Whether you’re planning to travel for two days or 20 days, where you stay can have a big impact on both your budget and your trip experience.

We’ve spent the past 23 years hunting down the best hotel values in Europe’s priciest cities. While we’ve seen some big changes, good and bad, over the years (finally, free Wi-Fi!), there are certain bits of “Cheapo advice” that remain the same today as in 2001.

Before we get started, remember: Don’t panic.

High-season rates in particularly expensive destinations (London, Venice, all of Switzerland…) can cause great anxiety and all-out panic. Remain calm and remember that many websites (not including EuroCheapo, of course!), rank the hotel results to show you what they’d like you to book first. (These are often the hotels that are paying them the highest commission.)

So don’t just stare at those first results and quickly assume that the city’s going to be too expensive for you to visit. It might take a little digging and further research (using tips on this page and throughout EuroCheapo), but chances are you’ll be able to find a great little hotel, B&B, or hostel in town for your budget.

Bottom line: Don’t panic. But be prepared to do some digging for a deal.

Related: How to save on hotels in France.

Tips for saving on hotels in Europe

Here are our 10 top tips for saving on accommodation and on finding the perfect hotels for your trip.

1. Think about location before price.

We often hear from travelers who do a hotel search, and then book the cheapest hotel they can find, only to realize it’s located far outside the center (or in a neighboring town!), and isn’t easily accessible to areas they want to visit. This can cause an undue expenditure of both time and money, not to mention often a crummy hotel experience.

Fortunately, this can be avoided with advance planning. Really zoom in on the hotel’s location when researching. How far is it from a subway or bus line? Consider paying just a bit more for something more central or closer to public transportation.

2. Be flexible with your travel schedule.

If your trip itinerary spends quite a bit of time in one geographic area, flexibility with your itinerary can help save money. Once you start searching for hotels, you might find that one stop is more expensive on certain dates than others. Juggling around your itinerary can allow you book hotels when they’re at their cheapest.

For example, say you’re spending a week in Belgium, visiting both Brussels and Bruges. Once you start searching for hotels, you’ll likely find that hotel rates in Brussels are lower on the weekends (because there are fewer business travelers and Eurocrats booking them). Thus, why not visit Bruges during the week, and spend the weekend in Brussels, when hotels are at their cheapest?

3. More stars do not always make a better hotel.

Hotel star ratings in Europe are confusing. Every country has their own standards and system of classification, usually set by a government-run tourism board. Thus, what qualifies as a three-star hotel in the Netherlands will probably be different from a three-star hotel in Italy.

In short, the more amenities and services a hotel offers, the higher the star rating. Inspectors visit with clipboards and literally check off everything they see in the lobby, hotel room and elsewhere. The more stuff to check off, the higher the star rating. But obviously, more “stuff” doesn’t always make a better-run, friendlier or more memorable hotel.

You can be fairly certain that a four-star hotel offers elevators, room service, private baths, cable TV, Internet, air conditioning and so forth. But it doesn’t say anything about the room décor, the hotel’s location or the helpfulness of the staff. A four-star hotel may actually be far less charming than a two-star hotel.

We’ve visited many hotels that are stuck, for reasons outside their control, with a low star rating. A two-star hotel located in a historic neighborhood in Paris, for example, will probably have restrictions placed upon its ability to do renovations. This might make adding an elevator impossible, which would prevent the hotel from achieving three-star status, no matter how lovely the rooms or how cordial the management.

Also, note that one-star hotels will often offer things for free (like Internet access) that four-star hotels might still charge for. Read more about star ratings in Europe.

4. Which amenities do you really need? Really?

If you can reduce the number of amenities you need, and reduce the star rating, you can probably score a better deal. Consider which room amenities you really need to enjoy your visit. Do you need air conditioning in Vienna in early June? Do you need a safe? Hairdryer? Toiletries? The difference between a one-star and a three-star hotel might be more noticeable in your wallet than in your room.

5. Know when to book.

When’s the best time to book to save on hotels in Europe? Unfortunately, it depends. Booking in advance helps you arrange your travel plans before you take off, but you miss out on the possibility of last-minute travel deals. Booking at the last minute (even same day!), can result in amazing deals, but it can also lead to stress… and finding yourself without a place to sleep.

I wrote an entire post about when to book hotels for the best rates. But basically, it boils down to this:

We recommend booking well in advance if:

• You need to secure a favorite hotel. Book it before it fills up.
• You see very limited availability when you search. Book now — it’s only going to get worse. (This is especially the case during high season.)
• You just want to get everything checked off your list and relax.
• You have a pretty rigid schedule.

We recommend booking closer to your travel date if:

• You see lots of availability and cheapo options when you search for hotels. You can hang back and see if prices come down. (This is often the case when traveling during the off season.)
• You want more flexibility when you’re traveling. Are you the kind of traveler who likes to switch your itinerary at the last minute? You may just want to hold off. (Or at least book refundable rates! See next point.)

6. Consider first booking a hotel with free cancellation.

Another option is to book a hotel right now that offers free cancellation, and then cancel the reservation later if you find a better deal. This can at least calm your nerves (hey, you’ve got a place!), and allow you some flexibility in terms of finding something better later.

One warning: Most hotels now charge a bit more for free cancellation (so you’re actually spending money to have this flexibility). Also, be aware that the definition of “free cancellation” varies widely. Free… until when? Are you free to cancel until the day of your reservation… or only free to cancel up to one week before check-in? There’s a big difference — pay attention to the details.

7. Consider renting an apartment.

Even though we have a special love for small hotels, we can’t deny that apartments can be handy and sometimes even more affordable than hotels, especially for longer stays or when traveling with a family. You can browse apartment listings by searching on our partner, Booking.com, or on any number of apartment search sites, like VRBO or (of course) Airbnb.

Be aware that some European cities, like Paris and Berlin, are cracking down on illegal apartment rentals on these sites, so double-check before booking that it’s legal! Also make sure that all of the check-in logistics are squared away in advance, and that you know exactly how to get into the apartment, and how to contact the apartment’s owner for any questions or emergencies.

8. Hostels are for everyone.

Hostels in Europe aren’t just for “youth” anymore. In fact, in the past 10-15 years scores of stylish and hip hostels, like the Generator chain, have reinvented what it means to be a hostel. Today’s “hip hostels” often offer fresh design themes (often developed by local artists), low-cost group activities, healthy food options, and lots of shared space.

As you’ll see when you search and filter by “hostels”, the bedroom situation ranges widely depending on the hostel, but most offer both private rooms that are cheaper than you’d find in most hotels (you’ve got the room to yourself, although you might share a bathroom) and really cheap shared rooms (you’re probably sleeping in a bunk with others in the room). Regardless, rooms tend to be simply furnished, but often hostels make up for it with extensive public rooms meant for reading, hanging out, and meeting other travelers.

That said… the hostel landscape still includes plenty of more traditional “youth hostel” options, as well, especially those official and non-profit hostels affiliated with Hostelling International.

9. Take our hotel advice

We’ve spent a lot of time inspecting hotels and rounding up the best affordable hotel options in Europe’s priciest destinations. We especially like small, family-run and independent hotels that really capture the spirit of the destination — and we try to stay away from recommending big international chain hotels. I always say that I prefer to wake up in Rome and immediately feel that I’m in Rome — and not next to the Milwaukee airport.

You can easily save on hotels in Europe by booking one of our picks in Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Venice or any of these cities. We’ve already done the hard work for you!

10. Keep saving once you’ve checked in.

Once you arrive, there are still ways to save on your hotels in Europe even after you’ve checked in. These include:

Head for the nearest grocery store: Don’t touch that minibar! As soon as we plop our things down in our room, we typically head out to a nearby supermarket for some essentials: Bottles of water, fruit, snacks, missing toiletries, and anything else that would cost us a small fortune if purchased from the hotel or (double yikes!) taken from the mini-fridge.

Think twice about breakfast: When you check in, the receptionist will probably ask you, “Are you taking breakfast?” Don’t be shy here — ask for more specifics before committing to their breakfast offerings. How much does it cost? And what exactly does it consist of? (You might be surprised!) If you’re staying in the middle of a city or town, chances are you can easily walk to a cafe or restaurant and get a better deal.

Be clear when making your hotel reservation.

One final word of advice (from an article I wrote about how to not get stuck with the worst room in the hotel): Be as clear as possible when reserving your room. What exactly are you looking for in a room? Do you prefer one on a high floor overlooking the street? Or perhaps you like lower floors with windows opening to the courtyard? Maybe you dream of a room with a balcony? Do you need a bathtub instead of a shower?

Mention these preferences in your correspondence with the hotel when reserving. (When reserving through EuroCheapo, there is a field in the reservation form to add any special requests). Your requests will almost always be considered. The hotel wants you to be a happy guest (and they especially want you to write a glowing review). They’ll try hard to accommodate.

The post How to Save on Hotels in Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

If you have the flexibility to choose the timing of your next trip, you can find big savings and probably have a better trip.

Note: This is Chapter One in our Ultimate Budget Travel Guide to Europe.

Let’s start with the Cheapo basics: When are you traveling to Europe? Many travelers don’t have the luxury of choosing their travel dates, as their trips are dictated by academic vacations, holidays or work schedules.

The result, unfortunately, is that most Western travelers heading to Europe have very similar vacation schedules. These periods tend to make up the “high season,” and include travel in late spring, summer, early fall, and major holidays (especially Christmas and Easter).

High season

Late spring – Summer – Early fall

Pros: Best weather. Most convenient.
Cons: Most expensive flights and hotels. Crowds.

It’s obvious, but worth considering: Heading over in late June or July makes a lot of sense for many Americans, especially those traveling with children or during their own academic break. However, they’re all competing with each other for flights, trains, and hotel rooms, which shoots prices for everything sky high.

This isn’t Disney World — it’s Venice in July.

And it’s not just about money, either. High season also means crowds, lines, and potential disappointments. Restaurants can be more difficult to get into. Museums are often packed. Want to head to the top of the Eiffel Tower? Be prepared to wait… in a long line.

I need to add a quick defense of traveling during high season, however. As mentioned above, for many, there simply isn’t any other option. Many travelers simply have to work with the vacation schedules they’ve been given. And anyhow, let’s face it: The weather is probably going to be glorious. So at least you can work on that tan while you’re waiting in line…

However, if you can tweak the timing of your trip a bit, you’re in a position to save on everything from flights to hotels.

Shoulder season

Early spring and Late fall

Pros: Pretty good weather. Fewer crowds. Lower prices.
Cons: Watch out for school vacations.

Paris in early May still belongs to the locals.

The “shoulder season” is the transition period between the pricey high season and the cold and cheap low season. Generally speaking, this period is in the early spring (late March and early April) and late fall (October and early November).

Traveling through much of Europe during the shoulder season tends to be a delight, with far fewer crowds (the kids are in school, after all), and lower prices for airfare and hotel rooms. It’s usually pretty great.

Of course, the weather is famously fickle and increasingly hard to predict, but late March and early April tend to offer the first smells of spring throughout much of Europe (although you should certainly pack an umbrella), and October and early November remain quite pleasant (although chances are you’ll need a hat and gloves at night).

Our only warning for shoulder season is to be aware of school vacations (see note below). You might find yourself swamped in a museum.

Low season

Winter

Pros: Cheapest. Fewest crowds. It’s you and the locals.
Cons: The weather. Some attractions may be closed. Special conventions may pack the city.

I love traveling throughout Europe during the late fall, winter and early spring. This is when I usually travel, partly out of necessity, as I need to inspect hotel rooms (which is difficult to do when they’re all occupied). Thus, I’m quite accustomed to hitting the road as temperatures are dropping.

But hey — think of all those fabulous free museums in London you’ll have to yourself!

But even if my travels didn’t require empty hotels, I’d still probably choose to take at least occasional trips during the winter months. It’s a magical time, when major tourist destinations, from Amsterdam to Zurich, belong to their residents. It’s a far different experience from visiting during the high summer months. Restaurants are filled with locals, museums are relatively quiet (save a group of local students on a tour), and sidewalks are bustling with neighbors.

The low season isn’t a great time, of course, for sun-seekers and those averse to cold temperatures. And skiers will find that the winter is anything but “low season” in the Alps. However, most travelers looking to connect with local cultures, spend days wandering in museums, and attend concerts and other prime cultural programming, will love low season travel.

And budget travelers will love the lower costs of airfare, hotel rooms, train tickets, car rentals and many other related travel expenses.

Some notable exceptions

In covering the basics of seasonality in Europe, I’m painting with some broad strokes. There are several notable exceptions to this low/high equation.

A few considerations:

• August in Paris is not “high season”: Right around the first of August, many French workers go on holiday for several weeks, and many families take the opportunity to clear out of their cities and hit the countryside and coast. Residents clear out of Paris, for example, and many (but certainly not all) restaurants and shops close for much of the month. Hotel rates tend to be markedly lower in August, as well, but climb again in September. But warning: Airlines will still charge “high season” prices for August flights. (Read our guide to visiting Paris during August.)

• August in other European cities: Paris isn’t alone. Many European cities see a dramatic dip in tourism (and hotel rates) in August, as travelers opt for sandy beaches over cobblestone streets. Traveling to Venice, Florence and Rome during August will be cheaper than during May, June or September.

• Late October – Early November: Most students throughout the European Union have an academic break the last week of October and first week of November. Many of them hit the road on class trips. If you’re traveling during this period, you will see them… everywhere. This could affect hotel availability, plus museums and other attractions will be more crowded.

• Christmas break: Traveling during the Christmas and New Year holiday can be a mixed bag. Flights will be at their “high season” heights (with the possible exception of flying on Christmas Day itself), although hotel rates can be lower.

• Outdoor sports have their own seasonality. Skiing the Alps? “High season” for winter sports is February (especially mid-to-late February, when the French have their winter breaks). Head to the same mountain towns in May and June for lovely hikes… and lower prices.

Watch out for special events

One warning about low season: Cities throughout Europe fill their empty hotel rooms during the low season by hosting business conventions, expos, major sports matches, and other special events. These can wreak havoc on a budget travelers itinerary.

The Schottenhammel tent at Oktoberfest, Munich.

A while back I headed to Amsterdam in late October (normally the low season), only to book my trip during the city’s annual marathon–which sells out every room in town. (I ended up booking a hotel in nearby Utrecht for a couple of nights and commuting in. More about that here.)

Other events to avoid include Paris’ fashion weeks (early March late September/early October), and Venice’s Biennale and Carnevale (early/mid February).

And then, of course, maybe you’re purposefully planning a trip because of a special event. Such is the annual conundrum created by the Oktoberfest celebration in Munich in late September and early Oktober… er, October. What can I say? It’s going to be expensive. (All is not lost: We do have some tips for saving at Oktoberfest!)

Tip: When planning your trip, if hotel rates look uncommonly high, do a search for “Special events in [city]” to double check that you’re not trying to visit during a peak (and expensive) travel period.

More help

We have more advice on the best time to visit specific cities and countries: Best time to visit Amsterdam, Berlin, Lisbon, New York and Paris.

Keep reading: This is chapter one in our Ultimate Budget Travel Guide to Europe. Next up: How to Build a Sensible Itinerary.

(Photo credits: Venice in summer by davidbolton, Paris in May by Faungg, London blizzard by neiljs, and Oktoberfest by nataliemarchant.)

The post When’s the Best Time to Go to Europe for Budget Travelers? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Welcome, budget traveler!

If you’re looking for ways to make your upcoming trip to Europe more affordable, you’ve come to the right place. Since 2001, EuroCheapo has been helping travelers save in Europe. It’s what we do.

On the following pages we’ve compiled our top budget travel advice. It’s organized into 10 quick chapters about ways to save on the big items in your travel budget: the flights, hotels, train tickets, rental cars, sightseeing, using your smartphone and more.

But let’s be clear: These travel tips aren’t only about spending less on your trip. They’re also about having a better experience when traveling in Europe.

We believe that the best budget travel is also about slowing down and traveling in step with the locals. If you can do that, and if you’ve learned a couple tricks of the cheapo trade, the savings will follow. And, in the end, you’ll have a richer experience. We’ll get into all of that below.

A quick note about us — and why we can help you save in Europe

My name is Tom Meyers and I started EuroCheapo back in 2001. I quit my job in New York and moved to Berlin and hand-coded the first version of this site that launched that June. Honestly, I had a blast — I spent the year hunting down the best small, budget hotels in the center of Europe’s most expensive cities. I felt like every day was a treasure hunt.

Since then, I’ve been joined by a team of writers and editors who have kept up our hotel picks (like these in Paris and Rome), but who’ve also written nearly 3,000 articles about simple ways to save on every aspect of your trip, from booking flights and train tickets to cheap eats and saving on sightseeing.

In the following pages, I’ll be sharing these tips with you in the first person, although many of these tips have been plucked from the thousands of posts published on our blog. I’m thankful to the dozens of fabulous writers who have shared their expertise with us on the site over the years and continue to write for us. You can read more about them if you click their names on any of the blog posts we link to.

I hope that you’ll find these budget travel tips helpful and that together, we can help you spend less while improving your travels in Europe. If you have questions or feedback on these tips, send me an email or leave a comment below. And please join us on Facebook.

Thanks — and bon voyage, Cheapos!

Our guide to saving in Europe

Chapter 1:  When to go to Europe (for the best bang for your buck)

If you have the flexibility to choose the timing of your next trip, you’re in a good spot. Which season makes the most sense for your schedule and for your budget? Is there a better time to go?

Cheapo Tip: If possible, travel during low season or “shoulder season” for the best deals.

Chapter 2:  Building an affordable itinerary

Travelers, especially those from North America, tend to overbook their trips to Europe. We can’t help it. Resist the urge to “see it all”, and you’ll save time and money — and probably have a much better travel experience.

Cheapo Tip: We like to spend at least two nights in each spot. It helps our budget… and our sanity.

Chapter 3:  Finding cheap airfare to Europe

Flying to Europe is expensive — in fact, it’s probably the largest expense facing many American travelers. How can you actually find great deals on airfare to Europe? Here are some tips to help you fly the cheapo skies.

Cheapo Tip: Airfare alerts are your friend. So are “open jaw” flights.

Chapter 4:  Saving on hotels in Europe

Whether you’re planning to travel for two days or 20 days, where you stay can have a major impact on both your budget and your trip experience. Here are some tips for booking the right hotels for your trip — and at the best possible price.

Cheapo Tip: Small, family-run hotels can make all the difference on your trip. But you have to find them.

Chapters 5-8: Coming soon!

Stay tuned — we’ll be publishing our guides to saving on train tickets, rental cars, sightseeing and more in the coming week!

Now… where are you going?

Once you’ve read through these quick chapters, you’ll have a great grasp on many of the top budget travel strategies that work today. But wait — there’s more!

Now comes the fun part: It’s time to start researching ways to save in the countries and cities that you’ll be visiting. It’ll probably come as no surprise that we have a lot to say about that, too.

See our top budget travel advice for:

Top Cities:

Amsterdam | Barcelona | Florence | London | New York | Paris | Rome | Venice

Top Countries:

France | Germany | Italy | Netherlands | Portugal | Spain | Switzerland | UK

The post How to Save on Your Trip to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Flying to Europe is expensive — in fact, it’s probably the largest expense facing many American travelers heading abroad. How can you actually find great deals on airfare to Europe? Here are some tips to help you fly the cheapo skies.

For most of us traveling from North America, the flight to Europe is our biggest budget obstacle. While it can be easy to find great bargains on hotels, it takes a bit of effort and research to uncover cheap flights across the Atlantic.

There are airfare flash sales that come and go, but those are hard to nab if you don’t act quickly. However, before you give up hope on finding a good price for your next flight, try some of the tips below.

Example flight

For the tips that follow, we’ll use a sample itinerary. We’ll say that we’re based in Chicago and want to visit London, Amsterdam, and Paris. We’re looking for a flight from Chicago to London. After spending a few days in London, we plan to take the train to Amsterdam (via Lille) and wind up in Paris. Then we’ll head back to London to fly home to Chicago.

So how can we save on this flight?

1. Set up an airfare alert.

If you know the exact route that you want to fly, you should set up airfare alerts to be notified of flight deals immediately. Websites like Kayak.com and Airfarewatchdog.com will email you when they notice a deal on the route that you’re planning to fly.

In this example, we can go to these websites and create a flight alert for Chicago to London. But wait…

2. Don’t forget about “open jaw” flights.

“Open jaw” flights (into and out of different cities) can help you save time and money, as they’re often about the same price as flights into and out of the same city. Furthermore, you can save lots of money on transportation (trains, buses, ferries, etc), as you won’t need to circle back to your city of arrival. This tip can not only save you money but allows you to save time, so you can see more of Europe.

In our example above, instead of a round-trip to London, you could fly into London and home from Paris. It’s a good idea to also research the round-trip fares from London (after all, you might snag a cheap deal), but we would certainly focus on flights from Chicago -> London, and then Paris -> Chicago.

Even if that flight turned out to be a bit more expensive, chances are it would be less expensive than paying for a trip on the Eurostar (or a flight!) back from Paris to London (and probably an extra overnight in London, too).

3. Be flexible with your dates.

Flexibility is a budget traveler’s best friend (in so, so many ways!). In terms of snagging a good deal on flights, if you can bump your travel dates around a bit, you may end up saving a lot on airfare.

If you have the possibility, try pushing the trip back a week or up a week to see if you can find a deal on airfare. You might be surprised—there might be something happening (a big convention, sporting event, Madonna concert…) in one of your cities that is throwing off the airfare.

In our example, say that we find that our flight seems strangely expensive. In fact, the hotel prices also seem quite high—but only for Paris for our dates. This could indicate that Paris is booked up with some special event (such as a giant conference or the annual Fashion Weeks). If you have some flexibility, push your trip dates around and see if airfare drops. Hunt for a deal–you might just find it.

4. Avoid weekends, if possible.

Flights tend to be more popular and more expensive for weekend travelers. If you’re able to travel midweek, chances are you’ll be able to snag a better deal. Play around with your dates — you’ll probably see cheaper airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday.

5. Be flexible with your destinations or itinerary.

Conversely, you can play around with your destinations. Is there another airport nearby that you haven’t included in your search? Could you add another leg to your trip that includes a less expensive airport to fly into? Can you juggle your itinerary a bit to avoid a momentarily expensive city?

Back to our example, if Paris is booked up (and flights expensive) because of the fashion show, perhaps we could invert the trip, landing in Paris (the week before the fashion show), visiting Amsterdam and then departing from London. This would allow us to avoid not only more expensive flight costs, but higher hotel rates, as well.

You should also double-check and make sure that you’re including “all area airports” in your search. In our example, don’t just search for Heathrow (LHR) and Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Make sure to search for the city code, “LON” and “PAR”, to see all area airports. A lot of European cities, even smaller ones, have secondary airports that might be new to you.

A final option is to “hub it.” For example, say you find an incredible flight deal from Chicago to Dublin on Aer Lingus. It might be worth booking the flight to Dublin and then searching Europeans budget airlines (like Ryanair and easyJet) to get a fare from Dublin to London.

6. If at all possible, avoid the peak travel season.

We know, for many travelers, the timing of the trip has been established long in advance (often dictated by academic schedules, holidays, or growling bosses). However, if you do have a bit more flexibility and are looking for ways to save, consider pushing your trip away from peak summer months and major holidays, and into “shoulder season” or even low season.

For spring travel, instead of June, try early May or late April. Looking for a fall visit to Europe? Push your plans back from September to October to save a bit more. If you’re able to travel to Europe in the early spring or late fall, you will almost certainly be rewarded with lower airfares, shorter lines at top attractions, and lower hotel rates. (Read more about the best time to visit Europe.)

7. Book it when you see a deal.

According to a study by the airline experts at Kayak.com, the ideal time to book airfare to Europe is six months in advance. That said, these days you should snag a deal whenever you spot one!

8. Don’t forget about “budget” international airlines.

In the past few years, a number of new budget-conscious airlines have started flying between North America and Europe. These airlines have made it possible to find one-way tickets for jaw-dropping prices, and their fare calendars make it easy to browse prices over the course of a few months.

While some of these airlines have gone out of business (including Wow Air in 2019), Norwegian is a budget option that has been offering super cheap fares from North American to Europe for years. They fly non-stop from New York to London, and we’ve found some excellent deals on Norwegian in the past. Read our guide to making your trip on Norwegian more comfortable.

Will you score a $99 one-way flight to Europe? Probably not, but it’s still worth it for budget travelers to look for deals on Norwegian Air and Westjet (from Canada).

9. Subscribe to airline newsletters.

You can’t take advantage of fare sales if you never hear about them. I suggest signing up for airline email newsletters that fly to your area. If you’re afraid of spammy airline emails clogging up your inbox, you can unsubscribe once you’ve booked your trip!

Here’s a list of newsletters we recommend subscribing to.

10. Points, credit cards, and rewards travel.

And then there’s the world of rewards travel. Redeeming frequent flier miles for “free flights” to Europe or using miles to upgrade to business class is another matter unto itself. In fact, it’s spawned a world of experts who give advice on the best credit cards to use for miles, strategies for accumulating miles, etc.

A word of caution: Don’t put yourself in debt signing up for new credit cards in order to accumulate frequent flyer miles. Those “free” flights will end up costing you far more than paying full price.

However, done the right way, transfering credit card “points” to frequent flyer miles can help you snag free or discounted flights. If nothing else, double check that your credit card is working for you. Are you accumulating points? Check out this post I wrote a few years ago about mistakes to avoid with your frequent flyer program.

Your tips

How do you keep it cheap when searching for airfare to and around Europe? Share with us in the comments section below!

The post How to find cheap airfare to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

When putting your travel itinerary together, try to remain calm and realistic. If possible, give yourself a minimum of two nights at every stop in order to minimize travel expenses and keep everyone happy.

Note: This is Chapter Two in our Ultimate Budget Travel Guide to Europe.

The trip planning experience can be exhilarating. You know that you have a set number of days (or weeks!) to travel, and you look at a map with all the lip-smacking excitement of a kid in a candy store. Where do you want to visit? Where don’t you want to visit?

Imagine that you’re putting together an itinerary for a 10-day European trip. You could start in Paris, head to Amsterdam, then take a train to Salzburg, Venice and Rome? Wait, maybe start in Madrid instead, then drive up to Barcelona, Nice, Milan, Munich and then Amsterdam? But hold on. What about Prague?!?!

If you’re only traveling for 10 days, either of those options is certain to cost you dearly (in transportation costs alone) and, without question, lead to grumpy and exhausted travelers.

My epic misadventure

I know, because I’ve been there. In a state of unabashed enthusiasm, I once rented a car for about 10 days and drove with friends from Berlin to Paris, then to Madrid, Lisbon, Seville, Barcelona, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, Locarno, Tubingen and back to Berlin.

Sounds great, right? It certainly started out with a blast–and ended with silence, as nobody talked in the car for the last day.

I had made a classic mistake: I’d overbooked us. When I had mapped it all out beforehand at my kitchen table it all seemed like so much fun. It worked, technically. But in practice, it meant that we spent far too much time sitting in a car (or, in my case, driving the car), and not nearly enough time exploring the cities we slept in or the tiny towns we raced by.

We ended up resenting that we had to keep on driving past places we wanted to visit. And if we did stop to check out the scene, we’d end up arriving late at whatever hotel I’d booked (months beforehand). We’d have time for a late dinner, then wake up and start over. There was never any time that wasn’t in motion–we could never actually relax.

A note to first-time American travelers to Europe

I grew up in the great state of Ohio and spent many wonderful summer breaks cruising from state to state in the family van. We took in a lot of territory during our one- and two-week family jaunts, often spending much of day taking in the scene from the air conditioned comfort of the big old Ford. Sure, we’d stop for meals, photo ops and major tourist sights (Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, a day at Disneyland), but much of the adventure was the drive itself.

Many travelers from the US approach their European travel planning with a similar mindset. Why not jump from town to town every day, taking in the landscape, driving through cities and finding fun spots for dinner along the way?

Add to our inherent “road trip” instinct the fact that we get the fewest days of vacation each year of any industrialized country, and the high cost of flights to Europe in the first place, and you’ve got a situation where American travelers understandably want to pack in as many experiences as possible during their European trips.

Nobody’s going to stop you from doing this, of course, and you might have a grand time. However, you’d be missing out on a lot. Many of the cities that you’ll be passing through have histories that go back more than a millennium. A region that you could speed through in an hour probably has its own cuisine worth sampling, wine worth tasting, and dessert worth gobbling. It’s worth slowing down to experience it.

Step one: Slow down!

I’ll get off my soapbox now, but you get my point: When pulling together your perfect itinerary for your upcoming trip to Europe, my first piece of advice is to slow down.

There’s a budget upside to slowing down, too. Aside from your sanity and the happiness of your travel companions, slowing down can also lead to real savings. Read on…

Gas is expensive.

Slowing down means less gas. Gasoline in Europe is far more expensive than in North America. If you’re planning to rent a car and drive like crazy, you’re in for a real shock at the pump.

Don’t believe me? As I write this, the average cost of gas in the US is just over $3. As you can see on this European gas tracker, it’s currently $6.59 in France — and higher in Italy.

Slowing down means fewer train tickets.

Zipping from city to city on Europe’s high-speed rail network is an experience in itself and is highly recommended. You can speed from Florence to Rome in 90 minutes on the high-speed train (and for as little as €20 off-peak if you book directly in advance!).

However, those seats (and those on France’s TGV, Germany’s ICE, and Spain’s Renfe) can be expensive in high season. Save on transportation costs by scaling back your itinerary. Not to mention that if you speed from one city to the next day after day, most of your trip memories will be of train stations and cafe cars.

Tips for creating the perfect Europe itinerary

Now, let’s start putting the trip itinerary together. How many stops? How many nights in each stop? Here are some thoughts:

Where are you starting?

You probably already have an idea of where your trip is starting, and, in some ways, the scope of the trip. Is this a trip to France? Italy? Ireland? For most travelers (especially those flying to Europe from North America, Asia or Australia), you’ll be flying into the capital city or a major airport. And thus, many itineraries will start here.

Check out these suggested itineraries:

• 10-day itinerary for Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice)
• 10-day itinerary for Portugal
• 10-day itinerary for Spain
• 5-day itinerary for Switzerland
• Weekend in Bruges

Rest up before taking off

Of course, some adventurous travelers might feel compelled to immediately hop in a car or train upon their arrival, and head off on the road.

One word of warning: If you’re taking a long, international flight to get to Europe, you will arrive tired. Boarding a train (or connecting flight!) and heading off for another part of the country is certainly doable, but I’d caution against hopping immediately behind the wheel of a rental car.

Again, I speak from experience, in this case that of a close friend (who shall remain anonymous). Ever the optimist, he picked up a car immediately after arriving on a red-eye flight into London Heathrow, and then headed south for Brighton, only 2 hours south by car.

Perhaps it was the “left side of the road” driving. Or maybe it was the fog. But let’s just say that his rental car had suffered significant scrapes before the day was done, the result of a silly parking lot mishap. I’ll speculate that this would never have happened had he rested for at least a day before heading off on the road.

Minimize the one-night stands.

Try this: When building out your itinerary, don’t allow yourself any one-night stops. Unless you’re really on a mission to get somewhere, give yourself at least two nights in every hotel you book.

This little tip will force you to slow down and take in your surroundings a bit. But on a more practical note, it will relieve the hassle of schlepping your bags from hotel to hotel, packing and unpacking, checking in and checking out. All of that busy work can be a time-waster and add stress to your trip.

I recently helped a friend plan a trip to Normandy from Paris. His instinct was to drive up from Paris to a small B&B near the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, spend the night, and then head back to Paris the next day.

What was the problem with this plan? It didn’t leave any time to actually visit the beaches, cemetery, or surrounding towns. He might have been able to see a few things, but not take the time to really take it in. Fortunately, he booked two nights, and he greatly enjoyed exploring not only the beaches and cemetery, but the surrounding villages. He later told me about an unforgettable experience he had going to mass in a small village church–something that certainly would have fallen off an over-packed itinerary.

Use your two-day stops as bases for exploration.

If you do take my advice and give yourself at least two-day stops along your trip, use those stops as bases for exploration. This way you can wake up, not have to pack things up, head off to explore, and feel relaxed that you can come back to your “home base” whenever you please.

You also have the added bonus of exploring a territory that your hotel owner will be very familiar with. He or she will be able to offer all kinds of inside advice for activities not to miss, restaurants to try out, and views to take in.

A few years ago my partner and I were married in France. For our honeymoon we headed to the Greek island of Crete. During the planning stages, we were both so excited about experiencing the island that, in typical fashion, we planned to move from town to town each day, making our way around the island over the course of the week. There were so many things to see on the east coast, and amazing villages in the west, and great beaches along the south… and the ancient Minoan ruins in the north!

And then something happened. We remembered that this wasn’t a race: It was our honeymoon. At the last moment, we booked one amazing mountainside hotel in the southeastern part of the island, and used this as our home base. We checked in and unpacked for the week. Although we had brought along a travel guidebook, some of the best advice we received was from the friendly hotel manager.

From here, each morning, we took off to explore the beaches, the ruins, the villages, and the amazing restaurants. And every night, we came home, relaxed, and happy that we didn’t have to pack up in the morning.

This is an extreme example (it’s a honeymoon, after all), but I bring it up as it’s one trip where I forced myself to overcome my instinctive “go, go, go” trip mentality. And, in the end, the trip was more relaxed and full of surprises.

Prefer one night stops? Cut back on travel time.

I know that the (minimum) two-day stop isn’t going to work for everyone and for every trip. Sometimes you’re on a mission — you’re just trying to get from Venice to Paris by car, an 11-hour drive. Some will be tempted to just do the whole thing in one epic day on the road.

Do a search on Google maps for the route and you’ll see several halfway marks that would be perfect for an overnight. (I would recommend either Lyon or Geneva.) If you’re on a mission, I probably won’t be able to convince you to spend two nights in either city. (Even though either would be amazing. You could explore the vineyards of the Cotes-du-Rhone during your day off in Lyon, or search for the perfect cheesy raclette in the mountain villages surrounding Geneva!)

However, I would at least recommend an overnight in one of these towns, or at countless smaller villages along the way. The point is to break that 11-hour trip up into smaller, manageable trips. For this example, I think at least two overnights would be better. Three or four hours of driving every day will still give you time to explore the territory.

You don’t always need to drive in circles.

When you’re checking around for flights to Europe for your trip, remember to check “open jaw” flights that allow you to fly into one city and home from another. (For example, a flight from Boston to London, and then a return flight from Amsterdam to Boston.)

Increasingly, these flights cost about the same amount as flights into and out of the same city. “Open jaw” flights can have a big impact on your itinerary, as they can free you to plot your trip in a straight line, avoiding that end-of-trip requirement to circle back to your city of arrival.

For example, say that you’re flying from Chicago to London, then heading by train to Paris, and then down to Nice before heading home. Check flights from Chicago to London, but with a return from Nice to Chicago. There’s no need to make the mad dash from Nice all the way back up to London. So many travelers do this, and it can add unnecessary stress and expense to the final days of your trip. (Wouldn’t you rather be hanging out on the beach for another day than hustling back to London?)

One caveat: These “open jaw” flights might not work for you if you’re renting a car. (You’re in luck if you’re moving around Europe by train or by one-way flights inside Europe.) Renting a car in one European country and dropping it off in another can be quite expensive, as the company usually tacks on a fee to go fetch the car and bring it back home.

Your trip itinerary

Now, back to your drawing board (or kitchen table). Try plotting out your destinations, giving consideration to all the stops along the way. Play around with your itinerary and see what it looks like if you trim a couple of stops, and double up the nights on others.

And remember, by building more time into each step of your trip, you’re giving yourself more time for surprises and serendipity. You don’t need to know what you’re going to do on your day off in southern Spain. You’ll find something tasty, we promise you!

The post Europe Itinerary: Creating the best trip for your budget appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Related: 7 Ways to save now on next year’s trip to Europe

For most of us traveling from North America, the flight to Europe is our biggest budget obstacle. While it can be easy to find great bargains on hotels, it takes a bit of effort and research to uncover cheap flights across the Atlantic.

There are airfare flash sales that come and go, but those are hard to nab if you don’t act quickly. However, before you give up hope on finding a good price for your next flight, try some of the tips below. Before long, you’ll be “humble bragging” on Facebook about the incredibly low airfare you just scored for your European vacation. Good luck!

Note: Looking for a little budget travel guidance? Check out the current EuroCheapo package deals for great discounts for US travelers heading to Europe. We book your airfare, hotel, and rental car all at once, and pass along the savings.

Example flight

For the tips that follow, we’ll use a sample itinerary. We’ll say that we’re based in Chicago and want to visit London, Amsterdam, and Paris. We’re looking for a flight from Chicago to London. After spending a few days in London, we plan to take the train to Amsterdam (via Lille) and wind up in Paris. Then we’ll head back to London to fly home to Chicago.

So how can we save on this flight?

Set up alerts so you can get the latest prices on your route.

1. Set up an airfare alert.

If you know the exact route that you want to fly, you should set up airfare alerts to be notified of flight deals immediately. Websites like Kayak.com and Airfarewatchdog.com will email you when they notice a deal on the route that you’re planning to fly.

In this example, we can go to these websites and create a flight alert for Chicago to London. But wait…

2. Don’t forget about “open jaw” flights.

Pardon us if this is too basic, but many travelers don’t realize that flights into one city and home from another are often just about the same price as flights into and out of the same city. Furthermore, you can save lots of money on transportation (trains, buses, ferries, etc), as you won’t need to circle back to your city of arrival. This tip can not only save you money but allows you to save time, so you can see more of Europe.

In our example, instead of a round-trip to London, fly into London and home from Paris. It’s a good idea to also research the round-trip fares from London (after all, you might snag a cheap deal), but we would certainly focus on flights from Chicago -> London, and then Paris -> Chicago.

Even if that flight turned out to be a bit more expensive, chances are it would be less expensive than paying for a trip on the Eurostar (or a flight!) back from Paris to London (and probably an extra overnight in London, too).

Paris in May can be just as beautiful (and a lot less crowded) than the summer. Photo: Loïc Lagarde

3. Be flexible with your dates.

Flexibility is a budget traveler’s best friend (in so, so many ways!). In terms of snagging a good deal on flights, if you can bump your travel dates around a bit, you may end up saving a lot on airfare.

If you have the possibility, try pushing the trip back a week or up a week to see if you can find a deal on airfare. You might be surprised—there might be something happening (a big convention, sporting event, Madonna concert…) in one of your cities that is throwing off the airfare.

Related: When is the best time to visit Paris and Amsterdam.

In our example, say that we find that our flight seems strangely expensive. In fact, the hotel prices also seem quite high—but only for Paris for our dates. This could indicate that Paris is booked up with some special event (such as a giant conference or the annual Fashion Weeks). If you have some flexibility, push your trip dates around and see if airfare drops. Hunt for a deal–you might just find it.

4. Avoid weekends if possible.

Flights tend to be more popular and more expensive for weekend travelers. If you’re able to travel midweek, chances are you’ll be able to snag a better deal. Play around with your dates — you’ll probably see cheaper airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Related: Planning a trip to Europe? Avoid these 10 costly mistakes

Heathrow is a major airport in London, but did you know there are several others? Photo: Stefan Kellner

5. Be flexible with your destinations or itinerary.

Conversely, you can play around with your destinations. Is there another airport nearby that you haven’t included in your search? Could you add another leg to your trip that includes a less expensive airport to fly into? Can you juggle your itinerary a bit to avoid a momentarily expensive city?

Back to our example, if Paris is booked up (and flights expensive) because of the fashion show, perhaps we could invert the trip, landing in Paris (the week before the fashion show), visiting Amsterdam and then departing from London. This would allow us to avoid not only more expensive flight costs, but higher hotel rates, as well.

You should also double-check and make sure that you’re including all area airports in your search. In our example, don’t just search for Heathrow (LHR) and Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Make sure to search for the city code, “LON” and “PAR”, to see all area airports. A lot of European cities, even smaller ones, have secondary airports that might be new to you.

A final option is to “hub it.” For example, say you find an incredible flight deal from Chicago to Dublin on Aer Lingus. It might be worth booking the flight to Dublin and then searching Europe’s budget airlines (like Ryanair and easyJet) to get a fare from Dublin to London.

Don’t overlook nearby airports. Kayak has a function to let you easily search for them.

6. If at all possible, avoid the peak travel season.

We know, for many travelers, the timing of the trip has been established long in advance (often dictated by academic schedules, holidays, or growling bosses). However, if you do have a bit more flexibility and are looking for ways to save, consider pushing your trip away from peak summer months and global holidays, and into “shoulder season” or even low season.

For spring travel, instead of June, try early May or late April. Looking for a fall visit to Europe? Push your plans back from September to October to save a bit more. If you’re able to travel to Europe in the early spring or late fall, you will almost certainly be rewarded with lower airfares, shorter lines at top attractions, and lower hotel rates.

7. Know when to snag international airfare deals.

According to a study by the airline experts at Kayak.com, booking 34 days prior to departure is approximately 4% cheaper than booking six months in advance. That said, if you see a great deal many months out, don’t hesitate to book it!

WOW Air is just one of a handful of budget airlines offering super cheap flights to Europe. Photo: Alec Wilson

8. Don’t forget about “budget” international airlines.

In the past few years, a number of new budget-conscious airlines have started flying between North America and Europe. These airlines have made it possible to snag a one-way ticket for jaw-dropping prices, and their fare calendars make it easy to browse prices over the course of a few months.

WOW Airlines, which trumpets $99 one-way flights to mainland Europe (with a connection in Iceland) is certainly worth a search. Note, however, that this price is hard to find and doesn’t include extras such as checked baggage (which can add up fast, see our chart), seat assignments, or anything to nibble on. (Read our article on Wow Air to get more details.)

In 2016, it might be easier to fly WOW as they’ve recently announced a new route from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Europe, and that they’ll be expanding their schedule from Boston, Baltimore/Washington DC, Montreal, and Toronto. Hopefully, they’ll fly out New York in the near future as well!

Norwegian is another budget option that has been offering super cheap fares from North American to Europe. They fly non-stop from New York to London, and we’ve found some excellent deals on Norwegian in the past. Read our guide to making your trip on Norwegian more comfortable.

And the newest player to enter the transatlantic discount flight market is Primera Air. They are kicking off service to Paris and London in the spring of 2018.

Will you score a $99 one-way flight to Europe? Probably not, but it’s still worth it for budget travelers to look for deals on Wow! Airlines, Norwegian Air, and Westjet (from Canada).

Search now!

Ready to look for flights? Do a search with EuroCheapo’s flight search!

Your tips

How do you keep it cheap when searching for airfare to and around Europe? Share with us in the comments section below!

The post 8 Tips for finding cheap flights to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.