Top 10 Tips To Save Money In Europe

July 06, 2008    dial up broadband

Not everyone is staying away from Europe this summer. On a recent trip overseas, NY1 Travel consultant Valarie D'Elia gathered her top 10 tips from travelers who have strategies to deal with the weak dollar and filed the following Travel with Val report.

Europe still holds universal appeal, and there will always be those who will not sacrifice their trip for anything.

To get a head start on saving, plan ahead and lock in rates.

"I booked some of the reservations ahead of time prepaid, and that made a lower price," said one traveler.

Another way to save is to take a pre-packaged tour that sets its rates in U.S. Dollars.

"The value in the tour is that they take care of everything," said another traveler.

"We got into a lot of different places, and we get more of the history and more of the feel of the place and find things that we would never have found on our own," said a third.

Consider shaving a few days off your trip.

"I wanted to go for as long as I could with how much I have, but I think it kept me from staying longer perhaps," said a traveler.

Be creative when it comes to accommodations.

"The person whose home we're staying in rents out rooms, so the prices are considerably less," said another.

Taking a European cruise can save a bundle.

"You don't need to stay at a hotel, obviously," said another traveler. "You sleep on board of the cruise ship and you can still have your tours and see the city."

If your meals aren't included, fill up at breakfast.

Nothing pays off more than doing as the locals do.

"If you know locals, it's a huge help," advised a tourist. "We were in Budapest and we made friends there, so we were able to leave our large luggage with them rather than paying to leave it in a hostel or an airport or a train station."

Take along your favorite guide book. It will keep you and your budget on track.

Remember, don't look for sympathy. When it comes to our weak dollar, turnabout is fair play.

"We were on a boat ride yesterday with people from Europe and we talked about the weakness of the dollar, and they sort of went, 'Hurrah! Finally!'" joked another traveler.

Finally, most European cities offer a discount card to get you breaks on dining, museums and other sights. One of the very best uses for your City Card is onboard mass transit. It will take you and your vacation dollar very far.

For other travel news, check out www.travelwithval.com.

- Valarie D'Elia