Budget Travel: 3 Cheaper Alternatives to Popular European Destinations

Good day to you, travelers! As I'm impatiently waiting for my another adventure to start, working my a** off to be able to afford all my plans and watching the snow fall behind the window, I'm taking out this short article from my drawer.

This post was originally written for an internship I was applying for but then it was never published anywhere. And I think that would be a shame. So I'm bringing you the new and improved article about cheaper alternatives to popular European destinations and hoping you enjoy the virtual trip :)

Whether you're planning a getaway to the mountains, the seaside, or a city, the possibilities are endless. But your budget usually isn't. Here is a thought: what if you exchanged popular (and expensive) European destinations for cheaper (but just as charming) ones? I compared European mountains, Baltic seaside and Central-European cities and here is what I found.

Copenhagen, Denmark VS. Gdańsk, Poland

Historical city by the sea? Yes! The city of Gdansk has been founded in the 10th century and bears a rich history, which is very clear as the Poles like to keep their historical storms in mind. This city is where World War II started and its traces are still to be seen in places that look like parks when, in fact, they used to be streets. The Poles have repaired the city perfectly and now it offers beautiful streets, cozy cafés and tiny amber and souvenir shops.

The heart of the city lies by the river Motlawa & Wisla, the Polish national river, and you can book a boat tour including beautiful views on the old town, the port, and the dockyard. The latest holds another important historical memory: the beginning of the end of Communist supremacy in Poland in 1989. Back in the town, you can visit the basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with its tower, a lookout at 80 meters high, which offers unique views of the whole city.

Polish beaches are among the most beautiful in the world; the whole, nearly 500 kilometers long seaside, is covered by white sand and detached from the rest of the world by pine trees and grass-covered sand dunes. Although it tends to be windy, the Baltic Sea and its beaches are getting warmer and friendlier every year, thanks to global warming. The warmest water is usually in Gdansk Cove and tends to be less windy than the open beaches in the west of the country. The sea's temperature is around 20-22 degrees in summer so it gets pleasant to swim in.

The Dolomites, Italy VS. Tatra Mountains, Slovakia

The range is smaller than the Alps but is the highest (and steepest) of the Carpathian arch. The Tatra mountains offer many mountaineering trails and many kilometres of well-maintained hiking trails, from very short and easy to reach spots such as Popradské Pleso, to very demanding trails through mountain passes at 2200+ meters above the sea level, such as Bystrá Lávka or Prielom. The transport around the mountains is made very convenient by a cog & electric railway system operating between mountain settlements that spread through 2/3 of the range. The ticket cost is 14€/week (discounted prize 7€) and allows unlimited transport for the time.

In many valleys, you can find chalets built by the tarn lakes that are scattered all over the range. 4 of them are only accessible on foot and supplied by local “Sherpas” who usually bring around 50-100 kilograms of products on their backs. Above the chalets, the nature gets wilder and even more beautiful. It is not unusual to spot a chamois or other wild animals (including bears, but those can be seen even in lower places).

Tatra mountains offer many attractions such as ski slopes, cableways, boat and bike rentals and much more. Hotels & Airbnb offer wellness experiences and swimming pools in locations such as Štrbské Pleso, Starý Smokovec & Tatranská Lomnica.

More about this beautiful mountain range coming later in 2023 as I'm planning on revisiting in summer. ;)

Vienna, Austria VS. Brno, Czechia

Although Vienna is the former mother of Central-European cities (thanks to the historical Austrian-Hungarian Empire), many other cities are just as beautiful, only not that big. One of those cities, and only 140 kilometres north from the city-mother itself, is Brno. Located in beautiful Southern Moravia region, it offers many things to do both in and out of town.

Unlike Vienna, Brno is built on hills, giving a breath-of-nature vibe, and a feel you are not actually in quite a big city. One of those hills is occupied by St. Peter & Paul’s Cathedral; the second by Špilberk Castle. The cathedral is built on former city walls which are now turned into a park, which is widely used by students and young people to meet, talk, have a beer or go on a date.

The old town is small but offers many restaurants, bars, and shops. Since Brno is the home of 5 universities, you can find great student spots, which are unbelievably cheap and/or offer great deals on food, drinks of cultural events.

North of the city, you can spot hills that do not look special at first sight but hide the biggest cave system in the country: the Moravian Karst. You can visit 5 caves rich in karst formations of which the most popular is Punkevní Cave, connected to the Macocha abyss and the underground river Punkva. South of the city, you will arrive in the biggest wine region of the country. Here you will find many wine cellars that you can stay at and visit the hills of Pálava or the beautiful town of Mikulov.

So which of these destinations would you like to visit the most? Let me know!

Note: Not all of these photos were taken by me. However, I have the right to post them, including for commercial use.