Europe on a Budget??

[MAH4546]

I fly a lot to keep my airline status and will typically take one or two cheap weekend trips from LA to Europe to meet the 100,000 miles I need to fly annually. Tickets are usually only $550-$650 during the off-season - usually February is the cheapest time to go. Last year I did five days in Milan for less than $1,500 in February, including airfare and a decent hotel in the city center. Then again, I didn't do much sightseeing nor any organized tours, more just meeting with friends, walking around the city, leisure dinners, etc.

It is very possible during late January and February when airfare and hotels are cheap.

 

[Ava]

Germany and Spain have come up in conversation. Has anyone been to Germany or Spain? or Prague?

I traveled all over Europe the summer after I graduated from college, staying mostly in hostels, but I'm guessing this isn't the type of trip you are after.
In Spain we visited Barcelona; in Germany we went to Munich & Berlin - took an amazing walking tour here of all the WWII/Cold War sites.

My partner & I did take a trip to Budapest & Prague a couple years ago. We went with a travel club called Club ABC; I think we paid around $1100 per person, which included airfare, transfers, hotel w/ breakfast each morning, and a 1/2 day tour of each city w/ entrance to the castle in Prague. So all we had to pay OOP was lunch/dinner, souvenirs, & any other attractions we wanted to visit that had entrance fees. The trip was 8 days total. We also went on a 6-day trip to London with the same company. We really like them & think they offer good value, and plan to join again once DD is old enough to stay with grandma for a week! Don't know where you live, this company is based in NJ.

Prague is a really nice city, and I think a bit cheaper than elsewhere in Europe because of the currency (if they still use Czech Crowns, don't know if they've switched to Euros yet).

 

[shamrock30]

so...what IS the off season? I want to make the same Italian trip--Rome, Venice, Florence, Sorrento. We have enough miles to fly free and go enough that MOST of the hotel will be free also. That leaves food and excursions, right?

I want to next spring ideally. Ideas?

My hsuband and I often travel the way you are, with frequent flyer miles and hotel points. We went to Rome and Venice in early-mid April of 2008. The crowds weren't bad at all. We thought it was pretty much an ideal time to go. And yes, food, admission costs, ground transportation, and souveniers are pretty much it if you have the miles/points. We usually also have to pay airport parking at our home airport.

 

[Anjelica]

so...what IS the off season? I want to make the same Italian trip--Rome, Venice, Florence, Sorrento. We have enough miles to fly free and go enough that MOST of the hotel will be free also. That leaves food and excursions, right?

I want to next spring ideally. Ideas?

Typically Winter - Late Spring and Summer are VERY high season for Europe in general especially Italy.

If you are willing to go off season you WILL get decent rates on not only airfare but also accomodations, etc. Just keep in mind though, in some European countries many things are closed during off-season (not really the case in Italy though but more like Ireland, Scotland, etc.).

 

[Anjelica]

I forgot to add that the Dollar vs. Euro is doing quite well compared to the last few years. It was at the highest I have seen the last several years during our recent trip to Ireland. Compared to my trip before this one in Winter of 2007/2008 I got KILLED on the Euro while visiting Italy.

I think the Greece credit crisis has "helped" the dollar but its still not as good as it was many, many moons ago.

 

[Daisy'sMama]

We lived just outside of Berlin, Germany for a year (2004-2005) and traveled a lot. Germany is very reasonable. For one week we rented an apartment on a farm in the Alps - 5 people plus a dog for 28 Euros/night. Check out www.bensbauernhof.com for more info on Germany. When my family visited, we traveled 3000 miles in a month and visited Austria, Belgium, France, and all over Germany - and we spent just over $1000. Granted, we had a car, but we were definitely on a budget. Germany is rich in history and culture, we have probably toured more castles than I can remember. Rhine river region is great for wines and castles and quaint little towns, the Alps are storybook. Ask me anything you want, I will be happy to help you plan.

 

[Anjelica]

We lived just outside of Berlin, Germany for a year (2004-2005) and traveled a lot. Germany is very reasonable. For one week we rented an apartment on a farm in the Alps - 5 people plus a dog for 28 Euros/night. Check out www.bensbauernhof.com for more info on Germany. When my family visited, we traveled 3000 miles in a month and visited Austria, Belgium, France, and all over Germany - and we spent just over $1000. Granted, we had a car, but we were definitely on a budget. Germany is rich in history and culture, we have probably toured more castles than I can remember. Rhine river region is great for wines and castles and quaint little towns, the Alps are storybook. Ask me anything you want, I will be happy to help you plan.

That is a country I haven't seen since I was VERY little so I don't recall much of anything. That is awesome you guys got to do so much traveling especially when doing it via car. How was Austria, Belgium and Germany when doing it yourself via a car? Pretty relaxing?

 

[bonoriffic]

Germany and Spain have come up in conversation. Has anyone been to Germany or Spain? or Prague?

Other than England, Germany was my favorite country in Europe. The people usually speak English, and are willing to use it with you. For example, we went the wrong way from the train station and it was raining. A few blocks later we realize the mistake and pull out a map to figure out where we are. A guy comes up and asks if we need help. He was a student (we randomly stopped outside a dorm) and said "I've got nothing else to do, I'll take you to your hotel".

The roads are also well marked and reasonable to drive on. Compared to say, Ireland, where the roads are very narrow, in poor general shape, and you have tour buses coming at (on the wrong side of the road as well). Try navigating a traffic circle with signs in Gaelic, that usually point to the town center as opposed to an actual destination.

 

[beansmom]

Typically Winter - Late Spring and Summer are VERY high season for Europe in general especially Italy.

If you are willing to go off season you WILL get decent rates on not only airfare but also accomodations, etc. Just keep in mind though, in some European countries many things are closed during off-season (not really the case in Italy though but more like Ireland, Scotland, etc.).

actually, for FFmiles, April was much more than January. We got r/t for 40k miles each...April would have been 80k each.

And, yes, I see that the dollar is much stronger against the euro right now. I'm just waiting to hear from the hotel in Venice about rates and we'll go ahead and book now at $1.35USD per euro. I remember when it was almost $2 per euro.

So..for $600 we got r/t air for 2, 8 nites hotel in rome, florence, siena. We will pay Venice and Milan hotel OOP. Still...about $1200 OOP for almost 2 wks in italy ain't too shabby.

 

[Evi]

it can be done. If your willing to stay in one or two cities you can rent a house from many home exchange sites at a great rate much cheaper then a hotel and i've seen some fab houses for rent. I can't think of a site of top of my head but if you research it you'll see what I mean its very common in europe to do exchange stays.

 

[annsteere]

You need to give us a few clues so we can give you better ideas.

What do you enjoy?

Barcelona is a great choice for someplace that feels foreign but has a super easy tourist plan. They have a bus with two routes red/a and blue/b that you can get on and off at will. Everything that was on my priority list was on one of the routes. They have good food especially sea food, Las Rablas has local color, you've got ocean.

My favorite is Prague. The architecture is fabulous. I've been to Paris about 15 times but I'd choose Prague if it was up to me. It is walkable and the exchange rate is decent and prices are reasonable. Food is OK but not like your options in Paris if you are a foodie (I'm not.) Shopping is limited but what they have is first quality. History is fascinating. Great art.

 

[palavra]

I lived in Europe for about 3 years and traveled extensively. Have you considered European countries that are cheaper to visit? I lived in Portugal, and it still is my favorite place in Europe and I've been to 15 other countries there. Portugal, Greece, and , to an extent, Spain, are all countries where the dollar will go farther. Beautiful, unspoiled and less touristy places can be found in all 3 countries along with the large cities of Athens, Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona.

 

[ekatiel]

Are you looking for arranged tours? I've been to Europe several times and always booked everything myself directly. (Hotel, airfare, train/car, etc.)

Are you looking for a whirlwind tour or have certain areas you want to concentrate on? London is one of my favorite places to visit. Taking the train to Paris is simple and easy. From there the rates to fly to Euro Airport is very cheap and quick, which gives you easy access to Germany, Switzerland, and Southern France. I really liked the black forest area of Germany, with Freiburg being a bus ride away and an amazing pedestrian friendly village.

As a college student I studied abroad one semester in Freiburg . It's a WONDERFUL little town. DH and I hope to go to Europe for our 10th anniversary (in 2012), and I definitely want to take him to Freiburg.

Other places I fell in love with in Europe: Venice (although the next time I go, I hope not to be staying in an all girls youth hostel run by nuns ), Rome (definitely take the train to Pompeii while you're there), Niece, and Paris. --Katie

 

[beansmom]

we booked! We got r/t air for 2, 3 nites in Rome, 3 in Florence, 2 in Siena, 3 in Venice and 1 in Milan for $1000. Gotta LOVE those Frequent Flyer miles!!