Posts by author Kari Hoerchler
The Gellert Baths in Budapest. Photo by Joe Mabel. Photo: Joe Mabel
For over a thousand years, kings and queens from every part of Europe and Asia have enjoyed—and fought for—Budapest’s natural hot springs. Seemingly every other conqueror of the city made his mark by building a bath (or “fürdo” in Hungarian) to call his own. Each day, more than 350,000 cubic meters of hot water gushes » Read more
Approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest of Madrid, el Escorial still functions as a monastery, school, museum and royal palace. The sprawling historic site first broke ground in 1563, led by the architects Juan Bautista de Toledo and later Juan de Herrera, under the reign of King Phillip II. The architectural project set King Philip’s » Read more
Chocolates in Vienna. Photo: Diana Connolly
Unfortunately for long-distance travelers, many of the delectable, tasty treats you’ll find in a Viennese coffee house don’t travel well. However there are some sweet exceptions: chocolates and candies. Not only do charming shops in Vienna sell a variety of bite-sized treats, but their affordable prices will hit the spot, too! Home sweeeeeet home Vienna’s » Read more
When it comes to fighting off cold weather, the Swedes have it covered (not to mention their ears and toes). After you’ve spent the day marveling at the Stockholm Cathedral or checking out the Royal Palace, get your mitts on a set of lovika mittens! Old fashioned Nomads from northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula created clothing to » Read more
Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas is Madrid's bullfighting ring. Photo by Kari Hoerchler
MADRID, Spain—EuroCheapo’s “Wandering Cheapo” Kari Hoerchler arrived Monday morning in Madrid, where she’s spending a week strolling about town. While there, we asked her to snap some shots of everyday life in Madrid on her fancy new iPhone. Last night, Kari wandered Madrid, photographing the city’s finest monuments. Is it just us, or do the » Read more
MADRID, Spain—EuroCheapo’s “Wandering Cheapo” Kari Hoerchler arrived yesterday morning in Madrid, where she’ll spend a week strolling about town. While there, we asked her to snap some shots of everyday life in Madrid on her fancy new iPhone. Today Kari visited Retiro Park. Part of Madrid’s Jeronimos district, Retiro Park was originally part of Real » Read more
Not for the faint of heart, a bullfight in Seville can mean edge-of-your-seat excitement and thrills. For Cheapos, the feeling is similar to finding an inexpensive – or free – European souvenir. So, once you’ve taken in some flamenco and eaten all the tapas you can handle for a day, we recommend you pick up a personalized poster commemorating the controversial Andalusian sport » Read more
Festival kiosk in Salzburg
The hills are alive in Salzburg, with the sound of Mozart, the von Trapp family, and music programs! The high note to most any performance, too, is that the guides and programs can be picked up for a song, or for free. Note-worthy souvenirs Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is home to numerous » Read more
Photo courtesy of Jen Wen Luoh on Flickr.
Tourists flock to Prague for its Gothic architecture, striking art, affordable performances, and yes… zlevneny pivo, or “cheap beer.” Once you’ve polished off a half-liter of Staropramen, why not pick up the free coaster on which it sat? Coast to coaster For centuries, agricultural conditions in the Czech Republic have proven ideal for growing hops. Historians place beer brewing » Read more
Grab vintage books for a unique souvenir. Photo: Alexandre Duret-Lutz
Art and Paris are forever linked—throughout history, popular culture, and in the minds of most visitors to the French capital. Reproduction posters, postcards, and vintage magazine covers allow tourists to bring home a frame-worthy piece of art history (often by the likes of Gauguin, Degas, and Toulouse-Lautrec) for a vraiment cheapo price. Boutique or bouquiniste? Gifts from museum shops or » Read more
Pastis is a great souvenir. Photo: cyclonebill
Nothing tastes better or more provencale, than a glass of pastis in the afternoon, before a hearty dish of bouillabaisse, or after dinner. For the love of Cheapo, when in Nice, please bring home a bottle of this delectable aperitif from the south of France. Cheers back home In 1915, absinthe, sometimes known as the “green fairy,” » Read more
Tee-browsing along the sidewalks of New York. Photo by John and Keturah
The “I (heart) NY” tee is a global phenomenon. Walk through any major European city and you’re bound to see one, two, or ten of the tees, known for their block lettering and bright red heart. For good reason, too. Nothing translates into “cheap souvenir” like buying five New York shirts for just $10! We (heart) souvenirs Created pro bono in 1977 » Read more
Krakow's Market Square. Photo by Lars K. Jensen
People of Cheapo: low-priced communist-era souvenirs are legal for export from Krakow. After all, nothing will help you commemorate your trip to the city quite like a piece of Cold War nostalgia. Collectables for comrades Multiple open-air markets around the formerly-communist Krakow are a feast for bargain-hunters. Medals, pins, and statuettes featuring the many faces of Lenin can be » Read more
Travel is all about new experiences, whether in a museum, a castle, or a restaurant. In Dublin’s pubs, fish and chips always please, although it’s nothing new. But, behold brown sauce! It’s tangy, very Irish, and can be found in little packets… for free! Bring home a saucy surprise The “Chef” brand of brown sauce hit the commercial Irish » Read more
Shopping at Magasin du Nord. Photo: Kaspar C.
The designers of Denmark are renowned for their sleek and refined ideas. Bringing home some Danish wares can help you spice up your interior decor, from dressing up the bedroom to simplifying the kitchen. Although some pieces of Danish ingenuity can be very pricey, many smaller, easy-to-pack items won’t cost all of your kroners. Modest » Read more
You can't help but giggle at the Manneken Pis. Photo: Phil Whitehouse
Almost every visitor to Brussels finds themselves at some point standing and smiling at the city’s famous “Manneken Pis” statue, which depicts a youngster cheerfully peeing into a fountain basin. Cheapo-friendly Manneken Pis memorabilia flood the streets of Brussels. While large statues can be expensive and too heavy to carry, smaller and cheaper versions are easy to pack » Read more
No trip to Barcelona is complete without picking up a little free (or almost-free) reminder of Gaudí, the city’s favorite architect. Happily, Barcelona is teeming with arty Gaudí souvenirs, ranging from the refined to the (you guessed it) gaudy. Take home some cheapo Gaudí Regarded as tasteless in his own time, Antoni Gaudí’s unique art nouveau ideas » Read more
Tourists visiting the ruins of ancient Athens will probably already be armed with a cheapo souvenir. Your archeological map (available for free or cheap) serves as both a necessary guide to the past and a fun souvenir for the future. Build your map collection in Athens Face it, if you’re planning to spend any time exploring Athens’ » Read more
A trip to a flower market in Amsterdam. Photo: Meg Marks
Amsterdam is fertile ground for free and almost-free souvenirs. While floral bouquets don’t travel well on an airplane (and may not be allowed!), seed packets and bulbs are both easy to pack, travel well, and will blossom back home. Plus, they’re totally cheap. (Please note: US Customs doesn’t want American tourists bringing home just any old » Read more
Photo courtesy of Kari Hoerchler
Where would you go if you wanted to sport crazy tights and ride Critical Mass? Or don a wool blanket while dining out at the latest ‘It’ restaurant? A place where ‘sör’ means ‘beer’ and ‘bor’ means wine? Budapest, babája (baby)! During a recent to trip to the Hun capital, we noticed the city under » Read more
Karpatia restaurant in Budapest. Photo: Gillian
After perusing the Kárpátia Restaurant website, we were half expecting a tourist trap. Between the beautifully decorated vaulted ceilings and the shameless plugs for Sarközi and his Gipsy Band (the in-house band) the restaurant appeared to be a traditional Hungarian cliché. Thankfully, it was all that and more. Our meal took off with a small » Read more
Friends playing picigin. Photo: Ivana
We first read about picigin, Hrvatska’s national sport, while planning our trip to Split. At first exposure, the beach ball game seemed kind of silly. Once we saw it played on a shore at Bavice, however, we quickly became fans. A handball game often compared to volleyball, some claim that Ba?vice is the only spot » Read more
Photo by acastellano
The rumors regarding Plitvice Lakes National Park match the velocity of its waterfalls. Guidebooks and even on-site hotel staff are full of misinformation. Even the park Web site is secretive, encouraging potential guests to refrain from contacting hotels directly. During a recent expedition within the park grounds, we were able to make some eye-opening discoveries. » Read more
A 45-year old man in Belfast has been accused of stealing bras, knickers, suspender belts, and stockings from an Orchid lingerie shop. Disguised in a wig, hat and glasses, the defendant claims it “could be right” that Beho, a female elf character he plays in the role-playing game Shadowrun, intended to rob the shop. Funny, » Read more
