A weak dollar doesn’t have to burn a hole in your wallet when traveling to Europe. Here are some tips on how to get more out of your money:

1. Travel off season

In popular European destinations such as Rome, Paris, London and Amsterdam, rates in high season are much higher than in low season. If you travel off season, you can save as much as 50% on your hotel expenses!

And there are other advantages: the weather is often just as good, the cities are just as beautiful, everything is cheaper and low season often combines with sales periods, so you might even find cheaper shopping opportunities!

And what’s more, you get to enjoy the Sistine Chapel, the Mona Lisa, Madam Tussaud’s and the Van Gogh Museum with just a few other people, instead of hordes of tourists!

Avoid traveling during: spring break, Easter, Christmas, New Year, July & August (with the exception of Rome and Paris, where August is a cheap month).

Cheapest months for European travel: January, February, first half of March, November, December

2. Stay in a hotel outside of historical city centers

Suburbs that are well connected with public transport are a valid alternative to staying in European capital’s historical centers.

You can save up to 50% by staying in a nice suburb and taking a 15 minute train ride in the morning to the sights in the city center you are interested in visiting.

A 4 star hotel in the center of Paris costs twice as much as the same hotel in for example La Defense, which is a 10 minute subway ride to the city center. Same goes for other top European travel destinations. And, if you’re into comfort: giving up a 2 star hotel room in the city center could buy you a 5 star room in the suburbs, for the same money.

Save 32% on average in Rome on a 4 star hotel room in less central areas or the surroundings of Rome. Cheap 4-star hotels in Rome off the beaten path are:

  • Hotel Pineta Palace - transit time to central Rome (Spanish Steps) on public transportation: 20 - 30 minutes
  • Hotel Zone - transit time to central Rome (Spanish Steps) on public transportation: 20 minutes

Save 37% on average by staying in a 4 star hotel room in the less central areas in and around Paris.Cheap 4-star hotels in Paris off the beaten path:

  • Hotel Vivaldi - transit time to central Paris (Louvre Museum) on public transportation: 15 minutes
  • Hotel Millenium - transit time to central Paris (Louvre Museum) on public transportation: 50 minutes

In Amsterdam, save an average of 40% by staying in the surroundings of Amsterdam. Cheap 4-star hotels in Amsterdam off the beaten path:

  • Hotel Schiphol A4 - transit time to central Amsterdam (Dam Square) on public transportation: 35 minutes
  • Hotel Hampshire Waterland - transit time to central Amsterdam (Dam Square) on public transportation: 20 minutes

In London, you will save an average of 45% by staying in Greater London or close to Heathrow airport (connected by the London underground). Cheap 4-star hotels in London off the beaten path:

3. Consider self-catering apartments

Consider renting a self catering apartment instead of a hotel. Especially when traveling with small groups, it will save you hundreds of dollars if you look at the price per person. An added advantage is that you don’t have to eat in restaurants every night and will save a lot in restaurant expenses. Grocery stores will sell you mozzarella, baguettes, scones, haring, and meat that is just as good and you will have your own kitchen to prepare delicious meals!

Check out these self catering vacation rentals:

4. Get cash from an atm machine

A simple but effective way of saving money is getting cash from an ATM machine instead of paying high commissions in exchange offices. If you draw cash on your credit card you can even profit from the fidelity points this will bring you, and the actual cash is taken out of your account later when you pay your credit card bill!

5. Use public transportation

Avoid using taxis! Most European cities have very good public transportation systems and - with the possible exception of London - they are mostly very cheap. A single ride in the Rome underground costs only 1 euro while a 15-minute taxi ride will cost you about 15 euros!

  • Rome: despite popular myth, Rome’s public transportation system is well organized and all major sites and attractions are well connected. A 3-day public transportation pass costs 11 € (16 $), a week-pass is 16 € (23 $)
  • London: while public transportation is not cheap in London, it still by far beats cab fares. A 3 day travel card for central London is 17.40 £ (34 $), and for zones 1 to 6 40 £ (78 $), there are heavy discounts for children and students. Also consider the new Oyster Card.
  • Paris: a 3-day transit pass is 8,50 € (12 $) for central Paris, and 18 € (26 $) for central and greater Paris. A 5-day pass is 27.50 € (40 $) for central Paris and 47 € (68 $) for greater Paris. There are discounts for children and you could consider getting around Paris by bike.
  • Amsterdam: a 3-day public transportation ticket costs 13.50 € (20 $) and a 4-day ticket 16.50 € (24 $).

6. Pick hotels with breakfast and Internet access included

When booking your hotel, check carefully what is included in the price and make sure you pick a hotel where for example breakfast and wi-fi Internet access are included so that you don’t run into any extra charges.

Make sure that services you know you are going to want to use are included in the price!

Check out this little selection of hotels on venere.com that have both breakfast and high speed Internet access at no extra charge:

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One response to “How to travel Europe on a weak Dollar”

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  1. camyden says:
    February 27th, 2008 at 6:46 am

    A very good article. Love the tip about using ATM’s instead of exchange offices that will save quite a bit and help you avoid hassle.

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