travelgourmet

I feel like a broken record, but try Priceline. Just got back from a weekend trip to Berlin yesterday, and paid $85 per night. For that money, we got the Movenpick, which is a step above what you would expect in that price range.

Oh... There is no better fast food than a doner kebab.

logos999

Gammelfleisch-Döner...

Maudie

Book marking

kgh8m

Travel on the subway and regional trains (S-Bahn and U-Bahn) is really easy in Munich. Even if you do not speak a word of Gernman, the stations are easy to navigate, the trains are easy to identify and maps are easy to find and understand.

Italian food is popular in Munich and very good.

One of the best things about Germany is its gorgeous scenery. If you can rent a car, it is worth it to get out into the countryside and take it in. In the Black Forest, you should make an effort to drive on some of the smaller highways through the towns and along the small rivers. The Rhine and Lake Bodensee are also beautiful. The rolling hills between Stuttgart and Munich are so peaceful - straight out of a pastoral landscape.

You can visit Neuschwanstein without taking the tour of the castle. The view, the hike up to the castle, and wandering around town are worth it even without the tour.

altamiro

Seconding Logos on the Sportverein restaurants. The food quality is usually excellent (quantity too ) and the prices are lower than anywhere in the city center. There will be not a lot of english spoken though - often not even high German, but mostly whatever local dialect is prevalent.
A multilingual menu is a sure sign of "too expensive for the quality they serve" - just one step below the menu with the pictures of food.

pittpurple

I found Munich to be one of the cheapest places to stay we've been. There are cafes on every corner that sell ready-made sandwiches (and pretzels with butter - my husband's favourite!). Pick up a couple sandwiches and some drinks and you can eat at the cafe or in the many parks or squares.

The S-Bahn and U-Bahn are cheap an incredibly easy to use. You can stay outside the city itself and be at the main square in a matter of minutes. We actually stayed by the train station which is really affordable.

The churches are gorgeous and are free (although we always leave something in the collection box) and they are all over the city.

kleeblatt

For an excellent hotel at a cheaper summer rate, book:

Mercure Hotel Berlin an der Charité
at booking.com

Summer special: 3 nights with breakfast: 240 Euros / per double room (not person!)

This is a modern, quiet hotel with 4 star breakfasts. I stayed there last year and would stay again.

bavariaben

If looking for real budget accommodations - stay out of the big cities - actually any size city. The best lodging bargains in Germany are apartments (Ferienwohnungen) and Zimmer Frei at farms in the rural areas. It is still possible to find a single room for less than $25 - doublerooms and apartments for less than $50. Farm families are some of the friendliest people in Europe and there is nothing quite like the atmosphere and Gemütlichkeit you will find on a Bauernhof. In my opinion - sitting on a flower laden balcony in the afternoon - enjoying a good German Bier or wine and cheese - watching the cows grazing in the meadow below - is one of the best vacation experiences to be had... Ben

http://www.bensbauernhof.com/

SiobhanP

Myself and other half have just returned from Munich last weekend. We stayed at the IBIS parkstadt for about 70 for a double a night. It is close to the metro and so easy and convenient. There are definately special rates on offer and its walkable to areas to eat if you like walking on Leopold Strasse.
http://www.ibishotel.com/ibis/ficheh...he_hotel.shtml

Its a newer IBIS and quite nice. Staff were so helpful and had great english as opposed to my brutal spoken German

Food - there is a market not far from Marienplatz that is like a farmers market and there are picnic benches in the side area where you can buy beer and sit outside with your big mug. We did this and I hit the food stalls and bought olives, sushi and nibbles to snack on at the table. Most people do this as well. i think its the Victuallier Market (Not spelled right I know!)

Great Falafel and Kebab places and very cheap. ALso German restaurants are good value as you get your dinner, veg and sie salad whereas in many european countries they charge for these as extra...at least they do in Dublin!

bmw732002

One of the best ways to SKI in Europe is to use the "Ski Packages' that the Hotels/Pensions offer that usually include, 2 meals and lift pass for 4,5 or six days.

By also using the shoulder season (before Christmas, and early January-Mid February) you will get the best rates for the area.

I also highly recommend the Bavarian Ben website (listed in a previous post). He has the spirit of Bavaria down pat.... along with the costs!!

RufusTFirefly

travelme--tcreath is correct. Many restaurant workers do not speak English, or their English is very limited. While a lack of English is very common outside of the big cities and popular tourist areas, it is also true to a lesser degree in the big cities--especially if you're in an area of the city that doesn't have a popular tourist sight nearby.

It's certainly understandable that someone who doesn't use a particular language frequently or hasn't had foreign language classes since high school or the even the 8th grade would not be especially proficient in the language.

Katie_H

Hi Salwa! I see you've finally dived in! This already has several good tips- keep them coming everybody.

rialtogrl

The Galleria department store in Alexanderplatz (Berlin) has a fantastic food department on the ground floor - lots of great stuff for picnics or stocking an apartment, and plenty of souvenirs (chocolate, mustards etc) - all for much less than you'd pay at the Ka De We food department.

Cowboy1968

It's probably already a know fact but Munich's beer gardens have a BYO food tradition. You can get a lot of great food there, of course, but you can as well bring your own sandwiches or snacks and eat them there.
But you have to buy the beverages in the beer garden! BYO beer is a total no no.

The sign which will tell you that you can bring your own "Brotzeit" looks like this:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Im...weisschild.JPG

Trophywife007

In Berlin, if you happen to be out by the Wannsee, stop at Lorretta am Wannsee. It's near the S-Bahn station on the corner of Potsdamer Chaussee. There is a biergarten and you can get a brat, potato salad, wine, beer, and even a crepe for dessert for very reasonable prices.

salwa_jabado

Thanks everyone for your great Euro-beating, money-saving tips! I am overwhelmed by all your great suggestions!

Cowboy1968, I think your tip bears repeating that along with finding a nice patch of park or “hotel room picnic” you can also park yourself at a beer garden and only add the price of beer to your picnic lunch. Of course, remember norrisken’s tip not to sit at a table with a tablecloth.

Thanks bmw732002 for the ski information and for the perennially good tip of traveling on the shoulder seasons.

I like the idea of the farm stay bavariaben. I was thinking about this for an upcoming trip in Vermont but it sounds lovely in Germany. I’m sure it’s a nice way to get to know a local family without doing the more traditional homestay.

I love the idea of swapping a ride on a tour bus for a public bus that traveller1959 suggested in Berlin (bus no. 100).

For those of you that have done the vacation rental, what websites have you used? Have you done a swap or a rental?

Thanks so much for all your wonderful tips! Keep 'em coming!

tcreath

SalwaJ, I usually use either vacationapartments.com or I just googles something like "cochem vacation apartments". The town websites usually have lots of information as well. For example, I found the vacation apartment in Schonau by using the search engine at http://en.berchtesgadener-land.com/e...1,nodeid,.html.

There are tons of ferienwohnungs all over Germany, and all of the ones I've stayed in have been lovely.

Tracy

tcreath

Sorry...thats www.vacationapartments.com.

Tracy

tcreath

Yikes! One more time I promise...

http://www.vacation-apartments.com/

logos999

And yes, there's no thing like a "Zimmer Frei". Zimmer frei simply means "vacancies". So when you say you were staying at a "Zimmer frei", you basically say "I was staying at vacancies" . Fremdenzimmer or Privatzimmer would be the correct words to use.