These are some insider travel tips for Europe 2023 to make your Europe holiday the best yet.
It’s no secret international travel is very pricey and challenging at this time.
But there are some ways to make your European summer adventure that little bit easier and fun.
These tips will reduce your stress levels, save you money and make your European summer vacation the best it can be in 2023.
These are some insider Kim tips fir travelling stress free to Europe for summer 2023.
THINK OUTSIDE THE SQUARE;
Before the pandemic the most popular three destinations for Australians to visit were London, Paris and Mykonos.
Given the huge volume of travellers right now and the cost, it’s time to think outside the square.
Consider a luxury hotel in Paris in august when it’s quiet and hotel rates are less.
After a few days in Paris for example, consider Bordeaux with its gorgeous wine regions and coastal views.
And Italy is a country full of small towns perfect for an idyllic getaway with less people and more fun.
During my recent trip I met many people spending 10
Days or more in one location.
People’s travel habits are changing to accommodate the huge changes in global travel trends.
It’s no longer optimal to spend 3 nights in every location. It’s just too stressful to move around too frequently.
CONSIDER FLYING INTO ALTERNATE AIRPORTS:
Paris, London, Rome are all super busy and flight prices are up.
If you land in Milan or Istanbul for example there are less people and costs can be reduced.
Also consider your stop over destination (consider Jakarta, Bangkok or Saigon as options) flights will likely be more available, cheaper and less packed.
Business class via these routes is also often considerably lower cost.
DON’T GO TO TOO MANY DESTINATIONS:
Moving around Europe can be challenging at this time as so many people are doing the same thing.
Every single flight within Europe I caught was delayed by a minimum of 90 minutes. One was delayed over 3 hours.
You want to avoid this kind of inconvenience as much as you can.
This is a great time to spend longer in each location and to do less destinations overall.
TRAVEL BY TRAIN WHENEVER POSSIBLE;
Flights are difficult globally right now, all over Europe and even in Asia.
All flights are full, all are delayed and frankly catching planes from country to country is hard work.
The French government has recently banned internal flights in France where regular train options exist. I wouldn’t be surprised if other countries do the same as it makes sense so do anything to reduce airport traffic.
Trains are on time, fun and usually easy. Plus you don’t have to be there hours beforehand like you do with flights so less of your time is spent waiting around.
BOOK YOUR RESTAURANTS AHEAD OF TIME;
The major destinations in Europe have never been busier.
Restaurants are booking up well ahead of time. So if you have your heart set on any popular or trendy restaurants, book ahead. Note you will need a credit card and if you miss your booking you will be charged-and it’s not cheap.
Most restaurants in major European cities charge upwards of Euro 50 per person per booking.
CONSIDER CREATIVE OPTIONS FOR SOME MEALS;
There are so many restaurants, do some research before you go to find alternate options like restaurants within shopping centres and department stores, and even within luxury hotels.
Consider having a light dinner in a bar occasionally to also veer away from traditional, sit down dinner venues.
The main stream venues are likely to be packed and difficult to get into, plus restaurants globally have staff shortages, so food and even drink times can be long. By visiting alternative venues you will reduce your stress levels.
BRACE FOR CRAZY TAXI AND UBER PRICES:
Taxis from the airport are at an all time high. Charles De Gaille to Paris costs Euro 80, as did the taxi from Athens airport into Athens, and that’s each way.
Again another incentive to move around by train.
TAKE HAND LUGGAGE ONLY:
There has never been a better time to travel light, which means you can whiz through airports so much faster.
Suitcase allowances on internal European flights are at an all time low of about 23kg, so many travellers are getting stung continually with excess baggage fees every time they boats yet another flight.
Business class allowances sit at around 32kg per suitcase, worth considering.
DON’T TURN UP WITHOUT A HOTEL BOOKING:
This is not the summer to “wing it”. Hotels are at capacity-especially the luxury ones and if you happen to be lucky enough to land the last room at the best hotel, you will be paying huge prices.
Shop around before you go for the best rates and don’t be afraid to reach out to hotels directly.
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