So plan on visiting, and here are some things to consider when you’re wondering what to do in Budapest.

A few notes first

• The city is split into two large areas—Buda and Pest. They have very different personalities. We prefer to stay on the Pest (pronounced like pesht) side. It’s way more lively, and most of the best spots to visit and explore in Budapest are located here. The Buda side tends to be more quiet and feels less urban, and it definitely has some worthwhile places to visit. If you forget which side is which, just remember Buda is the side with hills, Pest is flat. There are multiple bridges between the two sides, and there is plenty of public transportation available. It’s still easy to explore Pest if you’re in Buda. My personal recommendation, however, is to stay somewhere between districts V and VIII (Pest).
• When getting on public transportation, make sure you have validated your ticket. Look for a small box (usually orange) at the stop, before escalators and often on the platforms for the metro, and on the trams, trolleys, and buses. They do have inspectors regularly, and if you get caught without a validated ticket, it’s a pricey fine. They don’t care that you’re a tourist.
• Most restaurants, nonstops, and markets will accept credit/debit cards, but it never hurts to make sure you have some forint (Hungarian currency, abbreviated as HUF) on hand.
• Almost everyone in Budapest speaks some English, so it’s really easy to get around, get directions, etc. Menus are usually bilingual.
• Consider getting the Budapest Card. Among other things, like free admission into one of the baths, it also gives you unlimited use of the city’s public transportation. We were given a 3-day card to use during our first stay in Budapest and it was very useful.

 Eat

I put this as the first activity for a variety of reasons, but probably the biggest reason is because my fondest food memories in Europe involved Budapest, and when I asked Tigger what were his favorite things to do there, his immediate response was: “Eat!”

I’m sure being a teenager had nothing to do with his answer.

Budapest has a wonderful emerging food scene, so you can find pretty much something of everything there, including really good pho. District VII has the biggest collection of places serving amazing food. On top of having excellent food, it’s also really inexpensive to eat out.

I love that combination! Especially since I have a teenager who is always hungry.

While meat is a very big part of the Hungarian diet, there are more and places offering full vegetarian and vegan menus (even some raw food places). We saw lots of places with gluten-free offerings as well and several shops dedicated to selling low-carb items.

There are some companies offering river dinner cruises if you want to do something romantic/special.

The Tasting Table also offers different types of wine tastings, some of which include Hungarian cuisine, while others are larger events accompanied by other fare. I attended one of their afternoon tastings with lunch, and I learned a lot about Hungarian wine, and discovered just how delicious it is. Most Hungarian wine is consumed within the country, so it’s hard to find it internationally.

Check out my Budapest restaurant post for food suggestions.

Walk

A lot. Budapest is incredibly walkable. We only took public transportation when we were feeling lazy or were going to the other side of the city. We stayed in District V and found it to be incredibly central for practically every place we wanted to go.

The other joy of walking in Budapest is the sheer beauty of the architecture and facades, the surprise fountains and memorials, plazas, and parks. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed taking so many purposeless walks as much as I have in this city. I hardly ever left the apartment without my camera, and when you walk you have to make sure to also look up so you don’t miss out on a beatiful view.

If you want more green for your meandering, head down to the wonderful City Park or to Margaret Island. The latter will make you forget you’re in a large city.

We also enjoyed walking along the Danube River. On this walk you’ll pass by the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial in memory of the Jews who were lined up along the river’s edge and shot by the Arrow Cross soldiers during World War II. You can also experience the change in personality from each of the various districts and neighborhoods.

Explore the Jewish District

At one time, Budapest was home to quite possibly the largest Jewish populations in Europe (and it still is one of the largest). There is a lot of history and interesting architecture here.

If you’re interested in digging a little deeper, I’d recommend taking one of the tours offered by Taste Hungary. I took their tour that combined Jewish culture and cuisine, and it was a wonderful experience. There is also a free walking tour that explores the district (and they have other tours as well). I haven’t personally done this walking tour, but I’ve heard good things.

Make sure to check out the Orthodox Kazinczy Street Synagogue as well. There is an admission fee, but it’s small, and the interior of the synagogue is really something to see.

There are various memorials all over the district, including to some non-Jews who were responsible for saving thousands of Jewish lives during World War II. Some are very simple, perhaps just a plaque, while others are very ornate works of art.

This area is also known as District VII (awesome food).

Soak in the Baths/Water Park

Budapest is chock full of thermal spas, and these baths vary from the humble, old Turkish baths to the glamorous art nouveau surroundings. Going to the baths is a very local thing to do in Budapest.

My favorite one is Király.

During the summer, there is a really cool water park on Margaret Island with water slides, a wave pool, numerous pools, and thermal baths.

Attend a Festival

There are tons of festivals year round in Budapest. This online calendar is pretty helpful for doing some planning and figuring out what is going on.

Parks

I mentioned City Park for its greenery, but there are a lot of activities to do there. In winter, they have a ice skating rink in the lake, and in the summer you can often rent a small boat to take out. There are also museums, the immensely popular Széchenyi Baths, a zoo, botanical garden, circus, amusement park, etc. Like I said, check it out.

The Szabadság park is really interesting, too. It’s a great place to chill, but there are also some very cool buildings surrounding the park as well as some war memorials. There is an area with fountains that the kids can run through if they want to cool down or whatever. This is where some of the smaller festivals are held as well.

Erzsébet is another popular park. It’s also home to the Budapest Eye, a large Ferris wheel. Just be aware the wheel isn’t open year round, so you might want to check before making a special trip just for that. The square is a very popular hangout for locals, especially university students.

Another nice park on the Buda side is Millennium Park. It has a great play area, and a lot of Budapest’s larger festivals are held here.

Something Different/Quirky

As you might expect, a great city like Budapest is home to some unique sights and experiences. Here are some of the more interesting ones.

Memento Park

This is an open-air museum dedicated to Communist memorabilia. When Hungary was liberated from Russia, rather than destroying all the Communist statues, etc., they just moved them here. There are various exhibits and interesting activities, like being able to “call” and listen to recordings from various Communist leaders. We didn’t find out about the park until after we had left, so it’s on our plans for when we return to Budapest.

They offer their own transportation (book online for a package deal), or you can get there by city bus (routes 101 and 150).

Zoo and Cat Cafes

Budapest has a couple of cat cafés and one zoo café. If the idea of enjoying a nice beverage and/or pastry while being able to pet and play with cats appeals to you, head to the Cat Café at Révay u. 3 (near the basilica). I wouldn’t bother with the other one.

If you enjoy animals, definitely visit the Zoo Cafe located at Fejér György u. 3. While the service is very . . . shall we say Eastern European, you can interact with many different types of critters. We held chameleons, a python, cats, birds, a guinea pig, and we pet a chinchilla. The drinks are pretty good, too. I had a Nutella latte.

Ruin Pubs

Take a derelict building or an abandoned open space, thrown in a bunch of mismatched furnishings, perhaps hang some hammocks, and sell adult beverages and you have a ruin pub.

Okay, it may not seem quirky to go to one of these, but if you visit Szimpla Kert you’ll see why I classify this as a quirky activity. Even if you don’t drink, go check it out. They also host a farmer’s market on Sundays.

Szimpla is probably the most famous ruin pub, but there are many others, each with its own unique style and personality. They are quite popular with locals and tourists alike. And while it may seem like a place that would attract only young hipsters, you will even find retirees hanging around enjoying a nice, cheap, craft beer.

Cave Church

This church is built inside Gellért Hill, across from the well-known Gellért Baths. This cave was created by thermal springs and has a very interesting history. It has served as a church (and is still in use for this), hospital, and asylum. Definitely worth checking out. There aren’t too many of these in the world.

Underground Labyrinth

Beneath Castle Hill, on the Buda side of the city, is a 6-mile (only 1 mile is used for tours) complex of caves and cellars. It has been used for military purposes by the Turks in the 16th century and as a hospital during World War II. However, the infamous Dracula inspiration, Vlad Tepes, was held prisoner here during the 15th century.

There are various tours, including some designed just for children, of the cave system. They have a nighttime tour done by lantern which sounds really cool to me. This was another place I didn’t learn about until after we had left. You can bet it’s on my list!

Cool Sites

As far as I’m concerned, most of District VII falls under this category. However, in addition to the places already mentioned, here are some other places you might want to check out.

Buda Hill

Here you’ll find a castle, some beautiful plazas, St. Matthias Church, and the Fisherman’s Bastion. Walking around the latter is like passing through a fairy tale land. If you only have a short time in this amazing city, the Bastion should be on your must-see list.

In addition to the gorgeous buildings, you will have some absolutely stunning views of the Pest side, including the iconic parliament building.

St. Stephen’s Basilica

The basilica is named in honor of Hungary’s first king, and often you can view a mummified right hand which reportedly belongs to him (the reliquary isn’t always on display). It is considered to be the most important church in Hungary.

The interior of the church is absolutely gorgeous, and you can also walk along the cupola (open from April through October only). As this is the 2nd largest largest building in Budapest, you can get some wonderful views of the city from up there.

At different times of the year, they hold organ concerts inside the cathedral.

Admission to the cathedral is free; however, if you wish to visit the cupola, treasury, and/or do a tour, there is a nominal fee.

The Great Synagogue

This is a rather unique and impressive structure. It is the largest synagogue in Europe and the 2nd largest in the world. It can accommodate about 5000 people, just to give you an idea of its size. Adjoined to the building is the Hungarian Jewish Museum, and the site houses other museums and memorials.

As it is a functioning place of worship, make sure to check their schedule before planning a visit. It’s closed to tours every Saturday.

Admission is about $10 USD for adults/non-students.

There are also some organized tours that include the synagogue as well as some that also take you to other important sites in the Jewish district.

Parliament Building

If you’ve read anything about Budapest, you’ve no doubt seen a photo of this building. It is absolutely stunning, and the grounds offer some beautiful scenery as well as a nice place to relax, let the kids run around, etc.

If you take a guided tour inside the building, you will also be able to view St. Stephen’s crown, scepter, and orb.

It’s advised that you get your tickets online. At this link, you can find the various tours offered (sorted by language).

Have I given you enough information about what to do in Budapest? What else would you like to know?

I will start by saying that while there are a lot of places to eat here, there isn’t a lot of really good food here. There is a lot of average food, though. If you aren’t picky or a food snob, you’ll find lots of places you probably like.

I generally don’t include places I wouldn’t recommend someone go; however, there are some places that I have seen expats rave about that were way below the mark for me. In those cases, I have included information about that restaurant, why I didn’t care for it, and have used red font for their name. As in “red means stop.”

Many of the larger restaurants accept credit cards, but it’s generally a good idea to have cash on you. Sometimes the machine doesn’t work, or a website will say they accept cards but currently they don’t.

My Favorite Places to Eat in San Miguel de Allende

Even though I love to cook and bake, and I’ve certainly enjoyed doing that here, we eat out quite often. These are the places that we keep going back to over and over again.

Fenicia

This is a Lebanese restaurant that I decided to go to after hearing from a couple of people who were Lebanese or very familiar with the cuisine. They said it was excellent. After having eaten there, I thoroughly agree. I’ve had some really good Lebanese and Middle Eastern food before, but this food was so incredibly flavorful I was blown away. It’s one of the few local places I crave.

As far as flavor goes, I’ll say this is the top restaurant in SMA.

You’ll find it near the San Antonio neighborhood at Zacateros 73. They’re open for lunch and dinner. Prices are very reasonable. The dish in the above photo cost less than $5 USD.

Baja Fish Taquito

Not a very Mexican name, but their food is incredibly delicious. I highly recommend the tostada de jaiba, which is a tostada loaded with lump crab. I’m always a bit hesitant about ordering crab in some places since it’s often fake. That is not a concern here. It tasted like the ocean! I also enjoyed their marlin tacos.

The terrace seating with a beautiful view doesn’t hurt either.

Their prices are really good. You can get many combinations (which include a drink) for under $4 USD.

They are located at Mesones 11, a short walk from the main plaza known as the jardín. Their current posted hours are from 10:30 AM until 8 PM seven days a week.

Las Tres Virtudes

This is Tigger’s favorite, and I like it as well. It can be a bit tricky to find, though. It’s located inside the Hotel Mansion Virreyes very close to the jardín, very close to the Europea liquor store.

He always gets the chicken burritos, and I really like the huaraches. I’ve tried different dishes there, and they’ve all been good. It’s a great place for winding down and it is never crowded. Prices are quite reasonable.

Their official address is Canal 19.

Los Farolitos

This wonderful place is located in the food court area of the Mercado Ignacio Ramirez. Follow the signs to the fondas. Tigger has 2 favorites here: the torta cubana (a sandwich that is basically a meat fest) and the quesadilla de milanesa de pollo. I’ve tried a few different things and enjoy all their food; however, I tend to order the milanesa de pollo (basically chicken schnitzel) the most. It’s a lot of food, and I usually can’t eat again for several hours.

They’re also my favorite place for aguas frescas. You get a ginormous cup for 20 MXN (just over $1 USD). You can get a combination, too. I often get watermelon mixed with pineapple. Cantaloupe is probably my 2nd favorite agua.

The restaurant is packed with locals, and we’re usually the only gringos around. Our two meals and drinks usually come out to under $8 USD total.

The street address for the building is Calle Colegio 1. The food court is located inside the back of the building.

El Tucan

I only come here for the flautas (pictured above). They are the best ones I’ve been able to find in the city, and it’s also the most generous portion size I’ve encountered here. I’ve had some of the their other dishes, but they tend to be hit and miss. The flautas are consistently wonderful.

This is another “very local” place. If you’re a bit more jittery about hole-in-the-wall places, this may not be the best place for you. Seating is outdoors in the courtyard surrounded by residences with trees and bushes that drop leaves and flowers on you and the table. The bathrooms are a bit on the rough side, too. It doesn’t faze us, though.

You’ll find them at Dr. Ignacio Hernandez Macias 56.

Organic Market

On Saturdays, there is an organic market in the San Antonio neighborhood. Not only will you find some of the best-looking produce you’ve probably ever seen, but for me the top reason to come are the food vendors you’ll find on your left as you enter the market. I’ve eaten at most of the booths, and my favorite is the tamal place. They are high quality tamales and absolutely delicious. Make sure to try their sweet tamales, too.

In the far corner in the back there are some really good gorditas (imagine a thick corn tortilla stuffed with deliciousness). They make the tortillas fresh, and you can just point to whatever filling(s) you want for your gordita. I usually get two (which cost about $1.65 USD total), and they’re enough to be keep me satisfied until my next meal.

Tacos de Arturo

This is essentially what we would call a food truck. He sets up at the corner of Hidalgo and Insurgentes and is usually there beginning at 7 PM. There is very limited seating, but you can get your order to go or do like everyone else and just stand there and eat. They are the best tacos I’ve had in SMA. Mr. Finicky loves to eat here (he gets the al pastor).

Coffee

There are plenty of places to find decent coffee in San Miguel de Allende. However, there are two absolute standouts for me.

As far as I’m concerned, El Café de la Mancha has the best coffee. They also sell their beans and will grind them for you if you need that service. They offer a variety of ways to prepare coffee including Turkish. It’s a comfortable location that usually isn’t crowded, and they have pretty good WiFi and a cute and super friendly dachshund mascot.

They’re located at Recreo 21, a very close walk from the jardín.

The second best coffee is found at Cafe Oso Azul located at Zacateros 17. They also have a small menu with some pretty decent food. Their outdoor seating has a lovely ambiance.

Asian Cuisine

Chinese

There are a few Chinese restaurants in SMA. We haven’t been to the newer one (Palacio Chino) yet but have heard very good things from people I trust.

The remaining two that we’ve tested out many times are very different. Dragón Chino has higher quality and prices. Their location is a bit inconvenient as well. However, they also deliver so that takes care of that problem. I particularly like their lemon chicken. Tigger always gets their General Tso’s chicken, but make sure to let them know how mild or spicy you want it. Their default spiciness is too much for him.

We usually get an order of cheese wontons plus two main plates (large portions and rice included) and we end up paying around $14 USD.

On the other side of the price spectrum, is a place much closer to the jardin. The sign above the door just says comida china (Chinese food) with some Chinese characters. This place is more like Chinese fast food, but it’s surprisingly good. And very cheap. We both get the combination that comes with 2 choices of a main dish and rice or noodles. I usually add an eggroll to mine. He gets a soda, and I usually get a beer. All that for around $7 USD.

Thai

When you plan on eating Thai food in Mexico, you obviously need to go in with low expectations. One place managed to meet my low expectations and the other couldn’t manage to reach even my lowest hopes.

Orquidea Thai is located near the San Antonio neighborhood in the basement of a building. The ambiance is fairly good, but the service was really poor. My green curry was passable, however. As in I wasn’t disappointed, but I wasn’t thrilled either. Our friends weren’t as lucky, though. They reported the pad Thai was very vinegary. Other things like the Thai fried rice and springrolls were also disappointing. The satay was OK.

If you’re simply desperate for Thai food, this is your best bet.

The other place is called Thai Kitchen. They have lower prices, but the old adage of “You get what you pay for” holds very true here. The green curry tasted like butter soup. Almost everything I tried was quite bland (although their Thai iced tea was pretty good). The other dish I had can only be described as “Well, it wasn’t bad.” Service was extremely poor and incredibly slow. Two of us finished our dishes, while eating slowly, before the third person in our group finally got her dish.

Mexican and Mexican fusion

In addition to the above favorites, here are some other places to consider in San Miguel de Allende.

Restaurante El Correo, Correo 23. This is practically a stone’s throw from the jardín. Their prices are more moderate, but the food is consistently good as is the service. They have pretty good mole rojo and are one of the few places that serves chiles en nogada (pictured above) fairly regularly. And it’s pretty darn good.

Victoria’s Comida Mexicana, Ancha de San Antonio 35. This is a tiny place with very little seating, but it’s really good. They also serve the best pozole I’ve had in SMA.

Don Lupe’s Grill, Pila Seca 34. A family-run restaurant that serves what I would call Tex-Mex food. All the food I’ve had here has been really good. The last time I ate there, I also tried their cheese dip (called queso in Tex-Mex restaurants) with chorizo, and it was quite yummy. I could go there just for this dish!

La Casa de los Tamales, Canal 90. They have really good tamales that are high quality, and they have something like 27 different varieties. I usually get them to go and eat them at home, but they do have seating (and WiFi) there as well.

Empanadas D’Loreto, Soledad 12. These are very yummy and cheap. They have quite a wide selection, too, including some dessert ones.

Cenaduria La Aborada, Diez de Sollano y Dávalos 9. This restaurant practically abuts the side of the cathedral. Tigger’s favorite dish is the sincronizada (basically a quesadilla with ham and cheese). They also have good pozole. I’ve tried different things here, and they’re all pretty good.

American

I’m going to include pizza under this category even though it isn’t strictly American food per se. I’m going to recommend Casa Chiquita at Correo 45 for this cuisine. Their pizzas are baked in a wood-fueled brick oven, and the flavor is pretty good. However, they have a terrace with a fabulous view and some really good craft beer (they brew their own!).

I have seen many people recommend ChupAlitas. Not only was the food incredibly disappointing, but this is the only place I have ever eaten in my entire life where the ice cream was so disgusting I couldn’t finish it. I suspect some thaw/refreezing was involved. The service was also incredibly poor, although the owners are very nice and personable. I was actually relieved when I awoke the next morning without stomach problems.

Bagels

You know me and my bagels. The Bagel Café has the best variety; however, their staff always act like I’m putting them out every time I place an order, so I stopped going there. La Mesa Grande has pretty much no variety (just one type of bagel), but their bagels are pretty close to New York style. They also have good WiFi. If you want to sit somewhere nice and go online, this is a good choice. There is a small menu if you want breakfast or lunch. While the food was good, the portions were a bit small for the price.

Happy Hour

There are plenty of great bars around; however, Los Milagros Bar and Restaurant, located at Calle Relox 17, is a standout. During happy hour (5-9 PM, Monday through Friday) you also get a free botana (small plate of food) when you order drinks (one per visit). They have a few different choices, but trust me and order the enchiladas.

The bartender is pretty good and doesn’t hold back on the booze in cocktails either. Drinks are priced very reasonably, and it’s a nice atmosphere in the bar side.

Do you have a favorite place in San Miguel de Allende you’d like to recommend?

We use Airbnb quite a bit. It’s easier, often more comfortable, cheaper, and usually you get to stay in more local areas rather than in the tourist zones. That’s a plus as it gives you better exposure to what typical local life is like. On my upcoming trip to France, using Airbnb Paris helped me get a significant savings over other lodging options.

While using Airbnb and similar sites is fairly straight forward, there are some things to be aware of, especially for Americans who aren’t familiar with some of the differences in rentals and homes in Europe. These tips should help save you some grief.

Not all bedrooms are bedrooms

This was probably one of my first “surprises” when using Airbnb in Europe. Apartments and homes are often described by the total number of rooms, not just bedrooms like in the US. So a listing stating it has 2 bedrooms may actually only have 1 bedroom plus a living room that has an “extendable” couch. They will often count a sofa bed as a “real bed,” so if that’s an issue for you look at the photos and read the description carefully.

I’ve also seen some hosts label an air mattress as a real bed. Seriously.

If you still aren’t sure about the actual number of bedrooms or real beds, use the Contact Host button to verify before sending a booking request. I will usually ask something like, “I’d like to verify there are 2 bedrooms with beds in each of them in addition to the living room.” So far everyone has understood when I’ve worded it this way.

Cleanliness

So far this has only been an issue for us in France, but properties aren’t always as clean as one might expect. For the most part you may encounter a bit of leftover food, lack of dusting, but we had one place in Paris that was absolutely horrid. It was positively disgusting. Airbnb does have a resolution center with cleanliness as one of the factors so don’t be afraid to use it if needed. For the disgusting place, we received a partial refund (I didn’t request a full refund, though it was an option).

If you’re more of a “neat freak” and are visiting France, you may want to choose the higher-end properties which are probably more likely to be professionally cleaned.

Update: We’ve now had this happen in a few other countries as well. One of the nice things about using Airbnb is they have excellent customer service. Check out this horror story to see just how good they can be. We also got a partial refund (I could’ve asked for more) after this ridiculous mess.

Other terms that don’t mean the same everywhere

I wish Airbnb had a way of being consistent across cultures, but when you see that a place has a “hot tub” don’t get excited thinking you’ll have a Jacuzzi. Generally, when you see this selection ticked it just means they have a bath tub with hot water (and that doesn’t necessarily mean they have a water heater that can handle filling the tub).

Properties listing a dryer as an amenity in Europe usually mean they have a drying rack or a place to hang your wet clothes to dry. It is extremely rare, like unicorn rare, to find an electric dryer in a rental property in Europe.

Very few places listing breakfast is available offer anything close to a traditional American breakfast. The UK comes the closest from what I’ve experienced so far (Yay for full English or Scottish breakfast!). If a host says breakfast is included, it most often means you’ll have tea/coffee, toast & jam, maybe juice and maybe yogurt. If this factors into your criteria, I would ask them specifically what their breakfast includes. It’s actually not common to find them offering breakfast unless you’re renting a room in their home rather than the entire place.

In case you haven’t been to Europe before, know that the 1st floor isn’t the same as the 1st floor in the US. In most countries, the ground floor is the 0 floor, so the 1st floor in most places is the American equivalent of the 2nd floor. If you’re like me and have issues with stairs and they don’t list an elevator is in the building, make sure to find out which floor the apartment is on. Sometimes it’s in the description, but I’ve learned to ask if it isn’t. One place I almost rented was on the 6th floor (7th in the US) with no elevator. That would’ve been a disaster for my knees.

In Romania, if a building has more than 4 floors there is usually an elevator, but I would make it a habit of asking to prevent problems.

Kitchens can be another area packed with surprises if you don’t carefully look at photos. Refrigerators can range from dorm room size to what you would expect to see in the US. Part of the reason for small fridges is because Europeans generally prize fresh food, and stores are usually found about every 2 blocks, so you don’t need to stock up for a week at a time like we typically do in the States. If you like/need to prepare large meals, you may be challenged in a European rental kitchen. While I’ve had a 6-burner store before, that is rare. A 2-burner stove or even a “hob” (basically a 1- to 2-burner hot plate) is much more common. I would say about half of our places have had a microwave and/or toaster oven. Sometimes an oven is nonexistent.

Entire house/flat doesn’t always mean what it should. This is supposed to mean that you have the entire place to yourself. However, some owners thinks it means you have full use of the apartment/facilities while you’re renting a room from them. Don’t be surprised if you even find hostel-like accommodations in this category. It’s rather frustrating, and Airbnb hasn’t made it easy to report these so that they can be changed. Again, it pays to read the descriptions carefully because this is where you’ll often identify these “misinterpretations.” Another alert is when you see crazy pricing like $11 a night for a place that has 3 bedrooms and accommodates 15 people.

Language barriers

This usually isn’t a problem. Not only do most Europeans renting out a room or a flat speak at least some English, but Airbnb offers both of you Google Translation for messages. It isn’t perfect, but it works well for most situations I’ve encountered.

“Essentials”

This can be an important amenity to look for, especially in Airbnb Paris, because it means linens and towels are included. Not every property includes these for some odd reason. In my experience, this is mostly an issue in France. Everywhere else we’ve used Airbnb sheets and towels were always included.

Verifying availability

This isn’t peculiar to properties in Europe, but it’s very common for owners to use more than one site for their rentals. This means that the availability on the Airbnb calendar often isn’t reliable. To save you headaches, it’s always valuable to sent the host a message confirming the dates before you attempt to book it. The one exception to this is when they’ve enabled Instant Booking. When you encounter these, you don’t have to wait for a host to accept your reservation. There aren’t a lot of these, but they sure are a breath of fresh air when you do find them.

Update: It’s a good idea to look at their response time (found by the Contact Host button). If their typical response time is more than a few hours, I generally continue searching unless I have ample time.

Booking it

In very small print, you will discover that Airbnb charges an additional fee for currency conversion. So if your account is set up for USD and the property is in Europe, you’re going to be charged extra. Generally speaking, the best thing to do is to change your country during the payment process so that the currency matches the local one for the property. Usually your bank will give you a better exchange rate and charge less, or none at all if you have an account through Charles Schwab or similar institutions, than Airbnb’s rate. So it’s probably better to have your card or PayPal account charged in euros rather than letting them do the exchange for you.

Do you have any other suggestions or questions I haven’t answered?

For prices listed below, RON is the foreign exchange code for the Romanian currency; however, it is also known and written as leu (lei when it’s more than 1—1 leu, 3 lei). Lei is pronounced like the English word “lay.”

Buses, Trams, Trolleybuses

There isn’t much difference in terms of speed of transit between the various above-ground vehicles, but as it can change where you need to wait, let me give you a bit of a description.

Stops usually have a red and white sign indicating the name of the stop as well as listing which lines stop there. Always double check these signs as a few stops may share the same name (Aeroport Baneasa, for example) but be located quite a distance apart.

Buses

These are pretty much what you would expect to find anywhere else. In the winter they are heated, and in summer they are air conditioned. Sitting is limited availability. The newer buses have visual and audible displays that announce the upcoming destination as well as a visual indicator of which lines connect at that stop. The displays and voice don’t always work, so don’t count on your bus having that.

Buses will usually pull into the space created for them so that they are near the curb. However, often taxis and cars park in the spaces so that the bus has to remain in the flow of traffic. Sometimes there is a small shelter, but often your only hint that it is a stop is the presence of benches or how the curb curves inward from the street. The red and white sign isn’t always obvious.

Note: Routes that begin with an N indicate they are the late night routes which usually kick in after 11 PM.

Trams

In other areas of the world, these are often called trolleys. They are cars that follow rail tracks in the road. Sometimes their stop is located next to the curb, but often you wait on an island in the middle of the road. There are usually crosswalks leading to the island. They follow the flow of traffic, so it can be helpful to know which direction you’re heading so that you pick the right waiting spot.

Unfortunately, these can be a bit of a rough ride, are often noisy, and it isn’t uncommon for them to have a strong scent of urine.

Trolleybuses

These are buses that run along elevated electrical wires. Because of this, they generally stop in the road rather than next to a curb.

Fares

Like many cities, they do not use paper tickets, and the drivers will not accept cash. Instead, you need to pick up an Activ card. They’re super easy to use, but lately it has been a challenge to find anywhere that sells them! Near stops, you’ll often spot a grey and white kiosk. These are the places where you can recharge (put more money on) your card. Some of them sell new Activ cards.

To get a new card, you want to go to a kiosk with a sign that includes the word “centru de emitere” on the sign. Any kiosk can recharge a card, though. Just don’t be surprised if you visit a kiosk that doesn’t have new Activ cards. Hopefully this issue will be resolved soon.

So what do you do if you can’t find a card? Well, either take a taxi or go ahead and ride. It is pretty rare for the company’s inspectors to ask for your card (although it does happen). If you explain the problem, likely it won’t be an issue since the lack of availability of the cards is well known. The fine, however, is 50 RON (under $12 USD). It’s rare to see locals even using the cards.

I’ve had many expats tell me not to even bother getting a card, but I disagree with that. We’re guests here, so I believe we should try extra hard to follow the laws. If you try to get a card and can’t find one, that’s a different issue.

For most routes, the fee is 1.3 RON (about 31 cents USD). The express routes (buses to/from the international airport) charge 3.5 RON.

Children under 7 years old ride for free.

Older kids are eligible for discounted fares, but I can pretty much guarantee you the effort is probably not worth it. If you’re going to attempt it, get a Romanian-speaking friend to accompany you because many of the kiosk staff do not speak English. You will need to bring some documentation with you if you decide to make yourself crazy try to get the special discount.

One card can be shared between multiple people.

If you have a Romanian phone provider, you can get tickets by SMS; however, they are more expensive. They are essentially a full day pass, but you’d have to take more than 6 trips within a 24-hour period to make it financially feasible.

The SMS ticket does not work for the express buses.

Helpful sites

Google Maps is actually pretty helpful. Their information is mostly accurate (occasionally their number of stops is off). If you’ll have data for your phone, you definitely want this app on your phone (for iPhones).

Note: Google sometimes gives you really weird travel times. For instance, it will say it’s a 54-minute trip, but if you do the math on the time estimates it lists for walking to the stop, completing the ride, and walking to your destination, the difference can be huge (sometimes even 30 minutes less!). So focus on the actual walk and ride times instead of the time it initially lists near the clock icon.

This website is pretty good as an online planner, although I feel like Google Maps is a little less confusing. The transport company also has an app (Android/Apple). After comparing it with Google Maps for over a month, though, I haven’t found it to be much of an advantage. It does list the various routes along with maps and a list of stops, which can be helpful, but that’s really the only pro beyond Google’s app. Frankly, I’m not sure it’s worth downloading.

If you want an SMS ticket, you can also purchase it through the above app.

Metro

Bucharest’s metro system is really good for getting around the center of town. One of the big advantages is that it isn’t hampered by the city’s rather congested traffic.

Again, it’s very affordable. One ticket is 5 lei (about $1.22 USD) and is good for 2 trips. If you plan on using the metro a lot, you can pick up a 10-trip ticket for only 20 lei, and a daily pass (unlimited trips within a 24-hour period) is 8 lei. There are multiple options for metro tickets.

Note: The metro prices increased on March 28, 2015. The above prices have been updated to reflect that change.

Unfortunately, there isn’t currently a combined pass/ticket that works on both the bus and metro systems.

When it’s rush hour, it’s a great idea to use the metro system as much as possible.

The older trains usually do not have any announcements or displays, but they do have maps so you can at least count the number of stops. The newer trains offer visual and auditory notifications and are bilingual (Romanian and English).

Taxis

These are fairly cheap in Bucharest. Most of them will automatically use the meter so it tends to be hassle-free. The only time I’ve really experienced issues is at the train station. There is a line right by the entrance, and they tend to be more aggressive, especially if they pin you as a foreigner. These drivers will usually overcharge you. If you cross this area, you’ll see another line of taxis. These will usually turn the meter on and not give you a problem.

Generally speaking, you will need cash. The premium taxis (Mercedes Benz) will accept credit cards (and you don’t need a card with a chip), but you’re paying almost 3 times the normal rate for that privilege.

Taxis are usually easily flagged down, but you will often see a bunch parked waiting for customers.

Apps for ordering taxis are quite popular in the area, and some of them are very handy. Many people recommend one called Speed Taxi. In my experience, however, it rarely ever functions well. I’ve actually yet to get a taxi through their app.

Instead, I recommend the Meridian app (Apple). This is much easier to use and more reliable. There is also a cost control measure you can activate once you’re picked up so that you can make sure you are being charged correctly.

Key

Nr = Street address (just enter the number as the street is already listed above via GPS)

Bl. numar = If your pickup location address contains “Bl” or “bloc,” enter this number here, otherwise leave blank.

Scara = This is the door number for the apartment block. It is sometimes abbreviated as “Sc” above the entrance.

Mesaj. . . = You can enter a special message for the driver. Most of them speak a decent level of English.

Click on icons that are appropriate to your situation (such as the suitcase icon if you have luggage)

Once you’ve entered this information, click on Trimite comanda. This begins the taxi location function. Once one accepts (usually about 1-2 minutes), their car will appear on the map so you can track it. It will give you the estimated arrival time and will also show you the taxi number so you know when it pulls up if that is the one you summoned.

We live about 30-40 minutes from the city center, and when we take a taxi I usually only pay around 15 RON. Around the city center, you can expect to pay around 3-7 lei. Pretty darn reasonable.

Airport Transfers

You have a few options to get to the city from the airport and vice versa.

Bus

This takes about 45 minutes to get into the center of town/train station (see above for fares). There are 2 buses that make this route—780 and 783. The 780 goes to the Bucharest train station and main bus terminal (for intercity and international travel) while the 783 goes to the city center.

You can view their time schedule and stops here.

The bus stops in front of the arrival and departure terminals. Allegedly, you can buy a ticket at the counter in front of the arrivals terminal, but I think they’re currently being affected by the same card problem as the regular city buses. Make sure you at least try before boarding the bus, though.

Taxi

You will see a line of taxis waiting at the arrivals area. These will generally charge you almost 3 times more than taxis you order from the yellow machines near the door. If you order a taxi, you’ll have a longer wait, but it could be worth the savings if you’re making a longer journey.

Probably your best bet, if this is your preferred method of transport and you don’t want to wait as long, is to go to the departure area and get a taxi that is dropping someone off. You’ll get the 1.4/km RON rate and far less hassle as they’ll likely be happy to get a paid fare to return to the city.

Train

Lastly, there is a train to/from the airport. You have to transfer via shuttle bus to get from the train station/airport. It costs about twice as much as the bus and takes the same amount of time, or even more, when you factor in the shuttle transfer.

It also doesn’t run as late as the bus.

Personally, I’d stick with the express bus.

What else would you like to know about public transportation in Bucharest?

Icelandair not only offers very decent fares but a cool stopover program. With this program, you can plan a route with a layover in Iceland lasting up to 7 days at no extra charge. When we were planning our return to Europe from the US, going through Iceland was the cheapest route. We flew with Icelandair and were pretty pleased.

Transferring to/from the airport

If you don’t plan on renting a car and want to save some money on airport transfer, check into using FlyBus. The bus ride from the airport to the bus terminal is about 45 minutes depending on traffic. If you’ll be using this bus to return at the end of your trip, make sure to buy a roundtrip ticket. You’ll save some money this way, and the return ticket is an open ticket so you aren’t bound by a specific date or time.

The bus terminal is within walking distance of downtown Reykjavik. If you don’t mind a short walk, then stick with the basic ticket (about $26 USD roundtrip). Otherwise, for an extra fee you can get a shuttle from the bus station to your hotel.

The buses are very comfortable and offer free WiFi. You won’t have to wait long for a bus from the airport either.

You can buy tickets online or at the airport near the exit where the buses are waiting.

Getting around Reykjavik

The capital city is not that big and is quite walkable. There is a public bus system, but we never used it. If you decide to download their app, just be aware that at least the Android version is in Icelandic. Not very helpful if you don’t speak the language. However, their online planner is pretty useful and is in English.

Taxis are fairly pricey. We paid about $10 USD for a 1.8-km (just over 1 mile) ride. Why did we take a taxi for such a short distance? Read this before you judge.

Accommodations

Iceland is not a cheap country, and lodging definitely can definitely be a challenge if you’re trying to keep expenses down. Airbnb has a lot of pretty good choices, and I would encourage you to go this route as it means you’ll have a kitchen to use to prepare meals, and this will save you a lot of money. More on that below.

Another option if you’re a bit more adventurous is Couchsurfing. We often do this when traveling, and we’ve made some great friends and have had some wonderful experiences through it. This also gives you a deeper look into life as a local, which is something I always enjoy.

Money

Almost every business accepts credit/debit cards. Unlike many places in Europe, the US non-chip cards work quite well. We never had an issue. Even the hotdog stand accepts cards.

Getting Around Iceland

While there are reasonably priced intercity buses, you might want to do ridesharing. This is quite popular in Iceland and is pretty safe. It can save you a lot of money as well as give you time to spend with a local.

Safety

Few places in the world are as safe as Iceland. Crime, especially the violent kind, is very low in the country. There is perhaps 1 murder a year, and it took about 50 years for Iceland’s police to actually have to kill a suspect; something that the whole nation grieved about together. The Icelandic people and their approach to life and society are definitely very special.

Food

Eating out is much more expensive than buying groceries. A couple of exceptions are the infamous Icelandic street food of hotdogs made from lamb. They are pretty darn good and cost under $3. We visited the hotdog place multiple times because we enjoyed them so much.

I’ve also been told that the Noodle Station is a good option for a filling, cheap meal, although we didn’t eat there.

One handy trick to know is that when you order soup and bread in restaurants, you’re entitled to refills. We did that during our tour of the south coast, and it really helps reduce your costs.

Iceland’s tap water is really quite good and clean, so save yourself some more money by bringing along a reusable water bottle.

As I mentioned above, groceries are going to be much cheaper than eating out. For buying groceries, the cheapest store is Bónus (look for the pig logo). Krónan has similar prices and offers a broader selection, and its stores are less crowded. We liked Krónan better.

Both stores have a nice selection of prepared meals you can take back home and reheat. One of these meals is probably about one third or less the cost of a typical restaurant meal.

One food to definitely give a try while in Iceland is minke whale. These whales are not threatened or endangered so no worries there. Minke meat is quite tasty. We went to the a small restaurant by the harbor called the Sea Baron as they had a sampler size for less than $3. Tigger liked it so much he wanted the minke steak. It’s definitely worth a try and is much better than some of Iceland’s other unusual offerings.

Also check out the flea market which has some really great deals on food, including what would be some more exotic meats (such as horse) to most of us. If you want to save money on Icelandic souvenirs, this is a great place for that, too. It is open on weekends.

Visiting Iceland in Winter

The idea of visiting a country so close to the Arctic Circle may have you second guessing a trip, but surprisingly Iceland is actually not that cold. I have found Bucharest and even Denver to be much colder. We met up with a friend visiting from New York City who confirmed Iceland was warmer. So it isn’t as bad as you might imagine.

You will want winter shoes, and dressing in layers is key. Iceland can have some serious winds, so having a layer that is more wind resistant will be very helpful.

Iceland’s weather is hilariously mercurial. In one day we seriously went from being in sunshine and being warm enough with just a hoodie to dealing with a big dump of snow in a matter of minutes. They aren’t kidding when they say if you don’t like the weather, just wait about 5 minutes.

Visiting in winter gives you four big benefits: airfares are lower, the northern lights are more active, accommodation and tour prices are lower, and the tourist crowds are much smaller.

The downsides are snow and ice to deal with and about 4-6 hours of daylight. Then again, it’s nice to be able to not miss a single sunrise without having to get up before 10 AM.

Make sure to visit one of the many swimming pools in town. These are heated geothermally, and you’ll find pools with different temperatures. Some of them have great slides and structures for the kids to enjoy. These offer cheap admission and free lockers. These are a big part of the Icelandic culture, so it’s a great local activity to participate in, and nothing beats sitting in 40C water after a day in winter spent exploring.

What other things would you like to know, or what tip do you have to offer that I didn’t include?

Sites to save money

You should always use an incognito (Chrome) or private (Firefox) window before doing searches. Search engines check out your browser cookies, and if they pick up that you’ve been visiting a lot of sites for a particular area or have been doing airfares searches, they may show you artificially inflated fares to get you to buy now.

I begin all my searches with Matrix. While this site doesn’t always show you the cheapest fare, it does tap into more of the low-cost carriers that aren’t included in other search engines. Recently, I did a curiosity search for flights out of Cancun to Europe. I know that often the Madrid route is the cheapest, so I checked that out. Matrix showed a flight for $175 USD with the next cheapest airfare being $743. That’s quite the difference! Other search engines did not show this fare.

When searching for US flights, make sure to also visit Southwest’s site. They don’t usually show up in search engines, and often their fares are much lower. They also don’t charge for up to 2 checked bags. They are one of my favorite airlines, and their crew are among the friendliest in the world. Southwest just began international service with flights to Mexico.

I begin by using a flexible dates search. Even if the fares aren’t as amazing as the one above, it will give you an idea as to when will be the cheapest to fly, which helps you with other searches.

My next stop is usually with Skyscanner. If I’m not sure where I want to go, I will sometimes start with Skyscanner,

Updated: Momondo has been beating or matching Skyscanner lately, and I find their site to be a bit more user friendly. It’s not as easy to look at an entire month at once, but it’s now my starting point.

After I see which areas are the cheapest, I go check them out on Matrix. Both Momondo and Skyscanner allow you to enter “Everywhere” as a destination. They will then return a list of possibilities based on low prices. This is one of the reasons we ended up flying to Faro, Portugal this spring.

Once you’ve nailed down the airline you wish to use, make sure to check out their site as well. Sometimes they have deals that aren’t picked up by the search engines. I did this the first time I flew to Paris and ended up finding an incredible deal—$430 roundtrip from Denver, including travel insurance. This fare wasn’t on any of the search engines.

Comparison shopping

Recently, I was checking out one of our future US routes, and by using flexible dates (even though I only had 1-2 days to work with), I ended up saving at least $150 by staying in the city one day longer. That savings is after accounting for one night in a hotel, so yeah it was worth it.

One thing you also have to consider when choosing the best fare is a company’s baggage policy. As above, one route we choose didn’t really have much of a price difference. However, one airline doesn’t charge for up to 2 checked bags, and the other charges $35 for each bag. As there are two of us traveling, choosing the first airline will net us a $70 savings on baggage fees alone.

When the fare differences aren’t as huge as my first example, I find Kayak’s list of airline fees to be quite handy. They break down the various fees for most airlines in a very easy format. As those fees can add up quickly, I always check out this list before deciding which airline I will purchase from.

Many times I’ve switched to an apparently higher airfare just because once you added everything in they ended up being cheaper.

Other things to consider

• Online check-in. Some low-cost airlines, especially in Europe, will charge you a fee to print out the boarding pass at the airport. It can be as high as $100! Most make on-line check-ins free.
• Layovers. Is it really worth saving $60 if the route includes 2 transfers and adds 4 hours to your travel day while the more expensive fare is nonstop? Layovers can also come in handy sometimes if they’re long enough to allow you to go out and explore a new city for a few hours.Some airlines, like Iceland, will allow you a 1- to 3-day layover in a country without an extra charge. We ended up enjoying about 15 hours in Sri Lanka. While it wasn’t as long as we would’ve liked, it still gave us time to get somewhat acquainted with a new culture, and we know we want to go back and explore it more. For China, this can be a big bonus as a longer visa for most of the country is $140 for US citizens and requires a bit of a process. However, there are a few cities where you can fly in and stay for up to 72 hours on a free transfer visa.There is a great online resource you’ll want to check out if you’re considering an itinerary that might require you to sleep in the airport. I used this when planning my first trip to Peru, and it was super helpful.
• Seating. It seems most airlines now charge for the privilege of selecting seats in advance or for seats with more legroom. If being able to select your own seat is important to you, make sure you check out the fees list in advance to factor this into your total cost. You’ll also want to check out SeatGuru, a free online resource that can help you know which seats to avoid on a given flight. I’ve used this site many times, and a few times it has made a huge difference in helping me avoid seating that would’ve been awful.
• Newsletters can be quite helpful. Often airlines will advise subscribers of big sales that aren’t generally known (or will allow you to take advantage of the special fare before the general public can join in), so it pays to sign up for these. They’re free so why not? Some fare-watching sites, like Airfare Watchdog, also offer various fare alerts. For example, you can set an alert from your departure city so that you are advised of deals leaving from your local airport. They have various alerts you can subscribe to, and it’s a free service.
• Changing countries. This one is a bit more technical, but it can pay to check out airfares while using a VPN and connecting from a foreign country’s servers. Some airlines also have different sites for different countries and sometimes those fares are quite different. When looking at routes from Australia to Hawaii, a friend checked both her local site and the site that was local to Australia, and the price difference was about $400 per person. As airlines often offer discounts for specific routes or from specific airports, this little trick may help you tap into some serious savings.

Do you have any tips to save money on airfare that I didn’t include?

Do I need a visa for Mexico?

The country is a very welcoming host, and most visitors will receive an entry for up to an impressive 180 days. If you’re from the US, you do not need an advance visa. Just come on down!

Regions

Mexico is a big country! The frontera (border) and northern region is quite arid and can see some very high temperatures during the summer.

The Baja Cailfornia area is a popular place for tourists. While there are a lot of spots to enjoy the ocean, it’s still very much a desert area. In fact, there are four main desert areas on the peninsula.

My favorite regions are the Yucatan (which separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea and has several Mayan ruins), Chiapas (home to the fascinating Palenque ruins), and Oaxaca (pronounced like oh-a-haw-ka).

If you’re a scuba diver, I definitely recommend you head to the island of Cozumel. It has some incredible, world-class diving.

Safety

The media is usually rife with horror stories about Mexico. Mexico is actually a very safe place to visit. If you sell drugs or work for the DEA, then I wouldn’t recommend the northern regions. Otherwise, you’re fine. Almost all violence is between drug cartels and law enforcement. Tourists are usually left alone.

Getting around Mexico

Unlike Europe, you won’t find a lot of truly low-budget flights, and there is no countrywide train system. So if you’re touring the country, plan on taking the bus unless your budget can accommodate some flights. There are some decent airfares if you’re traveling between the right regions.

ADO (site is in Spanish) is my favorite bus company for doing longer hauls. They are generally quite comfortable, inexpensive, and safe. They can be over air-conditioned, so you may want something to wrap around your shoulders or legs.

Volaris often has some good deals for flying.

Taxis within the country are generally not metered, so it can be helpful to ask your hotel what the appropriate rates should be. Occasionally you will be charged a bit extra for a radio-dispatched taxi, so it’s usually cheaper to flag a taxi in motion.

When moving within a city or between nearby cities, make sure to ask about colectivos. These are shuttles that are quite cheap and handy to use. It can get pretty crowded in them, but you’ll save a lot of money by using them. Plus you get to experience more of the local culture this way. Mexico City has a good metro and public bus system.

Money

Prices can be a bit disconcerting at first because they use the dollar symbol to indicate pesos. So when you see a beer is $25 don’t have a heart attack. That’s actually 25 MXN which is less than $2 USD. Tour packages are usually listed in USD, though.

While you can use US dollars in most areas, I don’t recommend it. The exchange rate a restaurant will give you is much less than what a bank will. It’s best to just use your ATM card to withdraw pesos. (Safety tip: Don’t use stand-alone kiosks on the street. It’s always better to use an ATM that is attached to a bank. They’re easy to find and are plentiful.)

Language

Obviously, Spanish is the main language. Some of the indigenous people speak it as a second language. The accent changes a bit depending on what region the person is from, but the only one I find occasionally challenging is from the border area (as in bordering the US). However, it’s usually very easy to find people who speak at least some English, especially if you’re in larger towns or places with lots of tourists.

Phone/Data/WiFi

Telcel is the most popular provider for cellular service in Mexico, but there are definitely others. In my experience, getting phone service through Movistar is less of a hassle as a foreigner, but that may depend on the region you’re in.

In bigger towns, you’ll find plenty of places offering free WiFi. Most of those locales are usually also air conditioned which make them wonderful places to hang around for a bit. Infinitum is a popular internet provider, so you will find many companies using them. This is good because if you pick up a password at a place like Starbucks, that same password will often work all over the region for a few months.

Some popular cities also provide free WiFi in their public parks which makes this a great option if you’re out and about. Data for your phone or tablet is pretty reasonable, though. With Movistar I have unlimited email, Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp plus 250 MB of data for around $15 USD/month (which also includes minutes and SMS messages).

Food

Mexican food in Mexico is often quite different from what you eat in the States or almost any Mexican food place in the world. If you order a taco, don’t expect it to come in a hard shell. Nachos and burritos aren’t actually Mexican, so if you do find them they may be a bit different than what you’re used to. A quesadilla is much different than the ones in the US. But they’re all still yummy!

Vegetarians will have a bit more of a challenge finding a variety of foods, especially when it comes to street food. While it is becoming more common, many Mexicans may interpret “I’m vegetarian” to mean you don’t eat beef or pork, so chicken and fish are totally acceptable, right? You may have to try a few times to get them to understand.

Aguas frescas are absolutely divine drinks. They are basically fresh fruit blended with water (almost everyone will automatically use purified water) and some sugar. My favorites are agua de sandia (watermelon), de melón (cantaloupe), and piña (pineapple). A combination of watermelon and pineapple is also quite good. If you’re wanting something like lemonade ask for agua de limón natural.

Licuados are like aguas frescas except that they use milk instead of water.

Food can be quite regional. For example, in the Yucatan you’ll find my favorite Mexican breakfast food, chilaquiles; however, they aren’t common in other areas. The wonderful mole (a sauce that contains chocolate among many other things) is prepared differently in almost every region.

Visitors tend to be overly cautious about the food in Mexico. You might be surprised to find out how much of your produce in the US comes from here, so don’t freak out about eating it. Most places have decent food hygiene. We’ve spent a lot of time in Mexico and have never been sick.

Most restaurants will automatically assume you don’t want food too spicy, so if that’s true in your case you’ll have it made. Often you’ll find a few bowls of different salsas on your table. Just point to the bowls and ask “No pica?” (no pee-kah), and they’ll show you the salsa that is the least spicy.

The water in most of Mexico is potable, but in some cities it is treated quite heavily with chemicals, and in other areas it’s packed with minerals which can be tough on your stomach. I avoid tap water in the Yucatan because it is very hard, and this region has the highest number of kidney stone incidents in all of Mexico. Most locals drink purified water as well, so it’s really easy to find and relatively inexpensive.

If you’ll be in an area for a while, you can get a garrafón (20 L bottle) for 10 MXN (about 77 cents US). These can be refilled/recycled for new ones. It’s cheaper and better for the environment than constantly buying plastic bottles. You’ll often find people riding bicycle carts down the street selling filled ones, or there are refill centers which are usually easy to find.

What other practical tips about Mexico would you like to know?

Responsible travel = respect

`When we travel, it’s up to us to be aware of the local culture, the mores, expectations, and some of the basic laws of our host country. We need to remember that when we are in a foreign country we’re guests, and we really should act like good ones.

For starters, know the visa laws before you go. A case in the USA this week highlighted the importance of this. A backpacker from Uruguay left the US the day his visa expired and tried to enter Canada. The problem is people from his country are required to have a visa before they can enter Canada. Since he didn’t have this, he was sent back to the US. As his reentry attempt was after midnight, he was now beyond the expiration for his US visa, and he was arrested and detained.

He feels wronged and that he did nothing wrong, but the fact of the matter is he wasn’t a responsible traveler. Because of it, he’s now sitting in detention.

When you overstay a visa for nonurgent reasons, it can be interpreted by the immigration officials as a lack of respect for their laws. Some people are lucky and walk away with only a fine while others will endure detention, fines, and/or receiving a stamp in their passport indicating they were deported or overstayed their visa. This can result in more travel headaches than one can imagine.

Sometimes overstays are innocent, such as the person who had read that a certain country provides up to 90 days for visitors and didn’t realize they were only given 60 days. The key wording is “up to.” Just because officers typically stamp people in with 90 days doesn’t mean they always do. Make sure to check the stamp or visa to confirm how much time you were given. Assuming you were given X number of days can end up causing you heaps of problems.

Basically, though, just follow the rules.

And if you do get caught having overstayed, even if it was accidental, don’t play the victim. Be respectful, acknowledge the mistake, apologize profusely, and beg forgiveness. Being willing to eat a generous helping of humble pie could save your hiney.

I always plan on exiting a country at least 2-3 days before the expiration of a visa. This helps prevent problems caused by airline or train delays, bad weather, illness, and so on. Better to leave a little early than end up with an overstay. Some countries are extremely strict about those dates.

If I’m planning on renewing a visa from within the country, I usually do that at least a week ahead of time just in case there are hiccups (although some countries require you begin the process 30 days or more in advance).

Respect the culture

You’re in Bangkok and it’s blazing hot. Your sweat even has sweat. You plan on visiting one of many temples. Don’t be a touron and walk in shirtless or wearing your bikini. These are important places of worship for these people. You don’t have to agree with their beliefs or how they practice their religion, but as a guest we need to respect their rules.

Yes, it’s demeaning as a woman to be forced to cover your head when in public, but if you’ve chosen to travel to a place that requires this suck it up and cover your head.  If you find the prospect too abhorrent, it’s a good idea to travel elsewhere instead.

Some people are lucky enough to have food much less be worried if the produce is organic and was sang to when it was ripening on a tree whose leaves were gently stroked once a week. Don’t act all disgusted because they don’t have something you wanted or that it doesn’t meet arbitrary personal requirements.

Spend some time acquainting yourself with the culture of the country you’re going to be visiting. Learn about its peculiarities such as not touching someone on the top of their head, not pointing the soles of one’s feet toward another person or a statue of Buddha, not eating with your left hand, and so on.

Obviously you can’t learn every unique thing about the local culture in advance, but if you’re at least trying to respect some of the bigger pieces, the occasional faux pas is overlooked.

No, you’re not at home

That’s kind of the point, no? I mean most people travel to experience new things, places, and foods. So don’t expect that every place will try to make you comfortable. For me, part of the fun of travel is being forced out of my comfort zone. For example, I get a big kick out of ordering food when I have absolutely no idea what it is.

I understand not everyone is that adventurous, but I often hear travelers speak with a tone of disgust when they talk about the foods they can’t find, among other things, which I find ridiculous. I’ll also confess a desire to slap people who complain that they can’t find a Starbucks somewhere.

Getting to know a place better

There are different kinds of trips. Some have a goal of sitting by the pool or on the beach with a cocktail in one hand and a book or e-reader in the other. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

However, if your goal is to experience a place, then I’d like to encourage people to not only visit the big tourist attractions but to also get out and see more of the neighborhoods, hunt down where the locals eat and play, and so on.

Try to make your time in a location as multidimensional as possible.

What does responsible travel mean to you?

With all of the recent bad press, Ryanair has decided to make some changes to their policies. Rules for things like allowable baggage are now clearly indicated during the reservation process and are easily found on their website.

Some interesting charges still remain, though. For example, if you don’t print your boarding pass after checking in online, you’ll have to pay €15/£15 (up to just over $25 USD) to have it reprinted at the airport. Don’t feel like checking in online? No worries, you can still do it at the airport for the painful fee of €70/£70.

My experience with Ryanair

After a few years of reading so many complaints about them, I ran into a bit of a predicament—They were offering a killer airfare deal from the UK to Portugal. It was significantly lower than any other airline or destination. I decided to bite the bullet and give them a shot.

When I made my reservation, I paid careful attention to all the fine print. I was surprised that things weren’t hidden like I had read about. In fact, it seemed like they wanted me to be aware of any fees.

On the day of our flight, I was quite nervous. We were flying with only carry-on luggage, and I had heard that Ryanair can be quite difficult about luggage. There are many people who have shared experiences of having all baggage carefully measured and weighed, and any overages were exorbitant.

Even though we had checked in online, non-EU passengers have to have their boarding pass stamped. This was a bummer as it meant we had to stand in line even though we had a boarding pass and weren’t checking bags. However, the agent was friendly, didn’t weigh our bags, and we were on our way without incident.

I let out a deep sigh of relief as we walked away, but I knew we still had to get past the gate agents who apparently are notorious for deciding something exceeds their limits and dinging you with a huge extra fee.

But we encountered none of this.

The leg room on the flight seemed about average, and the flight attendants were quite friendly and helpful. Actually they were some of the nicest we’ve had.

When it was time for another flight, once again Ryanair showed up as being the cheapest. I decided to give them another go and had a similar experience with one caveat—the flight landed 20 minutes early at our destination. Yeah, no complaints there!

When they showed up as being the cheapest option for our next flight, I didn’t even hesitate to book, and once again we had no issues.

Other experiences

I decided to reach out to some other travel bloggers to find out their experiences. Here are some of the good and bad they shared.

Heidi of Wagoners Abroad had the following to say: “We have flown with Ryanair a few times as a family of 4. We found that if you follow the rules, the process runs smoothly. The seats and plane amenities are very basic and budget, but they have great ticket prices and you can’t beat that.

“My husband is 6’5″ and he does have a difficult time being comfortable on the flight. It seems as though the seat width and leg room distance is slightly smaller than a standard airline. With that said, that slight difference makes all the difference. He would prefer not to fly them on any flight length longer than 90 minutes. That is about all his comfort threshold can handle. For the rest of us, it was fine.”

Ashley of Amsterdam Blog was left with a sour taste after this incident: “I was flying back to the UK from Amsterdam and when checking our bags in my friends and I got charged (something like €30). When I asked her what it was for, she got annoyed, and when I told her that we hadn’t paid on the flight out there the customer service lady offered to charge me for that too. I was so angry that I haven’t flown with them since.”

Fellow single-parent family traveler Theodora of Escape Artistes had this experience: “All low-cost airlines need to keep costs down, but my experience was that they were aggressive, and the CEO makes no attempt to hide his contempt for his customers. They tried to charge me €60 because their machine couldn’t read the boarding cards I’d printed out. Then I had to repack everything at the boarding gate so that my handbag fitted into my carryon.” [Note: This policy has changed, and handbags don’t count as your carry-on anymore.]

Dale from the Angloitalian blog shared this interesting observation: “…perhaps some people demand too much from low cost airlines (that they should be getting the same service and conditions that you’d expect from the big companies) just because they’ve seen it on TV or in films that you get treated like royalty on a flight. You get what you pay for, and if you pay little you should expect little. All I want is to get from A to B with Ryanair, I’m not expecting anything more than that. No need to butter me up with niceties or free drinks, just get me there.”

Tips for flying with Ryanair

There were a lot of mixed comments from people about their experiences, but some solid tips emerged from the discussion:

• Remember that you get what you pay for so modify expectations. You may not get first class service. You won’t get free drinks or food, and you’ll have to pay for pretty much any extras like choosing your seat, checked baggage, etc.
• Ryanair is famously strict about their baggage policy, and they’ll be the first to admit it. If you’re checking baggage, double check that the dimensions and weight are within their policy. Pay for baggage online before the flight, and you’ll save some money.
• Only the first 90 carry-on bags are guaranteed to be allowed into the cabin. If you are after that allotment, your carry-on will be placed in the hold free of charge (provided it meets weight and dimension restrictions), and you’ll have to retrieve your bag from the carousel after landing. A handbag, daypack, etc., can be brought on, however, and doesn’t count against your allowance. They also allow a duty free bag.
• Checking in online will save you a lot of money. Just make sure to print your boarding pass before going to the airport, and make sure it’s a clean and clear printout.
• If you are traveling with a non-EU passport, you will have to go to the ticket window to get your boarding pass stamped. If you don’t do this, you may be denied boarding.
• Ryanair makes it clear that they are a “point A to point B” airline. If you are using them as part of a connecting flight and have any issues, they will generally not provide any assistance. In fact, they recommend you don’t use them as part of a multiple-leg journey. Even if the connecting flight is with Ryanair, they may not help you.
• Read the rules and follow them, and you’ll likely have no trouble.

Have you flown with Ryanair? What was your experience?

We have at times rented a private room in someone’s home, and we’ve had some really great experiences. Some of them have turned out to be friends with whom we’ve stayed in touch long after our time was over in their city.

While AirBnB’s site isn’t exactly tough to figure out, I’ve learned a few things after using them for the last couple of years, and perhaps some of my tips will save you some grief.

Planning

There are a few properties that offer instant booking, but generally speaking you’ll almost always have to go through the normal reservation process. One of the downsides of using sites like this is it can be harder when you do spontaneous travel. When submitting a reservation, you have to pay in full. Meanwhile they have 24 hours in which to respond. If they don’t respond, the credit card/PayPal hold is released, and you begin again with another homeowner.

To save you some gray hairs, it’s always a good idea to message the host in advance to confirm availability. Sometimes you never hear back from them, but it beats having funds tied up while you wait. This is also a good time to ask any questions you may have about the property, location, amenities, etc.

If you’re headed to a popular destination, during high season or a holiday, try to get your reservation in early in case you have to go through a few different attempts. The longest period I’ve had to deal with was 4 days, but that was partly because I hadn’t messaged all of them in advance. You can’t really rely on the site’s calendar.

You will not be able to exchange contact information with the host until you have an approved reservation.

Sometimes the host will respond to your message with a preapproval. This helps your reservation process. If they’ve agreed to offer you a discount, you’ll receive a preapproval with a special offer. Just fill in the requested info, and you’re in.

Cancelling and refunds

Any pending reservation can be cancelled without a fee. However, once you have an active reservation it all depends on the host’s cancellation policy.

Typically, AirBnB is quite responsive to customer service issues. They will give you contact information with your reservation so you know who to call if there is an issue with the host and/or property.

Discussing rates

It never hurts to ask the host for a discount, especially if you’re traveling in the off season. You’ll do this before you do an actual reservation.

I generally do not recommend booking more than a few nights in advance just to make sure everything works out for you. If I plan on staying longer, I’ll ask them in advance if a longer stay is doable. I let them know I’ll book for 2-3 nights just to make sure everything is OK and extend with them later. They’re almost always willing to do this as long as it isn’t already reserved. This way they can also give you a heads-up if they get a reservation request for the time you already expressed interest in.

Amenities

Some things I’ve discovered about listed amenities:

• A hot tub usually means they have a bathtub. It doesn’t necessarily mean they have a Jacuzzi.
• Kitchen can sometimes be open to interpretation, but usually it means you will have at least one burner to work with. It does not necessarily mean it’s really a full kitchen with a stovetop, oven, etc.
• With Family/Kid Friendly this just usually means they welcome people traveling with kids. It doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be hazards for toddlers, etc.
• When they list breakfast as an amenity, be aware that it may just be tea and toast. If you’re looking for something heartier, I would ask for more details. We’ve been in places that put out a full breakfast spread and others that were extremely spartan.
• If a pool is listed, keep in mind it doesn’t mean the pool is heated. If having a swimming pool in April is important to you outside of a tropical location, I’d double check about the pool.
• Wireless internet is sometimes provided by a dongle, a device you plug into a USB port on your computer. If there are multiple people in your party or if you wish to use multiple devices, make sure to verify how their WiFi is received. Most of the time using a dongle will only give you access for one device (unless you’re using special equipment or have a special setup on your device to become a hotspot). Often you can find this out by reading their reviews, but it isn’t always clear.

Using the site

Once you’ve done your initial search from the landing page, you have some opportunities to further narrow your search by clicking on the More Filters button.

This will open a dropdown menu with many choices.

Here is where you can filter for amenities, specific neighborhoods, property types, etc. Above this is also a slider where you can narrow your search by price and if you’re looking for an entire apartment, private room, etc.

Some people make a bit liberal interpretation of “entire apartment,” so make sure to read the description carefully. They may think it means you have use of the entire place rather than you’re renting the entire place to have to yourself.

Once you’ve selected all your filters, click on the big blue bar that says Show Listings, and you’re ready to view properties.

Evaluating the AirBnB properties

Note that the price it shows you per night does not include any special fees or the AirBnB service fee. You’ll find those additional fees listed beneath the blue Book It button.

Some hosts include a cleaning fee. If they do, you’ll find that listed here as well.

After reading the description and checking out their amenities and house rules, another area I pay attention to is the host info.

Their response time can be quite important if you’re messaging them. This host, for instance, typically takes a few days to respond. If I don’t have a lot of leeway, I’m probably not going to bother with this one since I don’t want to wait for days to discover whether or not the calendar was correct.

The calendar being updated doesn’t always mean much, but it is encouraging that it was updated 3 days ago. Chances are it will be a bit more reliable, although it can just mean that someone tried making a reservation 3 days ago.

To message them, just click on the Contact Me button.

Areas to pay extra attention

Up above in red is where you can find out the type of bed. If you have a bad back or something, a pull-out may not be in your best interests. Sometimes you’ll find their bed is actually just an air mattress. This is a good area to pay attention to.

In the green area, you’ll find if they charge more for extra people (more than one). This is usually reflected in the price shown in big letters above the Book It button, though. Also notice the rates for weekly (and monthly will sometimes be listed) rental because these are often a discount off the nightly fee.

Sometimes the host has indicated a minimum stay requirement. If so, that area will appear right below the “Extra people” section.

If you have allergies or animal issues, you’ll find out if there are pets on the property at the very bottom (in blue).

When reading reviews, there are two types. One is simply labeled “Reviews.” These are from people who stayed on the property. Other Reviews are reviews the owner has received from other properties they have listed on the site or who left a review in another manner so it isn’t connected to this specific property.

Making payment

For some reason, if you select your country as the United States, the PayPal option disappears. I’ve messaged them a few times about this and have never received an explanation. Feel free to pick another country if you wish to pay by PayPal.

Otherwise, enter your credit card info and click on Book now. They will authorize the card and put a hold on it until the host either accepts, declines, or doesn’t respond within 24 hours. You’ll get an email notification of any outcome.

What happens next?

If the host accepts your reservation, you’ll be notified by the site. They will include the contact info for the host as well as additional information about the city and property. You will also be given contact info for customer service should you need to contact them.

At this point, it’s a good idea to contact the host to arrange your check-in, get directions, etc.

Using sites like AirBnB can sometimes create a bit more work for you, but I enjoy them so much more than a hotel that this is our primary lodging choice when we travel to an area for a longer period of time. Saving money and getting a better cultural experience is a fabulous combo.

Have you used a site like AirBnB or Wimdu? What has been your experience?