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When
the economy is jittery and the dollar is down, there is
no need to put your vacation plans to Europe on hold.
Americans need to travel smarter in order to turn their
trip into a safe, smooth, and affordable reality. |
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Fly
“open-jaws” (into one city and out of another):
Save time and money by avoiding a costly return to your
starting point. Try to start your itinerary in “mild”
countries (such as England) and work into the places with
greater culture shock (such as Turkey) to minimize stress.
Save countries offering the cheapest shopping - and greatest
health risks - for the end of your trip. |
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Use
ATMs rather than travelers’ checks: You will get
your cash cheaper and faster using an ATM. Just keep in
mind that while ATMs give the best possible rates, they
do come with transaction fees. Minimize fees by making
fewer and larger withdrawals. Store the cash safely in
your money belt. |
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Shop
cheap and interesting: Do most of your shopping and gift
buying in the cheaper countries where gifts are more interesting
and your shopping dollar stretches the farthest. The difference
is huge: For the cost of a pewter Viking ship in Oslo,
you can buy an actual boat in Turkey. |
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Adapt
to European tastes: Cultural chameleons drink tea in England,
beer in Prague, red wine in France, and white wine on
the Rhine. They eat fish in Portugal and reindeer in Norway.
Going with the local specialties gets you the best quality
and service for the best price. |
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Consider
driving as a group: Four people sharing a car travel cheaper
than four individuals buying four railpasses. Even at
$5 a gallon, cars get great mileage, and distances between
sights are short. A single two-hour train ticket can cost
you the price of a full tank of gas. |
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Pay
with local cash: While credit cards get you a good exchange
rate, many places offering Europe’s best deals -
from craft shops to bed & breakfasts - accept only
cash. |
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Explore
no-frills flights: Europe’s highly competitive no-frills
airlines (i.e. Ryanair, Virgin Air) can get you from one
city to another faster and cheaper than the train. You
generally book the flights yourself by phone or Web. Beware
though: cheap airlines often use small airports located
far from the city center, which can cost a little extra
time and money. |
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Go
business: During summer and weekends year-round, you can
get a fancy business hotel room at a cheap one-star hotel
price. It’s not unusual to score a $300 double room
for $100. |
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Don’t
over-tip: Only Americans tip 15 to 20 percent in Europe,
even tipping when it is already included or not expected.
Ask locals (who are customers rather than employees of
a restaurant) for advice. |
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Buy
museum passes: Passes save time and money. The Paris Museum
pass, for example, pays for itself in three visits and
saves you hours by letting you skip long lines. With a
pass you can also pop painlessly into sights that might
otherwise not be worth the expense. |
