Unique European Vacation: Your Travel Blueprint: Flights & First Destinations

Your Travel Blueprint: Flights & First Destinations

Ready to escape travel packages and organized tours? You've landed in the right place to plan your unique European vacation!

Quick heads-up: Make sure you've already checked out my essential tips for Advance Planning before diving in.

Now that you're ready to explore options, here are your first steps to nailing down your itinerary:

Step 1: Snagging Cheap Flights

Start watching 3-4 months before your trip. Snag the cheapest flights to anywhere!

• Example: For a fall trip, I aimed for central Europe. I found tickets to Milan for half the price of Barcelona or Paris, and a third of the price to Germany.

• Tools: I normally use Kayak's Explore feature. Google Flights also has a similar function.

---

Step 2: Deciding on Your Initial
Destination

Decide if you'll stay where you land, or jump to another city.

• My Experience: The first time I took a train around Europe, we flew into Amsterdam (cheapest from Seattle), then flew to Milan for about $70.

• Important Note on Carry-Ons: That "carry-on" allowed on a major airline will likely cost you a checked bag fee on a discount airline. (We paid an extra $50 because my husband had a backpack and a carry-on suitcase.)

  • My workaround: I rolled up my backpack and kept it in my suitcase for that flight segment.

---

Now that you've got your flights sorted, let's talk about getting around! Head to Step 3: Navigating Transportation.