Europe is accessible, there are countries where you can travel from $30 a day and enjoy great experiences. Hungary, Romania and Greece will enchant you
If you have thought that Europe is priceless, there are countries that are very accessible compared to the rest of the continent. In my experience, countries like Poland, Albania, Montenegro and especially Hungary, Romania and Greece are options that suit many pockets.
And why should you travel to these countries? Romania is famous for Transylvania and the stories of Bram Stocker, but also for a unique cultural environment. Hungary beyond Budapest has some of the best landscapes and conquering cities. Both share beautiful days by train and monetary exchange will favor you.
Greece is much more than Santorini and Mykonos, all the tourists are concentrated in those islands, but if you really want to discover the beauty, there are places off the radar that are very cheap and full of history.
Hungary
Its capital, Budapest, all fairytale towers, spas and trendy nightlife, has the romance of Prague with a little more edge. The rapid redevelopment is giving it a tourist-appealing facelift, but shiny new restaurants are juxtaposed with Jewish cemeteries, bullet-riddled buildings and crushed Trabants, a reminder of a rich and fascinating history.
Outside the capital you will find pretty towns full of Baroque, Neoclassical and Art Nouveau architecture and a rural landscape of rivers, thatched houses and castles. Whatever strikes your fancy, be it hiking, horse riding, mountain biking or bird watching, the Hungarian countryside will cater.
Itinerary:
- Basic suggested budget per day 30 dollars
- Average budget per day 55 dollars
- Suggested days from 4 to 8
Rumania
This is one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and culturally fascinating lands in Europe, a time capsule only now opening up to the outside world.
The great central region of Transylvania is the green heart of Romania, surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains and home to bears, wolves, wooden villages and traditional shepherds’ camps. Dracula’s mythical homeland is indeed an Eden for walkers, wildlife lovers and history buffs, and contains many clues to lifestyles lost in other parts of Europe.
To the north is the even more isolated forested region of Maramures, little changed for centuries until the fall of communism. To the south lie the shimmering plains of Wallachia and the winding wetlands of the Danube Delta, perhaps one of Europe’s birding destinations.
Itinerary:
- Basic suggested budget per day 35 dollars
- Average budget per day 75 dollars
- Suggested days from 5 to 10
Greece
Made up of a rugged, history-rich peninsula and more than 1,000 islands, Greece is one of the oldest and most popular tourist destinations in the world.
With world-famous ancient architecture, tasty food, and adventure that can be found everywhere from the rugged mountainous hinterland to the Cote d’Azur, there’s no shortage of incredible travel experiences.
Travel in the spring and fall to avoid the crowds, although keep in mind that in the winter months many accommodations and restaurants will be closed.
Places that are worth seeing beyond Athens without a doubt are the monasteries of Meteora, a tour of Crete and of course a visit to the lesser known islands: Kythera, Leucada, Paros, Naxos, Kefalonia, Amorgos and Corfu.
Itinerary:
- Basic suggested budget per day 35 dollars
- Average budget per day 80 dollars
- Suggested days from 5 to 10
