Wolfgang Busch

As new cheap flight routes are tailored, interesting and affordable destinations are unlocked on Europe's map, destinations not available to the budget conscious traveler a few years back. Though the names of Bucharest, Bratislava or Warsaw might not tell you much in terms of vacation spots yet, nevertheless, they are places with a rich cultural heritage that can make for a perfect budget break. And at Escape Travel at http://www.escapetravel.com.au/, you ca find some great deals that will keep your holiday budget friendly while also inspire you to travel to these remote corners of the world.

The Romanian based company Blue Air, offers cheap flights to Romania's capital,  Bucharest, once called "Little Paris". With it's wide, tree-lined boulevards, palaces, churches and glorious Belle Époque buildings, Bucharest is a booming city that mixes the old with the new in very interesting and creative ways. Finding a 300 year old church, a modern steel-and-glass building and a communist style building all next to each other is commonplace in Bucharest.

Between the highlights of the city are however the Parliament Palace, the world's second largest building (after the US Pentagon). The former communist dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, started building it back in 1984, using prisoners as a labor force, but when the Romanian Revolution took place in 1989, the building was unfinished, as it remains today. The Romanian Parliament Palace raises 12 stories above ground level, but it is said to go way further underground.

The Village Museum is a very original open air museum that has around 300 traditional buildings (including churches, workshops, mills etc.), plus furniture, pottery and clothing gathered from villages in every region of the country in an effort to showcase the traditional way of life of the Romanians. Other places of interest are the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, the Cotroceni Palace Museum, Old Court Church, Herastrau Park, Romanian Athenaeum concert hall, Cantacuzino Palace, the Arc de Triomphe, etc. And while you are at it, why not go on a trip through the countryside and visit some fabulous Romanian castles?

RyanAir offers cheap flights to Bratislava. The Old Town has a very pleasant medieval atmosphere, with traffic-free, narrow, winding streets, a hill-top castle, and many historic churches and buildings to visit. The communist-era buildings have a different architectural character, the best example being the Petrzalka housing estate, the biggest Communist-era concrete block housing complex in Central Europe.

The Bratislava Castle is a massive rectangular building with four corner towers on top of a quite isolated rocky hill in the middle of Bratislava. The castle is surrounded by many legends and provides an excellent view of Bratislava, of Austria and even Hungary.

Apollo Bridge over Bratislava

St. Martin's Cathedral is the largest and one of the oldest churches in Bratislava. The New Bridge over the Danube River, has a flying saucer-shaped restaurant called "UFO" with an observation deck on the roof. Other places of interest are the Museum of Clocks, the Soviet War Memorial, the City Gallery at the Pállfy Palace, etc.

Hungary's WizzAir serves cheap flights to the Polish capital, Warsaw. Its historic Old Town was rebuilt brick by brick after the war according to old prints, photographs, and paintings while its  communist buildings are slowly being replaced with modern sky scrapers.

Warsaw is a city full of life that is gladly embracing the New World cuisine, café culture and clubs that never close. The capital city features some lovely churches and monasteries, interesting monuments and museums, and hosts theater, book, jazz, and classical music festivals during the summer months.

Warsaw tends to shock its first time visitors, and it might take you a while to make sense of all you see, from the peasant women selling flowers in the Old Town, to the wedding cake-like Palace of Culture and Science, Stalin gave as a gift to the city or the Wilanow Palace, the beautiful royal palace that survived partitions and both World Wars and has preserved its authentic historical qualities.

I've flown RyanAir and WizzAir quite a few times now and I can't complain about the overall experience. Though their service might not be perfect, I personally prefer spending the extra budget at my destination, sightseeing or sampling the local cuisine instead of spending double the money on a two hours flight. However, BlueAir provided my best cheap flight experience so far, the staff was super extra polite and they even gave us free water. I don't know if this is the norm for them, but they really caught me by surprise and I was really thirsty.

Despite joining the EU back in 2007, Romania is still a budget destination, especially now with all the cheap flights that connect its cities with the rest of Europe. Finding affordable airline tickets to and from Romania is now easy, so there’s no excuse to miss out on all the places to visit in Romania.

Romania is a territory of great natural beauty and diversity with a rich cultural heritage. From medieval fortresses and centuries old monasteries to amazing castles and one world famous legend - Count Dracula's - the country has a lot to offer to its visitors. However, it is currently drawing only modest crowds, which means little or no cues at all in front of the tourist attraction.

Romania has an alluring collection of castles of haunting beauty. The elegant Peles Castle, Corvinesti Castle and Bran Castle, legendary home to Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula are my personal favorites.

Before the late 1800s, the Romanian castles erected used to be strong and austere fortresses built mainly for defense purposes. However, that changed in the last centuries when imposing and luxurious structures started to take form.

The magnificent Peles Castles, with its fairytale like turrets and pointed towers, rises above acres of green meadows sprinkled with haystacks. 

The representative style used is German Renaissance, but one can easily discover elements belonging to the Italian Renaissance, Gothic, German Baroque and French Rococo style. 

Peles Castle is surrounded by seven terraces decorated with statues, stone-made-wells, ornamental vases and Carara marble. The architects used an abundance of wooden decoration, both for the exterior and for the interior of the castle, which confers a very special quality to the building.

Several other buildings, annexed to the castle, were built simultaneously: The Guard's Chambers, The Economat Building, The Foisor Hunting House, The Royal Stables, and the Electrical Power Plant.

When the communists took the power Ceausescu did not like the castle very much and visited rarely. This seems to be due to some wicked specialists who, counting on the Ceausescu couple's paranoid health phobias, declared the building to be infested with a dangerous fungus, which in 1980s was true to a certain extent but was only affecting the timber.

Located in Sinaia at 44 km from Brasov, in Transylvania, Peles Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in all Europe. 

The interiors are massively covered in sculpted wood.

Every single inch of the castle is beautifully and richly decorated and the furniture, the stained glass windows depicting German fairy tales, the massive doors, the carpets and the paintings create an out of this world atmosphere.

Bran Castle looms over Transylvania with its ghostly silhouette and blood-red towers and turrets. Built on solid rock, the 13th century castle is supposed to have been the residence of Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula.

The castle is a large and imposing building with tall towers and myriad windows and balconies adorned with stone carvings, dominating the landscape from the top of a rock above the River Zlasti.

The access to the castle is ensured by a wooden bridge supported by stone pillars across the river, which takes you to the gate tower.

The Corvinesti Castle doesn't have much furniture left nowadays. Its rooms host art galleries of local artists and many, many gift shops where hand-crafted objects can be purchased.

Travel doesn't have to be expensive; unless you want it to be, of course. I start from the premise 'for every problem, there is a solution'. We just have to look for it; and recognize it as such when we've found it. If you want to travel in luxury, please do so; it is as good an experience as traveling on a budget. It doesn't matter how you do it as long as you learn something from the experiences you are having.  As I see it budget travel is the art of stretching you budget so you can experience more for the same money. Here I put together five tips I hope you will find both helpful and inspiring. Alternatively you can check out my list of free activities you can do wherever you travel.

Many airlines charge for extra luggage, therefore the best thing to do is to try to keep it all within one bag per person. You won't need your whole wardrobe during your one week vacation, nor will you read two books, I know it and you know it too. Packing stuff 'just in case', can be kind of unfriendly for your budget. Unless you are traveling to the end of the world, there is a good chance you'll find a pharmacy, a supermarket and some shops at your destination. Having less clothes to choose from can also save you some time in the morning. A vacation from the working life can be a great opportunity to also take a vacation from rampant materialism. We can survive on amazingly little. For extra advice check out my packing light tips list.

Bicycle riding is slowly becoming an integral part of the public transportation system in Valencia as it is a healthy, fast, cheap, environmentally friendly and fun way to travel around the city; and since Valenbisi introduced their urban bike sharing program, there are no more excuses for not doing so.

Valenbisi docking stations

For 10euro per week or 18euro per year, you can rent one of the 2.750 bikes available. The bikes are distributed in 275 stations in close proximity to each other, in different parts of the city, many of these docks being placed along the shores of the Turia Gardens, one of the best biking itineraries Valencia offers. The city's most busy streets have been recently equipped with bike lanes that provide access to many businesses, as well as some very cool bike lanes along the above mentioned Turia Gardens.

For the one week subscription all you need is a credit card and you can get your Valenbisi card from one of the terminals fitted out for this purpose. The first half hour is free. If you don't return the bike to one of the terminals within 30 minutes you are charged an extra fee for every half hour. But with so many terminals available it is really worth returning the bike and taking another one so the free 30 minutes start all over again. In case you get to a station and there are no empty docks left, all you have to do is swap your card and you'll be granted 15 more minutes to find an empty terminal.

In order to help you organize your trip better you can make use of the free Valenbisi app available for both Blackberry and Android. The app tells you where the nearest stations are and checks the status of the Valenbisi terminals for you, available bikes and free slots, so you don't have to waste your time searching from station to station.

One of the major advantages of using Valenbisi bikes instead of the ones from the more expensive bike rental companies in Valencia is that you can leave your bike at one of the terminals and enter a museum or grab something to eat without having to worry about the safety of the bike, nor your deposit. The down part however, is that they are quite heavy and not suitable for kids.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated, nor did I receive money from Valenbisi to write this article.

Photo via Flickr Creative Commons

Most travelers make it to Valencia sooner or later. The reasons might vary from the classical Mediterranean cuisine and simple Spanish dishes the city generously offers to its visitors to the world known Santiago  Calatrava's City of Arts and Sciences. Whatever the reasons, Valencia is a lovely city, fashionable and trendy, just perfect for a budget break.

One of the best itineraries Valencia has to offer are the Turia Gardens. Some of the city’s greatest cultural attractions are placed along these spectacular gardens that seem to have something to offer to both activity-seekers and culture-seekers. Turia Gardens stretch for about 8km, crossing the city from the City of Arts and Sciences to Bioparc, the new zoo, and they are the largest urban gardens in Spain.

Aside from the beautiful promenades of flowers, parks, ponds and fountains, the Turia Gardens have tons of sports facilities, including bike lanes, running tracks, football fields, rollerskating areas, a giant chess board, a skateboarding zone and a rugby field. Valencia is an incredibly health conscious city and you will see people of all ages practicing yoga, Tai Chi, jogging, riding bikes, and doing gymnastics throughout the park. You can join them and take advantage of the free activities the city offers.

The gardens are very popular with dog walkers, but in spite of that, stray cats made the riverbed their home, and they can be spotted in trees or sleeping in the grass, fat, happy and free, as people leave them cat food in the places where they know the little fellows hang around.

The park is safe for everybody and at times you will see policemen on horseback doing their rounds. During the summer months, a ferries wheel and other children orientated attractions are installed and medieval markets are organized every now and then just next to the Calatrava Bridge.

The Turia Gardens are very pleasant to walk through, but because of their vastness, they are best explored by bike. Valenbisi bike sharing scheme makes it easy and cheap to rent a bike and explore the city. The docking stations are spread all over the city, many of them being placed along the shores of the Turia Gardens.

Turia Gardens can be accessed from the steps nearby the nineteen bridges that cross the old riverbed. Some of these bridges are more than 5 centuries old; however, the most famous of them all is the Calatrava Bridge (Puente de Calatrava), which the Valencians call Puente de la Peineta (‘little comb’), because it looks like the combs falleras wear in their hair. Nevertheless, my all time favorite is the Flowers Bridge (Puente de las Flores), covered in thousands of flowerpots that change shape and color according to the season.

On one end of the Turia Gardens, situated pretty close to the sea, is the City of Arts and Sciences, one of the most imaginative millennium projects and a truly mind-blowing futuristic complex made out of white tiles and surrounded by blue waters. Described as a city within a city and designed by the local architect Santiago Calatrava, this open space is meant to be discovered by walking. While the six buildings comprising the complex - Oceanographic, Hemesferic, Principe Felipe Science Museum, Reina Sofia Concert Hall, Umbracle and Agora - charge a pretty expensive entrance fee, walking around the complex is free of charge and you can explore it at your own pace.

Just next to the City of Arts and Science is the Fallero Museum, housing the collection of ninots (colorful sarcastic cardboard and wooden figures) that each year, one per year since 1934, have been spared (not burned during the Las Fallas March festivities). There is also a collection of posters announcing the Fallas festivities, typical garments and a series of photographs related to the subject. Entry is free on weekends and public holidays. On weekdays the admission price is 2€. Some discounts are available.

If you are really tired you can tour the Turia Gardens on a cute looking little train and the youngsters can have fun in the Gulliver Park, featuring the giant figure of Jonathan Swift's beloved character, Gulliver, attached to the ground by the Lilliputians.

One of the top attractions of the Turia Gardens is the beautiful concert hall, Palau de la Música. Opened in 1987, it is considered one of the best concert halls in Europe. Free concerts of the local orchestra are held on Sunday mornings and on selected evenings of the week. An enormous glass dome covers its entrance and just outside, in the beautiful palm tree garden so popular with skateboarders, cascading fountains leap up and down into a pool, making this a favorite spot for parents and children for sailing remote-controlled model boats. In the evenings, classical music is played in the park, while the fountains wobble a colorful dance.

The Fine Arts Museum is situated just on the shores of the Turia Gardens, in a beautiful 18th century Baroque palace with blue turrets. The museum is one of the most outstanding painting archives in Spain and houses Spain’s most significant collection of 19th-century painting after the Prado museum in Madrid. The Fine Arts Museum San Pio V is renowned for its collections of primitive Valencian painters, although there are also works by El Greco, Velázquez, Murillo and Goya. The Fine Arts Museum also exhibits sculptures by Mariano Benlliure and some interesting archeological pieces. Next to the museum are the Royal Gardens, definitely worth a visit. Both the museum and the gardens are free of charge all year long.

The imposing 14th century Serranos Towers are considered to be the largest Gothic city gateway in all of Europe. They were once the main entrance to the city and part of what was then the city wall. The Serranos Towers were initially built for defense purposes, but mainly they were and still are used today for ceremonies on many festive and solemn occasions. During their long history, the towers provisionally served as a prison for knights and noblemen and during the Spanish Civil War were used as a repository of artworks from the Prado Museum when it was evacuated. Entry is free on weekends and public holidays. On weekdays the admission price is 2€. Some discounts are available.

José Benlliure Museum was formerly the residence of the wealthy Benlliure family, a family of artists that gave the world both the sculptor Mariano Benlliure and his brother, the painter José Benlliure. Just as you enter, you find yourself in a traditional Valencian house, with beautiful tiles and old furniture. Then the visit moves on to the spectacular landscaped gardens with shaded seating areas and ceramics, and on the other side of the gardens you can visit José Benlliure's workshop, my favorite part of the whole museum. Entry is free on weekends and public holidays. On weekdays the admission price is 2€. Some discounts are available.

Valencian Museum of Contemporary Art (IVAM) is one of Spain's most famous art galleries. It actively promotes the work of local artists and contains both permanent and temporary exhibitions of high quality. Entry is free on Sundays. On weekdays the admission price is 2€. Some discounts are available.

On the other extreme of the Turia Gardens is the Bioparc, a new generation zoo, strongly committed to sustainability and conservation. The wild habitats that have been recreated - the Savannah, Madagascar and Equatorial Africa - and visitors can enjoy, practically without barriers, spectacular landscapes in which different species co-exist as they would in nature. They usually sell discounted tickets in September.

But Turia Gardens were not always the spectacular gardens we can visit today. Turia was the river that crossed Valencia from the remotest of time until... the recent years. The history of Valencia is closely related to the river that gave it life and prosperity throughout the centuries, a river that magically transformed into a massive and beautiful garden.

Weird looking trees in the Turia Gardens

On October 14, 1957, the River Turia burst its banks and flooded big part of the city of Valencia. Some of the most attractive and central streets like Calle La Paz and Calle Las Barcas were submerged in water up to 2.5m. Small inscriptions can still be seen today on the buildings saying ‘the water came up to here’. This was not the first flood Valencia had suffered, but it was the most devastating.

For safety reasons, the government took the decision to divert the Turia River southwards. A great debate took place whether to build a motorway in the now empty riverbed, but the people of Valencia united and protested and hopefully managed to stop the authorities from such a dreadful deed. Eventually, throughout the following decades the riverbed was turned into the magnificent garden that is today and offers numerous possibilities for walking, and sightseeing to visitors and residents. A city break in Valencia lets you not only get to know the history of the great flood but also to enjoy the river as it is today, making it the experience of a lifetime.