Forget al Qaeda, SARS and cruise ship karaoke. The scariest thing for travelers these days is often their credit card bill.

 

 

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Eastern Europe still holds bargains, particularly for culture seekers, despite the fact that the dollar has lost 20 percent of its value against the Czech Republic koruna and other currencies over the last three years.

 

 

"Hotels will cost you roughly the same (in Eastern Europe) as everywhere else," Steves said, "but other things are cheaper. It's a place where you can have a lot of fun, even if you're on a budget."

 

 

A big stein of beer that might cost $4 in Munich is 50 cents in Prague , he said. A classical music concert that costs $40 in Vienna is only $15 in Prague. A drink that might cost $10 in a cafe in Venice's Piazza San Marco will set you back only $1 in the town square of Krakow, Poland.