The TRUE Cost to Travel Europe | Ultimate One Month Itinerary

[@BrianandCarrie]

Sorry for the mixed-up spelling of the word "Categories" 😂 can't catch them all!! Cheers 🍻

[@oldachyrunner]

Oh no, a typo slipped through the final edit. To quote Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, "The horror! The horror!" 🤣 Don't worry about the typo police. You two are awesome! Thanks for the great info! Just watched this video on my phone in an Airbnb in Chelan. Will watch again on an appropriate big screen when we get home tomorrow evening. Cheers! 🍻

[@nanaontherun1968]

Only a narcissistic person points out spelling error. It's such a rude thing to do.

[@AprilandRafa]

Awww wish you didnt catch it.. We were betting on how long it would take someone to correct you😅😊😂.

[@liendo8579]

I subscribed and watched quite a few of your videos, very inspirational and informative, it sure gives me the encouragement to get out more, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences so I can learn along the way.

[@andrewrobinson2565]

​​@@nanaontherun1968 So I'm a narcissist 😮. "That don't impress me much". My school quiz team lost the semis in 1973 because I spelled "accoMModated" wrongly. 😢😂🎉 My last job before retiring was English teacher so damned both ways 😊👍.

[@sfleming631]

So in Rome, you can beat the crowds at the Vatican by entering at 7am. Most tours won’t arrive until 9am. Those two hours will be enough to go to the top and enjoy the wonderful view of the city.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, good to know. We won't be visiting Rome until December 1st on our way home. We decided to wait until later in the year to avoid the crowds. Thank you for the tip!! Cheers!!🍻

[@floridashawn7317]

Me and my wife will be doing this starting next year so these cost of living videos are our favorites.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching, Shawn! Cheers!!🍻

[@jfk5402]

I laughed so hard when you talked about doing laundry and getting beer "that's the rule must get another beer" with a straight face. hahahaha, you guys are hilarious. Perfect couple!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Haha, thank you so much ❤️. Brian can pretty much make a rule that includes a beer for anything. Cheers 🍻

[@vaguelyvagrant9694]

I agree with your assessment. My wife and I started in Venice and traveled across Italy for two weeks - after a couple of days looping through Slovenia. We rented a car (cut down a lot on transport), stayed in Bergamo (cheaper town), and then just did day trips to Verona, Milan, Como, and Bellagio. We had planned a stop in Bologna and Genoa, but we were having so much fun with what we were doing, that we just decided to spend more time in these towns. Planning ahead for where we wanted to park was the challenge for each city, but ended up not being bad at all.

[@BrianandCarrie]

At some point, we may decide to rent a car. We still can't justify the cost and don't really want the responsibility but there have been many times that it would have been nice. Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@feliciamartin6200]

Thanks for all the information! I really like that you tell us if you would stay longer or less in certain places! Looking forward to your Italy videos!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching, Felicia. We very much appreciate the support. ❤

[@eac381]

I love how you are budget travelers but still budget local beers everywhere you go

[@napoleonsdauphin]

I have been living in Vienna on and off for 15 years and still haven't run out of things to do. It's one of the most pleasant, well-sized, easy-to-navigate, high quality of living cities in all of Europe.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Agreed! We will be back in Vienna before long! Beautiful city!!

[@mgpef02]

I hope you do end of the year awards, “Best hotel, best food, best destination, best beer, and best Airbnb. I’d like to see what’s your overall top pick. I really like this video.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We do plan to do a end of year wrap up, look for it end of December. We've visited so many interesting places this year it will be a challenging one. Cheers!!

[@ocdomer]

Great video! Really interesting to see your real-world example of the cost differences between "slow travel" and "fast travel." In either mode, you two do an impressive job of keeping costs pretty low. On our trips to Europe, typically for two or three-week trips, we have always been "fast" travelers. Moving frequently, staying in hotels, eating in restaurants, it does add up in a hurry. We look forward to slower, and cheaper, travels as we move into retirement. Your videos really help us visualize what such travel might look like. Thanks for sharing!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you form watching! Comments like this help us move our channel in the right direction. Something we are always trying to improve on so thank you for commenting! Cheers!!🍻

[@davidvanpevenage4853]

It would be amazing to see a breakdown of your 2023 travel. Budget and map of where you explored in one video at the end of the year. Thanks for all you do for us dreaming of traveling the world.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We are absolutely going to be doing this video at the end of 2023!! We love to look back at all the places we went, recap our favorites and finalize how much we spent. Stay tuned 😊😊

[@Larry_Kabberga]

You shouldn’t have any regrets guys! 2300 dollars a month per person to live la vida loca in Europe? That is actually my rent cost for a 2 bed apartment in downtown Toronto; great video cheers

[@BrianandCarrie]

Very true, Larry. We can sometimes lose perspective. 😀 Thank you for watching and commenting!! Cheers!!🍻

[@tinamichael2196]

Seems pretty reasonable for a month compared to the US!

[@annetterobinson3213]

Thank goodness we’ve already travelled to a lot of these places before we start our slow travel in 6 months. Such a big difference to travel fast vs slow. Thanks for the video guys…another great one as usual x

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you!! ❤

[@awanderingmelody]

This is such a helpful video and I'm sure eye-opening for some travelers. We recently spent 5 weeks between Germany and Austria. Salzburg and Innsbruck were hands down our favorite cities. Agree that this whole Bavarian region is quite expensive and very touristy. Brian, be thankful that you did not take the DB trains in Germany. We cannot think of one good experience we had dealing with them. I could go on and on, but have to remember the positive. Its funny that you would condense your time in Nuremberg and Munich. Same for us as those two were our least favorite. Austria, on the other hand, is wonderful!!! Definitely want to get to Vienna someday. Thanks for your honest and comprehensive recap. Enjoy Turkey!!!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We were a bit disappointed with Munich. We had heard such great things about it that our expectations were high. But like you say, remember to stay positive! Thank you for watching and commenting!! Cheers!!🍻

[@georgebuscay8511]

You were moving, that's for sure. This was just a little spending spree out of necessity. All that matters is that you had a good time and saw amazing places. Now, you are back to doing it your way. Kathleen

[@BrianandCarrie]

We had to give it a try and now that we have, back to what we know! Thank you, Kathleen for watching and supporting us! ❤

[@slowmads]

Kudos to you for doing these videos (It’s all I can manage to do weekly FB posts-I am still deeply allergic to deadlines and anything that feels like work!). We are primarily slow travelers but if exciting cities happen to be between Point A and Point B, we’ll stop for 3-4 days (e.g. Zurich between Vienna and Paris, Bordeaux between Paris and Andorra). We have the basic belief that ANY place is worth a month’s stay-long enough to get beyond the surface and go more deeply within the culture beyond what many would call “there”) stay so some of our short term stays get added to our list of eventual 1-3 month stays. Eastern Europe is on our list-probably after Australia/New Zealand and South America in 2024 and 2025 respectively. We were lucky and enjoyed a relatively inexpensive month in Vienna. By eating in a lot (the grocery stores were paradise) and walking a LOT in various neighborhoods, we kept our eating out and entertainment budgets low (we separate ours). Our spacious in central apartment was $1700 for the month (I just checked and it is more than double what we paid in 2021). We tend to eat 2 meals and day and often share 1 entree when eating out. And we have a weakness for Michelin starred chefs’ restaurants. It’s right up there with art museums for us. We have less years to make our money last than you so our budget is around $100K a year. I can still find affordable options for very comfortable lodging/hotels and transportation and FUN within that budget. We don’t really have anything but an annual budget now but we still track our expenses every month to adjust if we need to. (And pet-sitting offsets our pricier stays). It’s too stressful to try to cheap all the time. I’d rather have the occasional stress of a splurge! Keep making the videos. I really enjoy watching them and comparing notes to our experiences so far.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We also eat in the majority of the time and agree that does help a lot. But this is the exact reason when some asks us how much we saved to do what we are doing and we decline to answer. Everyones go number is going to be absolutely different because we all have a very different picture of what we want our full time travels to look like. Thanks so much for watching and safe travels. Cheers!!

[@jwinters9974]

I'd like to add one more benefit of slow travel -- that is overcoming short-term illnesses. We came down w/something shortly after arriving for a 30 day stay. Spent the first week pretty much convalescing in place, and we still had a good 3 weeks post-recovery to do our thing. Whereas if fast-traveling, things would have been "much more" trying..

[@BrianandCarrie]

This is so true!! Brian just recently came down with a little bug and we had this exact conversation. Having the ability to know you can just relax and recoop makes such a huge difference. Had we been fast moving, you'd have to just push through it! Cheers 🍻

[@NewCastleIndiana]

Edit: thanks for all your efforts. Love these expense vids. I think across your entire series of video so far, what appeals to me the most is finding the Airbnb that have the high discounts for monthly rates. And I still love the Algarve.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Bummer, that would be a over sight and unfortunately not a easy fix. Thank you though - Cheers!!

[@AprilandRafa]

❤ the video you two, in my opinion one of your best. Informative and forthright to us future budget slow travelers. While watching your fast travel videos, my wife an I were betting on your final cost. I lost my $6k bet and she won with $4.5k. If you saved before and are willing to save after, it's all good, I wouldn't sweat it. We like how disciplined you are. Look forward to your daily living and pros/cons videos. Cheers!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much, we really appreciate that ❤️❤️. Nice bet, I will say I'm happy the 6.5 bet didn't win 🤣. Yes, we save in other areas we travel so we can enjoy these more costly locations....makes the saving worth it. Cheers!!

[@danieltroyo3847]

Vienna was one of my favorites cities i visited back in 1993,i know i will go back one day,thanks for bringing back memories,cheers!!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We loved Vienna, so much more than we thought we were going to. Thanks so much for watching 😊. Cheers!!

[@louiseperry6920]

Been to many places in the world and Vienna for 3 nights would be very special. We’ve had 2, gone to Mozart / Vienna waltz inclusive concert in the evening, but the highlights of Vienna are many. Schonbruun palace a must, and the beautiful parks. Just walking the streets hearing the piano, violins, singing through the open windows indescribable. Love your work. Currently in Lyon, beautiful city, much more affordable and manageable than Paris. Baguette and cheese for lunch like the locals, divine and that’s available at Breakfast every morning.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We were so surprised by Vienna - never expected to love it as much as we did. We do plan to make it back so we can enjoy a show/concert in the beautiful venues. Great to know about Lyon! We've heard so many times how challenging Paris can be with crowds that a nice place to settle and still enjoy France sounds wonderful. Cheers!!

[@ZacharyRobinson-ox4ib]

Love your videos. We’re Americans in Germany and planning on slow traveling. We’d love to have you come to the Mosel. It’s kind of a hidden gem.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We would love to! There are so many places that we want to explore! 😀Thank you for watching our channel! ❤

[@davidc6598]

Brian, what’s your secret to keeping the beer belly at bay? I’m jealous of the amount and variety of beer you consume and still manage your slim physique. Is it just the many miles of walking you guys do? Enjoy your travel and budget videos. Keep it up.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, David! Whenever I'm on camera I suck it in!! 😆 Honestly it is all the walking we do. Another benefit to slow travel is the ability to get into an exercise routine, walking, jogging, push-ups, etc. Nothing extreme just continue to move. Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@bobabobic4314]

Thank you.... this is your the best video👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for watching!! ❤

[@CarpeDiemTravelerMel]

I would love to compare the cost difference between peak season and shoulder season. I will generally travel to Europe in April and October and find that the rates are a little better and a little less crowded. Loved this video, lots of good info! Cheers!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, absolutely! If you can travel these areas during the shoulder months you will save on accommodations as well as way less crowds. Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@BrianandCarrie]

Very true, we are home for a month or so in the summer months, but we have to go somewhere when it's time to leave. That is why we moved fast the month of August. There were no Airbnb discounts for longer stays so why not bight the bullet and spend the extra money by moving?

[@filb]

I know it's not for everyone, but in big cities where accommodation can be expensive, to lower cost, I usually book at hostels. Naturally your sacrificing comfort which is why I say it's not for everyone, but I'd you're on a strict budget, it can save you a lot of money especially for long trips. I usually book private rooms for smaller towns which usually have more affordable prices.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have found that for the two of us, we can get our own Airbnb for around $50 a night. Paying $15 to $25 each for a hostel wouldn't make sense for a couple. That's the problem for single travelers, there is no one to split the costs with.

[@filb]

@@BrianandCarrie There's also airbnb but since I usually solo travel, I never used it, but yes definitely a good option for couples who want to save costs.

[@MikeS29]

Re: money... you can't take it with you! Thanks for the breakdown. As I said last week, the slow lane is for me.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We won't be doing fast travel ever again. We will be in the slow lane with you!! Thanks, Mike!! Cheers!!🍻

[@leeanneNZ]

That’s really helpful for my Europe trip next year. thanks

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching! Cheers!🍻

[@YogiAcosta]

You two are great! Thanks!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you ❤️. Cheers!!

[@thenextleaf]

I look forward to your videos each week! Thank you for sharing your adventures and great travel tips. I learn so much and look forward to when I can travel more. If you go back and stay in Salzburg, take a day trip to Hallstatt. Absoutely picturesque quaint and beautiful little town! Also, a tour through the salt mines is really cool too! Continued safe travels!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for watching ☺ and following along! We will absolutely be sure to check out Hallstatt and the Salt Mines when we return. Being that was one of my favorite places so far, we do plan to make it back and really take it all in. Cheers 🍻

[@JohnSmith-bz9be]

These videos are so insightful and appreciated. Europe can be very expensive but at least you are making great memories and can now slow down a bit in Italy. All the very best over there :)

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, John!!! We appreciate your support! Cheers!!🍻

[@mrsjuliemasse]

A little high but sometimes worth it to splurge. Love your videos.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for watching, Julie! ❤

[@nairamirzoyan9910]

Beautiful couple in beautiful places 😊 Have a safe travels 😊

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much!!! ❤

[@JeffRhinoBannister]

You are NOT traveling to live had to mouth. Have no quilt about having a "heavy month". Great video! Come see us next year in Spain

[@BrianandCarrie]

So very true 😊. We are so happy we had the experience and saw so many wonderful places. We do plan to get back to both Southern and Northern Spain! Cheers 🍻

[@Broke_Expat]

Very informative. Sounds like you’re on my budget when I start slow traveling here soon. Love your content, keep up the good work.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for watching and safe travels!! Cheers!!🍻

[@ConanNYC]

@ed-jr8bw may I ask how you will do slow travel if you don't mind?

[@Broke_Expat]

with the 30 day in each location mentality... That way you save on housing, food, travel costs, etc... @@ConanNYC

[@patrobertson772]

Great info. We are heading for a similar 5 week trip and this was very helpful.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching and safe travels!!! 😀

[@jiggyjean9081]

OMG!!!! That's a lot of money! But you gotta live every now and than! Well deserved too! 💗 Great breakdown! Miss and love you guys! 😘😘

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, it was so much! But, absolutely we have to take those times to do and see a bit more. Miss you guys so much 😘

[@WrldExplorer]

I was in Prague five years ago. And you were right I did love the other side of the river. I went there, and Vienna. I could’ve stayed in Prague the whole two weeks. I went in June, but I don’t think it was as crowded as it was in your videos. That was my first place I visited since 2003. I was supposed to go to Prague back then, didn’t make it, and that also was the last time I traveled. I was so stressed out at my job, that a therapist recommended I start traveling so I started it backed up in 2018 which is when I went to Prague eventually and Vienna, Japan in 2019, Italy Portugal, in 2022, and Portugal, Colombia, and Germany in 2023. Just retired in 2022. Watching your channel and others has inspired me to make this a regular thing. I could do full-time traveling, but I’m actually about to move to Colombia in a few months to create a base with my girlfriend there. We have a trip to Paris coming up since I have tickets to the Olympics. I know it’s gonna be crazy there but I’m still gonna love it. I get to experience two things, the Notre Dame Cathedral which is scheduled to open this year, and long waited Olympics. Never thought it would be overseas when I would eventually go. Keep inspiring.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Wow, I love that therapist's advice ☺. Sounds like you've had some wonderful travel experiences and many more to come. Paris and the Olympics will be a great time for sure, even with crowds. Thanks for watching - Cheers!!

[@robertmcfarlane4151]

Great informative video. I hadn't realized that doing laundry has a rule about drinking beer. Duly noted. Great tip! Back in 2018 I had a rental car from Munich, but the rental agency had recommended NOT taking the car into the Czech Republic. As a result I parked the car in Nuremberg then took the bus to Prague. It made sense. Your two day trips to Austria were excellent and both of those places are amazing. Expensive but definitely worth it if you can get to Hallstat 1.5 hours south of Salzberg. I think your saving money in South east Asia was a valuable choice to spend then in central Europe. I always enjoy your good humour and attention to detail. You did very well for your hotels for peak tourist season in Europe. Cheers

[@BrianandCarrie]

We will be going back to Austria sooner than later. We need to spend more time in Vienna and also make our way to Hallstatt. We have heard so much about it. As always, thank you for watching, Robert! 🍻

[@markfinlay9615]

Hi Guys, Considering what you did, I did not think the cost was outrageous, given that it was summer. Staying in one place is far better. I even think your videos are better as you can portray the location where you are without being rushed. I don't know if you are in Turkey yet, but my friend's son just returned from vacation and said everyone asked to be paid in euros rather than Turkish lira. Looking forward to the Florence, video I am flying to Bologna on Wednesday for a foodie vacation and to bring back to Spain some parmesan cheese and balsamic vinigar.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We absolutely agree, we are able to share a much more complete view of a area when we have time to really get to know it during a long stay. Florence was wonderful , we are excited for that video next week! Cheers 🍻

[@drewrichardson8789]

I hope you saw the Pieta in Milan. Having travelled on a tight budget as a 25 year old I am never missing experiences because of cost.

[@andria8464]

I really enjoyed this video and find it funny that I went to many of the same places this summer! We dropped off our 18 year old in Prague for university. Cheaper than in-state tuition in Oregon! She's loving it. Anyway, I was able to afford Vienna and Salzburg by traveling with my mom and having her pay half of the accommodations. Ha! They were definitely expensive but really worth it. I am a teacher in the PNW and am currently stuck with summer travel but look forward to more long term travel in my future. I'm think I'm set on Turkey next summer and was happy to see you're there now. Looking forward to those videos. Keep it up and thanks for all the detailed budget info.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi Andria! So interesting and sad that tuition in Prague is less than in-state tuition in Oregon 😔 . What a wonderful experience for your daughter though! That is a definite plus having someone to split the bill with, and we agree - even with the high cost it's totally worth it. You will be very happy to know, that Turkey will save you money, especially on eating out and grocery costs. Cheers!!

[@andria8464]

She is having a great time in Prague and even met a couple kids from Bellingham in her program. I'm looking forward to eating my way through Turkey. Glad to hear it's affordable. I spent a month in Vietnam last summer in addition to Central Europe. It's truly amazing how much costs vary in our world. Cheers and enjoy Turkey! @@BrianandCarrie

[@whirltraveller1350]

Thank you so much. We enjoy your videos. Jeanette and I are making our ninth visit to Europe tomorrow, flying out on Westjet's Dreamliner. We were there twice in 2022. We find that the two of you are, in many respects, similar to us, so we easily relate to you. We love to show our accommodation on video too. Keep up the great work. Love your personalities. It would be great to meet one day. Roger

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much! Safe travels on your upcoming adventure...let us know if we cross paths! Cheers 🍻

[@andreablack4573]

I stayed for 2 fulldays and 2 nights in Vienna at the end of September. I don’t think another day is needed tbh. Also I stayed at Ibis at train station for UsD 100 per day or less. Only thing is there isn’t a fridge/minibar so I filled up the hand basin with cold water and put my perishables in that. Not ideal but fine for 2 nights. Just a way of keeping costs down.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great to know! Ibis is always a great lower price option, smaller rooms but typically pretty nice hotels. Thanks so much for watching and sharing those tips. Cheers!!

[@whatareuthinking1]

Great stuff

[@acm9344]

Good information, thank you... keep putting up videos 😮

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@PaulVega-y9v]

All in all. The costs for you both wasn't that bad as a VACATION.

[@VanillaCat1977]

Bratislava Slovakia is only 1 hour bus or train from Vienna. Bratislava is cheaper to stay and its also located between Vienna and Budapest. Check it out might be a good place to save some money.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for that tip! We do plan to make it to that area in the next year and will be sure to add Bratislava to the list. Cheers 🍻

[@jonmaher2531]

BTY, we are in southern Italy, Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi and September is no longer off season, but part of the very busy high season. Also, we were somewhat shocked at how Positano and Amalfi (Revelo not to bad) are such tourist traps and not really authentic any longer. It's one definitely and done for us.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Agreed, Sept is still quite a busy month. I can see why as the weather gets so much more tolerable. I've heard that by many about the Amalfi coast and it's one reason we just decided to skip that area. But, so many other wonderful areas to visit in Italy. Thanks so much for watching!! Cheers 🍻

[@jasonred1258]

Brian, Carrie, Congratulations on your vacation. Nice video explaining the expenses. Overall I think you all did great for 27 days in Europe on $4600 budget. Thanks

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you! We do feel we saw a lot in that time and although spent more than normal - it was totally worth it. Cheers!!

[@DanCarGuy1970]

Thanks for sharing the info. Some parts of Europe are sure more expensive than others. Dan & Marj. Calgary, AB

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Dan and Marj! ❤

[@mylesbyrne4335]

For what you got for your money guys I think you did very well. Those experiences are invaluable. One thing I don’t see on your channel is a video on Budapest. Maybe I just overlooked it but if you have a chance I would highly recommend a visit. Myself and my wife and two friends of ours are just back from a three night stay there; and it was absolutely beautiful. The four of us are well travelled and we all agreed that it’s one of the best if not THE best location we’ve visited so far - similar to Vienna in many ways. Love what you’re doing guys. Stay well.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have not been to Budapest but everything we've been told is a must!! My Brother said the same as you, not really sure why we haven't been there yet. We will most likely be back in Europe next year; if so it will be first on our list. Thank you so much for watching and supporting our channel! Cheers!!🍻

[@leapintothewild_original]

Yes, it’s a budget buster, but look at all you experienced in just a month!!! 👏🏻 And when you do an annual average, it’ll balance out with your lower cost months like you said. Question: could you see yourself enjoying a slow-travel month in any of these places? I look at the first three and think it would be lovely to stay a bit out of town and just live - walk, read, stop for a meal, walk a bit more, groceries for the airbnb kitchen, etc. ?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We would stay in Krakow, Prague, or Milan for a month. And like you say, stay on the outskirts and just live. More our style. Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@leapintothewild_original]

@@BrianandCarrie I’ve been here for a long time but have three logins tho all with the same pic, so I never know how I’m signed in! 🙄 Love you guys, Marijka ❤️ 😃

[@BrianandCarrie]

Good to know!! 😆 We try to keep up on our regulars, but it is becoming more difficult each week. 😃

[@leapintothewild_original]

@@BrianandCarrie Ah, the price of fame… 😉

[@joeshmooo5327]

Time to get back to SE Asia and save some money. Your videos are fantastic!

[@skeller61]

8:59 “Oh, that’s right, I forgot about that”…followed immediately by “It’s a good memory”. Sorry, I couldn’t help laughing. Thanks for your videos!

[@BrianandCarrie]

🤣🤣🤣. Age does that to us for sure.

[@skeller61]

@@BrianandCarrie You’re not alone! I’m in my 60’s and look forward to travel to Europe in 3-4 years, once I retire. The last time I traveled, I went to China for a few weeks in 2009. I had good luck getting hostels with a private room for less than $30 a night. While I wouldn’t want a communal bunk room, the atmosphere of the hostel community is very nice. But, I just looked at Amsterdam and saw they’re now almost $200 for a private room. That’s nuts! I’ll be looking over the options (like watching your video). I don’t like guided tours all the time, but river cruising that includes food and transportation generally in walking distance of places of interest, seem like a better deal if it’s hard to find a room. Anyway, I’m enjoying learning, as it reminds me I’m going to have a great time! Thanks again.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We are starting to appreciate the guided tours for the value and convenience alone. The river cruise idea is something that we will look into sooner rather than later as well. Thank you so much for the support!

[@ivearies4187]

This is very helpful as I plan my 2 month sabbatical. I love Kraków and Prague, still haven’t been to the other places you visited.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching! ❤

[@robertrogina]

Have yall looked into airalo - for an e-sim - we just did 2 months in southeast Europe and used airalo when needed , most of the time the minimal choice - if we needed more then we could have bought as needed - with the regular sim you may have extra unused minutes that will never be used -

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi Robert! Unfortunately, neither one of our phones will accept eSim. We are hoping in the future we may be able to utilize that as it would be a great solution to those really expensive Sim card locations. Cheers!!

[@rowena4296]

Can’t wait to see when you go back to Vienna, where you will do it in low or mid season and stay longer and the cost will be lower. I like watching your videos because I’m considering spending 7 months a year travelling when I retire liked you’ve been doing. I learned a lot and I’m surprised how affordable they can be if I choose the right times and places.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Choosing the off-season or less traveled places if you need to travel in August is the most cost-effective. Thank you for watching and safe travels!! Cheers!!🍻

[@mosbys7062]

Beers are important! - don't reduce that category! :)

[@thomaslanger8376]

Nice video and information. I been all over Europe as well. Great stuff keep it up

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Thomas. Cheers!!🍻

[@MikeS29]

I'm sure your dance card in Italy is already full, but one suggestion for a destination is Lecce in Puglia. Fantastic town, great homebase from which to explore Puglia.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We did make it down to Puglia but not all the way to Lecce. We used Bari for a home base for three days before moving on. Loved the region!!

[@virtual_travel_worldwide]

oh i love it! I recommend matera! It is my favorit place there @@BrianandCarrie

[@BrianandCarrie]

We will be back in Puglia someday. We liked that region over Sicily!!

[@virtual_travel_worldwide]

i hope we will meet us there one day 😎✌ for a drink 🍺 @@BrianandCarrie

[@BrianandCarrie]

That would be great!! 🍻🍻🍻

[@mauimixer6040]

Do you happen to be Polish?? If Munich, great museums and old towns center,take a day/overnight trip down the autobon to Garmish (92 winter Olympics)and that lake ?, the trip takes you by the castle that Disney world copied . Beautiful driving Adventure.

[@BrianandCarrie]

No, neither one of us are polish.

[@voyagingthroughtoretirment6950]

Interesting video, thanks! We're not so good at calculating cost, and that's a shame, cause we traveled in Slovakia in the summer and in Italy too, and would be interesting to compare to your cost. My husband and me are from Redmond, close to your town, not retired yet, but are planning a slower travel to cisily for the month of Feb :)--- have fun in Italy!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hello in Redmond!! We never kept track to this same level when we were vacationing. Now doing what we are doing it became more a necessity, in order to keep on track. Thanks so much for watching! Cheers 🍻

[@misspimake]

Great video! I definitely think we would save a lot because I am not a beer/wine drinker, but my husband is a beer drinker. We also love the country side (villages) not so much the city (crowd). We love gardening, so when the time comes, we plan on volunteering on a farm etc. in exchange to maybe a homemade loaf of bread 😅. When we visited Portugal last year with our kids. We stayed in a small country side called Mafra, Portugal. Honestly, I could’ve stayed there the whole time, but since we had our 3 teenagers with us, they wanted to see the city (Lisbon and Porto). Fun times for sure.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you! Yes, we agree that many times we wish we'd stayed in the much smaller towns. Unfortunately, we get drawn into the bigger towns as they are usually the easy access for day trips around the area. Sounds like a great exchange, gardening for some homemade bread. Cheers!!

[@orlandomedina8336]

Brian/Carrie We highly appreciate all these comments and recommendations you share. A couple of questions. Need your suggestions on how to deal with ATMs in general what to do or not do. 2nd question. Do you carry your passports everywhere you go? or do you leave them in safety boxes in the hotel? Are you comfortable with hotel safety boxes in general?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great questions! As for the ATMs, we both have cards with Charles Schwab which offer reimbursement of ATM fees. We also do our best (not always possible) to use ATMs that are located outside a physical bank. This makes it much easier to resolve any issues, such as an eaten card - which has happened. Now for the passports, it really depends on location if we choose to carry them all the time. Currently, here in Turkey, there is a heavy police presence, so I've always had them with me just in case they were to ask. Otherwise, we find that the hotel safe or finding a nice tucked away space in our Airbnb to be good. Thanks so much for watching! Cheers 🍻

[@jeeshoo2001]

My wife and I have been traveling for about a year, I always hit the ATM for local currency right off the plane. We opened a Schwab checking account that refunds ATM fees and has no international fees. The most important thing to remember, ALWAYS decline the conversion fees on the terminal, that's just a rip off scam. As for passports, we always carry ours because I like to visit casinos and you need your passport to enter most casinos in Europe. But so far we have had no issues leaving valuables in our apartment/hotel rooms, knock on wood!

[@jeeshoo2001]

​@@BrianandCarrieOMG, I tucked away $250 usc and two credit cards at an Airbnb in Romania and forgot all about it until we moved 5 hours away. The cleaning crew allegedly only found one credit card. Needless to say, I'm done hiding valuables!

[@BrianandCarrie]

UHG!!! We have a friend that did the same thing with his passport! He had to go to the US embassy and get a new one.

[@TexasDoug393]

I thought that ordinance that required a second beer upon drying a load got overturned, but I might be thinking of Estonia. 😀😀😀 More very helpful cost information, thanks! Definitely shows why, say, Vienna isn't on my short list for a retirement location.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, I believe that is Estonia. 😆 Thanks, Doug!! Cheers!!🍻

[@stevenwestman]

Great video guys! Love to see the cost of travel. How do you eat out so cheap? $60 for 3 days in Milan? That's $20 per day. When we were in Italy a couple of years ago it was $60 each meal. 2 entrees and a of glass of wine each was $60.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you! Thankfully in Milan we had free breakfast at the hotel. For us that typically accounts for breakfast and lunch (we're not big eaters 🤣). Milan was great for some simple eats as well, pizza by the slice and the amazing focaccia sandwiches. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers!!

[@StacyMadden-os9jy]

Luv your videos! When we grow up we want to be like you😉! That will be next year and we have so many questions. First of all, do you maintain a residence/home base in the states for mail, taxes and insurance purposes? We are in the baby steps of figuring this all out. We would luv your input.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi! One year, that's gonna be here before you know it 😊😊. We do not maintain a residence back home. When we go home we mostly housesit and then spend the rest of time with family. We do have a set address we use at the family's home we spend the most time for all those areas listed. There are also mailbox services you can pay a monthly fee for where they scan your mail and email it to you. Happy planning and if you have any other questions let us know. Cheers 🍻

[@cosmicadventurer1999]

Costs increased from Easy to West; fully expected. Really appreciate your detailed info. Gives me ideas.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, we totally expect that as well. Poland and Czech Republic were quite affordable and would be a perfect area to spend more time if looking to save a bit of money. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers!!

[@tc2425]

The expenses sound about right ... Traveled solo last summer throughout Europe from July to November....so about 5 months... Average was $US3K to 5K per month this did not include financial responsibility's back in the States.. Lodging is the biggest expense followed by car rentals, fuel and airline tickets ... Almost always used US credit cards and took the hit with the exchange rates and fees ....avoid withdrawing cash$ at ATM or Banks as the fees are super high ...so bring cash US$ from back home and use that to exchange for some local currency as Brian & Carrie have mentioned in the past some vendors have no card machine....Thanks for the video ...Ciao from Bucharest

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great tips for sure!! We also use a Charles Shwab ATM card that has free worldwide ATM fees. But we will typically use our visa card whenever possible. Thank you for the comments and for watching!! We love Romania!! Safe travels!! Cheers!!🍻

[@kencrowther1]

That was one of your most informative and enjoyable videos. I know you probably don’t track it but I ❤️ beer and would like to know the total costs of beer during this trip. My guess is 400 bucks or approximately ten percent of your cost, well worth it.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We like to keep it as a part of our grocery expense, so we don't have to actually know how much we spend on beer!! 😆 Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@mauimixer6040]

I'm trying to calculate since being single, the bnb/ lodging would be the same as 2 . I'm guessing 70% + of your total+ ins, communication etc. Thanks for sharing so much detail and explanations. Plus things are increasing and changing fast, so I better get going Soon !😊

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, unfortunately prices do just keep going up. Makes the search a bit more challenging but still very doable.

[@m532198]

Germany has wonderful pensions at a fraction of hotel prices.

[@d.y.e3803]

Great info! I wish I hadn't put off going to Eastern Europe back when I was living in Europe annually for whole summers. But, it was just so far to travel to by train as I was living in DK during the summers. And back then, flights within Europe cost a fortune. Maybe, I'll get to Eastern Europe when I start traveling to Europe again. I would like to do check out the Czech Republic. Back in the day, I remember friends traveling to Eastern Europe during their summers in Europe.We were all spending summers in different parts of Europe. Greetings from Los Angeles

[@BrianandCarrie]

It is so nice that transportation is quite affordable, makes it much easier to see so much more area - without breaking the bank. Hopefully you make it back to the area, Czech Republic was so great and we can't wait to explore even more. Cheers 🍻

[@ericlloyd663]

Great video (as they all are) this was helpful to me. it's something how your expenses really sneak up on you. I did a month in Spain Plus the Canaries and look back at some of the places i stayed and thought the same as you did. But also what great experiences you had. you can't put a $ on that!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Very true! Memories are what it's all about, no regrets. Thank you for watching. Cheers!🍻

[@sabrinab9991]

To me…What you paid for 27days with where you went, stayed, ate, and did is cheap and totally acceptable. It looked liked you stayed in comfortable hotels, ate good, and had some fun experiences.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We had a wonderful month and feel like we saw so much! No regrets at all - just a bit hard sometimes to see that bottom line. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers 🍻

[@dr.perfectsmile4175]

You need at least 1 week in Wien and 1 week in Milan/Como area, there’s a hell a lot to visit, at least 3 main palaces in Wien (Belvedere+Shonbrun+Hofburg) and to be honest, I know most of Europe with my eyes closed and I find Germany&Austria very affordable (including Munich&Wien 4* hotels city centers).

[@angeladias2938]

Ouch..that was a big spend month..but the places you went to were many. In case anyone is interested....yes stay in Salzburg and take a day trip to Halstatt...one of my best ever day trips ever. Felt the same about Munich too. The Oktoberfest was good for just a day.. not big beer fans but the atmosphere was great. Waiting to see your next vlogs of Italy...to see what i can add. Puglia for sure..

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, for sure a spendy month but so worth it 😊. When we make it back to Salzburg, Hallstatt is for sure on the list as so many have recommended it. Thanks so much for watching!

[@DebDee123]

I loved this video thank you. I wonder if you could do one about packing/luggage/clothing. I noticed you both have quite small suitcases. Especially from you Carrie. We will be traveling for a month September/October 2024 through Southern Italy & Croatia. Keep up the great work 🏆

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, happy to hear you enjoyed it. We did a video a bit ago about what and how we pack you may find helpful. We love carry on only and how easy it makes travel days. Here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqLTn5acp5p5kJY

[@CJ-Photo]

Just wondering if you've ever traveled in France?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have yet to explore France. We may be back in Europe this time next year and France would be on our list. Thank you for watching! Cheers!!🍻

[@lyndalozner6706]

Would love to see a video on what you get from the grocery store when you stay in a place that you do cooking. The costs and items. What kind of meals you eat in the airbnbs would be good. Trying to get an idea of our future costs to slow travel. Thanks Lynda from Milton, Wash.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, Lynda. We will be doing a video soon on our daily activities which include grocery shopping, what we buy, and the cost. It will vary greatly depending on what country you are in, but we will cover that as well. Thank you for watching and supporting our channel! Cheers!!🍻

[@Jilltoons]

We are in Milan right now, heading to Florence tomorrow. Question: do you tip restaurant and bar servers, taxi drivers. Coffee. Gelato places? It's so engrained in me.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi! We don't tip, except occasionally if we go to a sit down restaurant. It was hard at first coming from the states where it's expected. We've very much gotten that out of our head now and only on occasion tip if we feel we want to (not need to). Plus, side note, many places in Italy have added fees added to your receipt called service or table fee. So that for us was the tip already built in. Cheers and safe travels!!

[@gdifiore997]

I am really enjoying your videos. So keep up the good work. Having lived in Asia and traveled extensively to over 50 countries in about as many years it’s great to see you enjoying places I have been. But the thing that does not compute is how your lodging and entertainment costs are so low, especially when you are doing the “fast travel” trips and staying in center city areas. While I am not a “5 start snob” the prices I typically pay are often a multiple of what you describe. Are you getting some sort of travel agent or similar discounts that are not available to other travelers?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We typically stay in one location for a month to keep costs down. We do not get any perks and do not use a travel agent when we decide to move faster. Thank you for watching! Cheers!!🍻

[@dylanblunt6353]

Which of these city’s would be good for slow travel? So to spend a month in

[@BrianandCarrie]

Our top two choices would be Krakow and Prague. You can stay in either place and take day trips from there. Great question! Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@raidermanjeff]

hey guys once again great video I have one question in this video I saw the travel bags/lugguae you guys where can i get those and more importantly do they fit in the over head on the plane I think you guys mentioned that you dont like to check luggage I was just wondering get the luggae online I am headed to portugal/ spain next summer so it time to get ready I might leave sooner thanks jeff southern cali guy 😆😁🤩😀

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi! Yes, they have fit without issue on all flights we've been on, and that includes budget airlines like Ryan air. We have even tried putting them in many of the boxes they have by checkin to test size... fit perfectly. Cheers!!

[@raidermanjeff]

great thanks @@BrianandCarrie

[@raidermanjeff]

btw do you know the name of your luggage brand so i can look it up thanks and enjoy Italy and in the video can you guys mention is Italian beer better than German beer thanks jeff

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, it is called the Away larger carry-on.

[@raidermanjeff]

thanks @@BrianandCarrie

[@julienugent712]

This video was very helpful, thank you!

[@BrianandCarrie]

So happy you found it helpful 😊

[@orangelily935]

Not bad over 4k at all. We spent over 6k in 14 days travel 😢 , I need to talk to my husband !

[@BrianandCarrie]

It's easy to do, especially if it's considered more a vacation. Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@socrs]

A tip on your laundry… Take an item or two in the shower with you each day and wash it there during your shower. After ring it out. Lay it on a dry towel and wrap it up… Squeeze. hang to dry. Of course long term the big heavy stuff like jeans may need a regular laundry. Cheers

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great idea!! We have had to wash an item or two this way in the past! 😂 Thank you for the tip!! Cheers!!🍻

[@Ben-k3w]

What cities do you recommend for slow travel?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Krakow, Prague and Milan are our top three big cities and Salzburg for a smaller town. Vienna may just be too expensive.

[@DeanRamser]

Thank you all for the informative video! My wife and I are SS travelers, too. Currently, we are in Lviv. We had considered exploring Poland and Austria, before heading back to Oregon to see grandchildren and possibly sell our Portland condo. Your videos are very helpful in budgeting our journey. Thank you!! We are now considering extending our stay in Europe by going to a non-Schengen country, like Romania. My wife has MS, so, a country with highly qualified neurologists is desired. What is your opinion about healthcare for senior travelers? Thank you. Dean

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have found healthcare in just about every country that we have been to be on par with the US. We are not sure about neurologists, fortunately we have not had an emergency or had to us any urgent care, but we did full checkups in Thailand and dental work in both Portugal and Turkey.

[@virtual_travel_worldwide]

25:55 awesome place! Do you remember where it was? For this amount you had a very nice trip! i am jalous on your hotelrooms😁✌😂 its still a low budget travel trip in europe anyway ( in my opinion 😁 ) Thanks for sharing

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, that is Milan, Italy. We still try to keep costs low, but we did blow our budget!! 😆

[@virtual_travel_worldwide]

yes, but where in milan? :) trying to keep costs low is a difficult thing 😳 The best opinion is, to travel fast, but it make the whole thing even more worse 😂😂😂😂❤ i can feel you. Now i bought a car and try to sleep inside. i hope this way i can travel low cost 😁 through europe@@BrianandCarrie

[@andrewrobinson2565]

Very detailed video. 🙏 Thanks. (Spell check your captions 👍) +1.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Andrew. Cheers!!🍻

[@steven_dekok]

Did you try Ciucas beer when in Brasov? It is a locally made beer. Soooo good! They even have a brewery you can tour.

[@BrianandCarrie]

I don't recall if we tried that one. We did try many but can't say I recall seeing that name. Bummed we missed a brewery tour though....next time!! Cheers 🍻

[@jimd2343]

I went to Taromina for one week, four days in Vienna and three I. Prague by myself and spent $15,000. Don’t know how you guys do it.

[@peterinvestor]

I would say the final price is fantastic considering where you stayed, what you did & saw and where you eat. 27 days and 5 different countries for $2300 per person is a bargain. I would love to do same as you did but in US but I think I would have to rob a bank before that trip. 27 days in 5 different states would be a challenge. Not sure how could I low budget travel in US.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, nothing seems to be low budget in the US anymore. Finding a Airbnb for $50 a night is pretty much impossible. And then food ridiculously expensive. Makes us appreciate that even though this cost more than we typically spend, it was a great bargain for all we saw and did. Cheers!!

[@eb6929]

Very good! I wonder… how do you keep track of the spending? Do you use an app, a spreadsheet? Just old fashion pen and paper? 😁 I always end up loosing track of the little expenses specially.

[@BrianandCarrie]

I use a app called travel spend. I set up a budget for each new location and enter everything spent at the end of the day. Makes it super simple to stay on track. Cheers 🍻

[@michaelfrew5652]

Hey question, we traveled Europe this year Amsterdam to Grado Italy on bicycles. The trains were easy to put bicycles onto. Do you think it would be OK to put bicycles in the baggage area under the busses you went on? Like just lay them down?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Good question! I didn't see anyone traveling with bikes, but I would imagine it happens as many people travel the area on bike. I'm thinking when booking tickets I recalled seeing where you could select the option to pay for extra large baggage and a bike was one option . Maybe check the Flixbus site to see. Cheers 🍻

[@WrldExplorer]

Be careful for anyone going to Prague. I did witness someone very smoothly lifted some tourist purse off of her chair while eating lunch. Fortunately other people saw it, and he dropped it and kept walking. There also was a guy walking around, trying to offer smaller bills for larger ones. He was scoping people that were at ATM machines, Don’t do it, he will trade you some fake bills. DO NOT, use those currency exchange places. They got me really good. 😂 but sometimes you learn. High fees.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, those scams are very real - always best to to be watchful. It's just always best to not do business with someone on the street, they aren't ever looking out for your best interests. Thanks for watching - Cheers!!

[@nanaontherun1968]

Do you find when you fast travel that things just start to mash together and you forget things you've seen? Oh Brian.. Your "fantastic " 😂

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, we do!! Slow travel will be the way we travel from now on. Thank you so much for the kind words!! 😀

[@determined3462]

Do you travel in the European winter? if not, where are you for the November, December and January?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We are home with friends and Family over the holidays. We will be traveling to Argentina in January 2025 and in the past, we went to SE Asia. We did spend a winter in Montenegro and Albania one year.