Europe String

“Chains” seem to be more synonymous with the US – think restaurants, shops and of course, hotels. Motel 6, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Hilton – no matter your budget or where you plan to go, you’ll probably quite easily find one of these. In Europe however, and especially if you are a budget traveler, you are more likely to find and stay in a locally owned pension or bed and breakfast. The positive aspects of chains is that you know exactly what you are going to get. And in the constantly surprising world of travel, a little bit of comfort can …read more

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Welcome to Fun Time Fridays! Today we are going to head north to the very cool city of Edinburgh.
Edinburgh has a cool vibe with lots of attractions, both cultural and natural. Their bus system is topnotch, making it simple to find your way around – and the main sights in the city’s old town can all be covered on foot. For accommodation, Scottish bed and breakfasts are superb. Cozy rooms, welcoming owners and a made-to-order breakfast are typical for most Scottish guest houses. And you’ll need a warm and filling breakfast to keep you going throughout your long, possibly …read more

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Some recent travel news of note:
You may have heard about the collapse of transatlantic budget airline Zoom. People were stranded on both sides of the Atlantic, with little or no assistance from the airline. About two dozen airlines have shutdown so far this year; and no airline is promoting a rosy outlook. In expectation of more collapses, International Passenger Protection is a UK insurance company that provides protection for its policyholders in case their travel company goes under. Policies start at 5 GBP for 30 days of coverage, which would provide you with replacement flights should your airline go bust …read more

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Looking to celebrate beer this fall? Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany is the biggie. Dates are September 20 to October 5, and if you were thinking about popping in, think again – tents are already sold out. This is also not a very budget-friendly event. However, depending on the entry fee, and how much you drink – visiting a local festival is often an inexpensive way to spend the day, hanging out with locals and participating in one of their special celebrations. No crying in your beer over Oktoberfest though; there’s more drinking fun to be had around the continent …read more

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Whenever I return from a trip, I’m always infected with a new travel bug. The main symptom is that I immediately start searching for a new place to go. Recently returned from a long weekend in Copenhagen and that means I’ve been spending a lot of time on various websites, and have seen some pretty good deals. In case you too are beginning to feel the travel bug bite – here’s some medication.
If it’s a taste of Italy you are in the mood for check Europe Destinations. They have a Rome-Florence-Venice package starting at 635 USD that includes roundtrip …read more

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Here’s a jumbled round-up of recent airline/airfare news:
Ryanair. We wrote about them in our Airfare Alerts 2 post. They’ve always been a bit persnickety but have now announced they won’t be honoring any tickets booked through third-party websites. That means if you’ve booked a flight on Ryanair through BravoFly, V-tours, Opodo, Atrapalo or OTBeach, you’d better contact them, or Ryan Air directly, to find out the status of your ticket. And apparently, Ryanair won’t be an option anymore or these, or other multiple booking sites.
Best Fares has a cool consolidator sale running. Offered deals are pretty good, especially if …read more

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As a follow-up to the night train post, here’s another option for those looking to combine transport and hotel: ferries.
Obviously, this option is a bit more limited. I haven’t found a boat to whisk me from Prague to Barcelona. But if you are on the outskirts of the continent, this might be a handy, cost-effective and interesting way to move about. Let’s start south, near Italy and Greece. Many moons ago I took an overnight ferry between the two countries, and it was quite excruciating. Sixteen hours and I wanted to cry with boredom. Sleeping really didn’t occur. After …read more

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The Sunday Telegraph, a UK newspaper recently surveyed a bunch of popular tourist attractions around the world to see which city was the most expensive for travelers. I know this will come as a big surprise to some of you but LONDON turned out to be the biggest pound snatching town.
The paper looked at the cost of visiting 9 of each city’s most popular attractions plus the price of an open-top bus ride in London and 10 other cities around the world. In Europe, they also examined Dublin, Edinburgh, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Cardiff and Berlin. The price for all …read more

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Dreaming of a fall or winter European adventure? Many airlines are now offering sales from the US to a variety of destinations throughout Europe. If you live on the East Coast, you’ll always have a cheaper flight and more choices – but if you have frequent flyer miles, use them to get you to a New York area airport cheaper, and then get in on these deals. Also, sign up for newsletters from your “home” airline. That’s the best way to learn about and get in on the deals. Book fast though – these expire quick!
American Airlines wants you …read more

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If you are planning a multi-country trip to Europe, how do you plan to get around? Flying is quicker, but you’ve got airport hassles and it’s not environmentally friendly. Hopping a train is the typical way to do Europe, but it takes longer and can be more confusing. It’s much more eco-conscious, but sometimes more expensive than flying.
In the face of soaring fuel costs and airline flight cutbacks coupled with many travelers desire to be more eco-friendly, rail operators across Europe are ramping up efforts to improve tracks, times and offerings to potential riders. Network Rail in Britain is working …read more

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