Europe on a budget/websites?

[aclov]

Next year both myself and DBF turn 40 so we are thinking of possibly taking a trip to Europe. My dream has been to go to Paris, his to go to Spain. I'm not really sure where to start researching so looking for possible websites that can help.

TIA

 

[beansmom]

i think www.tripadvisor.com when I'm going somewhere new. Beyond that, I don't have much to offer but will be watching the thread coz we're doing Italy sometime within the next year.

Good luck.

 

[TallyTutter]

Rick Steves - you can watch him on most PBS stations.

 

[G's mommy]

We went to Paris for my 40th birthday back in 2005. I bought the book, "Paris for Dummies" and I thought it was really informative and easy to follow. I also talked to others that had been there or lived there for a period of time to get advice on where to stay. We went in November (it was very cold, but got a great deal on airfare) and stayed in the Latin Quarter neighborhood. The metro is very easy to use and can get you to all the sights in the city. If you are going in the summer months, expect large crowds at all the popular attractions and you may want to purchase tickets online ahead of time if you can. I know you can do this for the Louvre. Going in the winter, we experienced no crowds and walked right in to see the Mona Lisa on a Sunday afternoon. It is a beautiful city and we want to visit again when we have the chance.

 

[mickeysmate65]

I visited Oxford, Paris, Brugges, and London in early Sept last year. Fabulous experience. I loved Paris - the food was out of this world! We stayed 2 or 3 nights - I believe in the 8th district. Easy walking distance to most areas but we didn't realize it until the last day. We don't speak French so converted a lot of the names to an English equivalent to make it easier. The crowds were minimal for us and the weather perfect! I would use Rick Steve's website - tons of information and an active forum with people who have been many times.

FYI - There is a lot of talk on the RS forum about packing light. People talk about packing for a week in a backpack! Do not let that intimidate you. Using their basic principals, I packed in a lightweight Eagle Creek suitcase with no problems. Don't forget a washcloth!

 

[maggiew]

We went to Paris last summer and used Rick Steves' book. I really recommend it!!!!!!!!!

One thing that saved money for us was that we bought the museum pass and then basically stuck to all of the museums, etc. that were included in the pass. So no other entrance fees were necessary. (Most of the major museums are on the pass.) The only thing we did that was extra was the Eiffel tower on our arrival day. There was SOO much to do with the pass that you couldn't see it all. So it was a really nice way to see the city. We basically did all his tours from the book. So, you don't need to pay for a guided headset tour of the Louvre (for example) because he has the guided tour in his book! He even has audio tours (the same as the tours in the book just with audio) that you can download and play on your iPod while you are in the museum.

Maggie
P.S. While on our tours, we saw other people with the Rick Steves book and we all just waved and smiled! It was like a little secret society that had great commaderie!

 

[ekmom]

We went to Paris last year and are hoping to go to Amsterdam and Belgium this year. Rick Steves books are very helpful. I also recommend fodors.com/forums and tripadvisor.com. For airfares I like kayak.com.

 

[moongirl]

Another Rick Steves fan here. We lived in Stockholm for 6 months and used his guidebook for Scandinavia when we traveled. I had never been to Europe before and was using public transportation in Sweden, Norway and Denmark like I had lived there my whole life - and I did it on a budget. Plus, he tells you what to see, and how to get there with ratings. His books' approach is to see the best-of-the-best as opposed to writing a review of every possible attraction there is. It is focused on what is important and gives really good budget tips on everything. The website if good as well but you should get the books first as they have much more information to get you well on your way.

 

[aclov]

Thank you all for the Rick Steve's recommendation! I've seen him on PBS but didn't think about his books, I'll have to definately get those.

Besides the airlines I checked Costco, AAA and even found out Apple Vacations does trips to Europe. If anyone has any experience with any vacations packages would love to hear about it.

 

[librarygal]

You can check Gate1 for packages but I don't think they have any that include Spain and Paris. However, there are many budget airlines in Europe that make traveling between cities quick and cheap. Just watch out for the baggage charges. To see who flys between two cities go to

http://www.whichbudget.com

Food prices in Europe are very high. Even a McDonalds meal will set you back eight dollars and people in Spain do not eat dinner until 10pm. Look into renting an apartment if you are staying more than a few days. It could save you money on food. Also, bring breakfast items from home as hotel breakfasts can be over $30 per person.