This post is part of an ongoing series in how I travel semi-luxuriously on a budget. Travel is one of my passions, and I’m always looking for new ways to do it without negatively impacting my financial goals.
Back in March, I was on a work trip to Germany and I decided to take a few days leave to explore Europe. I originally intended to visit England, but the travel required just didn’t make sense with my schedule. I started looking for someplace a little easier to get to and eventually settled on Strasbourg, France. This is how I traveled to Strasbourg for 3 days on a budget!
Strasbourg
In case you are unfamiliar with Strasbourg, here is a quick primer. Strasbourg is known for three things: it is the official seat of the European Parliament, it is located in the Alsace region which has changed hands between France and Germany three times in the last 100 years (and more times before then!), and it is home to the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, which was the tallest building in the world for 227 years. It is also home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and historic and diverse religious sites. As you can imagine with a history like that, there is a lot more to the town. I don’t have room to cover all of it here, but if you are a history buff you should look it up!
The Travel Budget
For France, Strasbourg is relatively affordable. I benefited from the European tradition of offering three- and two-course meals for only slightly more than just an entrée. I took advantage of this by taking away the dessert my first night, which became breakfast the next day. Also, I like to have water on hand 24/7, so buying a large bottle every day at the grocery store kept me from spending $3 on water at every meal.
During my travel days, the exchange rate varied between $1.06 and $1.07 per euro. For simplicity’s sake, I will convert all cash purchases at the 1:1.07 rate. For purchases on my card, I will note the actual dollars charged. Note: my credit card doesn’t charge anything for currency exchanges, so I use a credit card as much as possible.
Expenses
Lodging: $118.03
- 2 nights at the Hotel Vendome: $118.03
Transportation: $11.77
- Bus ride from Frankfurt, Germany to Strasbourg, France: $0.00 (see below)
- Bus ride from Strasbourg back to Frankfurt: $11.77
- Around Strasbourg: free (I walked everywhere!)
Food: $90.84
- Day 1: lunch, crepe from a street vendor, large bottle of water, 3-course dinner + tip: $37.87
- Day 2: lunch, waffle snack, 2 bottles of water, gelato, 2-course dinner + tip: $31.99
- Day 3: breakfast, lunch, crazy chestnut pastry: $20.98
Activities: $26.57
- Strasbourg Pass (cathedral platform, astronomical clock, museum, boat tour): $22.82
- Alsatian Museum: $3.75
- Flea Markets: free
Other: $0.86 (public restroom – Europe, amiright?)
Total spent: $248.07!
Lodging
I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to hotels. I like modern design, comfy beds, and it has to have a high cleanliness rating! On this trip I wanted to check out a hostel because I’ve heard they are a great way to save money while staying in surprisingly nice places. Unfortunately, the hostels available when I was looking were either too far from city center or they didn’t look nice. I ended up going with Hotel Vendome for the low price + central location + design aesthetic.
Hotel Vendome was a typically small European hotel room, but very clean, quiet, and pleasant. For $59/night, I thought it was a great deal. It was located a few hundred feet away from the train station which was super convenient. The trains were located on the other side of the large terminal, so I was never bothered by the sound. Note: it’s more modern than it looks in the pictures on the website.
A note on Expedia
I booked the hotel through Expedia, although I actually paid the bill at the hotel. This was new to me, and nearly caused a big problem between the hotel front desk and I. Apparently Expedia has two ways of booking: “Expedia Collect” and “Hotel Collect.” Expedia Collect is what you normally expect – you pay Expedia at the time of booking. When you get to the hotel, you are already paid up. Hotel Vendome uses Hotel Collect, which means the email I got (that I thought was my bill) was actually just a reservation.
I mention this because I totally thought the hotel was trying to charge me a second time. Also, using this method subjects you to the exchange rate at the time of checkout, not when you book the room. In my case, I ended up paying $6 more than originally quoted. Keep that in mind if you are booking well ahead of your trip. Your room might end up costing a lot more or less than you expect!
Transportation
To get from Frankfurt to Strasbourg and back, I decided to try something new – a long haul (intercity) bus. I was originally planning to take the train, but the train was going to cost seven times the price to get me there 30 minutes earlier. No thanks! All stories of homicidal cannibals aside (I’ll let you look that up), the bus was actually quite nice. I chose FlixBus, a German company launched in 2013. The buses were clean, the seats were roomy, and every seat had a power outlet (bonus!). Compared to flying, it was much cheaper and more comfortable. And considering how early you have to arrive at an airport, my travel time was less than if I’d flown. Plus, you don’t have to worry about baggage fees! I’d take this option again any day.
Flixbus intercity fares start at just 5 euros each way. My fare was 11 euros ($11.77) each way between Frankfurt and Strasbourg. However, due to a mix-up and a language barrier, I ended up just being waved onto the bus for the ride to Strasbourg. I thought I would end up paying once I arrived, but the bus driver traded out halfway through the trip and the new bus driver wouldn’t take my euros. As it turns out, you have to buy Flixbus tickets online before your trip. So if you want to count what my bus ticket should have cost, my trip would have been $259.84 total. Don’t be like me – pay your bus fare!
I stayed in Strasbourg’s historic city center, which is very walkable. If I’d decided to go to one of the attractions further out, I could have used public transportation. It was easily accessible and only cost a few dollars each way.
Food
Food is my #2 luxury, right behind travel. I’m going to let these pictures speak for themselves…
Activities
As soon as I arrived in Strasbourg I headed for the Tourism Office. There, I bought the Strasbourg Pass, which gives you multiple activities for one low price – 21.50 euros ($22.82). For that price, I received free admission to one museum, the cathedral platform (gorgeous), the astronomical clock (not worth the “free” price), and a boat tour through the canals surrounding the inner city. You also receive half- and reduced-price admission to more museums, a mini train, and several other activities.
Altogether, the activities below cost me 25 euros ($26.57) and kept me busy pretty much nonstop while I was in Strasbourg. The price I would have paid for these activities separately is 32 euros ($34.24). Even not counting the clock (which I wouldn’t do again), I still came out 6.5 euros ($6.96) ahead. I recommend purchasing the Strasbourg Pass if you are headed there. If not, look for similar deals in any large town or city. They can offer great value!
Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg
The Notre-Dame Cathedral is the big (literally and figuratively) attraction in Strasbourg. I found myself there time and again, either going inside to see the striking stained glass or just hanging out in the square. It’s really quite stunning, and the climb to the cathedral platform was well worth the 332 steps. A note on the astronomical clock at the Notre-Dame Cathedral. It’s very interesting to look at, but the “show” is terrible. It’s a nearly hour long video that is narrated at a snail’s pace, just for the opportunity to see certain parts of the clock move. Don’t bother. You can see it any other time by entering the cathedral for free, and you won’t have to compete with 70 other people to take a picture. It’s not worth $2 or an hour of my time to see old puppets move.
Museums
I chose to visit the Notre-Dame Museum and the Alsatian Museum. I loved the Notre-Dame Museum, especially the beautiful statues that used to surround the cathedral and are now located in the museum for safekeeping. The Alsatian Museum was a little less tourist friendly, as most of the display explanations were written only in French, but it had some great displays of household items from Alsatian homes over the past few centuries.
Germany Portion
I don’t consider my last night in Germany to be part of this trip, but in case you are wondering… Once I arrived back in Frankfurt I had a one night layover, so I choose a hostel next to the airport and ate dinner there, then grabbed a simple breakfast in the morning.
The Frankfurt expenses added $64.11 to the bill, so all told I spent $312.18 for almost exactly 72 hours of travel, sightseeing, and delicious food.
Great information! Can’t wait to read more!
Thanks Michelle!