Best Time to Travel to Europe

In flying to Europe, the biggest concern is fear of air fares that wipe out much of your vacation budget before you even get there.

As with hotels, the airfares increase during peak tourist times. Expect to pay much more for your flight if you travel during late November to January or July and August. There is also a surge of air travel to Europe during spring break weeks which can occur in March or April.

If you have frequent flier miles, you might find that those are "blacked out" and not usable during peak travel dates. So how do you get a good fare to Europe? A travel agent trick is to look during the "shoulder periods" of spring or early fall.

You'll need to be as flexible as possible on the days to fly. You might find a large price savings by leaving on Wednesday instead of Friday or Monday. Another way to save is fly during off peak hours of the day, that's anytime less desirable to business travelers.

And if you are not near a major US city, then drive to the nearest international airport. Book your flight as early as possible, preferably 90 days or more before travel. If you have a large family or travel with several friends, ask if you can get discounted group rates.

Many air carriers also have specials for online booking. Don't assume that the highly advertised discount ticket sites have the best prices to fly to Europe. Compare their prices to those offered on the airline website.

Arriving in Europe is a visual, sensory overload in which the beautiful images you've seen in books is coming alive right in front of you. Naturally, you want to see it all and do it all. The problem is that you're vacation only lasts for two weeks - so what should your European travel itinerary include?

You can run around frantically, chasing tour busses and snapping pictures or you can really experience Europe. Sure you want to see major landmarks and historical locations, but you'll kick yourself later if you don't spend time getting to know the Europe that the locals know.

That means you have to get out into the outskirts of the big cities to see what life is like there. Skip the luxury hotel and stay in a bed and breakfast in a nearby village. Don't phone for dinner reservations; walk to the outdoor market and buy fresh foods, stopping for a coffee and pastry at a sidewalk café.

That's where you'll experience Europe by mixing with the locals and learning about their lifestyle. You won't get this kind of up-close and personal viewpoint if all you see of Europe is from the tour bus.

Much as you want to be free of schedules during vacation, plan the days you want to see major attractions or visit the larger cities. Instead of taking commuter planes to nearby countries, choose the train, bus or ferry boat.

Forget renting a car, rent a bike to get around the village. Alternate your schedule to allow some casual days. You can't see Europe in one trip, so make sure that what you see is exhilarating, not exhausting and memorable.