How to Visit Malta on a Budget

For centuries, the Maltese archipelago passed between North African Moors and European Crusaders in an epic struggle for control of this important hub. This constant back and forth created a culture that blended architectural, culinary, and cultural styles (in fact, the Maltese language is a mix of Arabic and Italian) unique to nowhere but maybe Southern Spain.

Now, the country draws people less with the whole conquering-empires-thing and more with its warm summer temperatures, pristine beaches, clear Mediterranean water, striking hiking, friendly locals, and cheap prices.

Though I didn’t spend as much time as I wanted in Malta, I spent enough (literally and figuratively) to get a sense of how to travel the country on a budget. Luckily, the country is already very budget friendly (it’s one of the cheapest Eurozone countries out there) so you don’t need a lot to begin with. Even though I was on a holiday and not being as budget friendly as I wanted, I still never spent a lot of money. My most expensive day cost me 70 EUR, and that’s because I rented a car! Even when I was watching my wallet, at no point did I ever feel as if I was missing out.

Though Malta will never break your budget, I always am one to look for a deal as I’m a firm believer that every destination has a way to be cheaper.

So here is your in-depth guide to visiting Malta on a budget:

Getting There

While most European carriers operate seasonal flights, there aren’t many airlines that fly to Malta year round. Ryanair, Air Malta, easyJet, and Lufthansa are the biggest carriers that service the island year-round. One-way flights from the mainland cost 50-100 EUR ($53-106 USD), especially if you book in advance. You can also take the ferry to/from Sicily; it’s 2.5 hours and costs 61-127 EUR ($65-135 USD) each way (depending on the season).

Typical Costs

Malta is cheap. While I went in the middle of winter — without the seasonal increase in prices for accommodation, car rentals, and flights — many friends told me that most prices for food, activities, and public transportation stay the same throughout the year. Here is a list of typical costs in the country:

• Bottle of water: 1 EUR ($1 USD)
• Ferry to Valletta from Sliema: – Single: 1.50 EUR ($1.60 USD), Return: 2.80 EUR ($2.95 USD)
• Pastizzi (cheap snack): 1-2 EUR ($1-2.10 USD)
• McDonald’s value meal: 5-6 EUR ($5.25-6.50 USD)
• Sandwich: 6 EUR ($6.50 USD)
• Bottle of wine: 8-10 EUR ($8.50-10.50 USD)
• Ferry from Malta to Gozo: Pedestrian: 4.65 EUR ($5 USD), Car and Driver: 15 EUR ($16 USD)
• Car rental:  38-48 EUR ($40-50 USD)
• Nice dinner at a sit-down restaurant with wine: 25 EUR ($27 USD)
• Main meals: 10-14 EUR ($11-15 USD)
• Pizza: 6-9 EUR ($6.50-9.50 USD)
• Lunch at a cafe: 8-10 EUR ($8.50-10.50 USD)
• Beer: 3 EUR ($3.15 USD)
• Public bus ticket: 2 EUR ($2.10 USD)
• Taxi prices: 10-20 EUR ($10.50-21 USD)
• Museum entrance: 6 EUR ($6.50 USD)
• Breakfast sandwich: 3-4 EUR ($3.15-4.25 USD)
• Full breakfast: 8-9 EUR ($8.50-9.50 USD)

On average, you’ll be able to visit Malta 30-45 EUR ($32-48 USD) per day, though in the summer I would say you need to budget closer to 50 Eur. At that price, you’re looking at staying in a hostel dorm or splitting an Airbnb with a friend, taking public transportation, mostly sticking to the free activities, cooking your breakfast, and eating to the cheap(er) cafes.

How to Save Money in Malta

Accommodation

There are a couple of hostels on the islands, with dorm prices beginning at 9 EUR ($9.50 USD) per night (though prices double in the peak summer time). Airbnb is ridiculously cheap — I found a whole house for 35 EUR ($37 USD) a night. Most budget hotels cost 40 EUR ($42.50 USD) so I would stick to Airbnb or hostels for accommodation. However, like hostels, the prices for places more than double to around 80 EUR ($84 USD) per night. Budget hotels cost around 40-60 EUR ($42-63 USD) in the summer.

To save money on accommodation, travel off-season and stay in dorms or split Airbnb units with friends. You can use the website eurocheapo.com to find good B&Bs, as they have a robust listing.

Food and Drink

Food prices are relatively inexpensive, though you’ll find higher prices in tourist areas such as Valletta, St. Julian’s, Sliema’s boardwalk, and Marsaxlokk.

To save money on food, stick to the pastizzi (savory filled pastry) for about 1-2 EUR ($1-2.10 USD), eat at the plethora of vegan and vegetarian restaurants throughout the country (see the list below), avoid snacking, and cook as many meals as possible (breakfast will see the biggest wins).

Transportation

There are three ways to get around the island: buses, taxis, and car rentals. Buses cost 1.50-2 EUR ($1.60-2.10 USD) for a two-hour ticket or 21 EUR ($22 USD) for a weekly pass, while car rentals cost 39 EUR ($41 USD) per day (in the summer they start closer to 50 EUR or $53 USD per day. There are a number of local rental companies, but I used Hertz since it was close to my Airbnb. Many of the local car companies don’t take credit cards and want deposits in cash. Going with bigger companies adds another layer of security.

Taxis cost 10-20 EUR ($11-21 USD); while not ideal, they can be ordered ahead of time via Whatsapp and are a good last-minute option if you get stuck because the bus doesn’t turn up.

One thing to note about the buses is that they are infrequent so they fill up fast. We got on one bus, only to have him pull over, kick everyone off, and put us all in another bus, that then waited for 20 minutes to move. It’s a crazy system and, during the summer months when the crowds peak, expect long waits. Don’t be in a rush if you’re using the bus!

Activities

When the weather is nice, there are a bunch of free activities to do, such as enjoying the beach, hiking, swimming, and just walking around. Additionally, all the churches are free. You’ll find a lot of companies that will take you around the island in a boat for 25 EUR ($27 USD). Most museums and attractions cost 5 EUR ($5.25 USD) but you can get a Malta tourism card (there’s one for Mdina and a separate one for Valletta) that will save you about 10-20 EUR ($10.50-21 USD) depending on how many attractions you squeeze in.

On a side note, I found the main tourism center in Valletta unhelpful. The staff couldn’t answer a lot of my questions. The smaller, unofficial locations that littered Sliema’s boardwalk had more information on car rentals, things to do, and prices.

Recommended Bars and Restaurants

Restaurants: Rising Sun (Mdina), Loli (Vegetarian), The Grassy Hopper (Vegan/Vegetarian), the Marsaxlokk fish market, Suruchi, Ta Doni, Cuba, Rocksalt, Ta’ Rikardu (Gozo), Electro Lobster Project.

Bars: Hole in the Wall (Sliema), Native (and any bar on that street as it’s the main hub for nightlife), Dubliner, Legligin, The Thirsty Barber

**** It’s easy to visit Malta on a budget. I was shocked at how cheap this place. Even with summertime increases in accommodation and tour prices, Malta remains an affordable country. I’ve been to all the Eurozone countries now and I have to say Malta is one of the best — if not the best — value. When you combine it with warm weather, amazing landscape, historic cities, and incredible beaches, Malta because one of the best destinations to visit in Europe if you’re looking to save money.

Looks like all those British retirees were on to something after all!

P.S. – BIG NEWS! This year I’m relaunching the Nomadic Matt group tours. You can come travel around with me and other community members! I’ll be doing four over the course of the summer. You can find out more about them and sign up by clicking here. 

Photo Credits: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8

The post How to Visit Malta on a Budget appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

February 23, 2017 at 03:00PM

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by IHholiday Travel trip

23 Reader Questions. 23 Attempted Answers.

Not every issue needs a long, drawn-out blog post to answer, so I like taking your questions now and then and helping solve some travel problems. So let’s take a break from our regularly scheduled articles for another round of Q&A!

A few weeks ago, I put a call out on social media for reader questions on travel, life, and anything in between. There are usually a few questions I’ve never answered before, weird ones about life, and just funny pop culture ones! Today’s blog post is my attempt to answer these questions. Some of them overlapped, so I trimmed the duplicates down, got rid of the really inappropriate ones (haha), and put the rest here. Hopefully, in answering someone else’s question, I’ll also be able to help you too.

What are your thoughts on train travel vs. flying between cities in Europe?  – John

I love train travel in Europe. It’s scenic and relaxing, and the trains are way more comfortable than economy class on planes. It’s a lot less stressful than flying too. That said, it takes a lot longer, and tickets are often more expensive than some of the budget airlines in Europe.

I think it basically comes down to time and money (doesn’t everything?). For me, it depends if I’m in a rush. If I need to get someplace quick, I’ll fly. But, if I have time, a rail pass, or just find the ticket prices to be similar to flights, I’ll take the train over flying.

How do you feel about staying in hotels vs. Airbnbs? – Eric

I rarely ever stay in a hotel unless I am using hotel points, as I find them to be very expensive. I’d much rather be in an Airbnb, even if it is just for one night. I like the homey feel, the cheaper prices, and being able to ask questions of a local who knows the area. You make more friends staying with a local from a site like Couchsurfing than at a hotel. Here is a guide to Airbnb if you want more info on that service!

What are your thoughts on traveling to the European countries that have been hit by terrorist attacks? – Alexander

There’s nothing you can do to predict the future. Whether you go to a movie theater or club in the US or somewhere in Europe, you never know when violence will strike. Terror attacks occur randomly, so while I would be more vigilant, I wouldn’t let this change your travel plans. That’s what they want: they want us to cower in fear and be suspicious. I’d never let them control my life. (That said, I do avoid war zones.)

Do you have any advice on traveling solo? – Rod

That’s my whole website! Just click here to learn my best tips. This is the best starting point to learn the A-to-Z of planning your trip!

What was the transformative moment when you knew you wanted to make travel (and travel blogging) a career? – Dora

I’ve always described myself as an accidental travel writer. There was never a magic moment where I said, “I am going to do this.” But there were inflection points when I realized, “Wow, this business is growing. That’s cool. I guess I’ll keep riding this wave.”

How and when did you find that travel is your passion? – Jegan

I feel in love with travel on a tour to Costa Rica; it was the first time I was traveling as an adult. I loved the freedom and the sense of endless possibility. I just knew I wanted to keep doing it. Over time and a few more trips, it just became the only thing I wanted to do. I loved traveling and wanted to share that love with others.

When people say, “Go find your passion,” I always cringe a bit. It’s not like you can go out and just stumble upon it, like finding a lost set of keys. I think finding your passion is what happens when you end up doing something you love. If you talk to people who are passionate about their job, often it’s because they have been doing it so long that they are just good at it!

I love cooking. LOVE IT! But I’ve done it long enough to know it’s not my passion. It doesn’t make me feel the way travel does. I think you just have to explore your interests, and one day, one will have become your passion without your even noticing.

What are your thoughts on the Peace Corps? Have you met people abroad who are or were in the Peace Corps? What are or were their experiences like? – Jillian

I’ve never done the Peace Corps, but I think it is an amazing initiative. I was going to apply a few years ago after my first trip around the world. After I came home, I knew I needed to go travel again, so this was one of the things I looked into.

I’ve met many people over the years who have done it, and most of them have said it was one of the best experiences in their lives. Maybe someone can leave a comment here and share their first-hand experience.

Can we also use your blog’s Intrepid discount code with Geckos? – Geneviève

Sadly, it only works with Intrepid. You can get the 10% discount by clicking here.

What would be the best step to take for a 21-year-old who really wants to travel but doesn’t have enough money? – Alyiah

I’d go work overseas. You’re 21 and probably fresh out school. You have your whole life ahead of you! Get yourself a working holiday visa for New Zealand or Australia and get a job over there. Or go teach English overseas! There’s no reason why you have to have a certain amount of money. Just go with the money you have. There’s nothing holding you back at the moment. The world is your oyster.

Here’s an article on how to find work overseas and why being broke is the best time for you to travel.

I have three questions: What do you do for health insurance? Do you have a favorite credit card? What phone service do you use? – Susan

When I travel, I use World Nomads as my insurance provider. They are my favorite insurance company (and in my opinion, the best out there). I’ve been using them since I started traveling and highly recommend them. (When I’m home, I have coverage here in Texas).

For credit cards, I love the new Chase Sapphire Reserved. There’s a high annual fee but the rewards and travel credit make the fee worth it. For phone service, I use T-Mobile — but if you are going to be out of the country for a while, it’s better to get unlocked SIM cards as you go. It will work out cheaper than T-Mobile, and you can just top off as needed.

Do you have any advice for those who want to start a travel blog? – Ali

Sure, I have a ton! I would simply start with these two blog posts because they are more robust than any quick reply I write here. Here are the links:

• How to Start a Travel Blog
• 9 Ways to Become a Successful Blogger

How do you keep costs down when traveling to expensive countries? – Liza

It’s easy to save money in Thailand but a lot harder to save money in Switzerland or Norway or Japan. Traveling to those countries on a budget takes a lot of work. Sometimes, you just can’t do it (I’m looking at you, Bermuda!). On the other hand, I think expensive countries are sometimes easier to travel to because locals, who face high costs, have invented smart ways to stay on a budget. It varies from country to country ,but for the most part, when I’m in an expensive country, I drink less, cook more, eat cheaper (not so healthy) food, take local transportation, and look into the sharing economy more: Couchsurfing, ride-sharing, meal-sharing, and everything in between. You have to get more creative, but I believe 99% of the world can be visited on a budget. It all depends on how much you’re will to do what you need to do.

I traveled Europe for a month and got pretty homesick toward the end. Do you ever get homesick? What would you recommend for those who do? – Jacob

I get homesick all the time. I’ve met many people who have too. In fact, I’ve met many people that have gotten so homesick, they’ve gone home. There’s nothing wrong with that.

There’s a certain flow to travel. A lot of people get homesick right away, but for most people, it’s around the 3-4-month mark and then again closer to the year mark. These milestones are when you seem to become more untethered your past, and for many people, that feeling makes them want to retreat back into their familiar bubble. They feel themselves changing.

But I say you should just power through it. It’s natural and will pass. Embrace the change! Since this feeling so often relates to travel fatigue, I say sit down, relax, enjoy the city you are in, take a deep breath, and then move on when you’re ready.

Are visas a big issue for you, if you’re in the middle of a trip outside of the US and you decide to go to a country that requires a visa? – Carl

You can get visas as you go. While some nationalities are required to get tourist visas in their home countries, for the most part, all you need to do is get the visa from the local embassy or consulate in the country you are in. There’s no magic to it. Need a Vietnam visa while in Germany? Head to the local Vietnamese embassy or consulate and apply (making sure you have all the appropriate documents). That’s about all there is to it.

Is it safe to travel to the US at this juncture? I have a long-term tourist visa but now I’m scared with the hate crime reported by the media. – Kanian

This question makes me sad, and I feel I could go on forever about it. For starters, the media always reports the stories that are negative. “If it bleeds, it leads” is why you think hate crimes are rampant and American conservatives think Muslim terrorists are everywhere and Paris is burning. Everything is always so negative all the time.

But the US is a country of 350 million people with great diversity. While there was a slight uptick in hate crimes after the election, the America that existed before Trump is still essentially there and is filled with good people who care about other people. That has not changed. Look at all the marches that happened against the travel ban. Just like I would say you have nothing to fear by going to Europe, you have nothing to fear by coming to the US.

I am planning my trip to Europe currently and would like to know how you handled the proof of future travel that countries require for visas. – Kim

Assuming you’re from a developed country, they will never check. They’ll never say, “Let me see that flight/bus/train ticket.” Well, the UK and Ireland might because those countries are strict, but no one else does. Outside of those two places, I rarely ever have proof of onward travel (and it’s usually the airline that asks), especially if I’m traveling long-term. It’s a risk I’m comfortable taking.

But if you’re not comfortable with that risk, you can simply buy a refundable plane, bus, or train ticket to get you past border control. When you get into your destination, just cancel the ticket.

For other non-Western nationalities, you usually need a visa ahead of time and to get it, you’re required to have proof of onward travel anyways.

I would appreciate advice about hot springs and thermal baths in the USA. Thank you. – Helena

I’ve never been to one in the US and don’t know of any. For questions like this in general, Google is usually the best resource. When I ever I am looking for the “best in….”, I usually turn to Google.

Which of your destinations, if any, have most challenged your values as an American? – Nomadic Planet 

I don’t think anything challenges my values as an American. Many places challenge my values as a human, but nothing ever made me question my American values. I don’t think a country has much to do with values. If anything, traveling has made me appreciate the greatness of America — but also that there are many things we have to work on.

What is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything? – Jason 

42.

Why don’t you organize trips with your followers? – Jorge

Actually, this year I am going to start doing group tours again! Check this post out to see all my 2017 tours!

Is Costa Rica safe? What is the best way to find a good travel buddy? – Wendy

Yes, it’s very, very safe. I have no safety concerns about that country.

To find a friend, there are a lot of places to do so. Check out this article where I list a ton of ways to meet people when you travel.

Any tips on how to travel with a dog? – Sally

I’ve never traveled with a pet, but these resources are really good and can help you plan your trip:

• Dog Jaunt
• How to Travel With Your Dog
• The Lonely Planet forums as well as our forum too.

Where do you get your hair done? – Raimee

I’m glad you asked. I love my hair. It’s completely on fleek. I’m glad you like it too. I get it done when I visit NYC at this cheap barber on the west side of town. I think he does a good job for the price. Then again, I have a simple haircut, so I’m not sure how he could screw it up. Not like this one time in Taiwan, where they accidentally shaved my entire head so quickly I couldn’t protest. I was bald for a solid month. I won’t be putting a picture of that online though!

Photo credit: 1

P.S. BIG NEWS! This year I’m relaunching the Nomadic Matt group tours. You can come travel around with me and other community members! I’ll be doing four over the course of the summer. You can find out more about them and sign up by clicking here. 

The post 23 Reader Questions. 23 Attempted Answers. appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

February 20, 2017 at 03:00PM

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by IHholiday Travel trip

Announcing My 2017 Group Tours!!

Last year, I took a break from running tours. There was a lot going on behind the scenes, too many friends got married, and a lot of personal things I had to deal with. But this year the Nomadic Matt tours are back –  and I’m doing FOUR tours! I’m pretty excited because we’re going to a bunch of new destinations!

These tours represent my style of travel: we stay in hostels, we use local transportation, avoid the super touristy stuff, and try to get under the skin of a city. I’ll show you how I travel and I will take you to all my favorite sights, restaurants, bars, and off-the-beaten-track attractions at each destination. I’ve spent considerable time in each location and know places you won’t find in any guidebook. We’ll also meet up with some of my local friends along the way (where they will probably try to embarrass me but hey, that’s part of the fun!!). I’ve been running these tours for years and have gotten into quite the groove with them! Each year gets better and better and, after taking a year off, I’m really excited to start doing them again!

I do small groups so we can have an intimate and friendly environment. So if you’re looking to travel with like-minded people, this tour is for you. People on my tours often become fast friends and remain in touch long after the trip ends. It’s true that these tours are more expensive than traveling solo, but you’ll get way more value out of these tours than you would if you tried to do all the included activities alone. I pack stuff in them because there’s always so much I want to show everyone!!

Below you’ll find more information about the tours and how to book them:

• Tour 1 – New York City
• Tour 2 – Paris/Amsterdam
• Tour 3 – Austin
• Tour 4 – Vienna/Prague

Note: Some of the below descriptions are vague on purpose. Part of the vagueness is because I want things to be a surprise. In each destination, I know a lot of cool bars, restaurants, comedy clubs, and funky attractions. We’re going to hit a lot of them. Where’s the fun in knowing everything beforehand? The other reason is because a lot will depend on how the group feels and the weather. You’ll just have to trust me! Additionally, you can see the FAQ for more information about the logistics.

Nomadic Matt’s Tour of New York City (NEW TOUR! Come explore my home with me!)

• Length: 6 days
• Number of people: up to 12
• Dates: May 8–13, 2017

Day 1

• Arrival day (come when you please but if you arrive early, I’ll have some activities)
• Welcome meeting and dinner (starts at 6:30pm)

Day 2

• Morning food tour with Walks of New York
• Lunch, if you’re still hungry (not included)
• Visit to the High Line
• Free afternoon to explore on your own (I’ll have a list of suggested attractions and activities)
• Optional group dinner
• Fun underground comedy event (shhh, it’s a surprise!)

Day 3

• Trip to the famous Cloisters
• Central Park picnic (weather permitting)
• Explore nearby museums like the Met, Frick, or Natural History Museum (on your own)
• Optional group dinner
• Broadway show (sorry, not Hamilton!)

Day 4

• Walking tour of Lower Manhattan and a visit to the 9/11 Museum
• Free afternoon to explore your own (I’ll have a list of suggested places)
• Prohibition bar crawl featuring my top bars in NYC (drinks not included)

Day 5

• Free morning (sleep off your hangover!)
• Optional lunch at my favorite Japanese place
• Trip into Brooklyn (details TBD)
• Sunset drinks on the Hudson River and final group dinner

Day 6

• Morning breakfast at one of my favorite places in the city
• Departure day (I’ll be hanging around for those staying, too)

Cost: $950 USD

BOOK NOW AND SECURE YOUR SPOT

Nomadic Matt’s Tour of Paris and Amsterdam

• Length: 9 days
• Number of people: up to 14
• Dates: May 27–June 4, 2017

Day 1 – Amsterdam

• Arrive in Amsterdam (come when you please, but if you arrive early I’ll have some activities)
• Welcome meeting and group dinner (starts at 6:30pm)

Day 2 – Amsterdam

• Breakfast at my favorite Dutch pancake spot
• Historical walking tour of the city (led by me!)
• Free time to explore (I’ll have suggestions or join me at some interesting places)
• Optional group dinner and drinks

Day 3 – Amsterdam

• Canal tour though the city
• Picnic in Vondelpark
• Free afternoon to explore Amsterdam on your own (or join me in exploring the city)
• Optional group dinner

Day 4 – Amsterdam/Paris

• Morning art tour in Amsterdam
• Afternoon train to Paris
• Included group dinner in Paris

Day 5 – Paris

• Historical walking tour through Paris (led by me!)
• Free afternoon to see the city’s museums on your own (I’ll have a list of suggestions)
• Optional group dinner

Day 6 – Paris

• Day trip to the epic Palace of Versailles (with a tour guide)
• Optional group dinner

Day 7 – Paris

• Morning food tour of the Paris markets with Context Travel
• Afternoon free time to explore Paris on your own
• Optional group dinner / night out

Day 8 – Paris

• Explore Paris on your own (optional visit to the Catacombs of Paris and Père Lachaise Cemetery with me!)
• Boat tour on the Seine
• Final included group dinner

Day 9 – Paris

• Departure day (though I’ll be around all day to hang out!)

Price: $1,600 USD

BOOK NOW AND SECURE YOUR SPOT

Nomadic Matt’s Tour of Austin, Texas (NEW TOUR! Explore my other home with me!)

• Length: 5 days
• Number of people: up to 12
• Dates: June 21–25, 2017

Day 1

• Arrival day (come when you please, but if you arrive early I’ll have some activities)
• Welcome meeting and group dinner (starting at 6:30pm)

Day 2

• Walking tour of the city by me
• Trip to Zilker Park and Barton Springs for some outdoor fun and swimming
• Beer tour of Austin
• Two-step dance class (not by me! Ha!)
•  Group dinner and night out in the city (food and drinks not included)

Day 3

• Visit to the very unique Cathedral of Junk
• Food tour (led by me): BBQ, tacos, food trucks, and more
• Afternoon on Lady Bird Lake
• Sunset by the water to see the bats
• Optional group dinner
• Night out to get a taste of the music scene Austin in known for

Day 4

• Day trip to a ranch outside of Dallas to do “cowboy stuff” (My friend owns a ranch so we’re going to go up and see that side of Texas)
• Final included group dinner

Day 5

• Group goodbye breakfast at my hostel
• Departure day (I’ll be around to hang out with, too)

Price: $700 USD

BOOK NOW AND SECURE YOUR SPOT

Nomadic Matt’s Tour of Vienna and Prague

• Length: 9 days
• Number of people: up to 14
• Dates: September 30–October 8, 2017

Day 1 – Vienna

• Arrival day (come when you please, but if you arrive early I’ll have some activities)
• Welcome meeting and dinner (starting at 6:30pm)

Day 2 – Vienna

• Historical walking tour of Vienna
• Group lunch (not included)
• Visit to Schönbrunn Castle and Gardens
• Optional group dinner

Day 3 – Vienna

• Free time to explore the city on your own (or come hang with me — we’ll explore the cafés, the Freud Museum, maybe hit some new attractions, or visit the art museums)
• Optional group dinner (and maybe wild night out)

Day 4 – Vienna

• Bike trip into the countryside to visit the local wineries
• Optional group dinner at a heuriger (traditional eatery that’s like a mini-Oktoberfest)

Day 5 – Prague

• Morning train to Prague
• Historical walking tour of the city (led by me)
• Group dinner at one of my favorite spots

Day 6 – Prague

• Half-day trip to the famous Bone Church in Kutná Hora
• Free afternoon to explore Prague on your own (I’ll have a list of possible suggestions for you)
• Optional happy hour at my favorite wine bar, followed by dinner

Day 7 – Prague

• Morning historical walking tour with Context Travel
• Free afternoon to explore Prague on your own (or optional river walk to the castle ruins)
• Optional group dinner

Day 8 – Prague

• Free day to explore on your own or come explore with me. We’ll hit up an underground tour, visit a botanical garden, eat lunch, drink in the beer garden, and who knows what else! We’ll be playing it by ear based on the weather!
• Final included group dinner

Day 9 – Prague

• Group breakfast
• Departure day (You can leave at anytime. For those staying the day, I’ll have some optional activities going on.)

Price: $1,550 USD

BOOK NOW AND SECURE YOUR SPOT

What’s included in all the tours?

• All accommodations (NYC: HI-USA; Paris: Las Paulis; Amsterdam: St. Christopher; Austin: HK Austin; Prague: Miss Sophie’s; Vienna: Wombats)
• Listed activities including admissions
• Guided walking tours
• Intercity transportation
• Local city transportation when traveling as a group
• Group meals listed above (except those listed as optional)
• For the Paris/Amsterdam tour, a Paris Museum Pass
• In NYC, you’ll get an unlimited ride subway pass

What’s not included in all tours?

• Airfare
• Applicable visa fees
• Food outside the meals listed above
• Optional activities
• Alcohol
• Souvenirs
• Anything not listed

F.A.Q.

Will I have any time to myself?
Of course! I hate tours that book every minute of your day. While we will be busy, there will also be plenty of time for you to explore on your own! Travel is about adventure and discovery, so I emphasize that on my tours. I want you to break out of your comfort zone and see stuff that interests you specifically.

What am I going to do on my own?
After you’ve signed up for a tour, you’ll be sent a list of potential activities you can do on your own (or you can ask me for suggestions on the tour, too). You’ll always have things to do – and if you don’t want to go off and explore stuff on your own, you can always come around with me!

These tours seem to cost a lot. Why this price?
These aren’t backpacking trips, and tours always cost more than traveling solo. I make a big effort to pack a lot of activities and meals into these tours — I’ll take you to my favorite sights, restaurants, and bars — thus the price. Because I include so much, that drives the price of these tours up. If you want to do it cheaper, doing it solo is the way to go. However, I think the tours offer great value for your money. You will get a lot of bang for your buck!

Can I do a payment plan and pay in installments?
Yes, you can! We can work out something specific to your needs. Just send me an email at matt@nomadicmatt.com and we can talk. I’m flexible.

How many spots can I buy at once?
Reservations on the tour are limited to a maximum of 2 per person to ensure everyone gets a chance to go!

What kind of rooms are we staying in?
We will be staying in dorm rooms: males in one room, females in another. (If you are traveling as a couple, you can get a private room together for an additional cost.) Additionally, the hostels we are staying in will all have elevators.

What if I want a single room or a room with my friend/significant other?
That’s possible, but you’ll need to pay extra. Costs will vary depending on what you specifically want. Please email me.

Is airfare provided?
No, you’ll be responsible for your own airfare to and from the tour.

Will I need travel insurance?
Yes, all guests will be required to have travel insurance for the duration of the trip. I’ll be asking for proof before departure. If you don’t have it, you won’t be able to come.

Is there an age requirement?
You must be 18 years old or older. For the United States tours (NYC and Austin), you must be 21 years old or older.

Will I need to fill out any release forms? 
Yes, you’ll be required to fill out and sign a liability waiver releasing me and Nomadic Matt, Inc. from any and all liability related to the tour.

What about visas?
If you require a visa to enter any of these destinations, you’ll need to get that in advance at your own expense. We do not offer any help in this area.

What if I change my mind? What is your refund policy?
I’ll cry but understand. Plans change. The refund policy is as follows: if you cancel at least 90 days before departure, you’ll get 100% of your money back. If you cancel between 60-89 days before departure, you’ll receive a 50% refund. If you cancel between 30-59 days before departure, there’s a 25% refund. Cancellation less than 30 days before departure will result in a 0% refund.

Note: Since the NYC tour is so soon, you can cancel within 60 days for a full refund and 30 days for a 50% refund. Anything less than 30 days will result in a 0% refund. 

Is there a waiting list?
If the tour is full, don’t worry. People sometimes rush to secure the spot, but often don’t get the time off work and so many people cancel. Therefore, we have a waiting list, on a first-come, first-served basis. If the tour is full and you’re still interested, email me at matt@nomadicmatt.com and I will put you on the waiting list.

I still have questions. Can I contact you?
Of course! My email is matt@nomadicmatt.com.

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February 16, 2017 at 03:15PM

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10 Ways to Make the Most of Your New Camera

Photographs are an important part of the travel experience and, with so many budding photographers in this community, I wanted to create a semi-ongoing series about travel photography. Since I’m not photographer, I’ve invited professional photographer Laurence Norah of Finding the Universe to share his wisdom. He wrote a long series last year and will be returning again this year with more tips and tricks! In this post, Laurence will help you make the most out of any new camera.

In my experience, people are often disappointed with their first efforts with a new camera. Somehow, the shots don’t look quite as good as they were hoping. That’s because while your new camera might be capable of taking better photos, it is going to require a bit of time and effort to learn how to make the most of it. I’ve spent time teaching folks how to get the best out of their equipment, both online and offline, and know that it takes some trial and error to get where your photos look how you want them. Practice makes perfect (I promise)!

In today’s post, I want to share with you some of my tips for getting the most out of your new camera, based on my years of experience as a professional travel photographer, working with a variety of different camera manufacturers and shooting around the world. I’m going to teach you my top ten tips that you can start to apply today to take your photography to the level you want to get it to.

1. Read the manual

Modern cameras are complex pieces of equipment with myriad functions and capabilities. The way you access and manage these functions varies between camera models. Don’t worry, I don’t want you to sit down with your camera manual and learn the whole thing by rote. But it is the best place to find out at least the basics of how your new camera works.

Despite my years of experience, when I’m confronted with a new camera, it still will take me time to get used to finding all the features I want to access — even simple things like changing the focus mode or ISO setting can be buried deep in a hidden menu. To this day I still struggle if someone hands me a camera from an unfamiliar manufacturer. I’m just not going to get the best out of it because I haven’t learned how to use it properly.

Grab a hold of the manual to at least get an idea as to what all those buttons do. That way you don’t miss a shot because you couldn’t remember how to flick between focus modes!

2. Learn the basics of composition

The key part of photography is you the photographer — not the camera.

Thankfully, taking better photos with your new camera isn’t rocket science and anyone can learn the basics (heck, even Matt did it). (Matt says: It’s true. My photos were terrible but even my unphotogenic mind picked up a few tricks!) If you teach yourself some basic rules for how to compose photos, you can shortcut your way to taking awesome shots.

These rules aren’t hard to grasp. They just require you to apply some simple principles to all your shots. For example, a road leading into a shot will naturally lead the viewer’s eye along it, while a splash of color can be used to accentuate a subject.

Over time, as you use these rules more, you’ll start to apply them naturally and you’ll develop your photographer’s “eye” (i.e. the ability to compose a shot without having to think about it too much_.

Take a look here for an in-depth post covering some of those key rules: the rule of thirds, leading lines, use of color, and more.

3. Learn about the exposure triangle

The basic concepts of how a camera works to capture light are important to master but unfortunately can be confusing to wrap one’s head around. Many people just give up and leave their camera in auto mode, never fully realizing the potential of their device.

This isn’t helped by camera manufacturers adding ever more bells and whistles to their products in an effort to stand out in a crowded marketplace, meaning you might not be sure which controls are important and which are superfluous.

Here’s a tip: the most important controls are those that affect what we photographers call “the exposure triangle,” namely the shutter speed, ISO rating, and aperture — the three key elements of a camera that we have control over and allow us to vary the amount of light that we capture.

Understand those things and the photography world will be your oyster. Changing each one has a different impact on the way a shot looks, but overall they control the same thing: how dark or bright the image is. Start to experiment with your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and don’t be afraid to get it wrong — digital “film” is free!

4. Learn about light

At its most basic, a camera is just a device for capturing the light.That hasn’t changed since they were first invented in the 1800s.

Light is therefore a key component of photography. Different times of day offer different qualities of light, with the light around sunset and sunrise offering a warmer, softer quality to our images, while midday light is less flattering, with harsh contrast and flatter colors. Ideally, you want to shoot closer to sunrise and sunset and less around midday if you can.

Where the light is coming from is also important. If you shoot directly into the sun, you’ll find your subject will likely be a black silhouette. Instead, you should position the sun behind you when shooting, to properly illuminate your subject and give you the best results.

5. Challenge yourself

As a travel photographer, I’m lucky because I’m often out traveling the world and finding fun things to take pictures of. However, I’m happy to admit that I can struggle to find inspiration during the downtime between trips. And if you’re not traveling regularly, you too might struggle to find reasons to get out and take photos.

But photography is a skill and the best way to improve a skill is to practice it. You can read articles like this all day, but the truth is, you need to get out into the world, apply that knowledge, and start training your brain to become a photographer.

One way to do this is to start setting yourself challenges, giving yourself a focus and reason to get out there. Maybe it’s something simple, like a photo of a new subject every day. Maybe you set a weekly theme and stick to it. Whatever it is (and there are plenty of places online to find photo challenges too!), just make sure that you give yourself as many opportunities as possible to learn. That way, when you go on a trip or adventure that you really want to capture, you’ll be ready!

Matt says: Come join the Nomadic Matt Community Photo Challenge and you can get your photo featured on my Instagram account.

6. Get used to taking it with you

This is related to the previous tip, in that practice makes perfect. The best camera is always the one we have on us. So if you’ve just gotten a new camera, get into the habit of taking it with you wherever you’re headed, and get some practice using it. If it is always with you, you’ll never have an excuse not to take it out and use it (remember practice makes perfect).

Leave your camera by your keys, near your jacket, or next to your shoes. Make sure it’s always with whatever it is you leave your house with so you remember to take it with you. Just having it with you will increase the frequency in which you use it! Even going from zero to one photo a day is better than nothing!

7. Get a cheap prime lens

If you have a camera that lets you change lenses, like most mirrorless or DSLR cameras, then I highly recommend spending a little bit of money on a prime lens. A prime lens is one with a fixed focal length, which means you can’t zoom in or out.

This will force you to move around and really think more carefully about your composition before you hit the shutter button. Prime lenses also have very wide apertures, which has two advantages: they let a lot of light in, so you can use them when it’s darker; and they let you achieve a shallow depth of field, allowing you blur the background and really let your subject shine.

The best thing about a prime lens is that the basic models can be picked up very cheaply — for less than $100 USD in fact. For Canon, my recommendation is the 50mm f/1.8, also referred to as “the nifty fifty,” a lens that every Canon photographer should own. Other manufacturers offer similarly priced equivalent lenses.

8. Start shooting in RAW format

When I teach photography workshops, one of my goals is to try and get my students to switch to shooting in RAW rather than JPG.

If these letters don’t mean anything to you, don’t panic. All they are is formats for the way your camera saves the image data it captures.

The difference is that a RAW file contains everything your camera has captured, while a JPG is more of a finished product, which has been edited by the camera and reduced in size for your convenience.

While a JPG is indeed more convenient (you can directly share it to social media), it also allows you less control in the editing process.

You can think of a RAW file as a roll of film and a JPG as the finished print. With the RAW file, you have full control over the development process, and as a result you have full control over the final look of your image. It is a bit more work at your end, but it’s ultimately worth it.

9. Start editing and curating your photos

Something I learned early on in my photography career was the importance of editing my photos. Even minor corrections, like straightening a horizon or adjusting sharpness and contrast, can make the difference between an OK photo and a great one.

Don’t be put off by the thought of having to spend a lot of time editing your photos. Even an application as fully featured as Adobe Lightroom can be picked up relatively easily and you can use an even-simpler editor like Snapseed on your mobile phone to make your shots pop.

I love the creative possibilities that photo editing opens up for me. I also want to share another photography tip that I’ve learned, which is the art of curation. You need to become one of your biggest critics. I’m often asked why I don’t take bad pictures. The reality is that of course I take bad pictures! I just do my best not to share them anywhere. Curating our own photos is really important: always try to only share your very best work, so the world will think that you too only take great photos!

10. Keep going

The reason that people succeed at tasks is not because they are necessarily better at it than other people. It’s because they keep persevering, despite the setbacks, frustrations, and mental barriers to success that they find along the way.

Photography is the same. The best photographers in the world all started out with no idea at all what they were doing. What got them to where they are today was a drive to succeed and a willingness to put the effort in.

I was 13 when I got my first camera and I’ve been shooting ever since. So don’t give up! Make photography your passion and it will reward you!

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Remember that photography is a long-term game, and just having a new camera won’t automatically mean your photos are going to improve. You need to invest a bit of time and effort into it — but the rewards will be worth it.

Laurence started his journey in June 2009 after quitting the corporate life and looking for a change of scenery. His blog, Finding the Universe, catalogs his experiences and is a wonderful resource for photography advice! You can also find him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Flickr.

LEARN TO GET OUT OF AUTO!

If you are looking to really get into photography and want to master your camera and take amazing photos when you travel, Laurence and I have developed a comprehensive photography course that will get you out of auto and have your friends go “Wow! That’s really breathtaking!” in no time. It will help you get out of auto and feel more confident and secure in your ability to take pictures from day one! Click here to learn more about it.

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February 13, 2017 at 03:41PM

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Malta: The Country of Half Neglected Buildings

As I sat freezing at a café in Malta, I wondered if I had made the right decision to visit. I had come to Europe for a friend’s wedding and, not wanting to fly back right away, thought I’d make the most of it and travel somewhere new. Why not start off the new year in a new country, right?

But, see, I hate the cold.

If you want to make me sad, send me somewhere cold. I needed somewhere (relatively) warm and—since I only had a week—small. Looking over a map of Europe, Malta seemed like the best choice. It was far south, had easy flight connections to the mainland, seemed tiny, and came highly recommended by friends.

For Europe in January, it seemed liked my best bet.

But as I sat shivering in a sweater, hat, scarf, and winter coat, I realized I should have researched the weather a bit more before I came. Sure, I happened to visit during an unseasonable cold snap (“It’s never like this!” people would say), but that didn’t make me feel any better.

I don’t like exploring places in the cold, which is why you hardly ever see “winter travel” tips on this site. Spring, summer, fall — those are my seasons! I don’t like carrying big bulk clothes, I don’t like sightseeing while freezing.  (Nor did the weather appeal to my friend who had come from Stockholm for warmer weather.)

Yet neither of us had been to Malta before. Both workaholics, we really wanted to put our phones away, turn the computers off, and just enjoy the destination. It had been a long time since either of us had done that.

So we had to make the most of the (terrible) weather. Otherwise, we’d end up inside, back on our computers, and that wasn’t an option!

In the wintertime, you can visit all of Malta in about a week since this place is really a summer beach destinations, and the weather in the winter is definitely not beach weather. (In the summer, you’ll need two weeks to account for beach days.)

My friend and I had grand plans to see everything possible. We’d be up by 7am and out the door by 8 but, after the second day of hitting snooze, we gave up those plans. While I missed a few museums I wanted to see, didn’t wander Gozo’s citadel as much as I wanted (the day we went it was 4°C with piercing wind and rain), and missed the underground ruins at Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, the Tarxien Temples, the underground WWII tunnel tour in Valetta, the Popeye Village, and the famous fish market.

However, while we moved slowly and my to-do list never quite got completed, I regret nothing. Malta cast a spell on me. I found the locals funny, charismatic, and jovial. They always had a good story to share. And the landscape – wow! As you drive out of the towns just that seemed to form one giant megacity, there were vineyards waiting for spring, rocky, rolling hills, ancient villages, sheer cliffs, churches rising high into the sky, and sharp cliffs with sweeping views of the deep blue Mediterranean.

In terms of sightseeing, the catacombs of Mdina were the most interesting, with their maze of hallways and chambers (though not enough skeletons), and the nearby ancient Roman house, with its intact frescos, was a highlight for me. In Valletta, the capital, I sat watching the harbor from the serene Upper Barrak Gardens (where there are fewer people than the lower gardens) and attended mass at the famous St. Stephen’s Church. And I imagined sitting in the main square enjoying the summer sun while having a glass of wine.

However, what I found most striking about the country were the towns that seem to teeter on decay. Throughout the country, they are filled with centuries-old buildings showing a mix of Arabic and Italian influences and picturesque balconies that jutted out so one could spy up and down the street. The cobblestone streets, clearly built before even Europe’s small cars were around, beckon you to explore their turns. In Malta, they name their houses, and I found myself wandering the streets looking at the random collection of names (my Airbnb’s was “The Devon”).

But as I stood wide-eyed, with one ear listening for a car sneaking up behind me, I couldn’t help but notice that it often felt as if Malta was only half-loved. For all the renovated houses and mansions brought back to their historic glory, there were more decrepit and boarded-up ones, sometimes taking up whole blocks. For every beautiful garden and restored square, there seemed to be an equally run-down one. It was as if half the island quickly left and the other half, busy with preservation, was just waiting for them to come back to fix the rest up.

For all that is written about the island’s natural beauty, wonderful beaches, and majestic capital, what I’ll remember most of Malta was this stark contrast. It was like a mystery yearning to be solved. Why don’t people just fix it up? Why does the government let these safety hazards stay up? Who owned these buildings? Some looked like they had been abandoned for decades. Why rebuild a beautiful house only to have the own next door look like it was a crack den? It all seemed so confusing and haphazard. No one could give me a good answer.

My orderly, OCD mind couldn’t wrap its head around it. (I’d be a terrible Southern European!)

My visit to Malta was like watching the preview of a good movie. When it’s over, you can’t wait for the whole movie.

But I don’t know if I’ll ever get back for the feature presentation. There’s so much to see in the world that I have this gut feeling it will be a long time before I get back to Malta. But, even if I never get back, I enjoyed the preview as well as the fact that I finally turned off my computer and just enjoyed where I was without distractions.

It’d been a long time since I last did that.

P.S. – Starting in late March, I’m going to be traveling around the USA hosting events. The goal is to build and foster a community around travel We’ve come up with a few names but we just can’t seem to find the right one so I wanted your opinion: Which one do you like best?

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February 09, 2017 at 04:06PM

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