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Europe is without a doubt one of the best places in the world to travel. Whether you visit one city, or beach resort or several countries during your trip. There is simply so much to see. But, in 2023, it can be tricky to find inexpensive accommodation. It is possible, but you just need to know where to look. Here’s how to get cheap accommodation in Europe.
Here are five ideas.
Pick a cheaper city in Europe to visit
Europe is vast and there’s a huge amount to discover. Across Europe, the cost of visiting different cities varies greatly. The less expensive cities are sometimes less well know. But that doesn’t mean there’s less to see and do!
Five of the least expensive cities to visit in Europe are Sarajevo , Tirana , Sofia , Riga , Chisinau and Pristina .
Click on the links above to find the latest rates for hostels in these cities. You can easily get a bed for 10 Euros or even less.
Choose amazing hostels in Europe


If you’re hell bent on visiting one of the more popular, but expensive, cities in Europe then the best way to find a bargain is to pick a hostel.
You will pay a little more than in the more budget friendly cities but it’s worth it to see art in the Louvre, to tour the canals of Amsterdam or drink a spritz in Rome.
Check out the best deals on hostels in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, Berlin and Rome here. Prices can range from around 20 Euros per night and you can still stay in style.
You can also find our guide to the best hostels in Europe with roof terraces here.
Book a longer term Airbnb


Airbnb prices do seem to be rising in 2023. We regularly stay in Airbnbs and we are often astounded by the total price quoted, especially once a cleaning fee is included.
However, there are some serious Airbnb hacks that you can take advantage of when visiting Europe. This is, the long stay discount!
If you book a place for seven days straight, often you will be given a hefty discount. The same applies if you book for one month. We’ve bagged discounts of up to 50% on Airbnb, simply by booking a long stay.
You should also consider Vrbo, a less prominent alternative to Airbnb, which has some great deals. Check out the Vrbo site here.
House sitting in Europe


House sitting is our ultimate budget travel trick. Even better than being a cheap way to find accommodation in Europe, house sitting is free!
You will have to pay a small fee to sign up to a site to search and apply for house sits. But beyond that, the actual stay will be free. In exchange you will likely have to do some pet sitting and maybe some light chores.
Your accommodation and bills will be completely free of charge. You could save a lot of money when travelling as a house sitter.
If you are totally flexible about where you want to travel in Europe, and your travel dates, this works best. Just keep an eye out for somewhere you fancy and apply!
You can sign up to trusted house sitters here. Or find out more about house sitting in our guide here.
Volunteer in Europe
Our next travel hack for finding cheap accommodation in Europe is to volunteer with Workaway. This is a great site for finding accommodation in exchange for a volunteer placement.
The site requires a small sign up fee. But after that you can grab accommodation for free. Fancy working on a vineyard in France? Teaching some English in Italy? Or helping out in a family home in Spain? There are thousands of opportunities across Europe.
Finally – don’t forget travel insurance on your trip to Europe. Find out more about backpacker insurance here.
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[…] post is part of the Lotus Eaters Travel, travel advice series. Check out more posts like how to book cheap accommodation in Europe, what to do if your passport gets damaged and what you need to know about travel […]