For cheap flights, try this new site:

http://www.drungli.com/

or: http://www.flylc.com/directall-en.asp

I think your budget is a bit tight. Things can get expensive around the holidays. You have E140 per day for the 2 of you for lodging, food, and transportation.

Have you looked at other airfares to see if your trip is possible? How about lodging?

fly fly fly - you will only see heavily touristed tourist meccas and nary a wee bit of the lay of the land that lies between the big cities - tarmac and big cities but not say Switzerland as you might pass thru on the train.

Strongly consider IMO bargain Eurail Youthpass, if under 26 that is, and avail yourself of the way to not only see the often wondrous countryside between the tourist meccas and also meet and mingle with Europeans, who often take the train as well as zillions of young folk from around Europe and the world riding European trains.

Overnight trains can cover long distances but save on the cost of a hotel.

Anyway srongly consider a major re whatever of your trip and take to the rails - great sites IMO for learning and planning a European rail adventure -www.budgeteuropetravel.com, www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.

I so agree with Pal. Taking the train accomplishes two things: You get from point A to point B and, unlike the plane, you save the cost of a hotel each time you train overnight. And, you are city center to city center, saving you the cost of a taxi, train or shuttle to and from the airports.

georgina,

Consider this if you are on a small budget (and you really are): You are spending an awful lot of money GETTING to all these major cities vs. BEING in these cities.

You would actually get more cultural value for your money if you cut your destinations and just do a third of this itinerary.

You are young. Europe isn't going anywhere. You will have more trips in the future.

Have fun whatever you decide!

In one month, you'll be coming and going through airports 14 times. During the Christmas and New Years holiday period!! That would send me over the edge.

If it were my trip, I'd pick destinations that are not quite so geographically separated and are, where possible, reachable by train. You've also picked only big cities. I'd want to mix it up a little with a couple of smaller, quieter destinations.

You need to note what days of the week you'll be where and what things will be open. For example, if your only days in a city are Sunday-Monday, you might have trouble seeing everything on your list.

If you can find another day I would definitely spend it in Paris.

And I think your budget is extremely tight. Forget about shopping - you would need your whole budget for one designer item.

Have you looked into the cost of lodging? And flights between cities? I don;t think you really have anything left for food or sightseeing or even a little night life in student cafes or pubs.

Granted you are going off-season - but that doesn;t make things free. I woulld do some searching now for lodging costs - and organize your flight plan to you are ready to pounce the second you get get a super bargain fare. (My 19 year old daughter went to europe with 2 friends last summer for 5 weeks - modestly, no shopping and limited student price nightlife - and she spent more than $8000 for one person - including trains and intrercity flights - but not the transatlantic flight.)

and she spent more than $8000 for one person

She's a heavy spender. Not counting international flights, my wife estimates an expenditure of $5500 for two months for the two of us (she thinks that this is actually high). Admittedly 4 weeks were rent "free" (the costs are hidden in annual taxes, telephone bills, utility costs, house repairs etc.), but it includes flights from Poland to France and three different car rentals for a total of 48 days.

After living in the UK before this vacation, the OP might learn how to limit expenses.

I take the last half of your itinerary as a given, but suggest altering the first half this way

Three nights (two days) in London
Train from London to Paris

Four nights (three days) in Paris
Fly from Paris to Barcelona

Four nights (three days) in Barcelona
Fly from Barcelona to Rome

Five nights (four days) in Rome
Fly from Rome to Vienna

I understand you are not afraid of cold, but Amsterdam is wet too. You really can't walk around in the rain all day in December. Have back up plans for indoor activities that will genuinely interest you and your boyfriend.

Sorry. I just realized you had posted your Paris and Barcelona flights are booked. But I reiterate my advice about the weather, and it applies to all your destinations, not just Amsterdam.

"In one month, you'll be coming and going through airports 14 times. During the Christmas and New Years holiday period!!"

Jean makes a very valid point. This sounds like a real grind.

Traveling out to all those departure airports, arriving about 2 hours early each time, traveling in from all the arrival airports -- you are spending easily 8 or 9 days of your month just in transit. That is a huge waste of time/money.

Cut way back on the number of destinations . . . you save a TON of $/£/€, and actually see more . . .

Tour de Tarmacs et Aeroports!

I don;t think she's a heavy spender - I couldn't begin to do it for that. But I'm not 19, staying in a small triple and don't want the type of hotels or restaurants/cafes they used - and definitely don't want low budget airlines or trains (except if just between two major cities).

We like to do one splurge restaurant in each city and stay in a central full-service hotel with enough room to relax (usually a small suite). IMHO at a certain point in life comfort is more important than $.

What does the 4,000€ include? Does this amount include transportation and and hotels? I would cut back to about four destinations and try to travel by train as much as possible. If you stay a week in each place, you could find a small apartment which would be much cheaper than hotels. If course, if you're planning on staying in hostels that can be inexpensive as well. Three days is not nearly enough for Paris.

If you are really bent on conquering Europe in one trip you might also consider a guided tiur so someone else arranges all those trips back and forth to the airport. If I had your time and money I would probably drop two cities from the list and I would concentrate on the big three - London, Paris, Rome. Your job is to enjoy the trip, not just to put pins in the map. Enjoy it.

I think you have too many cities and too many plane flights for the period of time. I'd cut out at least two destinations from the original list and check if there are any legs that the train, either by day or an overnight one could make sense, to mix things up a bit. Way too much time in airports in the 1st draft itinerary.

Also by trimming the number of places, you'll save some money by not moving around so much. That will help stretch your budget. I don't think you have enough time or money to start adding 'day trips' or doing much 'shopping'.