I TRAVELED during high
season (late April to Au-
gust), so bargain hunting
was harder. Hotel ameni-
ties were a low priority, so
I looked for an apartment.
Rentals can cost 50 to 80
percent less than hotels:
in Paris, studios start at
about $62 per night. (Go to
ownerdirect.com or home
holidays.com for info.) I
couldn’t find rentals in my
budget on short notice, so I
went to couchsurfing.org, a
database of people offering
short-term travelers their
couches or guest rooms for
free. I couch-surfed a few
years ago in Geneva and
loved it, thanks to the lovely
accommodations and the
largely absent but welcom-
ing host. Most hosts I found
in London seemed too
eager to party, so I chose a
bed-and-breakfast. Book-
ing sites such as eurocheapo
.com and venere.com de-
scribed most as “cozy,” but
tripadvisor.com, a peer-
review site, gave the real
scoop (similar sites include
igougo.com and realtravel
.com). The London Visitors
Hotel got positive ratings,
and at about $54 per night,
the clean B&B was a find in
posh Kensington. (Reserve
directly to avoid booking
fees—I paid one when I
used a third party.) To save
funds, I picnicked in Kew
Gardens and Hyde Park
and enjoyed a free concert
at St Martin-in-the-
Fields church, but I also
splurged on $12 takeout
at inexpensive Indian res-
taurants. On my last day
I stopped at an outdoor
market...and missed my
airport bus! I paid $178
for a cab, instead of $14.90
for the National Express
Coach. Ouch.
HOSTELS ARE a good
budget option: I found
the modern Pop House-Milano hostel via a Web
search. My room overlooking the courtyard
cost $50 per night, including taxes. The Pop House
was a rarity, since I paid
a single rate for a private
room (this costs double
at many hostels). Once
settled, I toured the city on
foot, asking locals where to
go. One recommendation:
the Chiesa di San Bernardino alle Ossa, a church
with fabulous frescoes.
When it was time to eat—
the city center is languorous with Italian cooking
aromas—I bought a hefty
$3 panino from a street
vendor and lunched beside
a spewing fountain. I also
ate for a pittance at eateries
suggested by locals, with
one meal so cheap it still
surprises me: for $4—the
cost of a white wine at Frida
Café—I ate a dinner’s worth
of free appetizers.
STREET EATS In Paris skip the restaurants and try
fresh food from bakeries and groceries. Enjoying free street
theater, bottom,is another fun way to save.
Milan
; Hostel: $100
; Transportation: $91
; Food: $25
Total: $216
I ARRIVED at my charming
hotel—the $79-per-night
Hôtel Mistral—and was
out the door. Paris is full of
free activities, so I strolled
along the Seine River and
visited the Tuileries and
Luxembourg gardens. And
I didn’t go to pricey restau-
rants for Parisian food. Dur-
ing my stay I bought fresh
goat cheese, chunky apri-
cot jam, smoked salmon,
and thick yogurt made in
Brittany, for about $22. For
laid-back dining, I ordered
two gourmet takeout meals
for $24—half the dining-in
price. But my best meal
came (I was chatting with
locals again) when I was
invited to dinner at a private
home. I savored goat cheese
salad, sautéed string beans,
and a flavorful tarte for des-
sert. And as a travel experi-
ence, it was priceless.
Judith Reitman, a native
New Yorker, lives in Provence
and is the author of several
nonfiction books. (On this trip
the exchange rate for the GBP
was 1. 49 to U.S.$1.00 and the
euro was 1. 32 to U.S.$1.00.)
