Somewhere between luxury travel and ultra budget backpacking is where our family falls on the travel spectrum. We love to travel, see all the tourist attractions and walk the back streets. It is however easy to get caught up in the planning process. So many people sharing the good life through social media it is easy to assume you need to stay at five star hotels and eat at high end restaurants. For us however we want to spend more time on the experience not just where we rest our heads. So if you are looking shave some dollars off your budget here are 8 ways to save on your European vacation.
Before you go:
Consider this a bonus tip. Before you go make sure that you have everything you need for your trip. It is less expensive to pack for rain and cold then it is to pick things up on the fly. I have checked prices at Zara and other chains and with the exchange it is always more than what I could get for the same items at home. These are items I never leave without.
Rain coat – this is a light, very packable rain jacket. Put it at the bottom of your backpack and forget about it until you need it.
Sneakers – these sneakers are comfy for pounding the pavement sightseeing.
Cashmere sweater – even if I am heading somewhere warm I make sure to pack a sweater so that at the very least I am warm on the plane. Having a warm layer has come in handy when weather has turned for the worse.
Travel Adapter – We mostly use this to charge our phones and e-readers but it is great because you only need one adapter for multiple locations. Plus it has many ports to charge more than one device at a time.
Read More: What to pack for Budapest in Fall
8 Ways to Save on your European Vacation:
- Visit lesser known capitals – Places like London, Paris and Rome are expensive because they are popular and favourite tourism destinations. Try visiting lesser known capitals in Central and Eastern Europe. We found it very inexpensive to have gourmet meals in places like Budapest and Prague.
- Don’t eat out for every meal – Meals can add up fast. Especially if you are heading to a popular tourist destination. When we were in London last year meal prices were at least double to what we see here in Canada. We found a grocery store near our hotel to stock up on croissants, apples and other snacks. Some days we even made sandwiches. We saved our money for a great dinner out. When we have done tours we made sure to grab some extras from the breakfast buffet.
- Use points to save on Hotels and Airfare – travel hacking is a whole realm unto itself. You can spend days learning the ropes on how to maximize your points accumulation. For someone who doesn’t travel for business I found the easiest way to earn points is through sign up bonuses. We just booked a trip to Paris and our hotel will be free for the week all through sign up points! We also save on airfare by signing up for branded airline credit cards. You can get companion vouchers and dollars off flights this way.
- Don’t check your bags – Lately even the larger air lines are offering a no frills option. We just saved on our flights to Europe by choosing to only use carry on. This was a savings of $100 per person! I find that I am getting better and better at being a minimalist packer.
- Stay outside of central areas – the closer you are to the big tourist attractions the more expensive the hotels. Hotels in the business districts or residential areas are going to be more affordable. Often they are a third of the price.
- Stay close to transit – since you are staying outside of the most central area make sure that you are still close to transit. That means a bus stop or a Metro stop outside your hotel to ensure you still have easy access to all the top sights. Don’t book a hotel all the way out in the suburbs that requires a car or a long commute. That might work for a bus tour company. They will have a way to transport you into the city centre every day. But not for the average traveller.
- Buy a tourist pass – There is quite a bit of debate as to whether these are a good deal or not. And I will agree they are probably not a great option if you are only in a city for a day or two. There is no way you can possibly see enough to make them worthwhile in a couple of days. BUT if you are in a city for 4 to 6 days you can easily see enough attractions to make it worthwhile. Before you buy however make sure you are going to use all the features. From the Hop on Hop off bus, museums and attractions, make that pass count.
- Take Transit from the Airport – One of the things that I love about Europe is their extensive train systems. Often you can get into the city for much less and faster than if you hired a car. The train doesn’t get stuck in rush hour traffic! We have been able to take the train and get to our hotel with minimal transfers every time we have done this.
Do you have any tips to add to the 8 ways to save on your European Vacation? Please add them in the comments below.