The Secrets of Low Cost Travel

Budapest is by far one of Central Europe's best kept secrets. Those who have discovered it rave to their friends but rumous hasn't caught on yet that Budapest is one city definitely worth seeing. Besides the culture and historical sights, this city is covered in naturally warmed thermal springs. They're everywhere and so it's no surprise that this city also boasts a good number of bath houses and spas which take advantage of the city's healing and medicinal waters.

Budapest, just two hours drive from Vienna, is easy to get to. You can get a flight London to Budapest for really cheap, especially if you go with a low cost airline like fly niki. You'll find that the prices in Budapest, compared to Western Europe are super affordable and that it's cheap to eat out and especially spend the day at the spa. So here's what you need to know about Budapest's thermal baths before you go.

First of all, Budapest's baths are not solely tourist attractions, they are frequented by locals who come on a regular basis so it's good to know a few of the "unwritten rules" while you're there. Entrance fees for the bath houses range from 1500 Ft to 2500 Ft, with many of them offering services above and beyond just a regular soak. Pay for your bath time as well as any additional services up front to the attendant.

The spas are meant for relaxing, not exactly for swimming. Find yourself a spot and sit tight, enjoying the warm waters. It's popular for the older men to play a game of chess while they soak. In most places there are gender segregated swimming pools available, even some for children. Szechenyi however is open for men and women all the time.

Water temperature ranges from 20-70 degrees Celcius.

Watch out for cruising in men only baths. If Budapest is your chosen hot spot for a bachelor's party just keep in mind that on men only days or bath times a lot of cruising goes down. Kiraly bath house is especially known for this.

Bring your own towel, please. The rented ones are often over-used or nasty. These small towels are used to keep your private parts covered while in the water. Szechenyi is one of the only bath houses where it's customary to wear a traditional bathing suit. If you're going for the most traditional experience, make sure you bring a small towel to take into the water with you from home.

Have you ever been to one of Budapest's bath houses before? Which one did you go to?

Now that everyone is raving about how Apple finally got the rights to the Beatles songs to sell in the iTunes store... it's about time we took a trip to a Beatles hot spot. Other recent Beatles-related news: the British Heritage Committee approved the famous Abbey Road crossing as an official Heritage Site to be preserved forever, since so many tourists stop traffic to get their photo taken in the same place. Abbey Road recording studio will also get the same treatment.

Now, let's go to Liverpool!

There are a good number of Beatles sights to see in this British city. It's not hard to believe that tour companies are also raking in the profits by offering Beatles Tours of the city, with stops at the most popular places. I'm not going to take you for the entire circuit, but if you're heading to Liverpool and you have even an ounce of coolness in your bones, you'll check out at least a couple of these places before leaving. 

A Hard Day's Night Hotel

Undoubtedly the most famous of the hotels in Liverpool. It's a 4-star boutique hotel on Matthew Street. With 110 rooms and two luxury suites, this retro renovated hotel has a lot of Beatles era inspired decor that will really get anyone in the mood for a trip to Liverpool. Take your afternoon tea in the hotel lounge with artworks commissioned by Klaus Voorman along with works from some of the best known Beatles photographers. The Hard Days Night shop is also a great stop.

The Beatles Story Exhibition Centre

A little lame and over-commercial, but a must-stop. Visitors can re-live the rise of the Beatles in the city where it all started at this Living History Museum where the likes of Paul McCartney, George Martin, Brian Epstein and others take you on a virtual tour of 1950's Liverpool.

The Cavern Club

Self-titles the most famous club in the world, it spent its share of days as a cool funky jazz club in the cellar of a fruit warehouse. Today it hosts a full-time music program. Its the most legendary venues in the history of British music. It was the place Brian Epstein first saw the Beatles perform in 1961, a performance that changed music as we know it. Other rock legends that also did their time at the Cavern Club include: Elton John, Queen, The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks and John Lee Hooker.

Family Homes

Did you know that the homes where John Lennon and Paul McCartney grew up are now owned by the National Trust? They're open to the public as well. Located in Mendips and at 20 Forthlin Road, you can get a close-up look a where the Beatles met, where they rehearsed their earliest songs... houses are kept in their iconic 1950's Liverpool style, a real blast to the past for many that visit these houses. 

Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields are also on the list, both photo-op destinations for the Beatles lovers out there. 

After you've booked your flights to Rome, there are a few things you should know about the city so that you're ready once you've touched down in the Eternal City. Travelling does require a little research and if you're new at this kind of thing, I assure you it's not as tedious as a book report or a science lab.

Here are five things you should know before you leave for Rome, there are plenty of more but at least these will get you past the arrival's hall at the airport. Let's go!

1. Know the best way to get from the airport to the city... and back!

From Leonardo Airport, there are two ways to reach the city centre. The first is to take the Leonardo Express trains which leave every 30 minutes to the main train station, Roma Termini. The trip takes approx. 35 minutes and costs £30 (35 Euro). The Metropolitan train stops at Tiburtina Station and Ostiense Station where you can connect to the metro system to get to where you need to be. It costs 8 Euro and another Euro for a metro ticket.

2. Know what the tipping culture is and what's appropriate.

Many restaurant bills include a 15% service charge but you are expected to tip 5-10% on top of that. In cafes and bars, if you sit down at a table, leave 15% only if its not already added to your bill. In the taxi, rounding up the fare is polite.

3. Learn a few key phrases... the locals will love you for it.

Here are a couple of phrases to get you started:

• Arrivederci (ah-ree-vay-der-chee) - Good bye (formal).
• Bene (behn-ay) - Well/good.
• Buon giorno! (bwon gee-orno) - Good day.
• Buona sera! (bwon-uh say-ruh) - Good afternoon/evening.
• Ciao! (chow) - Hello or goodbye (informal, but used often).
• Come sta? (koh-may stah) - How are you?
• Sto bene (stoh behn-ay) - I am good
• Parla inglese? (par-lah een-glay-zay) - Do you speak English?
• Dov'è...? (doh-veh) - Where is...
• Per favore (pehr fah-voh-ray) - Please
• Grazie! (grah-tseeay) - Thanks!

4. Get to know which museums are free on which days to cash i on major savings.

Getting something called the Rome Archaelogical Card for 27 Euro will give you flexibility if you want to see the city's main sights. If you're between the ages of 18-25 you can get the card for 17.50 Euro. It's valid for seven days in a row and grants you access to the Colosseum, Palatino and Palatino Museum, National Roman Museums, the baths of Caracalla, Cecilia Metella and Villa Dei Quintili.

5. Find out where you can get help if you need it.

Rome is a really safe place, even for female solo travellers but there are plenty of scams and pickpocketers out there. Try to blend in with the crowd and of course be modest with your camera and your guidebooks. Keep your money in a safe place, not all in your wallet that's hanging out your back pocket. If you're the victim of a crime or you've been robbed, scream Aiuto, al ladro! (Help, Thief!).

The police are generally nice and helpful if you were the victim or a crime. If you've been robbed, report it to the police, it helps the city know where/how tourists are being scammed and helps them get an idea of what they're up against.

Knowing a little about your destination before arriving with definitely make the trip go a lot smoother and much more enjoyable! So get learning a little Italiano and enjoy Rome!