• I backpacked across six cities and four countries in Europe in 2022, including Berlin and Zurich. 
• I booked two Airbnbs in the suburbs to save money, and the towns surprised me.
• These crowd-free places were hidden gems. I would never have seen them if I weren't on a budget.

When I planned my two-week backpacking trip through six European cities, the last thing I expected was to be blown away by the suburbs.

In October 2022, I traveled to Berlin, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Milan, and Zurich. In most of these destinations, I booked accommodations within city limits, from an airstream trailer in Vienna to an artsy stay in Rome. But to save some money, I stayed in Airbnbs about an hour outside Berlin and Zurich by train. 

Berlin was the first stop on my two-week trip. I spent two nights in a tiny-home hotel in Neustrelitz, Germany, for $140. The hotel was a 20-minute walk from the train station.

Sure, it would have been easier to wake up in Berlin. But to my surprise, I enjoyed starting and ending each day with a relaxing walk through this place I'd never heard of, where I spotted the occasional backpacker among mostly locals.

I found the town charming, with its quiet cobblestone streets — a stark contrast to the fast-paced city vibe that dominated much of my days in Berlin. I was grateful for an unexpected experience. If I hadn't been traveling on a budget, I probably never would have set foot in Neustrelitz.

When I left Germany, with stays in Vienna and three Italian cities ahead of me, I was already looking forward to my final accommodation in Switzerland. 

Zurich was the last stop of the trip. For $400, I spent two nights in a tiny barrel home in a village called Roggwil.

Roggwil rests in the rolling hills of Switzerland. I thought it had the most striking scenes of the entire trip.

On my final night in Europe, I took an unplanned hike in the area and caught a gorgeous sunset over the village. The grass was so green it almost looked fake. The hills behind the homes changed colors as the sun lowered. Experiencing this with no other tourists in sight made it feel even more special.

It was an epic ending to my two-week adventure, and like in Neustrelitz, I couldn't help thinking that if I hadn't booked that specific Airbnb, I would never have seen it. 

I expected nothing more than a place to sleep in these towns, so I was pleasantly surprised that they felt like hidden gems. Neustrelitz and Roggwil were relaxing counterparts to my travels in Berlin and Zurich.

Next time I backpack through Europe, I'll find more accommodations in small towns to experience the slower pace of suburban life — and save some money along the way.