The Rick Steves-Approved Way To Spend Less On Breakfast In Europe

Travel expenses can add up quickly if you aren't careful. Hotels, flights, and taxis all strain the budget before you even factor in having to eat out for every meal. Rick Steves has a helpful tip to save you money on food: eat breakfast at your lodging, especially if it's included.

This can feel obvious before you get to Europe. Once you arrive and see all the cafes and bakeries you could spend money at for your morning meal, reminding yourself of this tip will save you money. Most bed and breakfasts or hotels will have a local offering anyway, so you'll be able to taste the regional foods of wherever you are. And if they don't, there's nothing wrong with filling up one morning at a local cafe.

Hotel breakfast buffets are a great way to cheaply prepare yourself for a successful day of sightseeing. You'll have plenty of energy to walk around bustling city centers, sprawling museums, and ancient ruins. Just make sure to take a look at our red flags to watch out for in a hotel buffet before you eat!

According to Rick Steves, one of the more filling meals to start the day in Europe can be found on the British Isles. Whether it's a full English, Scottish, or Welsh breakfast, it's bound to be a large, hearty fry-up. Fried eggs, beans, toast, tomato, sausages, mushrooms, and more will stick to your ribs and prepare you for a chilly day in the rain. One unique Scottish addition to their version of the meal is the tattie scone. They're pan-fried flatbreads made with flour and mashed potatoes and are a must-try if you find yourself in the highlands.

If you're traveling through expensive Scandinavia, Steves advises you to look out for large sprawling morning buffets at your hotel. Sweden will often have open faced sandwiches with pâtés or cured meats, cheeses, pickles, and butter. A boiled egg will provide a burst of protein, and muesli with yogurt will make sure your systems are humming during a time of unfamiliar eating. A little further south in the Netherlands, you can indulge your inner child with some hagelslag, bread and butter with chocolate sprinkles.

Steves finds Spain, Italy, and France to be a simpler affair. A croissant and a coffee are more common than giant plates of eggs and bacon. Hotel coffee will be your cheapest way to wake up abroad. However, make sure you visit a local coffee shop to get advice from baristas on cheap but still great places to eat!