Holiday Maths: How To Spend €50 A Day In 3 European Cities

2pm: If it’s your first time in the city, wander around the streets of Pigalle (home to the Moulin Rouge and plenty of bistros). Then, walk down the Rue des Martyrs to Notre-Dame. This grand, historic cathedral recently reopened to visitors after an impressive restoration following its devastating fire in 2019. 

💸 Free

3pm: After leaving the cathedral, stop for hot chocolate or crepe at one of the many stalls in central Paris.

💸 Expect to pay between €5-7 for a crepe, and around €3-4 for a hot chocolate or coffee.

3.30pm: Walk to Jardin Anne-Frank, a hidden community garden filled with benches, greenery and sculptures. It’s the perfect place to sit with a book. From there, you’ll find plenty of affordable thrift shops for a vintage crawl. Free’P’Star has €1-5 bins of clothes and accessories, while Kilo Shop sells items by weight. 

💸 €12-15 (optional)

6pm: Have dinner at Chez Gladines in Saint Germain (a 15-minute walk away) which serves southern French comfort food with dishes like duck confit, and slow-cooked chicken with creamy potatoes.

💸 €15-20

9am: Make a beeline for Dear Breakfast in Bica, a popular all-day brunch spot with four outposts across the city. 

💸 Croissants are €2.20, pancakes are €9 and avocado toast costs €10.50. Brunch with a hot drink costs between €10 and €15. 

10am: Head to Alfama to walk along its tile-covered lanes. Stop at Miradouro de Santa Luzia or Miradouro da Graça to take some panoramic shots.

11am: From there, it’s a short walk to the Lisbon Museum – Santo António, where you can learn about Lisbon's patron saint (and read all the love letters). It's next to Lisbon Cathedral, which is also worth visiting.

💸 Free on Sunday mornings or €3 entry.

12.30pm: Stop for Lunch at Taberna da Rua das Flores, an informal Portuguese restaurant with a chalk board menu. Expect dishes like sardines, octopus salad, cheeses and olive oil-drizzled dishes.

💸 A meal and a drink will cost between €12 and €15.

2pm: Go walking and window shopping in Príncipe Real, an upmarket neighbourhood home to cool concept stores and galleries. Pop into spots like Embaixada (a shopping gallery home to numerous Portuguese designers), Cotton Vintage or 21pr Concept Store. Afterwards, sit in the leafy square with a cold beer (💸 €3).

3.30pm: Drop by Manteigaria for a pastel del nata – some of the best you’ll find in Lisbon. Eat it warm, standing at the counter.

💸 A single pastel de nata costs €1.50.

4pm: Relax in Jardim da Estrela or Tapada das Necessidades, just west of the city centre. These two parks are favourites among in-the-know locals and creatives. Tapada is full of abandoned greenhouses and moody corners.

6pm: Enjoy dinner at O Trevo, a cash-only Bifana Stall on Praça Luís de Camões. Made famous by legendary chef Anthony Bourdain, you can tuck into its signature spicy pork rolls. 

💸 €6-7 for bifana (pork sandwich), beer or juice.

9am: Start the day at Kora Bakery, a cool viennoiserie bakery in central Athens. Here, you’ll find a range of sourdoughs as well as Greek iced coffee, freddo espressos and koulouri (sesame bread rings).

💸 Croissants cost just €2.20, while a yoghurt bowl or sandwich with a coffee is around €10. 

10am: Next, you’ll want to head to one of Athens’ most interesting neighbourhoods – Anafiotika. Climb through the whitewashed, island-style streets, before returning through Plaka’s backstreets. Look out for sun-faded murals and hidden ruins in gardens.

11.30am: You’ll have to pay around €35 if you want to visit the Acropolis, so instead head to the Roman Agora and Tower of the Winds. These are ancient ruins in Plaka that you can admire for free from the outside – think crumbling columns, mosaic floors and a dramatic marble clocktower dating back to 1st century BC.

💸 Free from outside, €8 if entering.

12.30pm: Have lunch at O Kostas, a legendary souvlaki bar near Syntagma. This historic hole-in-the-wall is open until 3pm. Enjoy yours on the streets like a local.

💸 €3.50 for a pork souvlaki pita, plus €2 for water or beer

Inspiration credits: @SOLENEOJ | @SOPHIAMOLEN