Petra, Jordan

Petra is the number one sight to see in Jordan and once you’ve visited, you’ll understand why. At JD55 for a two-day pass, it was the most expensive entrance fee we encountered in Jordan. Included in the fee is a map and a guided tour that takes off every 30 minutes from the visitors’ center. The men with horses and horse carriages just past the visitors’ center will tell you that a ride is included in your ticket price. This is true, however, they expect a hefty tip at the end of the ride. Horse, donkey, and camel rides once inside the site are not included in the ticket price.

Camels at Petra.

The entire length of Petra is 4.3 miles (7 km) and all the major sights can be covered in one day if you are in good health and are fairly active in your daily life. The main thoroughfare is rocky but generally flat. There is a steep climb up to the High Place of Sacrifice and natural rock stairs to get to a few other sites. Getting up to the Monastery is about 45 minutes worth of well-worn stairs without railings. The sights are absolutely worth the workout. Note that there is a cafe near the Monastery, but there are no bathrooms other than the au naturale kind.

The main passage through Petra is in a valley with tombs carved into the hills above. There are stairways up to these tombs and pathways that run on higher ground parallel to the main drag. I highly recommend walking these paths instead of staying in the valley walkway. There are fewer tourists, the vendors are less aggressive, and the views are amazing.

Ruins at Petra.

If you’re on a budget, go when the site opens at 6 a.m. and you will definitely be able to see Petra in one day (assuming that you do not want to hike the long trails that lead away from the ancient city center). We chose to buy the two-day pass and arrived the first day (a Sunday) around noon. It was somewhat crowded, but not overwhelming once we got past the Treasury. The second day (a Monday), we arrived at 6 a.m. and there was no one there. We were surprised and amazed that even around 8 a.m. it was still mostly empty. The tour groups seem to get there around 10 a.m. or 11 a.m.

I highly recommend going at 6 a.m. It’s well worth getting up early to be there alone. Every blog I read about visiting Petra mentioned arriving early but it seemed as though no one took this advice the morning we went. Or, if you absolutely can’t arrive early, stay late. When we were still there around 5 p.m., all of the tour groups were gone and only the individual stragglers were left to wander back through the ruins and the Siq. Also, bring snacks and water. Though the prices of these items are not outrageous in the park, you can save yourself some time and money by bringing your own. Here are a few blogs that I referenced and were really helpful.

http://www.zigzagonearth.com/travel-tips-planning-your-trip-to-petra-jordan/
http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/escaping-the-crowds-in-petra

We stayed at the Rocky Mountain Hotel for two nights at JD32 a night. The hotel was somewhat dated (as many of the hotels in Wadi Musa are), but the staff was very helpful and the top floor dining room and terrace were nice amenities. This hotel is located up the hill away from the entrance to the park (about a 20 minute walk) and therefore we were able to eat cheaper because we weren’t eating in the tourist area just outside of the entrance to Petra.

Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico

We visited the ruins and were pleasantly surprised at how well preserved and expansive they were. We were also surprised that we were allowed to climb up most of the ruins. 

The cost to get in is nominal but know that outside of the ruins, everything gets pretty expensive compared to the other areas of Chiapas we visited. In the restaurants near the hotel area of town, entrees start at around $100 MXN. We stayed at the Chablis Hotel which was fine but at $60 USD a night, it was standard for the area but still more than I would have liked to spend. We ate in the gringo area a few times but also went into town across the bridge and ate at some of the small restaurants there. They were much less expensive, about $12 MXN per taco. 

If I were to retake this trip and were on an even tighter budget, I would have taken one of the tours from San Cristobal to Palenque to see the ruins and visit Miso-Ha and Aqua Azul in one day. We took the bus from San Cristobal to Palenque for $112 MXN, then took a colectivo to and from the ruins for a total of $80 MXN, the two entrance fees for the ruins (one for the park, one for the ruins) for $87 MXN, a tour that took us to Misol-Ha and Aqual Azul for $150 MXN, and finally the bus ticket back to San Cristobal for $176 MXN. So all of this comes out to $605 MXN per person. There were tours from San Cristobal that included Palenque, Miso-Ha, and Aqual Azul for $450-600 MXN. I think by staying in Palenque for three nights (so that we would have two full days to visit the ruins and the waterfalls), we actually spent more money than if we would have just crammed it all into one day. But at least we could take our time at the ruins and have time to relax. I guess that’s the trade off.

Misol-Ha waterfall

Agua Azul waterfall

Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico

We went to Chiapa de Corzo to wander around the square and to take a boat tour of Sumidero Canyon. We also took some time to go into the market and eat some delicious food. Choose any stall that is busy but know that a) most stalls only serve one kind of food (tacos, tamales, caldos, etc.) and that b) Spanish is a must. But you’ll save yourself a lot of money by eating in the market than going to the restaurants near the river. A plate of three tacos cost about $20 MXN whereas the menu del dia at the restaurants on the river cost about $65 MXN.

 

Sumidero Canyon

The tour of the canyon is well worth the $160 MXN and takes about two hours but know that information is only given in Spanish. It seems as though there is only one tour company that runs these tours. We found a booth on the square but you can also go directly to the river to purchase tickets.

 

While in town, we saw a ruin of some sort up on a hill near the church (which is on another hill) overlooking Chiapa de Corzo. It’s well worth the short walk uphill for the ruin and the views of the area.

Hilltop ruins

 

To get to Chiapa de Corzo from Tuxtla, you must take an autobus to an area called Soriano (I think it’s one of the bus depots but I’m not sure). At Soriano, on the roadside, there will be colectivo drivers hollering for passengers going to different destinations that are close-by. The cost was $12 MXN each way.

Island Solta, Croatia

Solta is a rocky island with a laid back attitude and lots of laid back locals. We spend two nights on the island in the town of Stomorska. We rented an apartment on Airbnb.com and were pleased with our apartment ($53 USD a night) and the view it afforded us (though the long climb up the hill was less desirable). We ate in the restaurants, lounged at the seaside, and wandered around the tiny town and neighborhoods. My husband even rented a bike for a day and rode around the island. He had to take a bus to another town to rent the bike. But for $10 for the day, it was an hilly adventure for him to enjoy while I relaxed at the beach. There’s also a bee farm on the island that makes its own honey and helicopter rides offered along with other tours if you are so inclined. It was also a popular place for yachters to park for the night, plugin, and drink.  

 

View from our apartment above the town of Stomorska.

One of the small beaches near Stomorska.

Split, Croatia

Split is a very touristy city, but still worth visiting; but a warning would have been nice. Split is a hub for cruise ships and bus travel so during the day it is filled with people from cruise ships and people staying in town. I think if we were to visit again, we would visit more islands in the area via ferries during the day and enjoy the quieter evenings in Split. For this, the ferries work well as their prices were relatively inexpensive. Getting to one of the islands (Solta) was only about $6 USD for about an hour’s ride.

 

The beaches near the Marjan were nice and not too crowded. There aren’t really long stretches of beach but instead access to the water is broken up into different areas. It works out so you can choose the area you want to hang out in (more shade or deeper water or stretches of large rocks to sunbathe on). Note: The walk to this area takes about 20-30 minutes and there is not a lot of shade.

 

 

Like the rest of Croatia, getting an apartment (apartman) in Split was pretty common. They tend to cost less than a hotel room and we were able to rent a small studio apartment for about 50€ per night which seemed to be the going rate for a studio or one bedroom.

Northern Italy

On our most recent trip, we decided to take the road less traveled in Italy, skip all of the major cities, and head to Parma, Alba, and Cogne. Italy is hard to visit on a budget, but it can be done. What we found while doing research was that hotels and apartment rentals for September were about the same price in the towns we visited, around 80-100€ a night. This is above our regular budget, but we would not have saved much money staying in private rooms in hostels. Also, for budget reasons, we did not rent a car which added to the convenience pricing of staying right in town.

The first thing I need to explain/share is the idea of aperitivo in Italy. I googled this before we went and the information I found was not as accurate as I would have liked. Aperitivo or aperitivi (plural) is when bars and some restaurants give you a small plate of snacks with every drink you order. Generally, this takes place between 5pm and 9pm. Sometimes, the drink is more expensive because it comes with food, but others charge the same price, about 3-5€ per drink. With each drink ordered, another small plate of snacks (potato chips, small sandwiches, etc.) come to the table. But, unlike what I read before we went, we saw no “buffet” from which we could eat. Aperitivo is a great way to have a few drinks and snacks and therefore be able to eat a smaller dinner or no dinner at all. Watch the drink prices because it could become more expensive than just going out to dinner.

On to the trip itself. In Parma, we rented an apartment on the west side of the river. Nothing special but the kitchen came in handy for breakfasts and snacking. We were lucky enough to be in Parma for the Prosciutto Festival. We toured the Fontana Ham factory which was very informative and interesting. The town itself was beautiful and full of great restaurants (a foodie’s dream). The prices were not out of control and we never felt pressured to order both a first and second course as is sometimes the case.

Fontana Ham Factory tour.

Alba was a lovely little town with a wonderfully preserved city center. It is also in the heart of the Piedmont wine country. Surrounding Alba in every direction are towns that must be explored and visited for their sites as well as their wines. We went to Barolo, Novello, Barbaresco, Guarene, Roddi, Bra, and Grinzane Cavour.

 

Here are my warnings about the wine region of Piedmont. Attractions (castles, museums, enoteche) are closed on odd days and at odd times of the year that are not always predictable. Also, while I was very excited to visit the enoteche (wine tasting centers) around the region, I was disappointed in what I found. I read that the enoteche were great places to try different wines from the region without having to make reservations at the actual wineries. (click here for website I referenced). While the enoteche regionale were nice and usually housed in historic buildings, they only offered a few wines for anywhere between 1-4€ per tasting. Knowing this, I recommend looking around town for the privately run enoteche, as well as visiting the enoteche regionale. Also, look for the sign “gratis degustazione.” We found shops that offered free tastings in hope that you would buy wine from them.

 

In Cogne, we were able to rent a small apartment for about 60€ per night right in town. While we waited for the bus in Aosta (the only public transportation to Cogne), we made a quick trip to Billa (grocery store) and picked up meat, cheese, bread, etc. for breakfasts to come. This was cheaper than buying food in Cogne. We took full advantage of the Gran Paradiso National Park while visiting. Entrance is free and, while the trail distances are a bit misleading, the scenery is beautiful. We took sandwiches and some fruit with us and had a picnic at the waterfall near Lillaz.

We also took a journey (two buses and a one mile walk) to see the castle in Fenis. While we had heard it was one of the better castles in the area, I would recommend seeing other castles closer to where you are staying. The castle in Fenis was fine but it was a hassle to get to without a car and the guided tour that you must take is only offered in Italian. Valle d’Aosta has a great tourism site with a list of all the castles in the region.

 

Finally, here are my last two recommendations on visiting Italy and trying to save some money while doing it. When wine tasting in northern Italy, drink everything. But if you are on a budget, check out the Nebbiolos, the local Pinot Noirs, and the Torrettes. They are, in my opinion, delicious bold, red wines but are cheaper than Barolo. Also, in our experience, the public transportation system through smaller towns and cities is not great if you are (a) on a tight schedule (b) are not comfortable with Italian, or (c) have little patience. Most trains don’t run into the mountainous areas. For this, you must rely on buses and most inter-city buses don’t run during lunchtime (approximately noon – 3pm). Buses also don’t seem to run very often, on average less than once an hour. Meaning, if you want to go somewhere, do so early with the understanding that you might be there until the afternoon. If you are one with little patience (as I sometimes am), I would recommend looking into renting a car especially if you want to set your own schedule and move from town to town freely. That being said, the buses were extremely affordable, on average 2-3€ per hour on short bus trips. While we got lost, almost stuck, and accidentally rode the school bus to the wrong town, the views were amazing and well worth the money saved and the time “wasted.”

Eastern Canada

I recently took a roadtrip with girlfriends to Canada. We flew into Bangor, Maine then drove through Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. We were there in late May which is just before the high season. So we were able to save some money on hotel rates but this also meant that some businesses which cater to tourism were not yet open.

While I was not generally impressed with St. John in New Brunswick, I really enjoyed my time at Rockwood Park just outside of St. John. We went horseback riding in the park. It was $30 CAD per person for a one hour ride and was worth every penny. Our guide Mike was a wealth of information on Canada and kindly answered all of our questions about the horses.

 

Halifax was a great stop over for a few days but is definitely not as budget friendly as I was hoping. If on a tight budget, I would recommend skipping the Citadel. While it’s interesting, its not amazing. I would, however, recommend strolling through the Public Gardens. There is a little cafe there called Sugagh. It has great snacks and delicious ice cream for about $2.50 CAD per scoop. The cafe also has local coffee and chocolates. For affordable breakfast in Halifax, just do a google search. There seems to be a lot of places to grab eggs, hash browns, and a coffee for around $4-8 CAN. And, there is always Tim Horton’s. For a delicious, though not incredibly cheap, check out the Wooden Monkey for great organic food. Entrees range between $11 CAD and $20 CAD.

 

We also made the drive to Prince Edward Island (also known as PEI). I loved it for the outdoors and the breathtaking scenery. My friends loved it for the Anne of Green Gables museums. Charlottetown seems big and touristy compared to the small towns we saw while driving around the island. Here is one thing we didn’t know before going. There is a toll to get off the island of $44 CAD. There is a ferry you can take but with a few people and a car the cost is about the same. Still, I would recommend that if you are going to go to PEI, make sure it’s worth the time and money to be there. While the groceries and gasoline on the island seems to be cheaper than the mainland, nothing is close-by to anything else which means a lot of driving and a lot of gas going in the tank. We wandered the countryside and the parks and it looked like there were cabin rentals everywhere. We went another route and booked a place to stay on www.airbnb.com. It’s a site were people rent out their spare bedroom or entire apartment. We rented this lovely little cottage with a view of a lake for about $100 a night.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Eastern Canada. And If I were to give only one piece of advice it would be this; If you are driving in from the U.S., purchase alcohol (and fill up the tank while you are at it) before you cross the border. Each person can take one bottle of liquor or two bottles of wine without penalty. It will save you a lot of money.

Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt is a picturesque town in Austria, the one most people have seen online or on postcards. During the day, tourists come by bus and by boat to see this small town right on the lake. But by nightfall, the town becomes peaceful again. We wanted to really enjoy Hallstatt and the surrounding area so we stayed for a few nights. We rented a room at Haus Lenz which was 26€ per person for room with a private bathroom. It’s up the hillside a bit but the views are well worth the climb. We went to the Prehistoric Museum for 4€ which had very interesting information on the Hallstatt area over time. All off the information is in English and German as well as many other languages. We also visited the Beinhaus (Bonehouse) where the bones of past Hallstatt residents are displayed. Due to a lack of space in the cemetery and in the town overall, burials are only temporary. After 10-15 years graves are opened and the bones are cleaned and placed in the Beinhaus. This practice ended some 40 years ago and is a very interesting way to spend 1€. When we were in Hallstatt in September 2011, the town was just putting together a self-guided walking tour. It was not up and running yet but there were already numbered plaques all around town. For 5€, you get an MP3 player and a set of headphones.

During one of our days there, we took a bus over to Obertraun to do some hiking. The tourism center in Obertraun was very helpful in providing maps of hiking trails. We hiked for about an hour to get to Koppenbrullerhohle which is a cave you can tour. The cost was 7.50€ and is only open May through September. While I did not think the tour was worth the money, I thoroughly enjoyed the hike which got us there. It was a great way to spend a day.