European City on a Budget of 1200USD in 4 Days
 

Hi guys, I'm planning to travel to Europe this Sept 25- October 1. However, I haven't figured out which country I would go to. This is my first time to travel alone internationally. I'm a female 26 years-old.

I have 3 cities shortlisted:

1. Prague
Airfare is more expensive than Paris
Hostels and food is cheaper than Paris

2. Paris
Airfare is cheaper compared to Prague
Hostels and food are more expensive than Paris
Have some friends who went there already so it's easier to get some tips

3. Munich (particularly Fussen)
Airfare is cheaper than Prague, similar to Paris
Don't really want to spend time in Munich so I have to travel further to Fussen
Expensive City

I really want to see castles like a lot of people do. However, I'm very much aware that due to the budget and time constraint, I can only go to one city. Can anyone please help me which place would be best to go for a newbie like me? I mean, I'd very much appreciate if you'd share your opinions which city is more easy to navigate.

Paris, if you have to choose only one go to Paris, you won't regret it.

If the price excludes airfare but includes hotels and other expenses, then you can do any of the three cities if you budget carefully. If the price includes airfare, you can't do any of the three cities on this budget.

But for castles, I think Munich is a much better choice. There are many actual castles within a short trip, and you can do everything by public transit ... and you can also go to either Switzerland for a day-trip or Salzburg for an overnight.

In Paris, you can see Versailles, but that's not really a castle. Prague has a wonderful castle, and there are a couple of other places you can get to easily, but nothing like Neuschwanstein.

the budget excludes airfare :-) I had an impression that it's hard to go around Munich especially after I read that hostels there are expensive.

I think you could do any of these cities for $1,200 (depending on where you're traveling from) so go where you want to go. If your primary interest is castles then you would need to travel outside cities. I would vote to fly into Munich for the famous German castles.

All of these cities are easy to navigate - you only need a map.

How do you know Fussen is expensive? Could it be more expensive than Paris?

<< the budget excludes airfare >>

If the budget excludes airfare why are you worried about expenses????

That's $300 per day! I think you're loony. I keep reading your post to make sure I read it correctly - let me know if I made a mistake. I sure wish I had $300 per day to spend.

Last year I went to Poland for 2 weeks and spent $1,500 for everything (including airport taxes for FF ticket). Poland is more expensive than France and Germany but not more expensive than the Czech Rep.

I meant Munich is expensive compared to Paris right? kinda had that impression while reading Rick Steve's book. A bit apprehensive too because of the schedule- Oktoberfest. It might be hard to find rooms.

You can't believe everything Rick Steve says. I can't compare Munich and Paris but I think Frankfurt is cheaper than Paris so I can't imagine that Munich would be more expensive.

The truth is I actually looked up tours and found this one:
http://www.europeancastlestours.com/tours/bavaria.htm
and when I saw the prices as well as that description from Rick Steve's book about being expensive -that's when I got the impression that you need more.

Oh well- so much for Rick Steve. Now gonna do some research again on hostels in Munich as well as some other guided tours. Thanks for the enlightenment...
BTW, any of you guys have suggestions which site or blog that can give me an idea which hostel to stay and itinerary suggestions?

When you said $1,200 for 4 days you never mentioned going on a tour. Look at hostel world or hosteling international.

You need to go to the library and get some guide books and start there. The Let's Go series is for budget travelers and will give lots of info on hostels.

You can also join the thorn tree forum where there is more of a hostel crowd.

thanks for the help- really appreciate it :-)

Hi Nad,

You have about 225E pd to spend. That is not budget.

For someone your age, my suggestions would be, Prague, Paris and Barcelona, in that order.

((I))

Fussen is not a city - it's a small town. And IMHO anyone would be bored with a vacation consistsing of just Mad Ludwig's castles - which are incidentally modern - not old. NOT the vacation for a young person.

If you have not been to paris ever I would do that - since it has by far the most to see/do. And you could see the Louvre and Versailles - both palaces, not castles, but much older than Neuschwanstein - easily.

If you want a youthful city with a fantastic music scence than go for Prague - which has a wonderful (real and ancient - not fake like Neuscwanstein) Castle/Cathedral and percincts in the center of the city - as well as a couple of other castles i the immediate vicinity.

the chateau de Vincennes, at the end of a métro line, is a castle.

$300 dollars a day is a huge budget (well generous anyway). You certainly don't have to stay in hostels (unless you want to for some reason). That's enough for 2/3-star hotels in central location with plenty left for food, admissions, activities, local transportation.

I'd go to *Paris*... absolutely no contest!

Of those, my husband and I have been to Munich and Prague.

In Munich, with the 2 of us, we spend about 80 euro/night on lodging and about 100 euro/day on food, drink, and transportation. This equals about $230/day for 2 people staying in 3* hotels, and while we don't eat expensive meals, we do drink a lot of beer and eat pretty well. Your budget is not at all a limiting factor.

In Prague, we spent less than that. Our hotel, which was pretty nice and in the very center of the city was the equivalent of $100/night including breakfast in high summer. Our food and drink were cheaper than in Munich, I don't remember what we spent, but on transportation, food, drink, and incidentals, I think it was more like $50-75/day. A .5l of beer can be had for 29 crowns, or about $1.70, close to half the cost of beer in central Munich.

If you want the most for your money, go to Berlin. Lowest price food and hostels, and loads of sightseeing options. Plus, lots of fun. Going to Munich during Octoberfest WILL cost you twice as much as it usually would.

Once you get to your city of choice, just go on some bike tours or walking tours. Cheap, informative and lots of fun.

There is a Fodor GTG in Paris Sept 29-Oct 6. If you end up in Paris you are welcome to join us. We will probably get together for drinks Sept 30 and/or Oct 1 and plan to have lunch or dinner as a group Oct 2. All are welcome to sightsee with us during the week. https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/306397252710969/
Ann Marie

I'm going to Munich in about three weeks. Hope it warms up
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Anyway after talking to some people that went last year= they told me to stay at Hotel Monaco. It is a family owned hotel within a few blocks from train station and walking distance to the old city center. They were really impressed with the hotel since it was inexpensive and the people were helpful in getting them advise on wheere and what to go/see.
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I got my reservation there in a few weeks and will know more about it then. But these people that stayed there are sort of picky people so I think it will be fine. Room is around 80 euros.