I got married a couple of years ago and honeymooned in Italy.  From Rome to Florence to Venice, we had a wonderful time.  The problem is that we’re still paying it off.  It was a once in a lifetime experience, and I’m glad that we did it the way that we did.  It was, after all, our honeymoon.  That being said if I were doing it again I’d really try my best to get a similar experience for much less money.  Here is a list of tips and tricks to enjoy a European Vacation on a Budget.

RESEARCH YOUR AIRFARE
Of course you know the standard budget travel websites (Travelocity, Priceline, etc.) but really do the diligence.  There is a good chance that what you think might be the best deal actually isn’t.  The more time before you travel that you give yourself, the better the chance is that you’ll find a good rate.  I live in Upstate New York and I did research on a flight to Rome.  As it turned out, I saved myself about $400 by deciding to travel from JFK as opposed to from my local international airport.  I also left my car at a friend’s house who lived minutes from JFK’s terminal, thereby saving me about $100 in parking fees.

GO CHEAP WITH AIRFARE IN EUROPE
Much like the former discount airline franchises in the U.S. recently (ValueJet, Shuttle America, etc.), Europe has a number of discount airlines.  Typically they offer very low fares and sparse amenities as well.  The top providers are Ryanair and easyJet.  If you book on their website you can possibly get a flight from Italy to Spain (or some other European destination) for under 50 Euros.  One thing to be careful of is the hidden fees that can include pricing for luggage that is not included in the fare.

TAKE A TRAIN
Unlike America, where traveling on the train has become somewhat of a past tradition, Train Travel is still utilized in Europe.  In fact, there’s nary a place in Europe that you can’t reach by train.  Or at least by train and then short taxi ride.  Train travel can be an affordable option both for travel within the confines of a particular country, and throughout the whole of Europe as well.

EAT FAST FOOD
I know, I know.  I hate the looks and sneers I get when I tell someone that I ate McDonalds on the Spanish Steps in Rome.  Did I look like the standard ‘ugly American’?  Possibly.  But the thing is that when traveling in Europe, food costs can quickly become a lion’s share of expenditures.  One night out at a 3 star Parisian bistro can set you back over 200 Euros rather quickly.  I’m not telling you to subsist entirely on American Fast food joints while you’re in Europe, I’m just saying that it’s ok to interlace your eating with some cheap options that you might already be familiar with.  It’s also neat to see what they call things like the Quarter Pounder in Europe (as they use the metric system.)

STAY AT A HOSTEL
There are a couple of stigmas that you need to get over if you think that you might be in the market to stay in a European hostel.  The first is that it’s only for backpacking grad students who are taking a year off before growing up and dipping into the trust fund.  The truth is that staying in a hostel has become an increasingly viable option for travelers of all ages.  It is based on your comfort level as the amenities are certainly not in-line with your standard hotel travel arrangements.  Secondly, you need to forget abou the movie “Hostel.”  It really has no bearing on staying in a hostel, any more that “Psycho” has to do with taking a shower.

TRAVEL OFF SEASON
Just like going to Disneyland will cost you considerably more in February than it will in the heat of July, the same principle holds true in Europe.  Summer months are going to cost you much more in air-fare and accommodations than say in the Winter.  Now you might be hampered by what months you are willing and able to travel, but by all means, if you have the means and desire to travel to popular spots in the months that are traditionally less traveled, you might be able to save some serious scratch.

STAY AWAY FROM TOURIST TRAPS
That handy little travel guide that you picked up at Border’s might tell you all the happening places to visit and all the posh bistros to eat at.  But the problem is that there are thousands of travelers who are reading the same information.  Likewise, travel websites are often going to give you the same information.  Tourist traps are places where it’s easy to raise the prices because there will never be a shortage of patrons.  Find places that are popular amongst locals and nearby travelers by talking to friends who have visited before or looking for information in less popular venues.  You might be able to find a wonderfully hidden restaurant or museum that is far less visited and thereby far less pricey.

FIND FREE PLACES TO VISIT
One of the best traveling experiences I’ve ever had was when my wife and I spent the day in Rome and barely paid a cent.  We traveled through the ancient ruins, visited the Parthenon, and walked the entirety of Villa Borghese and never paid a cent.  The next day we paid to enter the Coliseum.  Not that we didn’t enjoy that as well, but when we saw such great sites that were available to everyone without cost we really felt like we were experiencing the city and not just the places that you have to pay to see.  It also made it more palatable to buy 40 Euro bottle of wine with dinner.

If you do your research and you take the time to figure out the best path on the road less traveled, you can do yourself a huge favor by taking a $10,000 vacation and turning it into a $7500 one.  Don’t be fooled into believing that a European vacation is ever going to be cheap.  It’s simply not.  But that doesn’t mean that it has to break the bank.  Follow a couple of the guidelines above and maybe you can have enough left over to start your savings for your next vacation.