Maximize Your Experience in Europe |
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10 ideas to "extend" your travel budget
For many travelers a visit to Europe means significant investment of time and money.
It's true because intercontinental flights and hotels are not cheap. But there are ways
to add more value to money spent or pay less to see more. Value of the trip is your enjoyment,
not a total cost. My resent trip was so good in general that I even don’t feel like to count
expenses. Of course, there are certain limits I can spend but generally what counts
afterwards is – did the price meat my expectations; was there some additional value.
What comes to European travel, in every place there might be something that adds an additional
value to the price we pay. For example, in Oslo I prefer hotels with fitness facility nearby;
in Berlin I pick hotels with free Internet access in room and courtesy breakfast; in the place
with higher costs for hotel I choose to use my airline reward miles; in summertime, for the
trip to southern part of Europe I would look for hotel with outside pool.
Below you can find some ideas, how to lower your traveling expenses or see more for same amount
of money while traveling in Europe.
Travel off-peak seasonMake your travel in spring or fall, when prices for flights and hotels are lower and crowds are smaller. Late fall or winter will cost less, but consider cold weather and darkness in evenings.Read more |
Travel less crowded destinationsThere is a saying – one has not seen Europe without seeing London, Paris and Rome. Yes they are great cities, but why you want to visit them? Most of us pick the spot and then begin looking for lower airfares, inexpensive hotels and affordable meals.Read more |
Travel Europe with cruisesCruises used to be a symbol of wealth. Now it can be a way to save some money during a trip. From one hand you pay fixed price for trip but from other - no worries about hotel, meals, transportation.Read more |
Spend a night in train or busIt could be that price for a flight and a train is approximately the same, but you can save on hotel costs. So you have daytime for sightseeing but travel during the nighttime.Read more |
Check offers from low cost airlinesFor last few years low cost airlines have become a good alternative to land transportation within Europe. If to plan far enough in advance, it is possible to find many routes with total price in range of $20 - $50.Read more |
Location and transportationPrices are important but good locations can save you more. When planning the trip, check transportation options to /from airport, hotel location. Consider the costs of daily transportation while in city.Read more |
Use frequent flyer program awardsThough originally they are meant for flight rewards in some European countries they have more value if used for hotel stays.Read more |
Use city sightseeing passWith all the history and cultural attractions, Europe biggest cities have plenty to offer. In order to get real sense of country, city sightseeing passes are great option to merge in.Read more |
Check out things to do free or minimal costsTraveling on budget is everywhere the same – you look for ways to spend less. When traveling in Europe, there are some countries that are more expensive than others. Norway, Switzerland and Denmark have always been on top of the list.Read more |
Read reviews from other travelersPeople are different. Some learn from their own experience (bad or good), but some learn it from the experience of others. Therefore, before to book a hotel, read reviews from people that already have been there.Read more |
