Summary
My 40-day trip to Central Europe included the 15 day Intrepid Tour that cost $3,596. The total cost was $7,100 which included tours, travel, food, and lodging. I used my Barclaycard points for air travel and some lodging. I visited 14 countries with 13 of them for the first time.
Where did the money go?
My Central Europe trip from July 19 to August 28, 2026, cost $7,100, averaging $178 per day, or $90 per day excluding the Intrepid Tour.
- $4,600 in Travel and Tour costs, including the 15 day Intrepid Tour cost of $3,596.
- $1,863 in Food costs at $47 per day.
- $ 727 in Lodging for 37 nights with a nightly cost of $20. I redeemed $112 by using Barclaycard points, which lowered lodging costs to $615 for a nightly cost of $17.
Travel and Tours Costs
These $4,600 expenses included the following travel and tours activities:
- $3,596 for Best of Central Europe Intrepid 15 day Tour
Dohany Street Synagogue, Budapest, Hungary
- $293 for Buses
- $287 for Tours
- $101 for Metro rides
- $18 for Train rides
Travel Insurance
I paid $480 for my Travelguard Insurance for this 40-day trip, since my upfront costs were $3,595 for the payment of the 15-day Intrepid Tour.
Food Costs and Delightful Choices
$1,863 for food expenses—about $47 per day.
Here are some of the meals I enjoyed:
Breakfasts
Snacks
Turkish Coffee
Meat Pastry, Lemonade, and Coffee
Rose designed Ice Cream Cones--chocolate and raspberry
Krakow Pierogi Festival--savory or sweet dumplings--steamed or fried
Dinner
Czech Republic National Dish-Vepro Knedlo Zelo-
pork, sauerkraut and dumplings
Hungarian Porkolt--like Hungarian Goulash
stew-like rather than soup
Bass Dinners Abound
Lots of Hungarian Goulash Dinners
Vegan Mushroom Dinner, Libon Restaurant,
Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Lodging Costs
$ 727 in Lodging for 37 nights with a nightly cost of $20. I redeemed $112 by using Barclaycard points, which lowered lodging costs to $615 for a nightly cost of $17.
- Independent Hostel Arrangements
- Intrepid Hotel Arrangements
Hospoda Na Louzin, Cesky Krumlov
Miss Sophie's Downtown Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic
Penzion Encian, Tatranska Lomnica, Slovakia
I usually book through https://www.booking.com/ a few days before my arrival. Read customer reviews and check the map for the location to ensure you get what you want.
Drinking Water
Many travelers and locals use plastic water bottles, but I used a wide-mouth 20-oz plastic bottle and refilled it with tap water since the water is safe to use throughout Central Europe.
In Europe the beverage companies are required to use caps that stay attached to the bottles which is a great idea that prevents the small caps from littering. I think we should have that as a requirement in the US.
Getting Money
I used ATMs to withdraw local currency for travel. I only used about $20 worth of local currency in each country since the use of credit cards is almost universal, even when using public toilets at a cost of about $1.
Getting Bank Fees Back
When traveling internationally, I typically carry about $300 USD and use ATMs to replenish my funds. I used a Schwab ATM card that reimbursed me for all bank fees, a service offered by other banks.
Schwab reimbursed me $74.50 for 14 ATM draws. At the end of the trip, I exchanged about $400 in unused foreign money for US Dollars, and I did not use my $300 USD cash on the trip.
Daily Walking
For years, I’ve walked at least 3 miles daily for health and enjoyment. During my 40 days in Central Europe, I walked about 300 miles, averaging 7.5 miles per day, ranging from 2 to 10 miles.
Weather
This summeer ,Central Europe experienced very hot weather with temperatures ranging from 70° degrees in the early mornings to 80° to 107° in the late afternoons,
In the mountains of Slovokia, we had a reprieve with temperatures much lower at 55° to 70° with a bit of rain during our hike.