Cheaper MAJOR European city/country for vacation? what time of year is best to go?

i'd love to go to France or Italy or somewhere!, preferably in the near future, but financially, it seems impossible!...or is it?

Public Comments

1. Prague is quite cheap (I don't think it's yet changed to the Euro). It's gorgeous, great beer, and just a really fun city. It's also really easy to get around in (easy metro system) Italy is expensive and I assume France is as well, sorry.
2. Well, Italy can be quite cheap - if you know how. Cheapest way to tour any country in Europe is by bicycle and with camping gear. If you are not into cycling, look into renting a car or buying an old clunker. Trains in Italy are also relatively cheap, but then the problem is finding camping sites close to public transport. If you are travelling alone hostels also offer great bargains. Best time to go to Italy is May/June, before the big crowds hit and prices rise dramatically. The south is generally less expensive than the north. Look at books like Let's Go and Lonely Planet Europe on a shoestring, these are guidebooks that focus on budget travel. In Western Europe you should budget aroud 50 EUR per day and person for "survival level". That means food from the supermarket and always the cheapest possible accomodation (hostel dorms, camping sites or homestays like couchsurfing or hospitality exchange). Eastern Europe is a bit cheaper, here you can get by on 40 EUR per day and person if you plan it right. And if your goal is just to go to Italy and you don't care how, look at http://www.wwoof.it
3. Try Slovenia! Cheap, clean, not too crowded, etc. The country is at its best in late July!