Spain posters, which areas of the country did you visit, and how did you like them during the summer? Was it super hot, and did your lodging have a/c?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel planners come on in!

I’m overwhelmed by all the options. And I know some places have cheap airfares but pricey hotels, or vice versa.

What are some of the most affordable places you’ve visited in Europe, including costs for airfare, lodging, food and local transportation?

Portugal seems to be a fair option. I’ve also heard Prague is cheap, is this a good place to visit with older kids?

Budapest?

Yes! Prague is my favorite city in all of Europe.

What do you do there with kids? Any particular hotels you like to stay in there?

Also how is the food?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're travelers on a budget and we're headed to Portugal for the second straight year.

The year before that it was Northern Italy. Not as cheap, but not terrible.

Did your family prefer Portugal or Italy?

I’m a different poster, but we travel to both countries. They’re both great, it really depends on personal preference. I prefer certain regions over others in each country.

I'm the OP and this is what I would say as well.

I really love the Dolomites. Wife and daughter really love the Algarve. We're mountain and beach and cafe people more than we are museum and architecture people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're travelers on a budget and we're headed to Portugal for the second straight year.

The year before that it was Northern Italy. Not as cheap, but not terrible.

Did your family prefer Portugal or Italy?

Both are basic.

Not as basic as trying to be original and go “off the beaten path.” I feel like that’s the new basic.

Nice try but no.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're travelers on a budget and we're headed to Portugal for the second straight year.

The year before that it was Northern Italy. Not as cheap, but not terrible.

Did your family prefer Portugal or Italy?

Both are basic.

Not as basic as trying to be original and go “off the beaten path.” I feel like that’s the new basic.

E Europe will in general be cheaper. Depends also what you are seeking.

I do think though on the whole Europe as a destination is not cheap. But you can always decide to travel modestly. I say not cheap because when I go I want to embrace the ultimate beauty and max my experience and joys of traveling and to really see/eat the best. It's a rich place from that perspective. I mean if you're willing to stay in a bare room with a bed and be outside all day climbing the mountain that's fine but so much of the culture and cities are kind of where it's at.

I think personally Airbnb will be better than a lot of hotel prices esp for families.

I don't find in general the food to break the bank on a daily basis but eating at a few nice restaurants would really be to your advantage from an experience perspective.

Trains are the way to travel and they are really affordable and easy. You really have to go to town in planning when you do Europe on the cheap and it can be done but I would manage expectations if for cheap you want to go to get the most out of the trip. I just don't want to be that uncomfortable on holiday getting from place to place personally. While you arrrive us how you cut down costs but it's going to cost you back and forth to W Europe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're travelers on a budget and we're headed to Portugal for the second straight year.

The year before that it was Northern Italy. Not as cheap, but not terrible.

Did your family prefer Portugal or Italy?

I’m a different poster, but we travel to both countries. They’re both great, it really depends on personal preference. I prefer certain regions over others in each country.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're travelers on a budget and we're headed to Portugal for the second straight year.

The year before that it was Northern Italy. Not as cheap, but not terrible.

Did your family prefer Portugal or Italy?

Both are basic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forget Croatia it’s been discovered, Slovenia however has not! Just as beautiful and lots of people that live in Vienna head to the Slovenia alps or coastline to vacation. Don’t forget once
you are in Europe it’s more affordable to travel from country to country than in the US. So get a good/cheap flight into Rome, take the train to Vienna, cross over to Croatia by ferry, use the Flixbus to travel up into Slovenia, use local buses to get around, end up in Trieste Italy, catch a local flight back to Rome and back to the US. That’s what we just did and it was amazing! We actually started in Switzerland and did 6 countries in 24 days. The tail end was the most affordable and that’s how we did it!

Oh please, I went to Slovenia 10 years ago and it was completely overrun. Sorry you couldn’t comprehend that.

^^And 6 countries in 24 days is absolutely absurd, you do know that right? Each of those countries deserves many weeks in its own right.

Wow, do you realize you are being a huge snob?

Yes I do. It’s still true though.

Anonymous wrote:We're travelers on a budget and we're headed to Portugal for the second straight year.

The year before that it was Northern Italy. Not as cheap, but not terrible.

Did your family prefer Portugal or Italy?

Anonymous wrote:Also consider Albania.

I haven’t ever heard any good things about Albania.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forget Croatia it’s been discovered, Slovenia however has not! Just as beautiful and lots of people that live in Vienna head to the Slovenia alps or coastline to vacation. Don’t forget once
you are in Europe it’s more affordable to travel from country to country than in the US. So get a good/cheap flight into Rome, take the train to Vienna, cross over to Croatia by ferry, use the Flixbus to travel up into Slovenia, use local buses to get around, end up in Trieste Italy, catch a local flight back to Rome and back to the US. That’s what we just did and it was amazing! We actually started in Switzerland and did 6 countries in 24 days. The tail end was the most affordable and that’s how we did it!

Oh please, I went to Slovenia 10 years ago and it was completely overrun. Sorry you couldn’t comprehend that.

^^And 6 countries in 24 days is absolutely absurd, you do know that right? Each of those countries deserves many weeks in its own right.

Wow, do you realize you are being a huge snob?

Snobbish and out of touch.

Must be nice to have unlimitedp funds, no work responsibilities (unlimited leave too), and kids that have absolutely nothing else going on 🙄

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forget Croatia it’s been discovered, Slovenia however has not! Just as beautiful and lots of people that live in Vienna head to the Slovenia alps or coastline to vacation. Don’t forget once
you are in Europe it’s more affordable to travel from country to country than in the US. So get a good/cheap flight into Rome, take the train to Vienna, cross over to Croatia by ferry, use the Flixbus to travel up into Slovenia, use local buses to get around, end up in Trieste Italy, catch a local flight back to Rome and back to the US. That’s what we just did and it was amazing! We actually started in Switzerland and did 6 countries in 24 days. The tail end was the most affordable and that’s how we did it!

Oh please, I went to Slovenia 10 years ago and it was completely overrun. Sorry you couldn’t comprehend that.

^^And 6 countries in 24 days is absolutely absurd, you do know that right? Each of those countries deserves many weeks in its own right.

Wow, do you realize you are being a huge snob?

Also consider Albania.

We got cheap tickets to Verona last year and went north. Found cheap-ish accommodations around Lake Garda and up north in Dolomites - it was stunning, and, compared to Switzerland or Amalfi coast, relatively affordable.