How to Travel to Europe On a Budget

A couple of months ago, I had the chance ‘meeting’ with Beth Reinhold on a Outlander Facebook Group. It was over a common YouTube channel we both watched and were fans of. Well that developed a wonderful friendship and through that we learned that we may be related distantly. We are both Crawfords- her on her mom’s side and my maiden name is Crawford. I was so interested in how her and her husband were able to visit Scotland and Europe so frequently but on a budget! She was happy to share her tips on my blog! She is a wealth of information and I hope you enjoy…

 

 

Hi everyone! My name is Beth Reinhold and I live in the Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. My husband, Steven and I love adventure and travel! We have been lucky enough to travel to Europe a few times and I am going to share with you some of our budget tips! Disclaimer: I am by no means a travel agent, but these are some things we have learned along the way. I hope you find them useful!

Itinerary

The first thing you want to think about when planning a trip to Europe is where you want to go. I have found that it is relatively easy to travel from country to country within Europe since it is pretty small. This gives you lots of options of wonderful places to visit. Once you decide where you want to visit, you can plan  your route and how you want to travel from place to place. I can’t emphasize enough, research is such an important part of planning. Look at your location choices and determine what order to visit them in accordance to where they are on the map. This will help you to see what areas are close together and it will help save you time when booking planes, trains, and automobiles. If you are traveling by car or van, this will also help you find the route that allows you to see the things you want in a timely fashion and avoid backtracking, making the most of your trip!

 

 

Flights

A flight is one of the most important aspects of your trip. I have found it is best to book your flight first and then go from there. My biggest tip with flights is to do your research and invest time in watching prices! You will notice they will vary quite a bit. So, that’s something you want to stay on top of. I would start checking flights as soon as you decide to take the trip. You will want to check multiple airlines, using both the actual airline website and travel apps. Also, you want to choose the best place to fly in and out of taking into account the distance from destination, airport transport costs and so on. Baggage and other fees can add up, too, so look at it from every angle. Some airlines offer free checked bags, which is so nice. We have found as well, that having a credit card with travel perks, such as reward miles and no international fees, is very useful.

 

Packing

I have a love/hate relationship with packing! Packing is one of the hardest things for me and I find myself doing this months in advance. I pack and repack a good fifteen times. Generally less is more. If you can get away with just a carry on it will save time on baggage claim and be easier to maneuver during your trip. Just remember you have to carry it quite a bit and if it is really heavy, you’ll be miserable!

Which brings me to comfortable shoes. There is a lot of walking on these trips. No matter what bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes, because it’s all fun and games until someone gets a blister! Trust me, it’s awful! I would suggest watching the weather in the places you’re going, but my one steady thing I have found is to pack layers. This is the absolute best advice I can give. When I realized that was the ticket, it made my packing much easier the next time around. Packing layers prepares you for all types of weather. Depending on what areas you are visiting, certain destinations can fool you. We were in Grindelwald, Switzerland one summer and it was almost ninety degrees! Not what I expected in The Alps! That is why layers are important.

When packing, roll your clothes and wear your heaviest items on the plane. This gives you more room and keeps the weight down. Plus, airplanes tend to get cool so you will be prepared for that. When traveling internationally, don’t forget that they tend to use different plugs than in the US. Make sure you have the right adapter and converter. We got one for a great deal on Amazon and it has worked perfectly for us! Packing may not seem important budget wise, but it is. Packing wisely can save you lots of money and will keep you comfortable while you’re there.  

 

 

Lodging

Lodging is obviously very important, that is why you want to research it as much as possible. I suggest using multiple travel sites and direct sites for hotels. We have found that Europe offers extremely reasonable prices on lodging. If you like to walk, you will want to make sure you are in a good location for that. This will save you money on taxis and uber rides, as well as public transportation. We really enjoy walking and some cities are set up perfectly for it. London is an intricate web of beautiful parks you can take short cuts through, which we love! It’s one of our favorite things about London. Edinburgh is also great for walking, as well as Amsterdam. Some Swiss towns don’t even allow cars—it’s awesome!  It really gives you the opportunity to appreciate your surroundings. These places are FULL of history, which makes for some great scenery you might not see, or get to fully appreciate from a vehicle. So, that being said the location of your lodging is everything. We have stayed in hotels and Air BNB’s and have had some wonderful experiences. If you are considering a trip, I would be happy to give suggestions on reasonably priced places to stay.

 

 

Travel between countries

The best means of travel between countries will depend in large part on the destinations you choose. We have flown, rented a camper van, and traveled by train to different countries. We have found they are all good ways to travel, but you have to base your decision on distance, convenience, and cost. Trains are one of our favorite means of transport and very affordable. Plus, you get to see lots of scenery on the way! We have taken trains in France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom and have had great experiences!

Flights are also a good way to go, especially if you need to get somewhere fast. This is fairly easy in Europe considering it is so small and airlines offer very reasonable fares to fly. One thing to remember with flights, give yourself plenty of time to go through security and get to your gate. These things can take awhile depending on how busy the airport is. You don’t want to acquire fees for missing your flight.

If you do decide to rent a car based on our experience, you need to plan that in advance. My husband was required to get an International Driving Permit to drive within the United Kingdom. He got his at AAA for twenty dollars. You should look into getting one beforehand if you decide to rent a vehicle. We found through planning and booking in advance, you can find deals on most forms of transportation.

 

 

Tours

Tours are a wonderful thing to do when in Europe. We have had great experiences on tours and have been able to see some incredible things, all the while being educated by a guide. The guides we’ve had were amazing and very informative! Tours can be very reasonably priced, especially if you book them in bundles. We have used Viator quite a bit and have been very happy with the tours we booked through them. Honestly, it is shocking to me how little you have to pay to see a world UNESCO site like Stonehenge, as compared to what you would pay to visit an amusement park. Obviously though, it’s what you’re interested in and what you enjoy that matters!

 

 

Food

We have found that food can be very reasonably priced in Europe! Comparable, if not cheaper than the US in a lot of places. Do some research and look at menus online ahead of time so you have an idea of what restaurants work for your budget. Our go-to move is going to grocery stores for snacks and meals—we do this in every country we visit! We rented a camper van in Scotland with a stove and were able to save a lot of money by going to the market and cooking meals ourselves. This also saves a lot of money on snacks and drinks which can really add up if you buy them at restaurants or stands, especially in touristy areas. Europe offers a menagerie of different foods! That’s one of the things we enjoy the most in our travels. We have been fortunate enough to try lots of different types of amazing food and at very affordable prices, which is what matters if you’re on a budget.

 

 

I hope these tips have been helpful! I would highly suggest Europe as a vacation option. It has something for everyone! From the majestic mountains of the Scottish Highlands and the Alps, to the parks of London and Amsterdam and gorgeous sites in France- the activities and possibilities are endless and the scenery is always breath taking. The oceans are beautiful and the cities are steeped with history. Europe is definitely an adventure! It’s a truly magical place that I have fallen head-over-heels in love with!

I think people have the misconception that these trips can not be affordable and that’s not the case. With the right amount of planning, you can take an amazing trip to Europe, within your budget!

Feel free to share and leave a comment! 

 

 

 

Be a part of our adventures!

Follow along on Instagram- Beth @bh2318 & Steven @appalachianadventurecompany