Help on my itinerary! First time world traveler!
Aug 16th, 2015, 10:56 AM
#22
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I fly in/out of Toronto when travelling to Europe and definitely also recommend open jaw or multi-city flights. All of my flights have been with Air Transat which are usually direct flights to/from Europe. Right now the flights from Toronto to London (Gatwick), early May to June 2016, and return from either Rome or Athens are around $750.00 CDN. Seems reasonable to me considering the current exchange between US/CDN $ and use the savings to fly from Amsterdam to Athens.
Aug 17th, 2015, 11:43 AM
#23
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matthew--$270 Toronto to London? Presume one way, but if it's $540 RT, I'd book it. Looks like a great fare to me.
But Gamewood's fare also looks good because you lengthen the trip by going into London and out of somewhere else. See what you can find for one going to London and out of Athens.
As some of the above have said, you'll stretch your budget by staying outside the bigger cities. So, for example, stay in London for three or four days of your eight, then stay the rest nearer Brighton or Dover. You should be able to save a lot.
Paris is Paris and I wouldn't try to dissuade you from staying in the City, but see what you can find in some of the outer Arrondissements. The Marais (11th A) is a good place to stay and not nearly as expensive as some areas of the City.
Bruges and Brussels are probably going to be expensive. See if you can spend one nite in Bruges and the rest in Ghent or somewhere else in Belgium.
People on this board have said that Haarlem is very near Amsterdam but much less expensive, so look into that.
Finally, if your dream is Greece, then go to Greece. I just ran a hotel search on Santorini with random May 2016 dates and came up with one place that was $36/nite (sold out for my dates but. . . ), but quite a few of around $125. Take the ferry from Piraeus which should not cost all that much. I think you can get a ferry that makes a circuit through some of the other islands as well.
Two meals a day will stretch your budget and make you feel better. In addition to the "menu" (three course lunch) buy picnic makings--bread, cheese, wine, etc., at stores to really cut down on food costs.
I envy you your youth, time and money. Bon Voyage.
But Gamewood's fare also looks good because you lengthen the trip by going into London and out of somewhere else. See what you can find for one going to London and out of Athens.
As some of the above have said, you'll stretch your budget by staying outside the bigger cities. So, for example, stay in London for three or four days of your eight, then stay the rest nearer Brighton or Dover. You should be able to save a lot.
Paris is Paris and I wouldn't try to dissuade you from staying in the City, but see what you can find in some of the outer Arrondissements. The Marais (11th A) is a good place to stay and not nearly as expensive as some areas of the City.
Bruges and Brussels are probably going to be expensive. See if you can spend one nite in Bruges and the rest in Ghent or somewhere else in Belgium.
People on this board have said that Haarlem is very near Amsterdam but much less expensive, so look into that.
Finally, if your dream is Greece, then go to Greece. I just ran a hotel search on Santorini with random May 2016 dates and came up with one place that was $36/nite (sold out for my dates but. . . ), but quite a few of around $125. Take the ferry from Piraeus which should not cost all that much. I think you can get a ferry that makes a circuit through some of the other islands as well.
Two meals a day will stretch your budget and make you feel better. In addition to the "menu" (three course lunch) buy picnic makings--bread, cheese, wine, etc., at stores to really cut down on food costs.
I envy you your youth, time and money. Bon Voyage.
Aug 17th, 2015, 11:56 AM
#24
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London (day trips to Stonehenge, Brighton, and finally Dover)- 8 days>
Investigate the London Plus railpass which gives you X number of unlimited travel days out of an 8-day period and lets you hop any train anytime - can leave before 9:30 am on weekdays - prohibited by many cheaper discounted fares - hop any train anytime and you also get two airport train transfer on the Heathrow Express, Gatwick and Standated Expressed to be use anytime outside of the 8-day pass validity - with three day trips look into it - I may suggest Bath as being way more interesting to most and the pass covers travel there too - Bath one of Britain's top nice looking historic cities - Brighton is hohum IME - even for swimming.
For lots of stuff on English and European trains check these IMO superb sources: www.budgeteuropetravel.com (http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id11.html for current prices and things about on the London Plus Pass) www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - the London Plus Railpass which must be bought before landing in Britain I believe. No equivalent on sale once there. Again the freedom to hop any train anytime is key on day trips - when ready to come back just hop the next train - full fare tickets like to Bath or Stonehenge (Salisbury) can very really high - even Dover - and you could also hit Canterbury and its cathedral at no extra cost.
Investigate the London Plus railpass which gives you X number of unlimited travel days out of an 8-day period and lets you hop any train anytime - can leave before 9:30 am on weekdays - prohibited by many cheaper discounted fares - hop any train anytime and you also get two airport train transfer on the Heathrow Express, Gatwick and Standated Expressed to be use anytime outside of the 8-day pass validity - with three day trips look into it - I may suggest Bath as being way more interesting to most and the pass covers travel there too - Bath one of Britain's top nice looking historic cities - Brighton is hohum IME - even for swimming.
For lots of stuff on English and European trains check these IMO superb sources: www.budgeteuropetravel.com (http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id11.html for current prices and things about on the London Plus Pass) www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - the London Plus Railpass which must be bought before landing in Britain I believe. No equivalent on sale once there. Again the freedom to hop any train anytime is key on day trips - when ready to come back just hop the next train - full fare tickets like to Bath or Stonehenge (Salisbury) can very really high - even Dover - and you could also hit Canterbury and its cathedral at no extra cost.
