If you think travel is expensive, maybe you should just choose a different country. If you don’t know which one, don’t worry! We have prepared for you 5 budget countries with approximate prices for food and transportation, as well as a list of popular attractions you should visit there.
- Bulgaria
- If not to the sea, where to?
- Tips for a trip to Bulgaria
- Hungary
- What else can I see in Hungary besides Budapest?
- Travel Life Hacks for Hungary
- Georgia
- What to do in Georgia other than wine tasting?
- Our must-see in Tbilisi:
- Tips for traveling to Georgia
- Average prices:
- Poland
- What to see in Poland?
- Tips for traveling to Poland
- Serbia
- What cities to visit other than Belgrade?
- Tips and tricks for traveling to Serbia
Bulgaria
Most tourists go to Bulgaria in summer. Here they are attracted by the Black Sea, good service and reasonable prices.
The best resorts of this country are:
Sunny Beach – the largest resort in Bulgaria;
Kranevo – famous for its mineral springs;
Obzor – a resort between Burgas and Varna regions;
Golden Sands – a resort, which is located in a national park.
Bulgaria is actively developing the tourism industry of the country, so in any of these or any other resort you will find accommodation affordable. By the way, it is a myth that there are no 5-star hotels in Bulgaria. Every year the country is trying to attract more and more tourists, so the number of hotels in this category is constantly increasing.
If not to the sea, where to?
We advise to visit Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral there, Rila Monastery, which is located in the mountains, the seven Rila Lakes of glacial origin, Tsarevets Fortress and the Bulgarian town-reserve in Veliko Tarnovo, the museum city of Nesebar, part of which went under water, but tourists can still observe it, Belogradchik Rocks – rock formations of unusual shape, recognized as a monument of nature.
Tourists are also attracted by Kamchia nature reserve, situated 25 km from Varna, the Belogradchik fortress and cliffs on the northern slope of Stara Planina Mountain, Pamporovo winter ski resort and Vitosha mountain massif.
Tips for a trip to Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, rent a car, because many of the sights can be visited either on it, or by taking a tour of the local firms.
Remember that nodding your head in Bulgaria means “no” and shaking your head from side to side means “yes”.
Forget about the fact that Bulgaria is a relic of the Soviet Union. This is a European country with good service, excellent hotels, quality products and good roads.
Average prices:
- Lunch/dinner in a mid-priced restaurant/café for two: 18 – 48 €
- McMenu at Mcdonalds: 4,74 – 6,52 €
- Cappuccino: 0,6 – 2,4 €
- Cheese (1 kg): 4,15 – 10,7 €
- Apples (1 kg): 0.6 – 1.8 €
- Bottle of water (1.5 l): 0.4 – 0.9 €
- Local transportation ticket: 0.6 – 0.95 €
Hungary
Hungary is a Central European country with the capital Budapest. If you still have not been to this city, you must visit it. Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Its main attractions are the Hungarian Parliament building, Buda Fortress, Szechenyi Lido, Fishermen’s Bastion, St. Stephen’s Basilica and others.
What else can I see in Hungary besides Budapest?
About 100 km from Budapest is Lake Balaton, near which there are many hydrogen sulfide springs. Also visit the famous Lake Heviz. It contains radon, potassium, calcium, magnesium salts, iodine, hydrogen carbonates and other trace elements. The Aggtelek National Park with more than 200 karst caves, the thermal baths of Miskolc-Tapolc, St. Adalbert’s Basilica, the promenade of Tagore and others are popular among tourists.
Travel Life Hacks for Hungary
On March 15, August 20 and October 23, admission to almost all Hungarian museums is free.
In Budapest, tours in English start at 10:30 and 2:30 p.m. in Erzsebet Square. They are free, but do not forget to leave a tip. You can read more on the Free Walking Tours website.
In Budapest, it is best to stay in apartments. Because of the large number of apartments, the price is lower than for hotels.
Do not change money at the airport. It is better to use exchange offices or banks in the city.
If in Budapest you plan to travel by public transport, it may be more advantageous to buy Budapest 24-hour travel card for one day or Budapest 72-hour travel card for three days.
Average prices:
- Lunch/dinner at a mid-priced restaurant/café for two: 22.2 – 55.5 €
- McMenu at Mcdonalds: 4,15 – 5,55 €
- Cappuccino: 0.7 – 2.2 €
- Cheese (1 kg): 4,1 – 10,8 €
- Apples (1 kg): 0.64 – 1.66 €
- Bottle of water (1.5 l): 0.22 – 0.42 €
- Local public transport ticket: 0.83€ – 1.11€
Georgia
A country of excellent wine, juicy khinkali, immense mountains and hospitable people. Well, and Borjomi, of course. If you are looking for a budget country to travel to, you will definitely like this option.
What to do in Georgia other than wine tasting?
Start your trip with Batumi or Tbilisi. Batumi is most often chosen by tourists for the sea in the summer season. What to do in this city? It’s banal – eat enough khinkali and khachapuri, walk around the square “Piazza”, ride a bike on the waterfront, visit botanical gardens, climb the Alphabet Tower and go back to the beach to sunbathe and swim.
If you are planning a sightseeing tour of the country, we recommend you to start your trip from Tbilisi. Unlike Batumi, there is a lot to see there.
Our must-see in Tbilisi:
The Chronicle of Georgia, a monument depicting the entire history of Georgia. Its scale is impressive, as is the view.
The Legvatakhiev Waterfall in the center of Tbilisi.
Rezo Gabriadze Puppet Theater with a special clock mechanism.
Peace Bridge on the Mtkvari River, which connects the old and new cities.
Mtatsminda Park is the highest point in Tbilisi, which has everything for your leisure: attractions, restaurant, cafes, stores, recreation areas and more.
We also recommend to visit Narikala fortress, Mtskheta city, Uplistsikhe (“Fortress of God”), Borjomi city, Ananuri fortress, Trinity Church (for those who plan to go to Kazbek) and Kumistavi cave.
Tips for traveling to Georgia
To avoid being charged by cab drivers, call for a car through an app. Yandex Go, Bolt, and Maxim work in Georgia.
If plane tickets to Tbilisi are expensive, look up the price to Kutaisi. That city’s airport is just gaining popularity. From there you can easily get to Tbilisi by public transport. You can also look at departures to neighboring countries, where a bus ticket to Georgia can cost pennies.
Don’t mix Georgian drinks. During the meal, drink either wine or chacha, but not together.
Average prices:
- Lunch/dinner at a mid-priced restaurant/café for two: 13,7 – 32,9 €
- McMenu at Mcdonalds: 3,8 – 5,05 €
- Cappuccino: 0.55 – 2.33 €
- Cheese (1 kg): 2,2 – 6,3 €
- Apples (1 kg): 0.4 – 1.4 €
- Bottle of water (1.5 l): 0.2 – 0.4 €
- Local transportation ticket: 0,14 € – 0,27 €
Poland
This is one of the cheapest countries in Europe, which tourists visit at any time of year. In winter, Poland is great for skiing, offering resorts such as Zakopane, Bukowina Tatrzańska, Kolobrzeg, and others.
In between skiing, try some Guralski cuisine and local Polish alcohol (for those who like to warm up with something stronger). Take a trip to Sea Eye Lake, considered one of the most beautiful lakes in Poland. And also relax in the warm mineral water. For example, in Zakopane popular swimming pools “Termy Bukowina” and Chocholowskie Termy complex, which help not only to spend time with the whole family, but also have a therapeutic effect on the body.
What to see in Poland?
In autumn and spring tourists explore the most popular cities in Poland: Warsaw, Krakow, Gdańsk, Poznan and others.
The main attractions of Warsaw are: the palace and park complex “Łazienki Royal”, the Old Town, Castle Square, the Market Square.
In Krakow, tourists are attracted by the “Dragon’s Cave”, Wawel Castle, which is considered one of the symbols of Poland, St. Mary’s Church and St. Stanislaus Cathedral.
In Gdansk tourists go to see the old town, the Gothic town hall, St. Mary’s Church, the Polish Maritime Museum, the gate-crane “Zuraw” – the largest medieval port crane in Europe. Also 50 km from the town is the Gothic castle of Malbork, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A further suggestion is to visit the castle at Moszna, 35 km from Opole. During evening tours to the castle are held various theatrical performances: knights tournaments, theme parties, aristocratic balls with the possibility of renting costumes.
In summer you can plan active vacations in popular cities, vacations with your family in the mountains or a few days at the Baltic Sea.
Important! At the Polish border you must have a travel health insurance policy, which is able to cover medical treatment in Poland. If you do not have it, you need to present a sum of money in the amount of not less than $100 per day of stay or a bank account statement opened in Poland.
Tips for traveling to Poland
In order to travel from one city in Poland to another on a budget, use the services of low-cost bus carriers FlixBus or Neobus.
Get reliable insurance in Poland or any other country in just a few clicks on our website.
If you arrive in the country unprepared and don’t know what to visit, find a tourist information center in town. They will give you a free map with the main tourist attractions.
You should buy tickets for public transport at the newsstands near the stops. Bus drivers often do not accept fares and can easily give you a ticket if you do not have one.
If you are going to visit museums, find out whether they have free days. You may be able to save money that way.
Average prices:
- Lunch/dinner at a mid-priced restaurant/café for two: €17.4 – €43.55
- McMenu at Mcdonalds: 4,35 – 5,45 €
- Cappuccino: 1.1 – 3.26 €
- Cheese (1 kg): 3,9 – 9,8€
- Apples (1 kg): 0.45 – 1.2 €
- Bottle of water (1.5 l): 0.3 – 0.65€
- Local public transport ticket: 0,45 – 1,1 €
Serbia
This country is not a popular tourist destination, but, believe me, there is also something to see. And compared to other more popular European countries, it is really cheap.
Start your trip with Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Its main attractions are the Belgrade Fortress, the National Museum of Belgrade, whose main collection consists of 400 thousand objects of art, Nikola Tesla Museum, and the Church of St. Sava.
Visit also the National Parks of Serbia: Tara, Djerdap, Kopaonik, Fruska Gora, Shar-Planina. Note that there you can do not only hiking, but also mountain hiking, trekking and winter sports.
The Serbian culture includes motifs from different countries, as it has been developed under the influence of both East and West. So, those who are interested in the cultural heritage of the country will be especially pleased with monasteries in Serbia. The most popular are Žića, Sopočani, Gradac, Đurđevi Stupovi and Studenica.
What cities to visit other than Belgrade?
We suggest that you also visit:
Novi Sad, which is located on the banks of the Danube. This is where one of the National Parks of Serbia – Fruska Gora is located.
Subotica, a colorful city, which is located almost on the border with Hungary.
Nis with its main attraction – Nis Fortress.
Tourists are also attracted by Djerdap gorge, open-air museum Sirogojno, Resava cave, Sargan eight, Golubac fortress and canyon of Uvac river.
Tips and tricks for traveling to Serbia
Serbia’s national currency is the dinars. Take Euros on a trip, you can easily exchange them during the trip.
As souvenirs from Serbia take cheese, prsut, ayvar, Yugoslav souvenirs, coffee and coffee utensils.
The best time to visit Serbia is mid-September. This is the time of grape harvest and wine festivals, the exact date of which should be specified when planning your trip.
Average prices:
- Lunch/dinner at a mid-priced restaurant/café for two: €12.75 – €38.25
- McMenu at Mcdonalds: 4,25 – 5,53 €
- Cappuccino: 0.7 – 2.15 €
- Cheese (1 kg): 2,55 – 7,65 €
- Apples (1 kg): 0.4 – 1.12 €
- Bottle of water (1.5 l): 0.34 – 0.6€
- Local transportation ticket: 0.5 – 1 €
Whatever country you choose, take care of your safety and take out overseas travel insurance. Just a few clicks on our website, a couple of minutes of your time, and you have the guarantee that in case of an emergency, you and your loved ones will be taken care of. Also, if you’re planning to travel by car, you’ll need Green Card car insurance to enter Europe. We took care of saving your time and developed the Premium package, which includes not only health travel insurance for a tourist, but also the Green Card for your car. Try it!
