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 (link to Page 1)] 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.

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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.

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