I visited last week for 32 hours  the city of culture & innovation-Stuttgart as part of my German Wanderlust tour. Here is my account of my time in this beautiful city.

Day 1

12pm: Start the trip with a view of Stuttgart at the ‘Aussichtsplatform’

If you’re arriving at the Hauptbahnhof take the lift to the ‘Aussichtsplatform’ (Viewing Platform, € Free) on the 10^th floor from where you can get an excellent panoramic view of the city and the revolving Mercedes logo.

Tip: There is a hive of cheap budget suspects in the Station- Chinese fast food counters, bakeries, McDonalds and Starbucks so if you’re looking for a quick bite, this place is a good bet.

2pm Zip over to the hostel: Jugendherberge Stuttgart Neckerpark

Hop on the S1 ( Direction: Plochingen ) and get off after one stop at Bad Canstatt.

From there the hostel is 200 yards away , so a great location. There is a hive of decent fast food places to eat around the hostel plus also a Netto budget supermarket across the road if you’re looking for a quick picnic fix.

The hostel is modern, clean, comfortable and has lots of light. The beds come equipped with your own private reading light and power point. All the rooms have excellent ensuite showers and toilet facilities. Standard feature of all the Jugenherberge’s is the excellent breakfast. You have a good selection of cereals, fresh fruit , cold cuts of meats and cheese plus a nice choice of freshly baked bread.

Room prices start at 25.60 euros for a bed in their dorm rooms. Couples have to pay a 4 euro supplement per person. Wifi is additional- 3 euros per hour or 5 euros for 24 hours.

Me in front of the Mercedes 300 SL Coupe at the Mercedes Benz Museum

4:30 pm Perfect afternoon at Mercedes Benz Museum

A 20 minute walk or just another stop on the S1 is the superb museum of automotive giants : Mercedes Benz. Time your visit perfectly between 4:30 and 6pm to take advantage of the reduced price of €4.

Even if you are not an auto junkie, the Mercedes Museum is a fascinating drive through 125 years of automotive history intertwined with all the key historical events that have marked the evolution of the world’s great car.

A great feature of the place are the pictures of key events that have shaped the history of the world ( including a humbling apology and frank admission of the company’s significant involvement in supporting the Third Reich). Pictures include poignant memories like the time when people would have picnics by the autobahn in the 60’s or the empty autobahns of the winter of 1973 when due to oil shortages , a car free Sunday was imposed over 5 weeks.

Then there are the stars of the show to say hello to- from Gottlieb Daimler’s motorized carriage to the world’s first 4 wheeled auto mobile to the ‘Gullwing’. Then you can see the dream car of the 1950’s: the 300 SL Coupe to the machine that set the standard for racing cars: the Mercedes Benz W196 2.5 litre that then world champion, Juan Manuel Fangio powered to victory in the 1954 Formula One race in Reims.

Combined with the stunning architecture, the Mercedes Benz Museum is a great afternoon for people of all ages and definitely a must-see.

Opening hours: 9am till 6pm. Mondays closed Entrance price: €8, €4 reduced price from 4:30-6pm

The dominating feature of the Schlossplatz is the towering Konig Wilhelm Jubilee column with the surrounding fountains representing the 8 rivers of Baden Wuttenberg.

5pm Schlossplatz

Hop back on the S1 (Direction: Herrenberg ) to Hauptbahnhof and then go for a walk through the city centre to catch some of the city’s key landmarks.

Walking out of the station, 500 yards north brings you to the regal, beautiful Schlossplatz where you can really feel the pulse of this city.

The dominating feature of the Schlossplatz is the towering Konig Wilhelm Jubilee column with the surrounding fountains representing the 8 rivers of Baden Wuttenberg.

On your immediate right is the impressive Corinthian columns of one of the city’s key shopping arcades- Konigsbau Passagen.

Also on the eastern corner in front of the stunning glass cube structure of the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart you’ll spot the weird geometric shape and primary colours of sculptor Alexander Calder’s ‘Mobile.’

7pm  Traditional Swabian dinner at the Weinhaus Setter

Afterwards definitely worth going for a ramble around Bohnenviertel – the city’s bohemian district that is packed with a ton of cool bars and traditional restaurants. You’ll discover places like Weinhaus Stetter where you can sample the best traditional Swabian cooking. I enjoyed some Linsen und Saiten ( lentils and sausage) with Spatzle- a traditional thick egg noodles that is typical of the region  With a glass of the local Durrenzimmerner ‘Trollinger mit Lemberger ‘ red wine, this has the makings of a great meal.

Matahari, Stuttgart

9pm Nightcap at Matahari

If you’re looking for nightcap or enjoy a few beers in a sociable but too frenetic atmosphere then you got to check out Matahari ,one of the coolest bars and nightlife hotspots in Stuttgart. It’s a kind of a meeting point in Stuttgart where friends meet for a few beers, catchup before hitting a club or rolling into one of the clutch of bars nearby in Hans-Im-Gluck.

Day 2

9:30am Visit Esslingen- a medieval city with a city

Next morning zip off early morning to the dreamy medieval city of Esslingen which is just 4 stops from Bad Canstatt on the S1 ( Direction lochingen )

Esslingen escaped the WWII bombing raids and as a result visitors can enjoy 1200 years of perfectly preserved medieval architecture.

It’s the perfect place to wonder aimlessly and get lost in it’s not too distant past.

Capucchino- Lavazza cafeteria, Esslingen

Sit at one of the cafes like the Lavazza cafeteria like I did ( Cappuchino €2.40) to enjoy the beautiful half timbered houses and observe the passage of the locals.

To get the perfect view of the medieval panorama it’s worth climbing the odd 370 steps to the ancient fort that dominates the skyline of the city.

Tip: After wondering the compact medieval core of the city, I recommend popping into Kessler for a glass of Sekt, the oldest producer of this fine tipple in Germany.

12pm Lunch at the Markthalle

Bocadillo at Markthalle, Stuttgarrt

Zipping back into Stuttgart, head towards the Aldstadt to the Markthalle ( S-Bahn: Rathaus ) This is the perfect place for a quick tasty bite on the go. Choose from a number of gourmet delicatessens where you everything from local Swabian homecooking to a range of international cuisine. I plumped for an excellent toasted Bocadillo ala ‘Alicante’ which was stuffed with a grilled aubergine, cheese and rucola salad. For €3.90 not a bad deal.

12:30pm Friday lunchtime concert at the Instrument museum

Lunchtime concert at the Instrument Museum

Markthalle is perfectly placed for the next little adventure-just around from the Markthalle is the local Instrument Museum. Every Friday lunchtime ( 1230pm on the day I visited) they run a half-hour lunchtime classical music concert.  On the day I visited they had a mezzo Soprano from St Petersburg and she sang a bunch of opera classics ranging from Verdi, Wagner to Puccini.  Opera and classical music may not be everyone’s cup of tea but for €3 fee (which also get you a ticket to the museum itself) it’s worth the experience.

1:30pm Afternoon of art at one of the greatest galleries of modern art

Staatsgallerie, Stuttgart

Germany is blessed with the best modern art galleries in the world and few are better than the Staatsgallerie. ( Wed, Friday, Sat + Sun: 10am till 6pm, Tuesday + Thursday: 10am till 8pm. Mondays closed. Entry cost: €7, Free on Wednesdays and Saturdays )

Monet: Sunlight Effect under the Poplars, Staatsgallerie, Stuttgart

You can find works by Monet, Rembrandt and Dali plus lovers of Pop Art will enjoy the works of Lichtenstein and Warhol.

Staatsgallerie

Urbanstr. 35

3:30pm  Perfect for people watching: Deli in Hans-Im-Gluck

If it’s a nice day I recommend winding your way back to Hans-Im-Gluck Platz. While you are there you will see a beautiful fountain with the caged character of Lucky Hans from the Grimm’s fairytale. There is a hive of excellent bars here. I grabbed a chair at Deli Café + Bar enjoying a bottle of the local Wulle Biere ( €2.80 ) Great place for people watching.

6pm Dinner at Todis, Stuttgart

Dinner at Todi’s Stuttgart

Bolzstraße 7

(Just off Theodor-Heuss-Straße)

Before leaving Stuttgart for Munich on the evening train, I want another fill of traditional Swabian cooking so after a bit of poking in an around the city I discover Todi’s -a local , home grown fast food chain that offers a nice mix of local and national cheap eats.

Order at the bar and within minutes the food is at your table.

From currywurst with three sauces to choose from, schnitzel and Maultaschen ( stuffed ravioli, delicious stuff) with potato salad (what I ordered) and regional Swabian spatzle with lentils –there’s good range of choice here.

Or if you’re in the mood for quick trash food, you can have some French fries with Kölsch beer.

Tip: Everyday between 17:00 – 19:00 they have a happy hour where you can enjoy Gaffel Kölsch for €1,00 and between 21:00 & 23:00 hours you can sip on Wulle Bier for 2,00€

Here’s the total cost of my 32 hours in Stuttgart

1 night stay at DJH Stuttgart Neckarpark:                        €25.60

2 day tickets on Stuttgart Public Transport network   €11.20

Staatgallerie:                                                                             €7

Mercedes Benz Museum                                                        €4

Lunchtime concert at Instrument Museum                      €3

Lunch at Markthalle                                                                 €3.90

Dinner at Weinhaus Setter with glass of red wine         €9.60

Dinner at Todi’s with Kolsch beer                                       €9.20

Beers (3) at Matahari & Deli                                                 €8.40

Total: €81.90

Big thanks to the German National Tourism Office , their partners for the ‘Youth Hotspots’ campaign – Jugendherberge : The German Youth Hostelling Association and Deutsche Bahn for sponsoring my ‘German Wanderlust’ tour.

I’m touring Germany as part of an effort to highlight and discover the country’s emerging ‘Youth Hotspots.’

Find out more about these hotspots at their website , feel free to add your own and also do download their free youth hotspots app that is now available on the Apple Store & Android Store .

Please note: While my trip has been sponsored, the views and thoughts represented in this article are my own.

Every year the University of Sheffield runs a charity hitchhike through the organisation ‘Bummit’, where 200 of its students hitchhike to Eastern Europe for charity. BudgetTraveller Intern and avid hitchhiker Amy took up the challenge of hitchhiking to Vilnius, Lithuania, in 9 days. (To donate to the awesome cause, please click here )

Here are her highlights of her hike from Sheffield to Cologne.

DAY 1: Sheffield-Calais

After recovering from the initial excitement of setting off, with 200 students grabbing their backpacks and running to be the first to get a lift out of Sheffield, we managed to make our way down the motorways from Sheffield to Dover in only a day. Say what you want about British motorists being a suspicious bunch, but we made it down south surprisingly fast, with people being more than happy to take us as far as they could, donating anything they could spare to our charities and generally just making hilarious conversation. Maybe it was because we were dressed up in ridiculous costumes, but noone refused us a lift on the grounds that we might be axe-murders!

If only it took us across the channel..

Picked up by the grandaddy of hitchhiking himself!

By 8pm on the first day, we’d got a ferry from Dover to Calais, and having pestered every driver on the ferry we turned our attention to freaking out about where we’d spend the night (our only option was sleeping on a motorway in Dunkirk, not very appealing when snow had been forecast). Thankfully, a trucker came to our rescue, and dropped us at a strategically placed service station in Calais, where we found our next lift and bed for the night.

Bed for the night. Keep on truckin’

A bit of a tight squeeze, but nothing warmer than a cosy lorry..

In hindsight, sleeping in a lorry with a man who a.) got us drunk on truck stop wine b.) told us repeatedly that he wanted us to ‘make beautiful luuurve’ in his truck (don’t worry, he assured us he wouldn’t disturb us, and would just be sleeping in his bunk below) and would c.) murder us (his exact words), was not the smartest idea.

Maybe  we did it because we had nowhere else to sleep and it was cold outside? Maybe it was because of all the wine? Maybe it was just so we could tell the story at the end of it?

For whatever reason we chose to sleep in his cab, against all odds it turned out to be the right decision, because in the morning we awoke unscathed, unmurdered and started truckin’ towards Ghent, Belgium. To any wannabe hitchers, I am in no way recommending that you shack up with pyschopaths, but in this instance, it worked out a treat!

Hell yeah he didn’t murder us!

Taking unnecessary risks 1 – 0 Being sensible

DAY 2: Calais-Brussels

Having got to Ghent by day 2, we decided to take it easy and go explore. One of the best thing about hitching is sightseeing, taking a good look around the places you end up and knowing you are doing so for FREE!

Bruges, Ghent and Brussels in one day, we took sightseeing to the extreme.

Enjoying the view in Bruges

Graffiti alleyway in Gent, Belgium

Kicking back at the end of the day by the canals in Gent

Ending up in Brussels in the evening we stayed with a coachsurfer who cooked us a 3 course meal and provided endless entertainment with his choice of house decorations…

There are no words.

Note to anyone who anyone who has not tried coach surfing: if you are at all homophobic, do not stay with a man who lists that he prefers to host gay coachsurfers, and lists ‘sleeping naked’ or ‘showering with other men’ as his hobbies. Although myself and my boyfriend didn’t mind staying with a man who doesn’t have a door to his shower room and had a computer screensaver of a naked coach surfing man, his other guests found this pretty offensive, and maybe should have screened their host more carefully…

DAY 3: Brussels-Cologne

Ain’t nothing fun about hitching in the snow. Having hitched to just outside Cologne, Germany with a woman and her baby in a smart car (who’d have thought?!) , we got stranded in blizzard conditions. Thankfully, we got picked up by no other than a woman who could have been my own mother’s doppelganger!

Since I started hitchhiking, I have had countless stories to tell about freaks, wierdos and generally deranged human beings who picked us up along the way. Imagine my surprise then, when I spent the next 4 hours eating cake and drinking coffee with two middle aged German women who just wanted a civilised catch-up.

Kidnapped by a German lady who wanted to feed us cake

So much cake..

One of the most surreal and civilised hitchhiking experiences of all time!

And we made it to Cologne before nightfall, just enough time do some sightseeing and kick back with a beer and a steak in a German beer hall!

Well deserved after a hard day of hitching

Partying hard with Germans

It’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it!

I am currently travelling across Germany for 50 days, blogging and using Social Media to share with my readers some of the coolest youth hotspots across the country.

Key part of my trip was gaining access to mobile internet so that I can share the trip real-time.

The internet roaming packages offered by UK networks are pretty poor at the moment and I’ve had my fair share of  huge bills in the past when using my phone abroad.

Plus trying to get my iPhone4s unlocked is pretty expensive and a bit of a logistical nightmare.

Either way, I think I’ve found a few good solutions for you.

I’ve given you the lowdown of mobile internet options I discovered in the course of my research which I hope will me of help to you when planning your trip to Germany in the future.

1. If your phone is unlocked- Buy a Prepaid sim card with flat internet data plans

To buy a simcard from a German mobile operator requires you to be a German citizen.

My tip: I would give the name of a “german friend” and their birth date plus address. Ask their permission.

Or give the address of your hostel and carry your passport with you-this worked for me at O2.

Options for prepaid sim cards with flat internet data plans

There are a ton of great value prepaid sim packages out there, even Aldi sell these simcards so feel free to shop around. Blau.de comes recommended from fellow travellers so I’ve outlined their packages below.

Blau.de offer the following flat internet data packages

• Internet-Flat 1GB   €9,90
• Internet-Flat 3GB   €14.90
• Internet-Flat 5GB   €19.80

Internet-Flat data packages lasts 30 days, UMTS/HSDPA will be used up to a specified data-limit, after reaching that limit you are downgraded to GPRS/EDGE

You can order your simcard in advance and get it sent to the place you are staying in Germany. Blau.de only deliver to German addresses

Micro-sims cost an extra 13 euros.

Starter packs containing a normal sized SIM card can be purchased from large high street retailers in Germany, e.g. the Kaufland super market chain or from Blau.de /E Plus stores.

Or…

If you want to order your simcard in advance and live in the UK you could try Ritesim.com

I used them when travelling to India ( which is a nightmare for buying a simcard ) and they were fantastic. Ordered online and within 48 hours, the simcard was delivered and I was ready to plug into my old warhorse-the iPhone 3g

Ritesim can offer an O2 simcard with unlimited data ( 1GB at 3G speeds, afterwards switches to 2G , 30 days only) for £32 so if you have little time and a short trip, this might be a better solution.

Huawai Mobile Internet ‘Mifi’ device

If your phone is locked- Buy a mobile internet ‘mifi’ device

If like me, your phone is locked, the other solution you have is to buy a mobile internet ‘mifi’ device.

These devices last for 4 hours and can connect upto 5 internet devices at speeds of upto 7.2 Mbps

You can buy them on Ebay for very little but I would suggest going for a decent quality option.

It’s an initial steep investment but pays off on subsequent trips abroad when you can just plug in a local internet data sim and off you go…..

I bought a Huawei Mobile Wifi device from Cyberport and recommend them. They have stores in major cities across Germany. My Huawei Mifi device costed 71 euros.

Once you’ve got the internet device, all you have to do is find a prepaid simcard with a flat internet data plan, and pop into the device as show in the picture above.

You can choose Blau.de or go for O2 like I did which till date has been pretty reliable.

They offered choice of three packages to me

• Internet –Flat 1 GB:    €15
• Internet-Flat 5 GB:     €25
• Internet-Flat 7.5 GB:  €35

There is a ton of O2 shops across Germany where you can purchase your prepaid internet sim.

Activation takes between 5 minutes to an hour maximum so it’s great.

As with Blau.de , this data package lasts 30 days after which you can go into any O2 store and top-up again.

Or… finding free wifi hotpsots using the Youth Hotspots app

Another option is obviously to switch your phone to ‘Flight Mode’ and access the internet at Free Wifi hotspots.

This is easier now thanks to the new Youth Hotspots app that the German National Tourism Office have developed

Download the app (  Apple Store & Android Store  ) and you can discover 1300 free Wi-Fi networks all over Germany

Hope you found my advice useful.

Please share it with your friends on Facebook and also leave your feedback, useful tips in the comments section below. Danke schon!

Big thanks to the German National Tourism Office , their partners for the ‘Youth Hotspots’ campaign – Jugendherberge : The German Youth Hostelling Associationand Deutsche Bahn for sponsoring my ‘German Wanderlust’ tour.

I’m touring Germany as part of an effort to highlight and discover the country’s emerging ‘Youth Hotspots.’

Find out more about these hotspots at their website , feel free to add your own and also do download their free youth hotspots app that is now available on the Apple Store & Android Store .

Please note: While my trip has been sponsored, the views and thoughts represented in this article are my own.

I am relaunching the old series of ‘We ask the Budget Travel Experts’ where I interview some of the leading experts in Budget Travel. For this installment I have been speaking to mummy blogger and LateDeals.co.uk brand ambassador Claire Lancaster.

I admit , I have been sceptical about the value of  last minute holiday bargains so this interview gave me the perfect opportunity to put them under the microscope and ask them a few detailed questions. Hope you enjoy the interview and find it as useful as I did…

Q1 For those travellers who prefer the do-it-yourself mode of travel (includes me) and plan in advance how would you inspire us to book a last minute holiday?

We’d ask you to approach a package holiday site like ours with an open mind, and look at the breadth of locations and type of holidays we can offer and the amazing prices; much of the time our holidays work out cheaper than booking flights and accommodation and vehicle travel separately.

Because we offer such a wide choice of holiday from more small, off the beaten track to the larger resorts and such fantastic prices we honestly think you will pay less for a package holiday but still get the benefits associated with a DIY holiday in terms of experience.

Our holidays also offer ATOL and ABTA protection-this might not apply if you DIY book your holidays.

At Latedeals.co.uk we specialise in holidays that depart within eight weeks – so “last minute” doesn’t mean book today leave tomorrow, we are talking travelling in the next eight weeks, which leaves plenty of time to plan and prepare.

Key to those who, like you Kash, like to “do it yourself” is value for money and price has to be the most compelling reason for booking last minute.   If your requirement is for a flight, hotel, luggage and an airport transfer booking a “cheap flight” may well end up costing more ultimately.

Here’s a real live example for you from Latedeals.co.uk as I write this we have an all inclusive deal at the Couples Sousse in Tunisia departing on 1st May from London Stansted for a package price £317pp.

Compare this to the flight only option which does includes luggage, flight only is more expensive at £348pp and you still have to get from the Airport, pay for somewhere to stay as well as your food and drink!  It is a wrong and expensive assumption to assume buying everything separate is cheaper.

Q2.  ‘I am looking for some spring sunshine in Europe’ – what are your top 3 late deals that you would recommend to readers?

Spring is ideal for late deal holidays because the tour operators have started their regular flights and have rooms to fill ahead of the peak holiday periods.

Majorca- Great late deal for Easter

Flights bound for Palma, Majorca, start in March making it a great choice for Easter and beyond or if you are thinking of getting away a little later you can jet off to Ibiza from 1^st May.

The Spanish mainland with its 320 days of sunshine a year is still hugely popular there are many fantastic value for money deals to the Costa Del Sol and Costa Blanca.

Further afield and the average temperatures are climbing from warm to hot in Cyprus and Greece and there are some great value Spring get aways, especially worth checking out are deals at the Atlantica Hotels, which are one of Latedeals.co.uk top picks.

More specific deals to whet you appetite are:

Deals for under £200 pp

Menorca for only £168 – 27% off

Grab a great spring bargain in Menorca for only £168 pp, staying for seven nights at the grade 3 Sa Mirada Apartments. Accommodation is self catering and flights depart from Gatwick on 1^st May.

Book at www.latedeals.co.uk or call 0800 916 5173.

Deals for under £250 pp

Majorca in May – 14 nights for under £250

Stay for 14 nights self catering for only £242 pp at the grade 4 Aparthotel Coma Gran in Sa Coma – 44% saving off original price of £430. Flights depart from Gatwick on 3^rd May.

Book at www.latedeals.co.uk or call 0800 916 5173.

Deals for under £300 pp

Venetian Riviera, Italy for £264 – 36% off

Jet off to Lido Di Jesolo in the Venetian Riviera for a week’s stay at the grade 3 Miami Hotel for only £264 pp (was £413). Accommodation is half board and flights depart from Manchester on 3^rd May.

Book at www.latedeals.co.uk or call 0800 916 5173.

 Q3. Which destinations offering late deals, offer the best value for money for travellers in 2013?

The shorter the flight the better the value for money.

The two and half hour flight to Majorca is giving customers some amazing deals coming in at under £20pppn at the moment.  In 2013 the non-Euro destinations such as Bulgaria, Tunisia and Turkey are also helping to make British travel budgets go further both in terms of getting there and during your stay.

Sozopol, Bulgaria-Bulgaria represents one of the best value destinations in Europe at the moment

Up and coming destinations also tend to offer better deals to compete against their established neighbouring locations great deals.  Being new to the tourist market, these resorts are relatively unspoilt and will offer a less commercial destination for people seeking a more relaxed get away.  Top deals on Latedeals.co.uk to ‘newer’ destinations include Cape Verde, Costa Almeria in Spain and the Portuguese Island of Porto Santo near Madeira.

Q4. Is there a best time to book a late holiday deal?

Our best advice is to look to book around eight weeks before you want to travel as this is when there is the best availability and when the tour operators release their deals; be prepared, have a rough idea on your preferred destinations and resorts so you can refine your search (there really are hundreds of deals to choose from), be flexible if you can with departure dates and be prepared to book.  Also consider different UK airports as this short journey before and after you fly could make a huge difference on the price.

Use the clever online search tools – like ‘show cheapest destinations’ and ‘show rest of the week’ to compare, for example weekend flights versus weekdays.  We share great late holiday deals on our Facebook page and with our  @Latedeals1 twitter followers so make sure you connect with us on our social profiles.

Where ever you are hoping to go and when ever you are hoping to go the key thing to remember is that great late deals sell fast so be ready to book, if you see the one for you – BOOK IT!

Deals can go up in price if they’re selling well and if it’s a great deal it will sell!

Q5

Common sense dictates that you should book early to get the best deals. Why and what are the advantages of booking a late holiday deal?

Common sense and being practical are not always the same.  Think of a flight as being like a tub of yogurt – once the sell by date has gone it’s not worth anything to anyone.  Once the flight has departed it’s the same however it isn’t the same for the accommodation element of a holiday.  With some rooms having to be paid for irrespective of whether we fill them, eight weeks from departure holidays move over to Latedeals.co.uk with great discounts for the savvy consumer who is ready to book, these deals don’t hang around and if it sells well availability will disappear and prices will increase.  Price is the main advantages of a late holiday deal, lower prices allow travel budgets to take you further, stay longer or in better quality accommodation, its all about getting more bang for your buck!

Competition

To help your holiday budget go even further Latedeals is also giving away a £500 holiday voucher on their facebook page which can be used towards a holiday of your choice at Latedeals.co.uk

So whether you’re dreaming of a week-long all inclusive break to Egypt or a beach holiday in Spain, you could be £500 closer to that experience with Latedeals.co.uk Have a look at their short video here http://youtu.be/AkRZc45DwbU

And for a limited time you can also get an extra £25 off with a voucher code, also available on its Facebook page – just don’t forget to Like the page so you’re kept up to date with the hottest deals and exclusive Facebook offers.

Please note that post was made possible and supported by Latedeals.co.uk. I don’t believe in sharing poorly produced, irrelevant advertorials and work only with companies that can offer content that will be useful and of help to my readers. I hope you do find the post useful as I did. Feel free to ask me any questions or share feedback about the post at europebudgetguide AT gmail.com

Budget Traveller intern Amy took up the challenge recently of finding how easy ( or hard ) it is to hitchhike in the UK . Helping to raise money for University of Sheffield hitchhiking themed charity- ‘Bummit’, Amy tries to hitch a ride from Sheffield to Brighton. 

When I told my family I’d be trying to hitchhike from Sheffield to Brighton, the response was unanimous.

‘Hitchhiking?!’ they asked in horror. ‘Why don’t you just pay for a train ticket? Do you want me to lend you the money?’

‘Isn’t that a bit dangerous? What if you get picked up by a murderer?’

or the more blunt response of:

‘Hope you don’t get raped.’

Hitchhiking, that long-forgotten hobby, has become a thing of the past.

Anyone driving is terrified of picking up an axe-wielding lunatic, and similarly, any potential hitchhiker is convinced anyone who would offer a stranger a lift must want to rape or maim them.

The horrified and suspicious reactions of my friends and family got me thinking;

How is it easy to hitchhike in the UK?

And the answer, for me, was: easy.

Ok, well… not easy. Getting stuck on a roundabout with no lay-bys for hours, getting moved on by the police and being given the finger by numerous boy racers were some minor blips in our journey.

But we made it! For every person who drove past us and awkwardly tried not to make eye contact, someone would stop and ask us about where we were going, why we were hitchhiking, and some offered help as best they could. A business man, who had never picked up a hitchhiker in his life, bought us lunch and drove an hour out of his way to drop us off nearer to our destination.

Nothing more badass than a lift in a company car

Funnily enough, the people who gave us lifts weren’t Bob Dylan fans in dungarees who wanted to share stories of their nomad youth; they were business men in shiny company cars who said they hoped someone would do the same for their own children.

Never underestimate the kindness of a white van man

Of course, some of my friends who were attempting the same route weren’t as lucky. Although my team managed to hitch from Sheffield to Brighton in under 6 hours for free, I know others that got stuck. Horror stories of people being stuck on the outskirts of Slough and paying a substantial amount to reach their final destination got me thinking that maybe I just got lucky…

But we proved it. Hitchhiking in the U.K, although sometimes a little hit-and-miss, is not impossible! If you want to try it, I’d recommend the following things:

MY 4 TOP TIPS FOR HITCHHIKING:

1.Dress up.

It attracts attention and makes you seem less threatening. Onesies are a brilliant costume – what driver is going to think someone dressed in a cow suit is dangerous or threatening?

C’mon…. who wouldn’t pick up a cow and an owl?!

2.Use colourful signs to advertise your destination

Anyone going to Brighton?

3. Always carry a map

Your route changes depending on what people can offer you, and drivers are usually in a rush, so being able to check whether you can accept a lift quickly is very useful.

4. SMILE!

A driver wants to pick up someone that they can have a friendly conversation with, not somebody who looks like they might  bring the mood down!

Cornwall is one of the places I am really looking forward to visit in 2013.  I’ve been planning to visit this beautiful part of the world for years. So it’s v.exciting to have this awesome guest post about South West Cornwall by native Lauren Williams on behalf of CrossCountry Trains. Lauren is a 23 year journo graduate from sunny Cornwall. She’s climbing Kilimanjaro for Cornwall Air Ambulance, a great cause. more details here http://www.laurensclimbingkili.com/ 

Cornwall is the UK at its most picturesque – from rolling hills to crashing coastlines, heather-dotted moorlands to cobbled streets and looming churches. It’s a proud county of food and nature, outdoorsy types and cider-drinking types. It’s also got a reputation of being an expensive getaway, saved only for the summer holidays when prices rocket and villages are boiling over with temper tantrums, screeching hen dos and seagulls fighting over pasty crumbs.

But heading into the deep south west needn’t break the bank (nor test your patience).If you pick your timing wisely and stay away from the masses of socks, sandals and sunburnt emmits, you can enjoy this legend-steeped county at its best. To enhance your Cornish road-less-travelled experience, avoid the stress of crawling traffic into the county and book a cheap train ticket to the end of the line instead. Hire a car once you get there to explore the little villages off the public transport radar.

Padstow

1.     Head away from the crowds

Cornwall, as with every tourist destination, has its hot-spots. Newquay, St Ives, Land’s End and the locally dubbed Padstein (Padstow) are just a few of Cornwall’s most visited and expensive locations. But if you head slightly off the beaten track you’ll be rewarded with boutique restaurants, legendary tales of giants hurling rocks as well as unrivalled hospitality.

Zennor

If the pull of Land’s End does drag you to the battered end of the country, be sure to take the more scenic drive along the B3306 rather than the bicycle and tractor-clogged A30. The roads bob and weave around Cornish mines, rural farms and glimpses of the tide before opening out to an endless horizon of crashing waves. Make a stop at the small village of Zennor where the coastal walks are to die for and neighbourhood tales of mermaids are carved into the wood of the church.

2.     Go to the beach

This is an obvious one, but one that is so often overlooked as a free day out by many. Being spoilt for choice is an understatement when visiting Cornwall – with no town being more than 30 minutes away from a sandy getaway, it’s a wonder why so many people flock to Newquay’s Watergate Bay rather than one of the many secluded beaches dotting the coast.

Porthtowan -stunning

Although not exactly an insider secret, the beach of Porthtowan on the north coast near Redruth is a favourite for beach-bums, surfers and foodies alike. When the tide is out, the beach opens out to reveal plenty of secluded spots, caves hiding treasures and miles of walking in the gentle surf. When you get peckish for some local seafood, or thirsty for some local cider, grab a perch outside the Blue Bar, soak up the atmosphere and kick back.

With 3 1/2 miles of sandy beach, the coastal village of Gwithian is one of the many highlights of a trip to this beautiful part of the world

3.     Walk

Cornwall is famous for its coastal walks, but how about heading inland to stomp across the weather-beaten moorlands down in the old mining country of Carnyorth, near St Just. A hike along these parts and you’ll find yourself staring in awe up at unexplained stone stacks, peering at stone tombs in the middle of nowhere and pondering over stone circles. The old ruins of Chun Castle sit on top of a hill, where you’ll be able to see the whole of Penwith in one 360 degree swoop.

4.     Tuck in

It wouldn’t be a trip to Cornwall if you didn’t eat your way into some sort of cream-filled pasty oblivion, so stuff the diets and dive into all of the calorific treats awaiting you. For good pub-grub, take your pick of one of the 48 drinking houses that dot the streets of Penzance. The Dolphin Tavern just opposite the harbour has one of the best reputations in town amongst the locals and serves up a mix of locally sourced fish dishes, twists on Mexican classics and the ever popular sizzling chicken.

When in this part of the county, ask a local where you can find the best pasty and you’ll get one answer – Philps. Hop on the train in Penzance and get off two stops later at Hayle where you can buy, and demolish, one of the tastiest traditions Cornwall has to offer.

Disclaimer: This awesome guest post was possible thanks to the support of CrossCountry Trains. As long as the content is as awesome as this and adds value to my blog, I am happy to accept. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed the article.

If you want to take Budget Travelling to the extreme, hitchhiking is perhaps the cheapest way to travel.

New BudgetTraveller intern, Amy Woodyatt shares her top tips on how to get more for free..

DO: Try and blag a free hostel

When hitching, you have to learn to be a little bit cheeky. If you don’t fancy paying for a hostel, it’s always worth having a friendly chat with the receptionist to negotiate or even avoid the price. I’ve had quite a lot of success in this department.

Wombats Hostel in Vienna, Mandala Hostel and Retox Party Hostel in Budapest were happy to help out a fellow traveller to keep them off the streets. It helps if you’re hitchhiking for charity, but some people are just nice, so if you’re just doing it for fun, it’s worth a try anyway.  

DON’T: Sleep in a toilet…

….you will get mumps.

Nothing fun about mumps.

If you can’t afford a hostel, sleeping in a toilet stall can seem like the next best thing –warmer than outside and with a lock on the door… Sure, you can make it comfy; use your jumper as a pillow on the toilet floor and get a half decent nights sleep, despite the automatic lights that turn on if you so much as wiggle your big toe, but no amount of trying to make the most of a weird situation can prepare you for the wrath of an angry German Frau wanting to use the disabled toilet at 5am. If that thought doesn’t put you off, just think of sleeping just inches away from a toilet floor, the breeding ground for god knows what diseases and germs. I caught mumps.

DO: Eat cheap

When trying to travel for as little money as possible, eating cheap food can be a godsend. And Europe is the place for it. One euro for a pizza slice the size of my head? Yes please. Two euros for ice cream, and ice cream for breakfast? YES PLEASE. And the further East you go, the cheaper the food (and beer) seem to get.

German sausage.. quite literally cheaper than chips

DON’T: Try ALL the local cuisine

Whilst it’s both polite and adventurous to try new cuisines abroad, there are some foods that you really should steer clear of, no matter how cheap they are.

Bulgarian tarrator, a cold soup made of yogurt, cucumber and herbs.

DON’T: Get food poisoning

A seven hour train journey is not the optimum time to be exploding from both ends. Eating cheap is all well and good, but make sure the food is at least decent. Take it from someone who’s been there.

DO: Make the most of the kindness of strangers

Despite what the Daily Mail would have us believe, strangers can be lovely and friendly, and are not all sex offenders. When hitching, I was overwhelmed by the kindness of the local people, who let us stay in their houses, fed us, and took us out to show us the city. I’d say it’s best to trust your instincts – if the guy offering you somewhere to sleep for the night seems like a creep, you should probably decline. If he seems nice enough, he might just be nice enough.

FREE: A fish and chip supper courtesy of our captain on the ferry to Calais

DON’T: Get taken advantage of

When hitchhiking, it’s advisable to be as laid back as possible. The driver might not always be able to take you exactly where you want, or as quick as you want, but it’s the best you’re gonna get plus it’s free so make the most of it. That being said, do not let the driver take advantage of you. I learnt this the hard way with Bob, a man who said he would give us a lift from Belgium to Germany if we helped him load a woodchipper into his van in Luxembourg. Four hours, blood sweat and tears and one BLOODY HUGE LOG CHIPPER later, Bob is lost in Luxembourg, and drops us off back in Belgium, where we started, having used us for manual labour but not having helped us get any further in our journey to Germany.

Taken for a ride: a driver who made us pay for our lift in manual labour..

DO: Try and blag free trains

DON’T: Get kicked off just before the border

Self explanatory really.

DO: Make friends with the locals and get them to give you a free tour

Locals are friendly and are often happy to give you a free tour of their city. This can often be better than the tours you’d pay for.

DON’T: Make friends with 15 year old Serbian drum and bass fans with a passion for ‘women and weed’.

They will take you to the worst places in Serbia, get you kicked out of a pub because they are underage, follow you around and generally not leave you alone when you’d prefer to enjoy the sights of the city without a running commentary about where is the best place to pick up women.

A free ‘tour’ from our Serbian friends..

And finally…

DO: Accept gifts from locals

DON’T: Chug a whole bottle of homemade Serbian rakia in one go.

Unless you enjoy spending a night hugging your toilet.

So, you’ve finally taken the plunge and decided you’re going to take leave of reality for a year and see the world.

Now the hard part: planning the trip and starting to save up.

There are some pros and cons

The good news is that there’s no need to live on bread and water for months-even on a modest income you can still start saving considerably.

The bad news is that it does require commitment, hard work and some sacrifices.

You maybe be less of a social animal and your friends circle might dwindle.

However every cloud has a silver lining so don’t despair…living life off the beaten track can be fun.

Here’s my 5 top tips to jumpstart your cash reserves for the trip.

1. Pick a good savings account

Try and set aside a fixed amount every month. Do some research as to where to bank your money- there are a good range of savings accounts out there. If you set aside 100 pounds a month to start with that’s a minimum of £1200 saved for the year plus interest.

Compared to say investing your money in stocks and shares, this is a much more safer and risk free way of building up your cash reserves for the big trip.

2. Socialising at the weekend-Party in the house!

Friday night out with a few friends at your favourite local bar can quickly become a big drain on your savings.

Try something different. Invite friends over at your place and enjoy your drink of choice. Plus you can play the music you all enjoy.

If you do feel after a few weeks you need some release and want to head out-go early and take advantage of drinks promos at the chains bars and pubs of Wetherspoons, Lloyds or Slug and Lettuce.

3. Free Movie Tickets?

Register at See Film First  and get invites to special screenings of new movies before they hit the big screen.Tickets are offered on a first come first served basis so it can be hit and miss but still you are guaranteed success every now and then.

Another option is getting an Orange Pay As you Go Sim and for the cost of a text message , every Orange Wednesday, you get a 2 for 1 ticket. All you have to do now is a find a friend.

4. Back to the basics: Have a packed lunch

Resist the lure of meal deals and great lunch offers-bring your own packed lunch.

Get a crispy fresh baguette from your local bakery or superstore, some nice cheese, maybe some fresh sliced tomatoes or for something different get a jar of pesto sauce, add a dollop of that to some cheddar-yum a great sandwich! Some fresh fruit and hey go wild -get a bag of your favourite crisps and hey presto: a lovely packed lunch.

Or maybe stuff the leftovers from last nights meal?

You will save at least 60 pounds a month taking a packed lunch.

5. Become a day tripper or an armchair traveller

Saving for the big trip might mean sacrificing on those weekend breaks but hey adventure and travel can be found anytime and on any budget.

Try some cheap day trips to places of historic interest within a short radius-bus or coach trip

Adventure is often just a bicycle ride away….

If it’s a nice day go for the packed lunch option and dine al fresco.

Its amazing what places you can see on your local bus network so if you have a monthly bus pass for work-max it to the limit on weekends.

Or given that we have winter around the corner if it’s a not such a nice day… Pay a visit to some of your local museums and indulge in an afternoon of art and sparking your creative self.

Worst comes to worst. Become an armchair traveller!

Pay a visit to the local charity shop and stock up on some quality second travel guides and books at throwaway prices. Try and google the cuisine of the place you reading up on, rustle up something…invite your friends over and have a themed ‘night’, maybe grab a film in that language to make it more exciting. Saving money for that RTW trip can be a ‘trip’ in itself, broadening your horizons and making you open to trying new things.

A great way to prepare you for the adventures that lie ahead….

I hope you found this post useful. Please note that this post was possible thanks to HiFX a company that specialises in foreign exchange and if you need to send money online. Have a peek at their website too for more information.

Bus, Train or Plane?

Which is the best way to see Europe, I often hear from first-time travellers.

So many countries to see and visit but so little time-trying to fit in all the must see cities you’ve dreamed of visiting can become a bit of an ordeal.

Then there is a question of budget.

Organising your trip becomes a bit of nightmarish experience. Especially if your travelling solo.

You also want to have the spontaineity to be able to just get on a bus or a train without the fear of the last-minute price tag.

Earlier this year, as many of you may know,  I ventured on a quest to visit 50 of Europe’s best luxury hostels.

I was going to cover a lot of ground so I adopted a flexible approach of using the train on some routes, the plane and then the bus wherever relevant.

I had a great time Interrailing across Europe in June with my Eurail pass.

I loved the freedom of not having to book and hopping on some of their networks ( Germany, Austria) with no reservations.

However in certain countries like France and Spain, reservations were essential and in some cases had also a price tag.

For far-flung corners of Europe like Lisbon + Edinburgh- I found easyJet to be a really quick way to crisscross my way across Europe.

All that was left to sample was jumping on a bus and seeing Europe.

Then someone told me about Busabout Europe- a hop-on-hop-off bus network where using their Flexitrip pass, I could visit nine cities in Italy and throw in a trip to France, Austria, Germany and Switzerland for as little as £350.

It sounded like a great deal and more economical option compared to Interrail

Courtesy of the nice people at Busabout, I was given a pass to sample the Busabout Europe experience.

I thought I’d summarise below my thoughts about what I enjoyed about Busabout and what could be better to give you a balanced idea of whether the pass will work for you.

On my first day of travel I presented my booking reference (which I printed off from the internet) and my passport and was issued with a swipe card that was to be my pass.

I booked my Florence- Nice-Barcelona-Valencia sectors and all of my accommodation online at the Busabout website.

The site is easy to use and it clearly lays out all of your bookings so you don’t mix up any of your plans. With the Flexitrip pass I could have 6 stops and it lasts the whole operating season ( This year was 2nd May 2012 through to 28th October 2012 )

Busabout Europe was a great experience. This is me minutes before I attended the madness that is La Tomatina

Choose from 33 destinations, stay as long as you want, explore the region.

I could visit a choice of 33 destinations in their network and have a choice of 6 stops with the Flexitrip option. There is no limit on how long you can stay in each city.

I travelled from Florence to Valencia, spending a week in Florence staying at the fantasic Plus Florence , then a few days in Cinque Terre, then heading to Nice where I spent a week exploring Cote D’Azur ( Nice is the perfect base, watch out for the thieves there mind you ) before going to Barcelona for a few days and then ending my trip in Valencia where I sampled the madness that is La Tomatina – 5 stops in total and I spent a month covering that route.

Most people, mostly younger first-time travellers I met were covering that route in a matter of a week or 10 days running themselves ragged in the process. After sharing my trip experiences with a few fellow Busabouters, many of them wished they had spread their journey out.

The other thing is that you have a degree of flexibility with the pass. You can make changes to your schedule 24 hours in advance if you wish to stay on in the city for a few days extra. You can also buy additional ‘stops’ from the Busabout Guides to extend your Flexitrip pass.

During the peak summer schedule note , that some of the bus routes run to capacity so it can be a problem rebooking.

My advice is for you is that if you do want to make changes, make them early. It takes a matter of seconds for the change in itinerary to be confirmed so that is v.handy.

Top tip: The pass is valid for the whole summer so take it slow, if time isn’t an issue.

I recommend doing lots of research before you plan your itinerary if you are traveling in summer. Make at least 3 stops along the way where you can stay somewhere for a longer time and have a few ‘chill-out’ days to recharge your batteries.

Crazy night out with the Busabout crowd

Terrified of travelling solo?-then you will love Busabout

Having been on the road for the last few months, I seem to have mastered the art of travelling solo. Thanks to social networks like Twitter and Social travel networks like Gogobot, sites like Couchsurfing-making new friends on the road is not a problem. However if you like the idea of a travel network across Europe that allows you to meet fellow travellers during your trip, then Busabout is perfect for you.

Busabout have an excellent community page where you can get tips prior to your departure plus via the TripMates function, you can also befriend fellow travellers who are travelling on the same departure dates as you.

Busabout Guides are a friendly bunch and often will go out of their way to entertain the gang. Busabout Adam in fancy dress on the right showing his wild side in what could be described as a crazy tomato? ( During La Tomatina )

Friendly, expert Guides

One of the other great advantages of travelling with Busabout is that you get the expert advice and insight of the Busabout Guides.

The Busabout guides on each bus gave me lots of details on the destination I was heading to plus they also helped pre-plan any activities prior to me arriving at the destination. Also they are at your service, if you need to book your accommodation at the destination. Note, that they can book you on with only their recommended providers. While I didn’t need to take advantage of these features, it’s great to see the level of care and passion that the Guides put into their jobs to help the passengers. These guys are passionate travellers themselves and that comes across clearly in their jobs.

I had the chance to hang out with Adam Agenda MC Bazeley who was our guide from Nice to Barcelona.

From the best places to taste Paella, to the history of Spain under Franco and where to enjoy local tipples like ‘Calimocho’- Adam is a walking encyclopedia of everything Spanish. Not only does he know his history and his food, the guy turns out be an awesome Rapping Travel Vlogger.

I managed to capture him on film doing an awesome Gaudi Rap on our way to Barcelona which you check out below.

Also on the long trip from Nice to Barcelona, I had the pleasure of getting to know Hannah who had just recently joined Busabout as a guide over the summer. Here is a nice wee video interview of Hannah, sharing her experience of being a Busabout Guide and her experience so far of being part of the company.

Overall, it was a smooth and enjoyable experience. Even though some of the sectors like Nice to Barcelona can last upto 10 hours, the monotony of the journey was broken up watching films that they show on the bus. There are a few refreshment stops along the way at service stations to grab food .

Also, another big plus point is whenever you have a mighty hangover from the night before, helps to just roll out of a bed and just hop on the bus without the stress and hassle of getting to the train station or airport.

So, anything that could be improved about Busabout?

Limited routes

While with an Eurail pass you can pretty much cover the whole of Europe, with BusAbout you are restricted to a selected routes and stops. Plus if you’re doing the ‘loop’ you are limited to heading in one direction.

BusAbout offers about 33 destinations while the options with InterRail are closer to 30,000 plus complete flexibility over directions.

Limited service and frequency

On popular train routes you get a number of trains running per day, while Busabout serves each stop every second day.

As I mentioned earlier, during the peak summer season , book in advance to avoid getting stranded for longer than planned, as the seats on the buses get snapped up very quickly.

Ausabout?

I don’t if this was just my experience but majority of the crowd that use Busabout are Aussies. In fact, I think it should be called ‘Ausabout’ than ‘Busabout’. While I have nothing against Aussies, in fact I have a number of friends from there, after riding with them for a few weeks, I kinda became aussied out and was craving for some variety & diversity of travellers. Plus also an older traveller, the Busabout crowd tends to be more younger, first time travellers so at times you do wish they were more older, experienced travellers to hang out with.

Suggestions for improving the product would be to offer more routes, possibly bespoke networks for slightly older, mature travellers to help attract a more wider audience, more activity options at destinations , broader choice of accommodation options at each network point plus having free wifi on the buses-this would boost the brand and overall user experience.

To conclude

I think if you are a first-time traveller in Europe and have never travelled solo before, Busabout is definitely for you. I love the concept.

You can plan your own itinerary, never worry about being alone, you have expert friendly guides on the buses to answer your queries and help you,  accommodation options can be booked on the site or via the guides-all you have to do is put your name down, get of bed before the bus leaves, meet lots of people and be ready to party hard.

For more about booking your Busabout Europe experience visit the website http://www.busabout.com/

Also check out the Busabout TV channel on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/BusaboutTV

Note: While Busabout sponsored my trip, the views put forward in this article are entirely my own.

I came to Porto 8 years ago.

It feels now like a different lifetime ago.

I was visiting after a friends wedding in Vigo across the border in Spain.

I had got a cheap Ryanair flight back to London from Porto.

I was staying the one night.

Naturally, after a crazy, big fat Galician wedding ( like all good Spanish weddings you eat, drink and dance till you burst into a million pieces ) I had little reserve in the tank.

Just enough for a ramble. No guidebook required.

I came just an hour before sunset.

Dumping my bag. I went for my ramble around the warren of cobbled streets that snake from its port wine cellars beside the iconic Dom Luis bridge and lazy Douro river.

Porto- Fading but haunting grandeur makes this one of my favourite cities in the world..

There was an air of dilapidation around most of the buildings in the port area.

It was very quiet. Not a soul in sight.

The buildings had been standing silent for centuries.

The plaster was peeling off in places to expose the inner brickwork.

Unloved. Is the word that came to my mind.

Unloved, yet still regal, many of the buildings were proudly adorned with the beautiful ceramic hand painted tiles- azulejos.

Each azulejo, shares a story.

Each azulejo is a portal to a life of Porto’s grand past as a naval, maritime superpower.

Walking around Porto, bathed in the melancholy fading sun at sunset- there are fewer more memorable experiences in life.

8 years on, Porto still has the air of fading grandeur.

Of a city that still steals and lives off its past glories.

However, this time I feel there is more a sense of renewal and energy around the place.

New chic cafes with free wifi, great coffee and awesome cakes , catering to the hipster crowds.

Old decaying wine cellars with white marble floors, vaulted ceilings and beautiful chandeliers have become the subterranean, nocturnal refuge of the city’s young, brash and beautiful people.

I’m staying at the Gallery Hostel , Portugal’s hottest new luxury hostel.

The hostel is excellent poster boy of the stunning metamorphosis that Porto has undergone.

Formerly, a 18^th century villa owned by a member of the local aristocracy, the place has been restored to its former glory by two friends.

They had the unique idea of creating a modern, design hostel that could also function an art gallery.

Twice a month, the hostel opens its doors to the public.

When I visited in April, there was an exhibition from a local photographer.

Huge, colourful prints on canvas set against the whitewashed walls, juxtaposed against the gleaming, polished wooden floors.

Walk with me-Let me give you a sense of orientation of the place.

The moment you walk into the building to the right is a cosy reception room.

Straight ahead is the long narrow corridor with the exhibition.

Walking through the corridor, to my right is a computer room for guests, replete with gigantic Apple Mac desktops and also a well stocked library, packed with books about the local history of the city and maps.

Further ahead you come to an opening with skylight- love this part of the building

To the right , you have a staircase that winds down to the lower level of the building.

Tucked beneath the staircase is this very cool, open plan bar with lots of comfy cushions and seats to sink into after a long day roaming the streets of Porto.

Beside it is a living room with huge comfy sofas and a projector screen where they show movies plus from time to time local football derbies.

Plus they have a karaoke machine. Yup. Karaoke machine. Awesome.

Straight on from the bar to the right is a glass enclosed seating area where smokers congregate.

Beyond that you have the kitchen cum dining area.

Beautiful space.

You get an awesome breakfast buffet spread that would not look out of place in a 5 star hotel.

Dinner at Gallery Hostel: Delicious Caldo Verde, perfect for a cold Spring night

Plus in the evenings, you can choose to dine with the guests and sample some great, authentic cuisine typical of the local area. The meals are cooked by the hostel’s very own Brazilian chef. It’s the kind of food your mother in law would make, that good. Meals come to 10 euros and include dessert and also copious amount of wine.

Beyond the kitchen, you have the hostel’s little own garden and facing them a bunch of private rooms.

Above the rooms, there is a sunlounger terrace where guests can chill and soak in the sun.

I’m staying in one of the 6 bed dorms.

It’s well spaced out and each room comes with it’s own ensuite bathroom ( stellar power shower) plus you even have a private balcony to sit outside and enjoy with fellow travellers and friends.

At just 18 euros a night, it’s a steal. The doubles come in around the 50 euro mark.

I am only here for 2 nights but I easily could have stayed at least a week.

When it comes to hospitality , Gallery Hostel excels.

It partly can be attributed to the owners training at Lausanne where the best go to learn the art of hospitality.

It’s one area where I know hostels excel but truly, at the Gallery, each guest is looked after with great care.

Being a small, boutique hostel, they can afford to offer that almost one-to-one attention.

It’s hard work but so far they seem to have managed to create a place that marries the old world charm that Porto is famous for with great, modern design and comfort plus a liberal sprinkle of charm and hospitality for good measure.

You leave the place, intoxicated and already dreaming of your next visit.

I loved the Gallery Hostel, probably of all the luxury hostels I have visited so far on this trip , my favourite.

I recommend visiting while it’s still relatively unknown and has not been discovered by the Lonely Planet….