The best things on road are free...
... or really cheap. It is true that for traveling from the home town a certain budget is needed. However, here too some may argue I am wrong. Despite the fact that hitchhiking is not as popular (some would say safe) as it used to be there is still a bunch of people who move from point A to point B only by raising the thumb. I admit I did not make use of this method of travel a lot, so I'll leave the advice on hitchhiking to professionals. But when I look back on those few routes I've done through the wide world, my mind recalls pictures and memories of small pleasures, for which there was no need to dig deep into the pocket. Yet there are some great free services in big cities you should not miss.
Free sightseeings
Major European cities with many attractions and numerous museums in front of which accumulate snakes of tourists who are waiting patiently to peek into the past and are rather the rule than the exception. On top of everything high admission fees fill in the cash register quickly. But if you prepare before the journey, surf the internet a little and check what the site offers free, the wallet will be grateful. Take the case of Paris. The French capital is exhausted from superlatives, always sugary romantic, and full of spectacular views, crazy night entertainment and intellectual conversations in typical cafés. It is anything but cheap. A place for travellers, especially those under the age of 26 years who are looking for educational visits in museums and attractions, Paris is an excellent place. The vast majority of artistic and cultural treasures of the city on the Seine River are for those younger than 26 years from 27 European countries totally free. Many of the museums also offer free admission one night a week, on the first Sunday of the month and free access to the permanent collections. It is certainly worth to
check.
Free tours
When in the airport, train or bus station, ready for new adventures in never visited city, it is certainly interesting to discover its hidden corners on your own. But sometimes a short guided tour around the city can give a lot. Especially if the guide is well informed about the history and sights of the city and knows many local stories that cannot be forgotten. These guided tours of the city are often expensive, if not overstated. Also it is not easy to find good guide who will show you around the city in an interesting and attractive way. Proven solution in major European cities and Israel is an organization called
Sandemans New Europe that gathered a bunch of excellent, entertaining guides. They offer tours in London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Barcelona, Munich, Hamburg, Prague, Paris, Madrid, Copenhagen, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. For free. If you are satisfied with the work of fine young lovely guides, they will only collect voluntary contributions. The organization has a mission to provide travellers with professionally guided tours regardless of budget.
Small pleasures
It is not necessary to sit in the main square in the most expensive cafe and drink coffee for 10 euro so you could enjoy your vacation. Stairs in front of the magnificent Cathedral, the bench on the ever bustling market square, green meadow in the park in the middle of megalomaniac city, pier at which waves lap, the city walls from which there is a beautiful view... are the places where you can enjoy and experience the spirit of the city with refreshments from the local market. It is these small pleasures of life when the locals join for a small talk, when on a short walk love at first sight happen, when on the beach a freshly caught fish is being grilled ... This small things make travel so much better and fuller. Even Jean-Paul Sartre said that money does not have ideas and Antoine de Saint-Exupery added that money cannot create anything that would be worth living. Therefore, a brief browse on the internet, a short talk with the locals or just a crazy idea can enrich the journey and make it wallet-friendly.
And do not forget
