I cannot even begin to count the huge number of people that have told me they want to go to Europe or have plans to travel there, but never do. My mother is from the Netherlands and therefore I have had the opportunity to traverse the Atlantic to Europe more than a dozen times. However, this past summer was the first time I was able to explore the continent without a parent or family member to hold my hand and found it was easier and cheaper than I thought.
It is difficult to understand why such a large number of friends and acquaintances have repeatedly failed to make the trip after expressing their desire or need to go. Traveling to Europe is the best way to have a great time and achieve a better understanding of the world. It is a unique area because there is such an astounding variety of well-established languages and cultures to explore in an area only slightly larger than the United States. Other regions of the world do not offer so much diversity in such a small space.
This leaves me to question why so many people are depriving themselves of the wonderful and enlightening experience of discovering Europe while still in college. Is it too expensive and difficult to plan? Do people lack knowledge on what to do and where to go? Well, if these are your questions, I am here to answer them.
I am not going to lie and tell you that traveling to and around Europe isn't a little expensive and tricky compared to staying in North America, but there is one easy way to save a considerable amount of money and make the planning trouble-free - use the Internet (for all the ignorant Americans out there, yes, the Europeans do know how to use it as well). It is the most important thing to remember when planning your trip and making bookings. There is no need to pay a travel agent or organization.
For buying international flights, students can usually save at least $100 to $200 off other web sites and agencies at studentuniverse.com as it is designed exclusively for poor college students. Another tip is to buy a round trip ticket because two one-way tickets cost much more for international flights. Also, if you are planning on going to London, book your flight there because it is usually the cheapest destination from American departures.
Traveling Europe by train is easy because nearly every city and large village has a train station in or close to the city center. However, this convenience comes at a higher cost than flying. Therefore, it is usually cheapest to buy a single rail youth pass for a specific area or country at raileurope.com. For example, one can buy a pass for 10 to 15 days of travel within a two-month span in up to five bordering countries for around $500.
Taking advantage of one of the many low-cost airlines in Europe is a little less convenient but it is also less expensive. Ryan Air is by far the cheapest. By going to ryanair.com and clicking the "destinations" link you can delve into an interactive map of all the places you can fly within Europe. This is ideal if you are looking to hit a specific number of hot spots that are not relatively close to each other. For example, you can go from London to Barcelona to Rome and back to London for under $250 if you book a few weeks in advance. A trip such as this would be unfathomable by train considering time and monetary constraints. Other good low-cost airlines include Easyjet (easyjet.com) and German Wings (germanwings.com).
As for accommodations, we are college students and there is no need for us to stay in a nice hotel or bed and breakfast; youth hostels are the best way to go. They are cheap and situated, so it is easy to meet other young people with whom to go out and have fun. Most run at $10 to $20 per night. The best web sites for finding good deals on hostels and making reservations are hostels.com and hihostels.com (Hostelling International).
Everyone knows the Internet cannot be used for everything. Therefore, once you use the web to arrange how you are getting to Europe, where you are going and hostelling, you are going to need a good travel book to find out what to do and where to go for the region you choose to visit. Lonely Planet offers the best travel guide - they publish over 650 different guidebooks from all over the world. Their information is updated, reliable and includes information on upcoming events, pubs, cafes, the arts, food and more. Any decent bookstore will have a selection of Lonely Planet travel guides.
I hope this column will convince you to start saving up for a trip to Europe if you have always wanted to go. Besides, spending a couple grand on traveling through Europe is much better than wasting your summer and winter vacations drinking Keystone Light and hanging out at the local eatery or diner. By acquiring a better understanding of the world through observing different people and cultures in their environment, you will benefit your character and understanding. As economics professor Derek Johnson says, "There is no better investment than an investment in yourself."
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