Budget Backpacking Europe: 2-Week Itinerary Under $1,500

Budget Breakdown: Where the Money Goes

Understanding costs:

Total budget: $1,500 for 14 days

Average daily: $107/day (including amortized flight cost)

Breakdown:

• Flights (roundtrip US-Europe): $400-600 (shop deals)
• Accommodation: $25-35/night × 13 nights = $325-455
• Food: $20-30/day × 14 days = $280-420
• Transportation (within Europe): $150-250 (trains, buses, budget flights)
• Activities/Attractions: $10-20/day × 14 days = $140-280
• Miscellaneous: $100 (SIM card, laundry, emergencies)

Total: ~$1,395-1,605 (targeting $1,500)

Possible if strategic about every category

The Route: Eastern Europe Focus (Best Value)

Why Eastern Europe:

✅ Significantly cheaper than Western Europe (50-70% less) ✅ Fewer tourists (authentic experiences) ✅ Beautiful cities (Prague, Budapest, Krakow rival Paris, Rome) ✅ Great food (hearty, delicious, cheap) ✅ Efficient trains/buses (easy to navigate)

2-Week Itinerary:

Route: Prague → Vienna → Budapest → Krakow → Berlin

Why this route:

• Efficient (minimal backtracking)
• Mix of experiences (capital cities, history, nightlife, culture)
• Budget-friendly (except Berlin, offset by cheaper Eastern European cities)
• Excellent train/bus connections
• Can adjust based on interests

Map flow: Czech Republic → Austria → Hungary → Poland → Germany

Day-by-Day Breakdown

Days 1-3: Prague, Czech Republic (3 nights)

Budget: $90-120/night total

Why start here:

• Major airport (good flight deals)
• Stunning medieval architecture
• Cheap beer ($2 pints!)
• Walkable city center

Accommodation ($25-30/night):

• Czech Inn: Party hostel, social, €22/night
• Hostel One Home: Legendary social hostel, €25/night
• Sophie's Hostel: Budget option, €18/night

Must-do (free or cheap): ✅ Free walking tour (New Europe Tours—tip €5-10) ✅ Charles Bridge (sunrise = no crowds, free) ✅ Old Town Square (Astronomical Clock, free) ✅ Prague Castle (grounds free, interior €12) ✅ Lennon Wall (free, colorful graffiti) ✅ Petřín Tower (€5, mini Eiffel Tower, city views)

Food ($20/day):

• Breakfast: Hostel included (free!)
• Lunch: Trdelník (chimney cake) + street food (€5)
• Dinner: Traditional Czech pub (goulash + beer, €10)
• Grocery store: Lidl, Albert (snacks, water, €5)

Nightlife:

• Beer gardens (€2 beers)
• Pub crawl (€15 includes 5 drinks + club entry)

Transportation: Walk everywhere (compact Old Town)

Days 4-5: Vienna, Austria (2 nights)

Budget: $70-90 total

Train from Prague: FlixBus €10-15 (4 hours) or RegioJet train €15-20

Why Vienna:

• Imperial palaces, classical music, coffee culture
• More expensive but doable with strategy

Accommodation ($30-35/night):

• Wombats City Hostel: Central, social, €28/night
• Do Step Inn: Budget, social, €25/night

Must-do: ✅ Free walking tour (tip €10) ✅ Schönbrunn Palace gardens (free, palace interior €20—skip it, gardens are highlight) ✅ Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral): Free entry, tower climb €5 ✅ Naschmarkt: Free to wander, cheap street food ✅ Danube Canal: Free walk, street art ✅ Museums: Skip expensive museums (unless passionate—Kunsthistorisches €18)

Food ($25/day—higher in Vienna):

• Breakfast: Hostel or bakery (€3-5)
• Lunch: Naschmarkt or würstelstand (sausage stand, €5)
• Dinner: Schnitzel at budget place (€12) or grocery store

Transportation: Walk + occasional tram (€2.40 single, €8 day pass if needed)

Days 6-8: Budapest, Hungary (3 nights)

Budget: $75-100 total

Train from Vienna: €15-25 (3 hours)

Why Budapest:

• "Paris of the East" (stunning architecture)
• Cheapest destination on route ($25/day possible!)
• Thermal baths, ruin bars, nightlife

Accommodation ($20-25/night):

• Carpe Noctem Vitae: LEGENDARY party hostel, €20/night
• Grandio Party Hostel: Social, €18/night
• Maverick Hostel: City center, €22/night

Must-do: ✅ Free walking tour (Pest side and Buda side—do both, tip €5-10 each) ✅ Parliament Building exterior (free, interior tour €18—skip) ✅ Fisherman's Bastion (upper level €3, but can see everything from lower free section) ✅ Chain Bridge walk (free, gorgeous) ✅ Thermal baths: Széchenyi €22 (splurge-worthy!) or cheaper option Rudas €18 ✅ Great Market Hall (free to wander, cheap food) ✅ Shoes on Danube Memorial (free, moving WWII memorial)

Food ($15-20/day—so cheap!):

• Breakfast: Hostel included
• Lunch: Lángos (fried dough, €3) or Great Market Hall
• Dinner: Goulash at local spot (€5-7)
• Street food: Chimney cakes, kürtőskalács (€3)

Nightlife:

• Ruin bars: Szimpla Kert, Instant-Fogas (beer €2-3)
• Pub crawls: €12-15 (includes drinks)
• Sparty (bath party): €30 (optional, but unique experience)

Days 9-11: Krakow, Poland (3 nights)

Budget: $75-100 total

Bus from Budapest: FlixBus €20-30 (overnight saves accommodation!)

Why Krakow:

• Medieval square (beautiful)
• Auschwitz day trip (heavy but important)
• Cheap (on par with Budapest)
• Salt mines

Accommodation ($20-25/night):

• Greg & Tom Hostel: Consistently rated #1, €22/night
• Mosquito Hostel: Party hostel, €18/night
• Pink Panther's: Central, social, €20/night

Must-do: ✅ Free walking tour (Old Town + Jewish Quarter Kazimierz, tip €10) ✅ Main Market Square (free, stunning) ✅ Wawel Castle grounds (free, interior €10) ✅ Auschwitz-Birkenau: Day trip €30-40 (includes transport + guide—book ahead) - emotionally heavy but historically important ✅ Wieliczka Salt Mine: €25 (underground cathedral, impressive) ✅ Kazimierz district: Free walk, Jewish heritage, trendy cafés

Food ($15-20/day):

• Breakfast: Hostel
• Lunch: Zapiekanka (Polish pizza bread, €2.50)
• Dinner: Pierogi (dumplings, €5) + beer (€2)

Nightlife:

• Vodka tasting bars (€10-15)
• Underground clubs (€5 entry)

Days 12-14: Berlin, Germany (3 nights)

Budget: $100-130 total (more expensive, but doable)

Train/bus from Krakow: FlixBus €15-25 (6-8 hours)

Why end in Berlin:

• Major airport (easy departure)
• History (WWII, Cold War)
• Nightlife (legendary)
• Art, street food, counterculture

Accommodation ($25-30/night):

• Generator Berlin Mitte: Central, social, €28/night
• Wombats City Hostel: Great facilities, €27/night
• EastSeven Hostel: Budget, social, €22/night

Must-do: ✅ Free walking tour (essential for understanding Berlin, tip €10) ✅ East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall graffiti, free) ✅ Brandenburg Gate (free) ✅ Holocaust Memorial (free, deeply moving) ✅ Reichstag dome (free but must book online weeks ahead) ✅ Checkpoint Charlie (free to see, museum €14.50—skip, overrated) ✅ Mauerpark flea market (Sundays, free, karaoke!) ✅ Museums: Museum Island (€18 day pass all museums—worth it if interested)

Food ($25/day—higher in Berlin):

• Breakfast: Hostel or bakery (€3-5)
• Lunch: Döner kebab (Berlin has best, €5)
• Dinner: Currywurst (€4) or Thai/Vietnamese (cheap, €8)
• Street food markets: Markthalle Neun (Thursdays, varied options)

Nightlife:

• Berghain (if you get in—famously selective, €18)
• Alternative bars in Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg (€3-5 drinks)
• Pub crawls: €12-15

Money-Saving Strategies (Critical!)

How to stay on budget:

Flights ($400-600):

✅ Book 2-3 months ahead (sweet spot for deals) ✅ Use flight search engines: Skyscanner, Google Flights, Momondo ✅ Flexible dates: Midweek flights cheaper (Tuesday-Thursday) ✅ Budget airlines: WOW Air, Norwegian, Play (watch baggage fees!) ✅ Fly into/out of different cities: Multi-city ticket often same price ✅ Set alerts: Track prices, book when drops

Example: NYC to Prague $450, Berlin to NYC $500 = $950 total (high end) Budget option: Find deals for $400-500 roundtrip (possible with patience)

Accommodation ($20-35/night):

✅ Always stay in hostels (hotels blow budget) ✅ Book on HostelWorld or Booking.com (compare prices) ✅ Choose hostels with free breakfast (saves $5-7/day) ✅ Dorm rooms (6-8 bed dorms cheapest) ✅ Cook in hostel kitchens (huge savings)

Avoid: Private rooms (2-3x price), Airbnb (rarely cheaper than hostels for solo travelers)

Food ($15-25/day):

✅ Free breakfast at hostel (fill up!) ✅ Grocery stores: Lidl, Aldi, Tesco (lunch supplies, snacks) ✅ Street food: Cheaper and often better than restaurants ✅ One restaurant meal/day maximum (lunch is cheaper than dinner) ✅ Cook dinner at hostel (pasta, soup, sandwiches—$3-5 per meal) ✅ Water bottle + refill (save $2-3/day)

Avoid: Touristy restaurants (2-3x normal prices), airport food

Transportation ($150-250 within Europe):

✅ Book trains/buses weeks ahead (cheapest fares) ✅ Use FlixBus (usually cheapest, €10-30 between cities) ✅ Night buses/trains (save accommodation cost) ✅ Walk everywhere in cities (all these cities are walkable) ✅ Public transport day passes (if taking 3+ trips)

Avoid: Taxis/Ubers (expensive), last-minute train tickets (2-3x price)

Eurail Pass? NOT worth it for this itinerary (point-to-point cheaper)

Activities ($10-20/day):

✅ Free walking tours (tip €5-10, incredible value) ✅ Free attractions (churches, parks, bridges, memorials) ✅ Student discounts (bring student ID, saves 20-50%) ✅ Skip expensive museums (unless passionate—Google Images shows most art) ✅ One paid attraction per city (choose carefully)

Avoid: Tourist traps (overpriced, underwhelming), hop-on-hop-off buses (expensive, unnecessary)

Miscellaneous tips:

✅ SIM card: €10-20 for 5-10GB (essential for maps, booking) ✅ Travel insurance: €30-50 for 2 weeks (non-negotiable) ✅ Bring refillable water bottle (save $30+ over 2 weeks) ✅ Power adapter: €10 (buy before trip) ✅ Laundry: Hand-wash in hostel sink (saves €8-10 per load)

What to Pack (Minimalist List)

One backpack only (40-50L):

Clothing (1 week worth, hand-wash midway):

• 3-4 shirts
• 2 pants/shorts
• 1 sweater/fleece
• 1 rain jacket
• 7 underwear + socks (quick-dry)
• 1 pair comfortable walking shoes (break in before!)
• Flip-flops (hostel showers)

Toiletries (travel size):

• Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap
• Microfiber towel (hostels charge €3-5 for towel rental)

Electronics:

• Phone + charger
• Power bank
• Headphones
• Adapter (European plugs)

Documents:

• Passport (check 6+ months validity)
• Credit cards (2-3, notify bank of travel)
• Copies of important docs (digital + physical)
• Hostel confirmations (printed or digital)

Don't overpack: You can buy anything you forget (often cheaper in Europe)

Daily Budget Tracker Example

Sample Day in Budapest:

Accommodation: €20 (hostel dorm) Breakfast: €0 (hostel included) Lunch: €3 (lángos from street vendor) Dinner: €7 (goulash + beer at local place) Snacks/water: €2 (grocery store) Thermal bath: €22 (splurge activity) Walking tour tip: €0 (already tipped previous day) Transportation: €0 (walked everywhere)

Total: €54 (~$60) = under budget!

This leaves room for:

• Higher costs in Vienna/Berlin
• Occasional splurge (nice dinner, extra activity)
• Emergency buffer

Backpack Europe under $1,500 for two weeks following Prague-Vienna-Budapest-Krakow-Berlin route prioritizing Eastern Europe (50-70% cheaper than Western). Book flights 2-3 months ahead targeting $400-600 roundtrip using Skyscanner flexible dates. Stay hostels with free breakfast ($20-35/night) cooking dinners saving $15-20 daily. Use FlixBus between cities ($10-30) booking weeks ahead. Take free walking tours tipping €5-10, skip expensive museums except passion picks, walk extensively. Budget breakdown: flights $500, accommodation $325 (13 nights), food $300 ($21/day average), transport $200, activities $150, miscellaneous $100 totaling ~$1,475. Travel shoulder seasons April-May or September-October avoiding peak summer prices crowds.