{"id":5281,"date":"2017-09-08T01:00:50","date_gmt":"2017-09-08T01:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/east-europe-under-1300\/"},"modified":"2022-07-11T19:42:55","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T19:42:55","slug":"east-europe-under-1300","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s something special about exploring a place far off the typical tourist’s bucket list. Forget Paris, London or Munich. My recent trip to the Baltic trio of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania opened my eyes to a whole new side of Europe.<\/p>\n

My friend and I wanted to escape the hordes of tour groups inevitably crowding the most popular tourist destinations and discover the oft-overlooked East Europe. Our trip turned out to be the perfect choice to satisfy our curiosity and love for all things alternative.<\/p>\n

Best of all, Estonia<\/a>, Latvia<\/a> and Lithuania<\/a> are havens for travellers on a tight budget – everything is cheaper on the east side of Europe!<\/span><\/p>\n

From where I stayed to what I ate: here are some of my experiences in Vilnius<\/a>, Riga<\/a> and Tallinn<\/a> to help you get started planning your trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting There: Singapore to Europe<\/b><\/h2>\n

Flights to Europe are never cheap, but since the demand for flights to the Baltic cities isn’t high, plane tickets from Singapore to Tallinn or Vilnius may be slightly cheaper. I looked up flights in April and found a <\/span>Turkish Airlines flight<\/span><\/a> (S$850) to Tallinn offering a combo deal if you book a flight and a hotel at the same time. (Of course flight prices\u00a0change all the time, that’s what I found when I looked). Once you’re in the Baltics, your actual expenses will be very low.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From Tallinn, you can take a bus to Vilnius if you’d like to go from Vilnius >> Riga >> Tallinn<\/strong>, or you can start from Tallinn and head towards Vilnius, it’s up to you!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Day 1 and 2: Vilnius, Lithuania<\/h2>\n

Vilnius’ sleepy exterior hides a city rich with history and a curious mix of churches that reflect its turbulent history.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I followed the main street through the old town, stopping to peek into the churches as I passed by, all the way until the <\/span>National Museum<\/span><\/a>. From there, climb the hill up to Gediminas Tower for an amazing view over Vilnius. The startling contrast of the Old Town on one side of the river and modern skyscrapers on the other is definitely worth the climb. Even better yet, pack some food and picnic on the Hill of the Three Crosses just as the sun sets.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0<\/span>Zepelins (Cepelinai)<\/span>\u00a0 \/\u00a0<\/span>CC 2.0 \/\u00a0<\/span>Tobin<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Not going to lie, the amount of walking I did in Vilnius made me really hungry. Cheap eats include traditional Lithuanian <\/span>cepelinai<\/span><\/i> and potato pancakes (4.60\u20ac and 3.70\u20ac respectively at this <\/span>restaurant<\/span><\/a>), paired with beer. I also found <\/span>a pancake place<\/span><\/a>\u00a0with breakfast going for 4\u20ac, or better yet, try their 4.50\u20ac lunch set.<\/span><\/p>\n

Total cost: S$108<\/span><\/p>\n

– <\/span>Hostel (2 nights): under S$15\/night<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

– Food budget: 5\u20ac x 6 meals = 30\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

– National Museum: 2\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

– Bus to Riga: 10\u20ac <\/span><\/p>\n

– Shopping and souvenirs: 10\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s time to head to Riga – I’ve found Russian- or East European-owned buses the cheapest option for travel between the Baltic states. I hopped onto a Lux Express<\/a>\u00a0and was surprised by the entertainment systems for every passenger and free wifi access.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Day 3 and 4: Riga, Latvia<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"Latvia\"<\/p>\n

Unlike the faded beauty of Vilnius’ churches, Riga’s well-preserved streets are perfect if you have the same love for wandering as I do. I happily spent a full day exploring the Old Town – ending with some great dinner at <\/span>Pelmeni XL<\/span><\/a>, a pay-by-weight dumpling restaurant with kitschy decor. Meat-lovers can try out Latvian food at Lido http:\/\/www.lido.lv\/lat\/, which also offers some great 3.30\u20ac lunch deals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Latvia\"<\/p>\n

When you’ve had enough of old buildings, the beaches of Jurmala are just a short train ride away. We met two local students on the way there and they spontaneously decided to join us for a glorious afternoon spent walking by the seaside singing ABBA songs and learning about the secret hangouts in Riga from true blue Latvian hipsters. Their recommendation: a pint accompanied by experimental music in Chomsky.<\/span><\/p>\n

Total cost: S$110<\/span><\/p>\n

– <\/span>Hostel (2 nights): under S$15\/night<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

– Food budget: 5\u20ac x 6 meals = 30\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

– Return trip to Jurmala: 2.80\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

– Bus to Tallinn: 10\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

– Shopping and souvenirs: 10\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Day 5-7: Tallinn, Estonia<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"Tallinn,<\/p>\n

Tallinn is known for its picturesque Old Town, but I’d say avoid the tourist traps and scout out the relics of Estonia’s Communist past. Explore <\/span>Kalamaja<\/span><\/a>, the up-and-coming district home to the newest startups and art collectives, housed in old warehouses for that truly industrial vibe. I loved traipsing along the Culture Mile – a seaside trail linking Linnahall, an abandoned sports venue with great views, and Patarei prison, a Soviet-era prison reclaimed by graffiti artists. Do visit the <\/span>Contemporary Museum of Art<\/span><\/a>\u00a0too – it’s free.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Tallinn,<\/p>\n

It’s only hipster and alternative if you check out these places before the other tourists do!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Tallinn,<\/p>\n

Van Tallinn naar Helsinki<\/span><\/a> by <\/span>Carolien Coenen<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Food-wise, you’re in for a treat. We treated ourselves to multi-course meals just because when in Tallinn, you get to eat Scandinavian food at affordable Estonian prices! Splurge on a meal at highly rated restaurant Rastakaevu 16 http:\/\/rataskaevu16.ee\/en\/ (15\u20ac for a main), dine in factory-turned-restaurant F-hoone http:\/\/www.fhoone.ee\/en\/ (8\u20ac for a main) or get <\/span>pancakes<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for under 5\u20ac in the heart of the Old Town.<\/span><\/p>\n

Total cost: S$127<\/span><\/p>\n

– <\/span>Hostel (2 nights): under S$20\/night<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

– Food budget: 5\u20ac x 6 meals = 30\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

– One luxurious meal: 18\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

– Shopping and souvenirs: 10\u20ac<\/span><\/p>\n

Tips on saving even more<\/b><\/p>\n

During my travels, I didn’t think too much about saving money because hostels and meals were so affordable, but if you need to stretch every last dollar, you can take night buses between cities to save on accommodation. Other tips for Europe, in general, are to join free walking tours and take advantage of lunch deals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where to next?<\/b><\/p>\n

If you want to see more of Europe, \u00a0I recommend a bus route with stops in Berlin, Warsaw and Vilnius https:\/\/luxexpress.eu\/en\/vilnius-berlin. Or else, budget airlines like Baltic Air and Ryan Air are cheap and convenient ways of getting someplace else.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan your next holiday<\/b><\/p>\n

Our virtual trip through the Baltic states has come to an end, but your adventure is waiting just around the corner. I had the most amazing time exploring these three under-appreciated, similar-yet-different cities. Travelling on a budget is so easy in East Europe, and as a fellow budget traveller, I’m excited for you to experience the Baltic states for yourself!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There’s something special about exploring a place far off the typical tourist’s bucket list. Forget Paris, London or Munich. My recent trip to the Baltic trio of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania opened my eyes to a whole new side of Europe. My friend and I wanted to escape the hordes of tour groups inevitably crowding… Continue reading Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5282,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,74,18],"tags":[35,36,575],"authors":[576],"class_list":["post-5281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-activities","category-culture","category-europe","tag-backpacking","tag-budget-travel","tag-eastern-europe","authors-amanda-lee","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nExploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300 - Expedia SG Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300 - Expedia SG Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There’s something special about exploring a place far off the typical tourist’s bucket list. Forget Paris, London or Munich. My recent trip to the Baltic trio of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania opened my eyes to a whole new side of Europe. My friend and I wanted to escape the hordes of tour groups inevitably crowding… Continue reading Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Expedia SG Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-09-08T01:00:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-07-11T19:42:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSCF6340-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andrew Gray\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andrew Gray\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/\",\"name\":\"Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300 - Expedia SG Stories\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSCF6340-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-09-08T01:00:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-07-11T19:42:55+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/16dfd645db9e4ade59a4790b2655cd3c\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSCF6340-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSCF6340-1.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":667,\"caption\":\"Latvia\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/\",\"name\":\"Expedia SG Stories\",\"description\":\"Just another WordPress site\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/16dfd645db9e4ade59a4790b2655cd3c\",\"name\":\"Andrew Gray\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/93806db7c66e1d34e1265dcbfee63f26?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/93806db7c66e1d34e1265dcbfee63f26?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Andrew Gray\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.wave.dev\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/author\/Andrew Gray\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300 - Expedia SG Stories","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300 - Expedia SG Stories","og_description":"There’s something special about exploring a place far off the typical tourist’s bucket list. Forget Paris, London or Munich. My recent trip to the Baltic trio of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania opened my eyes to a whole new side of Europe. My friend and I wanted to escape the hordes of tour groups inevitably crowding… Continue reading Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300","og_url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/","og_site_name":"Expedia SG Stories","article_published_time":"2017-09-08T01:00:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-07-11T19:42:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":667,"url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSCF6340-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Andrew Gray","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Andrew Gray","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/","url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/","name":"Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300 - Expedia SG Stories","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSCF6340-1.jpg","datePublished":"2017-09-08T01:00:50+00:00","dateModified":"2022-07-11T19:42:55+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/16dfd645db9e4ade59a4790b2655cd3c"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSCF6340-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSCF6340-1.jpg","width":1000,"height":667,"caption":"Latvia"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/east-europe-under-1300\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Exploring Eastern Europe on budget: 3 Countries, 7 days, S$1300"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/","name":"Expedia SG Stories","description":"Just another WordPress site","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/16dfd645db9e4ade59a4790b2655cd3c","name":"Andrew Gray","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/93806db7c66e1d34e1265dcbfee63f26?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/93806db7c66e1d34e1265dcbfee63f26?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Andrew Gray"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.wave.dev\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/author\/Andrew Gray\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5281"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5281"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13322,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5281\/revisions\/13322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5281"},{"taxonomy":"authors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/authors?post=5281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}