Off-season travel to western Europe is in full swing: from the UK to Vienna, deals on all-inclusive package tours are available that help take the sting out of the dollar's declining value. Book now and travel before the end of winter to save on several European vacation options.
Globus Journeys (tel. 866/755-8581; www.globusjourneys.com) has a promotion offering a savings of $200 per couple on European vacations during 2007 that are booked between February 3 and 28, 2007. The $200 per couple or $100 per person discount is good for all Globus air-inclusive European vacations for travel beginning before October 31, 2007. One of the available trips is the "Britain Sampler," a ten-day, air-inclusive package starting in London that takes you to Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon, North Wales, Chester, Edinburgh, Scotland and York. Highlights of the trip include Stonehenge, Shakespeare's birthplace, Anne Hathaway's house, a walking tour of York, and the changing of the guard in London. The land-only price of the trip is listed at $1,029. Call a Globus Journey representative to get the air-inclusive price and inquire about the $200 per couple discount. Departures are available through the end of March. Airfares will be priced out of New York. Airport transfers are included in United Kingdom, but air security fees and departure taxes are not included in the package price.
Gate One Travel (tel. 800/682-3333; www.gateonetravel.com) has several low-priced deals to Europe. A six-day Paris vacation starting at $499 departs on February 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2007. The independent package includes round-trip airfare out of New York, four nights at your choice from two hotels, daily breakfast and airline fuel surcharges. The trip price increases to $549 with departures on March 7, 14 and 21, 2007. For a small increase in price pushing the package to $629 for all departure dates, travelers can upgrade their hotel to the Hotel Moderne St. Germain on rue des Ecoles. The famous Pantheon -- the burial place of Voltaire, Rousseau, and Victor Hugo -- is within walking distance to the hotel. Security taxes and departure fees are additional.
Gate One travel is also offering a package trip visiting Madrid, Salamanca, and Lisbon. The budget trip to "Classic Spain and Portugal" starts at $1,499 with departures from April to November 2007. The seven-day trip includes airfare from New York to Madrid and Lisbon to New York, five nights in three-star and above hotels, all hotel and airport transfers, five breakfasts and one dinner with wine, an English-speaking guide, local guides for city tours, and sightseeing per an itinerary with transportation on a luxury motor coach. Highlights of the trip include the Prado Museum in Madrid, Roman aqueducts in Segovia and the tomb of the explorer Vasco de Gama in Portugal. Departure taxes, airport security fees, restaurant tips and optional tours made available by Gate One are all additional.
Vacation Europe (tel. 800/780-2202; www.vacationeurope.com), a newcomer to the European discount travel online market, has five-night trips available to European cities from virtually every big American gateway. Their "Spectacular Winter Sale" gives you a selection of European cities and American departure gateways in an easy-to-read chart format. These independent city packages get you there and let you do the rest. The packages include round-trip airfare from your departure city, five night's accommodations, daily buffet breakfast, and hotel service taxes. Air taxes and security fees are additional. From Miami, prices to Rome start at $727, Nice for $749, Vienna for $819, Prague for $689 and London for $709. From Chicago you'll pay $779 to Paris, $717 to Rome, $750 to Madrid, and $679 to Budapest. The company can also set you up with escorted bus tours, villa rental, and links to European rail ticket purchase options.
Talk with fellow Frommer's readers on our Europe Message Boards today.
