Affordable Europe: Paris

Now that the French government has withdrawn a disputed youth labor law, tourists can visit Paris without worrying too much about the disruption of massive protests and strikes. And no matter how expensive Paris can seem — especially with the weak dollar — there are endlessly creative ways to save money.

Where to Eat Cheaply

Around every corner is another bistro, where all day, every day, one can find good food, good wine and good value (for Paris, that is). A jewel, hidden in an unremarkable part of the 15th Arrondissement, is Le Troquet (21, rue Francois Bonvin; 33-1-45-66-89-00). Lively, Basque-inspired, sometimes smoke-filled, it has a 38-euro ($47, at $1.24 to the euro) six-course — yes, six-course — tasting menu that changes every week. One sample menu includes cream of cauliflower soup, vegetable barigoule with bacon and country ham, shellfish ravioli, confit of lamb shoulder, madeleines with a pot of vanilla cream, and macaroons with praline-dusted mousse and roasted banana. A three-course menu is 30 euros ($37), without wine. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Lodging for Under 100 Euros

Damp in winter, stuffy in summer, dark all year round. That pretty much describes the world of cut-rate hotel rooms in Paris. An exception is the 30-room New Orient Hotel at 16, rue de Constantinople in the heart of the Eighth Arrondissement (33-1-45-22-21-64; www.hotel-paris-orient.com). A 10-minute walk from the Parc Monceau, the antiques-filled hotel feels, well, very French. The rooms are small but comfortable and clean, and 16 have small balconies. Rates: 82 euros for a single room (with shower), 105 euros for a double (with full bath).

Best Deal on a Cultural Event

Museums in Paris are expensive. The two-, four- or six-day museum passes (38, 55 and 72 euros, respectively) make it less pricey — but only if a lot of museums can be crammed in. However, a number of Paris museums are free, including the newly restored Musee du Petit Palais. Just off the Champs-Elysees, the museum, with its sweeping staircases and collection of ancient sculptures, medieval tapestries and paintings, reopened last year after a five-year renovation. The garden of the Musee Rodin, which has many of his sculptures, costs only one euro (a visit to the museum's permanent collection is six euros).

Visitors who have had enough of museums can go to the free, half-hour haute couture and pret-a-porter fashion show on the seventh floor of the Galeries Lafayette department store every Friday at 3 p.m. Both men's and women's fashions are featured. Reservations are a must (33-1-42-82-30-25; www.galerieslafayette.com). Le Printemps department store across the street offers a similar free fashion show on Tuesdays at 10 a.m.

Best Things to Do Free

Every Friday night at 10, traffic is stopped for a three-hour in-line skating run through the capital. The 12-mile trip starts and ends at the Place Raoul Dautry, in the 14th Arrondissement. A gentler run that starts and ends at the Place de la Bastille takes place on Sunday afternoons. For the itineraries and more information, see www.pari-roller.com for Friday and www.rollers-coquillages.org for Sunday.

Best Money-Saving Tip

The cheapest way to see Paris is with a one-hour one-way ride on the No. 69 public bus (1.40 euros). The bus starts and ends at two tourist destinations — the Eiffel Tower in the west (at the Avenue Joseph Bouvard) and Pere Lachaise Cemetery in the east. Along the eastward route, the bus passes Les Invalides, the Seine, the Louvre, the Hotel de Ville, the Marais, the Place de la Bastille. And you mingle with French people, not tourists.

(πηγή: www.iht.com, 23/4/2007)

Affordable Europe: Prague

Midway between Old and New Europe, Prague is leading the post-Communist capitals into the modern era. That means higher-quality amenities for tourists — and higher prices. But there are still plenty of bargains, especially if you can avoid the touristy zone around Prague Castle.

Where to Eat Cheaply

The Czech Republic is home to Pilsen and Budweis, names long familiar to beer drinkers. Without a doubt, Prague still does its best cooking with liquids. For good cheap eats and the best beers at any price, try the Richter microbrewery (Bulovka 17; 420-284 840-650), where the owner, Frantisek Richter, produces award-winning lagers and ales in small batches. It's not the easiest place to find, but if you take a tram to the Bulovka stop, you're a minute from the front door. Half-liters are 28 koruna (about $1.20 at 24 koruna to the dollar). And try the labuznicke prkenko, a plate of smoked pork, thick-cut Hungarian sausage and English-style ham served with spicy mustard and eye-opening fresh horseradish for 99 koruna.

Lodging for Under 100 Euros

Prague's hotels are adding hundreds of beds every year, but for now, central-city rooms are in short supply, pushing prices up to Western European levels. Just a short tram ride from Old Town, the Ibis Praha Karlin (Saldova 54; 420-222-332-800; www.hotelibis.cz) has new, well-appointed rooms with air-conditioning in the up-and-coming neighborhood of Karlin, filled with artists' studios and stately 19th-century row residences. Doubles in the summer high season are 91 euros, or about 2,650 koruna, with a buffet breakfast for 262 koruna.

Best Deal on a Cultural Event

Music here is still an excellent value. At the Prague Spring International Music Festival from May 11 to June 3 (www.festival.cz), seats for performances of Smetana, Dvorak, Mozart and others start at 100 koruna, or about $4.35. If you're someone who likes to say, "I saw her way before she was famous," check out the festival's competitions. Battling cellists, for example, will play concertos by Dvorak, Haydn and Schumann on May 14 at the Rudolfinum, the city's premiere venue. Orchestra seats start at 300 koruna. And if you're not fussy about sitting, standing-room tickets for some performances are as little as 50 koruna.

Best Things to Do Free

Wake up before dawn and catch the sunrise from Charles Bridge. It's probably the only time you'll see the ancient stones and statues without a whirlwind of tourists, and the stillness of the city at that golden hour adds a magical touch. When the day ends, stroll around the vast green spaces at Letna Park and Petrin Hill, across the Vltava River from the Old Town, as the sun dips below the city's rooftops and skyscraping spires.

(πηγή: www.iht.com, 23/4/2007)