dinner at a friend's house (brought wine) $16

🍔- Self-made meal with groceries from local supermarket $11

👟- On foot exploration with friends and solo, sea shell search on the beach, dancing to street music

🚃- Four metro rides $12

Day Total: $39

Day 5:

🍎- Mixed fruit and coffee from hostel's complementary snack bar - FREE

🍔- La Boqueria Market...again $16

🍔- Monoprix supermarket salad $14

👟- Traveling to Toulouse, getting settled into Airbnb, exploring Toulouse waterfront

🚃- Cab ride from train station to Airbnb $11

Day Total: $41

Day 6:

🍎- Cafe soup du jour and tea $15

🍔- Market snacks and mulled wine $22

🍔- Dinner and drinks with a friend $27

👟- Holiday market, much needed nap, Botanical Gardens & Museum de Toulouse $7

🚃- Walking, walking, walking - FREE

Day Total: $71

Day 7:

🍎- Cafe soup du jour and tea...again $15

🍔- Fancy boi lunch with friend $45

🍔- Supermarket snack prep for overnight bus ride $12

👟- Socializing and free sightseeing

🚃- 3 metro rides $9

Day Total: $81

Day 8:

🍎- Hostel breakfast bar $5

🍔- Fancy boi meal is a museum $39

🍔- Supermarket salad bar and drink $15

👟- Musee d' Orsay ticket, walk in Parc Monceau, walk in Champs Elysees $18

🚃- 4 metro rides $12

Day Total: $89

Day 9:

🍎- Hostel breakfast bar $5

🍔- Cafe plat du jour and drink $13

🍔- KONG Bar, Restaurant & Club $58

👟- Nerdy self-made carousel tour of Paris (love me some carousels), night club visit with friends, Rocky Horror Picture Show performance $14

🚃- 4 metro rides $12

Day Total: $102

Day 10:

🍎- Hostel breakfast bar $5

🍔- Supermarket snacks $10

🍔- Airport salad and drink $28

🍔 - Dinner with a friend $36

👟- Lots and lots of travel

🚃- 1 Parisian metro ticket, 1 NYC subway ticket $6

Day Total: $75

Food, Fun, etc. Total: $651

Total money spent so far: $1,658/ $2,000

4. The Wrap Up

Wow! What a trip, haha.

You may notice that the money spent so far does not add up to the total budget. How observant of you. This is because travel always - ALWAYS - comes with unexpected costs and pricey dilemmas. This trip left the A Boi Goes team with around $350 of cushion/crisis spending, which served us well when it came to expenses like airport parking fees, unforseen pharmacy visits (the common cold strikes at the best of times), wardrobe fortification (btw, Paris is always colder than expected in winter) and international ATM withdrawal fees. After all of that the actual total money spent was...

$1,941/ $2,000

A Boi Goes hopes that your European adventure comes in under budget, as well. Feel free to use this post as a rough guide or a play-by-play itinerary. Travel prices fluctuate daily and deals must always be sniffed out to keep a trip under budget, so get to searching as early as possible and reach out to A Boi Goes for additional information on low-cost travel. The travel sites that helped make this trip possible are listed below. Give them a try or explore reputable resources that work best for you. A word to the wise: scams are a thing! Don't trust every deal you find and do not send money or give personal information to shady sources.

Where are you going in Europe? Where do you dream of going? Was this guide helpful? We would be thrilled to hear about it all! Make sure to give this post a like, comment or share with a travel-loving friend. And as always: travel smart, travel safe, travel proud.

Mentioned Accomodations and Featured Activities

Accomodations:

Mojoy Homesuites at Runyon, NJ - http://www.mojoyhomesuitesatrunyon.us/

Rodamon Hostel, Barcelona - https://www.rodamonhostels.com/barcelona-hostel/

Damien's Centre Ville Studio Airbnb, Toulouse - https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/47145138?adults=1&children=0&infants=0&location=toulouse&check_in=2023-02-03&check_out=2023-02-10&federated_search_id=6ecb6dc2-3c09-4f06-ab30-5fc40d8e0304&source_impression_id=p3_1657232498_QAWNytDvQ%2FMoecfM

https://www.bastillehostel.com/

Activities:

La Boqueria market, Barcelona - http://www.boqueria.barcelona/home

Icecream! Barcelona - https://rocambolesc.com/es/

La Sagrada Familia Holiday Market, Barcelona - https://irbarcelona.org/christmas-barcelona/sagrada-familia-christmas-market/

Brunch by the Sea restaurant, Barcelona - https://brunchandcake.com/

Los Bunkers history, Barcelona - https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bunkers-del-carmel

Toulouse Museum & Botanical Gardens, Toulouse - https://www.museum.toulouse.fr/

Musee d'Orsay, Paris - https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en

Paris Holiday Market information, Paris - https://www.parisdiscoveryguide.com/paris-christmas-markets.html

Kong Bar & Nightclub, Paris - https://www.kong.fr/_en