THE SPOT

Tag: Germany Travel

  • 5 Budget Travel Tips that won’t Break Your Bank (From a Fellow Brokie)

    5 Budget Travel Tips that won’t Break Your Bank (From a Fellow Brokie)

    The featured image was created by AI.

    As a fellow brokie, one who unfortunately does not have wealthy family members or a job that pays above the average, I have real experience stretching a dime into a dollar. Here are five budget travel tips for travelers in Europe and beyond that actually work. 

    1. Flying Is Overrated. Take the Bus or Train 

    I know. Flying saves time and depending on where you are going, it might actually be less expensive than the train or bus. However, when I found myself yearning for somewhere far away in 2019, I downloaded the Flixbus App and started searching. I found a good deal from where I was living to Barcelona. It would take me a full day to get there and back, and my flight anxiety was another big reason to avoid flying altogether. I compared the Flixbus ticket at €80 round-trip to a flight for the same dates and, with carry-on, the flight would have cost me €120 more. 

    Back then as a student, €120 was nearly half my rent. Flixbus it was. If you do not have Flixbus in your country, long-distance buses are still a great option. If you are based in Germany, here is a little hack: do not search for Deutsche Bahn tickets on the German DB website. Check the Austrian ÖBB website instead, because some long-distance tickets are significantly cheaper there. The DB also launched a Last-Minute ticket program with discounted fares. Only took them two decades, but I digress. 

    2. Book a Room, Not an Entire Accommodation 

    Back when I was pinching pennies (still do), the only reasonably priced option was a shared room or an Airbnb where I stayed with others. While I tend to be a very anxious person, I still booked a room for just over €100 for a full week in Barcelona. I was not located directly in the city and shared the apartment with the host, but it saved me a lot of money. I can only recommend it. 

    The key is to look carefully at your potential host’s profile. Do they have reviews? If yes, what are the negatives and what are the positives? Focus on the negatives especially: is it something you can compromise on? If yes, go ahead and book. If not, move on. Budget tight, standards reasonable. 

    3. Bring Your Own Food 

    When I went to Zurich (check out the series, part 1, part 2 and part 3) I knew Switzerland would be unreasonably expensive. Check out the full story here. The second time around I was not going to be fooled. My budget was not going to break over a tiny wrap. I packed pasta, soy cream, and a bottle of wine and enjoyed a glass from the luxury of my hotel bed. Zero regrets. 

    Packing even a few meals, especially for arrivals and first nights, can save you €30 to €50 easily. That is a bus ticket somewhere else. 

    4. Look for Discounts or Book Through a Platform That Offers Them 

    This is one of the more obvious tips but look for discount codes online before booking anything. Some German employers participate in Corporate Benefits, where you can find discounted hotel and accommodation rates. I personally book through Booking.com as a registered Genius member and the discounts add up more than you would expect. I still think fondly about my trip to the Walchensee in Bavaria and happily applying for the €20 cashback through the Genius program. Small habits, real savings. 

    5. Visit Friends and Acquaintances 

    This might sound opportunistic but hear me out. Accommodation is almost always the biggest expense on any trip. If you can get around that by visiting a friend, you will not only have a personal tour guide but also someone to split food costs with and hopefully a place to stay at a lesser rate or completely for free. Visiting my sisters in high-priced cities like Munich and Basel has genuinely kept my travel budget intact more times than I can count. 

    Budget travel in Europe is absolutely possible. It just requires a little creativity and zero shame about being smart with money. From Flixbus rides to friends’ couches, every euro saved is another euro toward the next adventure. 

    Have a budget travel tip that saved you? Drop it in the comments. 

    For more Travel, Lifestyle and Thoughtful Essays, check out other posts at The Spot.

  • Nierstein: Discover the Beauty of the Rhine River

    Nierstein: Discover the Beauty of the Rhine River

    Why Visit Nierstein?

    Nestled between Worms and Frankfurt, Nierstein is one of the most peaceful towns along the Rhine River in Rhineland-Palatinate. Known for its scenic river views, relaxed atmosphere, and nearby vineyards, Nierstein is the perfect destination for a slow Sunday getaway in Germany.

    For German speakers, do not confuse Nierstein with “Nierenstein,” which means kidney stones.

    I first discovered Nierstein while trapped on a train ride to another work event. As the train passed the Rhine, the sunlight reflected across the water and completely caught my attention. The calm river, the boats drifting by, and the quiet atmosphere made me want to come back immediately.

    A few weeks later, I finally made the 30-minute drive to Nierstein on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

    One of the best things about visiting Nierstein is how easy and relaxed everything feels. During the weekend, you can usually find free parking spots directly beside the Rhine promenade, making it ideal for a spontaneous day trip from Worms, Mainz, or Frankfurt.

    The riverside promenade is simple but beautifully designed. Along the riverbank, you will find several seating areas where you can sit in the sun and watch the boats move slowly across the water. The peaceful rhythm of the Rhine, combined with the warm sunlight and open views, makes Nierstein feel like a hidden gem in Germany.

    Whether you are looking for a quiet walk, a relaxing afternoon by the water, or a scenic stop along the Rhine Valley, Nierstein is one of the best places to spend a Sunday in Rhineland-Palatinate.

    Riverbank Nierstein
    Rhine
  • Eibsee Part II: My First Solo Trip to the German Caribbean — Lakes, Lasagna & a Creepy Waiter

    Eibsee Part II: My First Solo Trip to the German Caribbean — Lakes, Lasagna & a Creepy Waiter

    A Quick Recap

    I kind of left you all hanging. Instead of heavenly posts about Lake Eibsee, you were bombarded with posts about financial insecurity and depression. I promise — none of those have vanished. Would be too easy, right? But let’s move on and actually look at a Journey of Joy moment.

    In Part I we covered how I got there. In Part II we’re doing a quick and dirty rundown of how things went on my way from Heidelberg to Grainau.

    Day Two

    I woke up in the early morning on Saturday. I slept okay — unfortunately, since the B&B was quite old (though charming), I heard every minor step my fellow tourists made in the middle of the night or early morning. Still, I had a smile on my lips. I had waited so long for friends to join me on trips, and this was one I finally just went on by myself.

    I went into the bathroom and took a long hot shower with the door open. Paranoid, yes — I wanted to make sure that if someone happened to open my hotel room door, I’d be ready.

    After the shower I put on my comfiest clothes and went downstairs for breakfast. I had something — honestly don’t remember what. I noticed that beside me there was just a small group of adventure tourists who looked very sporty, probably heading up into the mountains. Since it was April, it was way too cold for them to be cyclists.

    I went back upstairs and, honestly, laid back down. Since I didn’t have a TV at home at the time, I took full advantage of finally being able to curl up in bed and just enjoy. I came across Shopping Queen — a show I hadn’t seen in ages — and dove in a little too well. For those of you living in Germany, you already know that on Saturdays you get the entire week’s episodes together in one neat package. So I indulged, enjoyed, and almost didn’t visit the lake at all

    The Lake

    I mentally gave myself a kick in the butt and put my clothes on. When I checked in, I had generously been given a bus ticket for the area, so I took the next bus to the lake. It almost seemed like every handful of tourists in Grainau had gotten on the same bus. Seats weren’t filled. The weather was unforgivingly dreadful — dark, gray, moody. I thought about my pictures and how they wouldn’t look as great without any sunshine. We made our way through empty streets straight to the lake, dark thick woods surrounding us on all sides.

    We arrived after a twenty-minute ride. I got off the bus and started walking. Straight ahead.

    There it was — the beautiful Lake Eibsee. I walked around and captured these gems.

    Eibsee I
    Eibsee II

    Almost Starved to Death

    After about an hour I took the bus back to Grainau, happy with my trip and — most importantly — my pictures. It never really happened if you didn’t post it, right?

    Another twenty minutes later I was back at the hotel and getting hungry. Since I hadn’t booked any lunch or dinner options at the B&B, I looked online and found a small store nearby. I figured I’d grab some apples or bread to tide me over. I was too late. It was already closed — and mind you, it was about 3 PM in the middle of the day. I cursed myself for getting my hopes up. Growing up in a village in the Black Forest, I should have known there was no way that store would be open that “late.”

    I turned around and spotted a restaurant on my way back, making a mental note to go at 5 PM. I went back to the B&B, watched more TV, and at 5 PM sharp — stomach growling — I headed out. I thought I might try the restaurant right across from the B&B, but of course they didn’t open for another thirty minutes. So back to the first restaurant I went.

    I was welcomed by an older man — maybe forty — who was the only waiter and host. It was a typical old restaurant with Italian cuisine. He was nice. Too nice. He asked what I was doing in Grainau and I, foolishly, told him I was a tourist traveling alone. Then the compliments started. With a lit candle on the table, a beautiful girl like me shouldn’t be sitting alone. He should be joining me.

    I smiled awkwardly and cringed. Ordered my Radler and a very tasty lasagna, which I inhaled in twenty minutes because this guy was giving me the heebie-jeebies. I left as fast as I could.

    At least the lasagna was good.

    After that brief adventure I spent the rest of the evening in my room. I called the taxi company to arrange my pickup for the next day and just reminisced.

    It was a fun trip. My first solo one during the pandemic.