2 Countries, 3 Nights, £250 for EVERYTHING!
- Alegra
- Dec 17, 2019
- 13 min read
A lot of people still believe travel has to be expensive; it doesn’t!
I’ve broken down my recent trip to Estonia and Finland to give some inspiration for how to set your budget and some ways to keep costs down. This trip could have been done even cheaper than I did it, or could be made a bit swankier and a bit pricier as your ideal budget allows.
Bare in mind this particular trip was a solo trip. Of course, when with someone else it can be easy to encourage each other to spend more. It’s important to know in advance what you’d like to spend on a trip. Get your finance spreadsheets done in advance so you can stay strong and not bow to peer pressure! I could easily have still spent the same amount if with the boy but I know how terrible he is at getting over excited so, for the budgets sake, I ditched him this time!
My first gem that gets a lot of mixed reviews is Ryanair. Sure they will try to charge you extra at every turn. You will most certainly feel like you are cattle when boarding. If travelling with someone you will definitely not be seated together. BUT, and it is a big but, they let you travel Europe for less than the cost of filling your car up for the weekly commute. ❤️ Now if you’re too dignified to follow their rules to the letter and be treated like cattle rather than a human being for the privilege of travelling the world then there are other airlines out there, but I’ll keep my email updates coming for their sales!
Ryanair have loads of flash sales throughout the year. Most of the sales require travel within three months of the booking so being too organised is not always ideal. Destinations with the best deals will always vary too so not having a fixed destination in mind will always open you up to taking advantage of what’s on offer. This sale I got return flights to Tallinn, Estonia, for £47.50. Peak tourism season for this colder climate tends to be the summer months but going when it’s a bit chilly meant I’d get to see the beautiful Christmas market and enjoy more competitive prices on accommodation out of season.
Long weekends are often totally possible with their flights. I own my own business so weekends are actually my busier time but I always travel out of season so as not to stress my employees but these sort of deals would equally suit you if you’re an office worker who can’t get a lot of time off. If you usually have the weekends off you’d only need the Monday off which is normally achievable even if your boss is a bit of a holiday hitler, simply let them know you will happily stay late for the rest of the week and catch up your hours if you think having the day as a holiday day won’t go down well.
I’ve been trying hard to tick off as many countries as possible as I approach 30. I love silly little travel goals and 30 countries by 30 just seemed a great way to make sure I was experiencing varied cultures. I have family and friends in Spain, America and Japan so free accommodation can mean I don’t always go to new countries, just find new experiences in the same ones!
Because of this I’ve started checking borders whenever starting to plan a trip. Seeing Tallinn was right on the coast it seemed it would probably be easier to cross the water than the land. There are several daily departures to Finland and although I’d love to explore more of the country it seemed like ticking off the capital would be a lovely start. The ferry to Helsinki takes just over two hours and booking in advance found me a return trip for £30 through Direct Ferries.
I decided to go just for the day so I didn’t have to break up my accommodation. Arriving late on Friday I would have to be in Estonia that night anyway and even when living out of a backpack it’s nice to know you don’t have to hunt for where you’re staying every single night. Besides, Estonia seemed the cheaper option overall and that definitely is worth taking note of. I love a nice hotel but when you are planning lots of sight seeing and are on your own don’t forget to talk it through with yourself. How much time will you really be spending at your base? Is it just somewhere to sleep? If so don’t knock hostels as a viable option. I am severely noise sensitive but good earplugs really, genuinely stop snoring waking you up and an eye mask means you won’t notice if some goof pops the light on at 2am. I found a central, entrepreneur themed hostel for £31.50 and, due to the entrepreneur focus, found all the guests to be very respectful with no young party animals bothering sleepers.
That brings the total for flights, accommodation and a ferry to another country to £109.
Estonia and Finland both use the Euro but for the purpose of simplicity I have converted all transactions conducted whilst there in to Pounds, so that my total spend is more transparent. All rates have been converted using the current average rate of 1.14 and I’ve then averaged up or down to reach a round number rather than loads of decimal places, it all averages out over the transactions. To avoid currency and conversion fees I always travel using a Curve MasterCard, it gives me great rates, no fees, and allows me to switch between bank accounts on the one card - seriously, go check it out.
I enjoy planning what I’m going to get up to but have learnt to let go over the years. When you hyper plan and try and cram in too many set activities it often ends up more stressful than fun and I have had many holidays end in tears. Travelling on my own I wanted to keep things a little looser and allow for “mistakes” to happen and accepted that I would have a few major goals but the rest of my time would be fluid. This helps me keep my brain chilled and makes the day an adventure rather than a mission lined up for failure. Of course, European data laws help with this. If travelling outside of Europe I always make more effort to download maps or old fashioned print out maps or addresses and telephone numbers if you can’t use data on the go.
I researched online and saw lots of things I’d ‘like’ to see but popped them on my ‘if I have time’ itinerary apart from the things that required pre booking. As my day job is running an Animal Cafe I always look out for Animal Cafes or different Animal Experiences whilst in a new country to expand my business research. Both Tallinn and Helsinki have a Cat Cafe so these were top of my list to plan in as pit stops. Apart from this I love trying things that are a little more country specific and not something that can be found in every country. In the UK the only way you get near a gun is if you are heavily in to the farming community but in Estonia shooting ranges are for everyone. This has to be my main treat activity!
There are quite a few ranges just in Estonia. Lots of companies will advertise package deals where they will pick you up, etc. but this is always the over priced option. Luckily Estonia are very welcoming to English speaking tourists and most websites have an English version. I was able to go directly to the shooting ranges websites from Google and find the best price and gun experience for my budget. At £48 I could shoot five different types of gun and get my adrenaline rush. The range was a little out of town but right by a tram stop.
Estonia has a fantastic public transport system. A lot of the key sights can be found within walking distance of the Old Town district and getting around on foot wold be easily achievable. However, the airport is a little out of town so you would need two journeys just to get to town and back to the airport. This would cost you £2 and for £6 you can get a 72 hour travel card that lets you get on and off as many trams and buses as you like. I opted for this so that I could include shooting and reaching a few further out attractions without a hike.
My pre planning done I got ready by packing super light for my trip (Ryanair charges extra even for a small cabin suitcase, it’s rucksacks only people) and getting some small snacks ready to quell my budget exploding just on food. I’m not a huge eater and some protein heavy snacks are normally fairly good to keep me going until dinner time. If you love your carbs or sweet treats too much no worries, just remember having some bits with you helps avoid coffee shop prices every two hours. I am not squeamish about filling up my water bottle from bathroom taps, it might not be as tasty but it’s good for the environment and FREE. Going to a colder climate I wore all my outer layers to make more room in my pack for food and a book; one jumper and jacket is plenty if you’re only away for three nights, you DO NOT need those extra shoes or the cute jumper girls!
It’s always nice to park at the airport but having mum drop me off meant no parking fees. I had my sandwich on the plane but still wanted something warm when I landed. Avoiding restaurants and the airport prices I hopped on the tram and found a chain convenience store on my short walk to the hostel. For £1 I had a hot lattice and a pastry to go with my free tea at the hostel.
Getting the ferry the next morning I opted for hot porridge from the canteen to give me some carbs for the cold. £2 spent I had my water bottle and nut pouches to tide me over until evening. Helsinki has some amazing architecture and most of the churches and cathedrals are free to go inside, the donation box is there but there’s no pressure. Seeing some beautiful buildings and getting my photography fix took up most of my time. The only church I had to pay to go in was the Rock Church, literally built in to the rock face. As a feat of architecture I decided it was worth the £2.50 and was rewarded by arriving at choir practice time and getting a free show thrown in. I also found some really cool things at the street markets and bought the hubby a prezzie for £9.
I’d planned the Cat Cafe in as my afternoon pep up and grabbed a hot chocolate whilst there. Kitty photos (most Animal Cafes charge an entry fee, don’t be a barbarian, of course they can’t bring you loads of cute animals without extra business expenses) and a refreshment came to £8.
I had planned to just keeping pecking on nuts and fruit but the cold got the better of me so I went simple with a McDs. Their menu always varies a little by country and I love trying some of the different specials on offer. £8.50 for a hot meal and a little time out of the cold as I’d spent most of my time pounding the pavements here. Unfortunately my 72 hour Estonian travel card did not apply to Helsinki so the tram to and from the dock came to £5 - a little shocking as almost my whole travel budget again! Still, that’s the price of squeezing in two countries.
Day two I allowed for a little lay in and went for a late breakfast at my second Cat Cafe, starting to make use of my tram pass as it was a little bit of a trek otherwise. I wasn’t sure whether I’d bother with food or just a cup of tea and then scoff my fruit afterwards but the pancake buffet was super enticing and allowed me to carb load for the rest of the day. Tea, pancakes and cat love came to £10.50, bargain! I’d booked my shooting experience for later that afternoon, spreading out my treat experiences to keep the day exciting and allowing for free time to wander or just chill and read as I wished. I headed straight for the Christmas Market in the Old Town Square.
Markets are always super exciting and you can spend a small fortune on hand made trinkets. If that’s what you want to do then there’s plenty of cute things. If you’re trying to keep to a tighter budget though just talk to yourself about it. Go round and look at every stall first, then see if you’re still thinking about anything particular. If you are, go back and have a second look, check prices and if there seems room for haggling, and then walk away. If you’re still thinking about it for hours later then that’s the time to buy it, not in the moment! I bought one cute little bargain for £1 so I felt like I’d bought something but otherwise just took time getting the perfect snaps of the lights and Christmas tree and enjoyed looking at everything on display.
A new tram route took me a little further out of the city to the shooting range. It was on the basement level of a sketchy looking warehouse building and I felt a little out of place as a lone female traveller. Estonians are not particularly charming but they’re equally not pushy and their matter of fact approach is actually much less invasive when you get used to it. There was not really very much putting me at ease but they weren’t aggressive either. Once I got in to it and decided I wasn’t at instant risk of getting shot by myself or a fellow partaker I really enjoyed this new experience. It was actually easier than I’d thought to aim and I took out all my little metal men with the shotgun. The sounds were even more intense than I’d imagined though so my respect for deadly weapons wasn’t downplayed.
Heading back to my hostel for a few hours of down time before my one planned dinner I got off at the wrong stop by accident. When travelling with someone this would normally really stress me out but on my own I decided to roll with it and at least check out the square I could see across the road before grabbing another tram. The sun was just starting to set and the square was beautiful. I decided to walk up the hill behind for a little way to get a pretty shot of the city. As I started walking the trees lit up with fairy lights and the sky started to spread intense reds and dreamy blues across the horizon. Freedom Square is actually a popular tourist attraction I’d planned to fit in to the next day and I had managed to find it at the prettiest time of day by sheer chance. Harju Hill backs on to the Old Town Walls and Alexandra Nevsky Cathedral. The Russian domes of the cathedral bounced off the medieval turrets of the wall beautifully and the lighting made my hill climb magical. Every few steps I was met with another breath taking angle or new building, as the Houses of Parliament and Toompea Castle also sit on this hillside. I spent about two hours wandering around and dipping in to buildings and gardens. No fees, my absolute highlight.
I enjoy tasting some of the local cuisine when somewhere new and spent a bit of time on Trip Advisor trying to find somewhere a bit more upmarket but within my budget. Vaire Rataskaevu is popular with locals and tourists alike, all the dishes are creative but reflect Estonian cuisine and there seemed a bit of flair without the price. The service was even better than I’d expected. English was spoken perfectly and all dishes were explained in detail. The ingredients were varied, locally sourced and exquisite. It felt much more high brow than it cost but with a cosy, friendly atmosphere, nothing stiff or imposing. I felt quite happy being a solo diner as there was plenty of chatter around me and a main, glass of wine and desert only cost me £28.
Final day I checked out of the hostel. I’ve never yet found a hostel that won’t let you leave baggage there for a few hours until you’re leaving but I only had my rucksack and wanted my water bottle and options to stow extra layers if I was too warm so took everything with me - big mistake! When doing a lot of walking extra weight makes things far less enjoyable. I should definitely have taken my little plastic bag (always have some form of extra bag on you) and just popped my water and gloves in there. I survived but was way less enthusiastic about my wonderful new experiences by 4pm!
The Kadroirg Palace is about 40 minutes trek from Old Town but with the trams stopping right outside it’s super quick and easy by public transport. This morning I’d had my fruit and cup of tea at the hostel before leaving and had nuts on me for whilst hiking around the grounds. The main palace is stunning but right behind in perfect symmetry there’s a whole other palace still occupied by the president. Don’t miss out on going round to this also and seeing the guards with their guns and hats plus the presidential bee hives! The grounds are beautiful with woodland surrounding, the sea right alongside and a Japanese garden.
I then got back on the tram to go to the other end of the line, Telliskivi, where the hipsters have taken over an old industrial complex and small business owners flog second hand vintage clothing, furniture, art and everything in between. The setup is very cool and makes for some great photo opportunities. I was severely tempted to buy a fur coat at these prices and wanted to take all the vintage sofas home for the Cafe! Resisting shopping was hardest here but the atmosphere was still great fun just window shopping and reminding myself of my small, already pretty full rucksack pulled me through!
Wanting to grab a few more little presents for those back home I moved away from all the markets and cute souvenir shops and popped in the local supermarket alongside the complex. Buying gifts whilst away can be a very expensive venture if you fall in to the tourist trap but think smart and you can still afford to get your loved ones some little nic nacs. Local chocolate brands, culturally appreciated cakes and baked goods, meats and cheeses and even homeware and decorations all make great gifts and can be found at any supermarket for a fraction of the price. I found the exact same chocolate bars for HALF the price they were sold at the airport for and a cool looking cake that would travel much better in its proper casing from the supermarket rather than a paper bag from a market stall. £7 for gifts for 4 people (well technically 11, one gift was a pack of 8 dried sausages for 8 doggies!).
I headed back to the Town Hall square for a last look at the beautiful Christmas lights. Having snacked on fruit and nuts all day so far I enjoyed a hot chocolate and eclair in a little cafe for £5. I then grabbed a pasta pot and a locally done version of a sausage roll from a convenience store for £3 before heading to the airport, dinner taken care of whilst waiting for my flight home.
EVERYTHING all together comes in at £253.50.
You can always travel, whatever your budget. Set a budget first, not a destination, and have fun seeing what's achievable!
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