Best Values for Westerners in Eastern Europe

The global economic downturn may have its upside: with people around the world nervous about where (or if) their next paycheck might be coming from, the tourism business is experiencing some tough times. Meanwhile, the value of the US dollar is going back up, now that the cost of energy is taking a temporary break and a new president seems poised to help the US reclaim its status in the world economy. All of these factors add up to an excellent time for Americans and Canadians to find alternatives to North American vacation destinations. Here are a few places in Europe that are off the beaten track, but which are excellent bargain locations.

Hungary

When the average westerner thinks of Eastern Europe, chances are dirty street orphans and totalitarian dictators may still come to mind. However, since the end of the Cold War, these countries have been gradually reclaiming their histories and their rich cultures. Budapest, Hungary, for example, was once considered the “Paris of the East” and is of course much cheaper to visit than the “Paris of the West.”  Hungary is moving towards both NATO and the EU, trying to quickly modernize their Soviet-era systems and attract tourists again. A hostel bed in Budapest runs in the $14 to $26 per night range; a double room is only $65 to $100 per night.

Romania

For those who prefer Bucharest to Budapest, relatively decent places to stay can run as low as $12, meals as low as $5, and an all-day Metro pass for about fifty cents. A bustling city of 2.2 million, Bucharest is filled with museums, galleries, music clubs, and symphonies.

And for those who would rather avoid the hustle-bustle of the city, don’t forget that Romania is home to the original Count Dracula. Although Bram Stoker himself never visited Transylvania (which became part of Romania after the First World War), he deemed through his research that it was a good setting for the bloodsucking Count. The twelfth century town of Bistritz and the villages along the Borgo Pass are favorite Romanian destinations for Dracula fans.

The Czech Republic

Prague is one of Europe’s most celebrated cities – rich in culture and heritage, known almost as much as Paris for its cafes and Bohemian atmosphere (it should be known for its Bohemian atmosphere, seeing as it is in Bohemia!). Prague is also one of Europe’s oldest cities, originally settled as early as 200 BC. As the “threshold” to Europe (the Czech word “prah” means threshold), Prague has always been a diverse place, filled with Czechs, Germans, ex-pats from the west, and, before World War II, with a strong Jewish population, as well.

The good news is that the beautiful city of Prague, as well as the rest of the Czech Republic, can be a bargain destination for Americans and Canadians traveling Europe. A train ticket from Prague to virtually anywhere within the country, for example, can be purchased for as little as $12. Wine lovers can attend a 12-bottle tasting in Valtice for only $19, and bike lovers can rent a bike to tool around on in the Czech countryside for $25 per day.

Be careful: prices in Prague are often twice as expensive as the prices in the smaller towns and villages. Why not make Prague a day trip, but make base camp somewhere nearby?

All in all, these European destinations may not be for everyone, and they may not be London, Paris, or Florence. But they provide Americans and Canadians with an international adventure at a very reasonable price.

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