During a two-week backpacking trip through six European cities in October 2022, the traveler found unexpected delight in their budget bookings. The itinerary included Berlin, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Milan, and Zurich. To save money, the traveler opted for Airbnbs located an hour outside of Berlin and Zurich by train.
In Berlin, the traveler stayed in a tiny-home hotel in Neustrelitz, Germany, for $140. The hotel was a 20-minute walk from the train station, and the traveler enjoyed the peaceful town with charming cobblestone streets, which they would have likely missed if not for the budget accommodation.
The traveler’s final accommodation was in a tiny wine-barrel home in Roggwil, Switzerland, for $400. Roggwil, nestled in the rolling hills of Switzerland, offered the most striking scenes of the entire trip. On the final night in Europe, the traveler took an unplanned hike and witnessed a beautiful sunset over the village, considering it an epic ending to the adventure. Like in Neustrelitz, the traveler felt they would have missed this experience if not for the specific Airbnb booking.
The traveler discovered that these budget bookings felt like hidden gems, offering a relaxing counterpoint to the bustling cities. In the future, the traveler plans to find more accommodations in small towns to experience the quiet, slower pace of suburban life while photographing landscapes in less-visited areas of Europe and saving money.
