Whether you want to lie on the beach of the beautiful coasts of Spain or Greece, climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris or visit any of the amazing museums in Italy, there is a way to do it without going broke. Although a European vacation may not be the most economical of vacations right now for an American due to the strength of the Euro against the American dollar, traveling to Europe does not have to be as expensive as you may think. The trick to coming home with money still in your pocket is extensive research and planning.
The first thing to consider when planning a trip to Europe on a budget is the time of year that you go. If you don’t mind traveling to Europe in the winter, which is low tourist season there, then worry no more. During the low season there is much less of a demand, therefore both hotels and airlines offer exceptionally good deals. Low season has its benefits such as virtually no crowds, no waiting in line, and lower prices on just about everything in addition to great skiing for those interested, but it is called low season for a reason. Beach towns will be mostly shut down for the winter and you have to be prepared for bad weather and empty streets everywhere you go, in contrast to high season when everything will be open ready and waiting for you. Unfortunately, this convenience will cost you money, time and patience. Expect long lines, crowds, and tour buses everywhere you go.
If traveling during either the low season or high season are both either out of your budget or not appealing to you then a traveler should look to travel during those months that are in between the low and the high. For Europe this would be March and early April in the spring and September and early October in the fall. During these times, some prices have started to fall due to lower demand, but things are still going strong in the cities and towns. While lines may still exist they will not be as long as they are during peak season and beautiful weather can still be enjoyed at the beaches in southern Europe during these times, mainly Italy, Greece and Spain. Some places won’t have lowered their prices yet so it takes some time to find the best deal. The internet is a great resource for finding these deals and can allow you to plan your trip more efficiently.
The internet has made planning a trip much easier and in some cases much less expensive for the consumer. Hotels are able to bring in a great deal of business with little or no cost to them which allows them to pass on some of those savings to the consumer. Look at sites that offer specials to the consumer just for using their website and read reviews from past users to get a handle on other people’s experiences. Websites that offer “hostels” can also be useful because these are not exclusively for those college kids backpacking through Europe as many people may think. Most will offer not only hostels for those on an extremely low budget, but they also offer good deals on what Europeans call “budget hotels.” These are “no frills” hotels with usually forty rooms or less that offer all the necessities to make your stay comfortable with none of the extras that boost the price. They are perfect for travelers who intend on only sleeping in there hotel room and getting the most out of their destination. In addition, if you are planning a last minute vacation, there are places to go to look for last minute deals on hotel rooms which can sometimes offer up to seventy percent off a room.
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