Cheap Backpacker Accommodation
With so many cultures compacted into such a dense area, backpacking in Europe offers a range of experiences at every budget level. Spain is big enough to have very distinct regions, in both a geographical and a cultural sense. The Pyrenees offers some stunning natural beauty, which can be combined with the urban bustle of Barcelona for a good, accessible, overview of the country. The Scandinavian countries have become more popular in recent years, owing to cheaper flights. Aside from winter sports, the real appeal is the sophisticated culture, although this means most accommodation is in the form of traditional hotels. Ireland has long been a popular destination, especially from the UK. Transport within the country is vastly improving, however, the modernisation of the economy has arguably damaged the fabric of what made this such a unique place, so visit soon, but don`t just stick to Dublin. Likewise, Greece is still a great place to travel, but is losing some of its history due to commercialisation. Avoid the obvious resorts like Laganas, and try places such as Chalkidiki in the north east, where you`ll probably get a better deal from local owners.
The town of Dubrovnik in Croatia still maintains an historic charm, and provides an excellent base from which to go exploring local hostels will be able to help with this. A less obvious location in the region is Montenegro, where the town of Žabljak is an affordable and breathtaking getaway, seemingly known only to Montenegrins. On the edge of Europe, Morocco offers a glimpse into what happens when two worlds meet, and you can expect a quasi-European culture at non-European prices. At the other end of the scale, if you`re looking for a full-on `European` experience, its hard to find anything more than Paris. Average accommodation price isn`t cheap, but the size of the city means cheap rooms can be found above shops and on the outskirts. If you don`t mind wet weather, Scotland is one of the richest cultural gems Europe has to offer. More than a fifth of those living in Scotland live in an around Glasgow, making the rest of the country yours to roam. If, on the other hand, you`re looking for a climate to guarantee outdoor pursuit, the south of Italy is still a cheap location within the Eurozone, and a visit here can be combined with a visit to the more developed (more expensive) regions in the north such as Tuscany and Turin for a well rounded trip.
When looking for self catering holidays, try to think about your route before you go, using resources such as Lonely Planet guides. You can then find places in the areas you wish to visit, and save money by booking in advance. This also makes it easy to plan in different types of accommodation during your stay (hostel, hotel, caravan etc), which can be one of the most interesting aspects of your holiday.
