Posts Tagged ‘Europe’

Although my family used to pack up us kids nearly every summer and head to France, this has not been a tradition I have been easily able to carry on with me into my adulthood. Unfortunately being a young professional with student loans and poor college student have left me little by means of travel funds—ultimately leading to me staying off the continent of Europe in the summertime for the past several years. However, luckily, airfares to Europe this summer seem to be even lower than many low season fares, which is great for those poor students and young folks like me. The economy may be crap and preventing many of us from finding jobs, but at least we can fly to Europe for cheaper. Hooray! London air + hotel + taxes from $699

The resurgence of the dollar and unbelievably low airfares are making for ideal conditions to take that trip to Europe this summer. In fact, with prices lower than they have been in ages, you’d be foolish not to take advantage of some of the deals out there at the moment. Save up to 48% on travel to Europe!
Free Nights, Free Breakfast, 20% discount voucher on activities. Book by 3/29.

Perhaps the most depressing part of being an “adult” is that no matter what I do, I will never again experience the pure bliss involved when you hear the school bell ring for the last time for a whole 3 months. The anticipation, the glory, the pure joy of knowing you’re off for THE WHOLE summer to hang out at the pool and eat popsicles just can’t be recreated. So, in efforts to get as close to the euphoria of “school’s out for the summer,” I always like to book a great summer vacation to look forward to. Especially with prices across the travel industry way down this year, you can save mucho dinero by everything from airfare to hotels. Priceline.com Airfare - Choose your EXACT flight & time!

During the past 14 months or so that I have posted travel deals on this little ol’ blog of ours, I have come across some fantastic travel deals, as well as some deals that were merely average. On the scale of merely average to fantastic, I have to say that the deals I found today are beyond fantastic.

Want to go to Europe this winter? You, my cyber friend, are in luck. You can fly from Philadelphia to Frankfurt, Germany for $365. That is insane. There is also a new direct flight from Portland, Oregon to Amsterdam, Netherlands for $664. As someone who lives in Portland and who eyes European flights like a hawk, I can safely tell you that it will never get much better than this.

In fact, Priceline’s Pricebreakers have goodies from all parts of the United States to all parts of Europe. The usual restrictions apply, meaning you can’t get these deals during peak holiday season and you might have to travel on odd days of the week, but those are sacrifices well worth making when it means getting an outstanding price of airfare to Europe.

It is a good thing we have a laid back attitude or otherwise those of us who live on the West Coast of the United States might get a bit angry about always playing second fiddle to those on the right coast. Our sports teams are often ignored, our television schedules determined by those who live next to the Atlantic, and our states often overlooked by those who think the universe is centered between Washington, DC and Boston.

And, yes, us West Coasters also get the shaft when it comes to prices on international airfare.

Just because we live in pretty places with nice climes doesn’t mean we don’t like to get out and explore the world from time to time. It also doesn’t mean we should always have to pay more to fly to places like Rome and Brazil.

Vayama is a site that is focused purely on international flights and they have some outstanding deals on flights that originate on the West Coast and end in Europe and South America. Fear not, East Coasters, the site also has great rates on airfare from your cities too.

Compared to North America and other locations in the world, Europe is a compact continent that is generally easy to traverse by public transportation, especially if you have a rail pass. Sometimes, however, life is best enjoyed at your own pace and with your own schedule. Instead of racing to catch a train so that you can get to your next destination, you’d rather be sitting in a café sipping coffee and enjoying the splendid feeling of being in another country.

That is when it is very handy to have your own set of wheels. A car means independence and it gives you the means to get off the beaten track. Renting a car in Europe can be an expensive proposition, especially when you factor in the high price of gasoline.

British Airways and Alamo have a nifty deal on flights and rental cars for some of the most popular destinations in Europe. You get a plane ticket and the keys to a car for one low price. The prices are significantly lower in the autumn months and if you can put off your travels until then you will most likely fine that the roads are not as busy and the driving is much more enjoyable.

If you have been looking for deals on cheap flights to Europe this summer you know that they are harder to come by than the proverbial needle in a haystack. Why anyone would look for a needle in a haystack is beyond me, but I can relate to those of you scouring the interwebs for affordable flights during the summer months. After all, summer is the best time to travel for so many of us.

If you can delay your trip a little or come up with another trip entirely, you could save some serious money and some serious hassles. For example, Icelandair will fly you to London, Berlin, Paris and other hot Europe destinations for a lot less as long as you travel between August 20 and October 31, 2007. In addition to the money you can save by traveling during the “off-season”, if there is any such thing these travel crazy days, you will also find that there will be less tourists around snagging up all the good rooms at the hostels and hotels.

Indeed, the fact that it is expensive to travel to Europe this summer might work out to be a good thing in the end if you can figure out a way to turn that summer vacation schedule into an early fall one.

Icelandair fall Flights to Europe from $364 (ends 6/22)

The Great Migration happens every summer. Final exams are over, work grinds to a halt and tens of thousands of Americans head to Europe for a summer of travel and fun. Europe and summer go together like peanut butter and jelly. So do European travel and a Eurail pass.

Traveling around Europe by train is a rite of passage for travelers of all ages. It is especially popular with those under the age of 26 because it is the cheapest, easiest and most enjoyable way to see the sites. Not matter your age or the time of year you visit Europe, a Eurail pass can save you a lot of money and a lot of hassle.

Simply purchase a pass before you leave for Europe and flash it to the conductors when you are aboard the train. It is as simple as that. Of course, there are rules and regulations and the pass doesn’t allow you to go to some parts on Eastern Europe, but its convenience and cost savings continue to make the Eurail pass a hit. There are a number of options to choose from so do your research ahead of time to determine the pass that is best suited for your European travel plans.

It is always interesting to see how people react to the coming of spring. Some people come out of their winter hibernation and are full of life. Others find that the sunshine and flowers are a reason to fall head over heels in love. And then there are people who wish it were dark and cloudy all year long. I actually no someone who gets very depressed with the start of spring. Strange fellow, he is, but ours is a diverse world and we all must do our best to get along.

Spring is the season of rebirth and where optimism rules. It is also the last time that you will see decent prices on flights to Europe and other far away destinations. Come summer the prices go up and so do the crowds of people carrying their fancy new digital cameras and fanny packs. As nice as spring might be where you live, it is even nicer in Europe where you can enjoy the sights without the crowds and without the summer heat.

Northwest Airlines has a deal on spring flights to Europe and destinations throughout the United States. You can fly to Amsterdam for about $550 round-trip, for example. The offer is only good if you purchase a ticket before April 9, 2007 and if you complete your Trans-Atlantic travel by May 17, 2007.

Have a joyous and healthy spring.

The going is still good for those looking to go to Europe without having the mortgage the house and to sell their children on the black market for babies. We are still early enough into the year that snagging a decently priced ticket to the Old Continent is more possible than winning the Powerball lottery.

This will change, of course. It always does. Summer is the time of year when backpackers, students and families cross the Atlantic in pursuit of some of that there darned culture. The summer rush means summer airplane ticket prices and that, my friends, can be uglier than a loud tourist wearing a fanny pack and screaming about not being able to find a decent Big Mac in all of Rome.

To avoid this kind of ugliness you’ll want to book your ticket early and stay far, far away from the belly pack crowd when you are in Europe. To take care of the former, I recommend checking out some of the deals that Lufthansa has on flights to Europe. They aren’t the cheapest we’ve seen in recent months, but they are still quite reasonable and it is unlikely that you’ll be able to get these kinds of prices 6 weeks from now.

While you are in the Europe planning mode, peruse the youth hostels and consider purchasing a Eurail pass. Neither of these things will make you immune from the other tourists but they will make your trip more affordable and easier.