Elusive European Bargains, Part 2
March 28th, 2008 Posted in Cheap Europe Travel, Vacation dealsAs I mentioned in the last post, the article of mine out in Budget Travel magazine right now runs down some ways to still find a travel bargain in Western Europe. If you follow the advice in Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune, you’re already better off than most. These are the general strategies that will cut your costs in half. 1) Go outside of high season. 2) Head to Eastern Europe, Portugal, or Turkey. 3) Get out of the big capital cities. 4) Eat where the locals eat, not in the tourist zones.
Here are some specifics though geared to Western Europe, things that got cut out because of space requirements. Today I’ll cover the various options on city passes.
Museum/attraction cards can be a good deal, but more often they should be avoided or used sparingly. Tom Meyers of EuroCheapo.com recommends just paying the entrance price for the big Paris museums but using the Paris Museum Pass on other days for lesser-known ones. “The Sainte-Chapelle Chapel may seem a bit steep at 7.50 euros, but if you had the pass you’d be crazy to pass it up on your way across the Ile de la Cite.” He notes that the pass also allows you to skip entrance lines. “During spring and summer months, skipping the ticket line can be worth the price of the pass!”
In most cities, prioritize your sightseeing and then allow lots of time for aimless wandering, café sitting, and free attractions.
Public transportation cards are a different story, however. Here are some of the better ones.
The one-week unlimited IsarCard in Munich starts at only 11 euros and you can buy it an any ticket machine.
Prague’s “Tourist Ticket” bus and subway/train tickets are worthwhile if spending a few days on the move, with a cost of $18 for 3 days or $28 for 5 days. Buy it at any ticket office or tourism office.
The ParisVisite pass requires some zone map studying. The 5-day pass for zones 1-3 is only 27.5 euros, but if you need to venture out further to the airports or Versailles it’s 47 euros. Buy it locally and take your time: it doesn’t activate until the first time you use it.
An integrated ticket for Athens, Greece is only 10 euros for a whole week. This covers 7 methods of getting from A to B, above and below ground. A great deal! Buy it at any ticket station.
Combo Cards - Attractions and Transportation
The 3-day Oslo Card in Norway works out to a reasonable $25 a day. It covers all public transportation in the city and admission to 28 attractions, from the Kon-Tiki Museum to a heated outdoor pool. Order it online or get it at hotels and tourism offices in Oslo.
An even better deal is the Luxembourg Card. At 10 euros a day or less, you get unlimited local transportation in the whole country, free admission to over 50 attractions, and a batch of significant discounts. Buy it on site at tourist offices, train stations, and hotels.
The Card for Zaragoza in Spain comes with guidance and refreshments. For 12 to 22 euros (1 to 3 days) you get the usual public transportation and attraction admissions, but also guided walking tours and free tapas and drinks samples at a dozen different restaurants. For sale all over town in Zaragoza–salud!
