While we lived in London, the ultimate goal was to visit at least 20 countries and stretch our hard earned pounds as far as possible. So how can you get around to a lot of countries without breaking the bank? Here are my 5 Top Tips on how to save money when travelling around Europe – whether it’s for a quick weekend city getaway or a longer holiday, there are so many places that you can go and explore!
5 Top Tips on How to Save Money when Travelling in Europe
Take a Train
We were based in London so when travelling around Europe we mostly got some great flight deals on budget airlines – but we also discovered the convenience and cost saving of using train travel! We did quite a few trips from London with the Eurostar and not just across to the popular Paris – but also to Lille in the north of France, the Netherlands (hello Amsterdam!) and to Belgium.
A flight London to Brussels for example is around an hour long – but with the Eurostar it’s just under 2 hours and you can save on costly airport transfers in both locations. The trains are extremely comfortable, you skip the long queues at security and at the gates and you are taken right in the centre of town!
Another big plus is that you won’t have to worry about having that extra kg or two of souvenirs (like a big supply of Belgium beers and chocolate…) in your luggage, as that something that budget airlines are extremely strict about (and actually make some profit off the cheap fare you booked), so if your bag is even just slightly overweight, you will end up with a hefty fine.
Venture off the most popular cities
Of course you want to go and see Rome, Paris, Barcelona and tick off those beauties on your bucket list. But don’t be put off by places you have never heard about, just take a punt and go! We would often look at a map and choose a random city we didn’t know much about for a weekend. When we wanted to travel to Poland – instead of going to Warsaw or Krakow, we discovered this awesome university town called Wroclaw. We had an amazing time venturing around this city, trying out the local vodka bars and sinking our teeth in some creamy potato pierogi, all without the tourist crowds and at much more affordable prices. You can read more about Wroclaw HERE.
Travel outside the peak holiday times
The busiest time of year that people travel within and to Europe are the summer months between June and August. That is also when a lot of schools have their longer summer break. For beach destinations, consider May and late September to travel as you will find the weather is generally quite warm, for example the south of Spain or Portugal will be a balmy 25 degrees.
If you are planning to see cities, any time of the year is great to visit! Even if it’s the middle of winter just rug up! I can assure you that you will always find a cosy place to have something warming to eat or drink, or a museum to see if it rains or snows. You will get to see a place with mainly just the locals and really get absorbed into the local culture and feel of a place.
In London for example, the weather can be a real hit and miss most of the year. Avoiding the summer and travelling in spring (late March / April) is a great alternative. You will get to see the many beautiful gardens in full bloom and the accommodation will be a bit more affordable.
Check ahead what’s on where you are travelling to
If you are planning to take a trip outside of the tourist summer season – it’s still worth checking what is on when you are travelling. If there are big events in a particular city or town, you will find that the prices are generally higher, and it will also mean that the accommodation and car hire will be limited or expensive. These events could be anything from large events, conferences or gatherings, concerts or religious celebrations. Local tourism board websites are a good place to check, and unless it’s an event you are planning to attend, change dates if you can and you can save yourself some money!
On the flip side of that – local markets, are the place to be! Whether that is a weekly farmers market or a small local festival, these are fabulous opportunities to soak up the culture and have some great and CHEAP meals while you are out and about exploring. We stumbled the most incredible markets while travelling which were just an absolute feast for the senses.
Hire a car
If you are planning on travelling for longer than a few days in a country or city, instead of taking a tour – hire a car! Even if it’s for a day, you can venture out and explore other towns nearby. All you need is an international drivers license. With the distances in Europe between countries being manageable (with proper planning of course) you can also look into collecting a car in one airport and returning it to a different one. There is usually a one-way charge, but it may not much and worth the expense, to cover more of a country and save you from going back to the same airport you flew into.
If you are planning to travel across countries that are nearby, car companies in Europe will also usually allow you to take the car across borders – you just need to let them know when you book (I prefer to book a hire car in advance to secure a good rate) so that they can apply the appropriate insurance cover and let you know if there are any restrictions in the countries you are planning to travel to. By getting around with a car you will be able to get to places that may not be accessible at all by public transport or that tours miss all together! You will be guaranteed to stumble upon some fantastic little towns as you drive through that you might have missed completely!
Book
So are you ready to travel? Hope you found my tips on How to Save Money when Travelling in Europe and save yourself some money useful.
Browse some great Hotel deals, so check out Expedia or Booking.com.
To book a car, check out Expedia in their Car Hire section!
Check out the best airfares to get to Europe, check out Skyscanner.
Want to read more about Europe’s Destinations? Check out my post on The Top 5 of Europe’s Hidden Gems HERE.
Happy travelling!