Weak Euro - Time to Travel Western Europe

[chinaco]

With the Euro weakening, it is probably a good time to travel in Western Europe.

We are planning an extended trip in 2011... But 2010 may be very good.

Anybody planning any trips to Western Europe this year?

 

[vicente solano]

Yeah, come to Spain!

 

[Gumby]

I would love to go to Spain, although my young wife wants to wear out our welcome in Italy first (we have been there the last three years in a row).

 

[check6]

Heading to France and Switzerland later this summer.

Ck 6

 

[chinaco]

I would love to go to Spain, although my young wife wants to wear out our welcome in Italy first (we have been there the last three years in a row).

Been to both several times.

If you go to Southern Spain... consider spending a few days on Mallorca (Balearic Island in the Mediterranean Sea).

DW and I are considering a couple of weeks in Italy later this year.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I would have been in England right now for the Chelsea garden show, but I had my son cancel my flight due to volcanic ash considerations and airline strike uncertainties. I will possibly go later in the year. I was going to stay in my son's apartment(he is posted there by his American employer) so it wasn't a big deal to change my plans. And he had booked my ticket using his airline miles.

 

[Cruisinthru]

We arre planning a trip to England, France, Spain, and Portugal in Aug. and Sept. These are all places we have not been before. We are really excited about the trip. We will spend 14 days on a cruise ship and a week in Paris and London.

In the Spring of 2011 we will take a TA cruise from Galveston to Barcelona. We plan to stay in Spain and France for a week or two. We are just planning out where we want to go and see on that trip.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We'll be there for ten days in July--have prepaid some arrangements in euros this week at such a better exchange rate than last time we were there! There was a discount to prepay so I hope that offsets any further slide.

Besides the conversion rate being attractive, I wonder if tourism will be down some in general and there might be some more bargains as a result.

 

[ziggy29]

It's not the Euro, but the pound is pretty weak also and we're going to England next month.

 

[FUEGO]

In the Spring of 2011 we will take a TA cruise from Galveston to Barcelona. We plan to stay in Spain and France for a week or two. We are just planning out where we want to go and see on that trip.

We may do something like this. TA cruise to or from Europe (in spring or fall, respectively), then fly the other way using frequent flyer miles for one way plane tix.

The cheap euro/GBP is what is tempting us, even though the euro still isn't nearly as low as it was way back when (under USD 1.00). We have wanted to go for a while, but I wouldn't have been able to enjoy myself paying $7+ for a cup of coffee or little snack, or big bucks for other trivial little things (too value conscious). Too many other desirable and inexpensive places to see in the world in the meantime.

 

[haha]

Too many other desirable and inexpensive places to see in the world in the meantime.

Viva El Salvador!

 

[FUEGO]

Viva El Salvador!

Not at the top of my list, but I'm sure there are nice parts, and it is desirable to some.

Thailand has temporarily been scratched off my list of "desirable" places.

 

[Alan]

It's not the Euro, but the pound is pretty weak also and we're going to England next month.

We're going there on Monday for almost 3 months.

 

[Danmar]

Just got back from Italy. Instead of outragious it was only very expensive. Next it's Turkey. Paying in Euros so will be cheaper than originally planned. Agree about Thailand. Was going there in Oct but have now deferred till April next year. Great time to travel to Europe-including UK.

 

[Danmar]

We arre planning a trip to England, France, Spain, and Portugal in Aug. and Sept. These are all places we have not been before. We are really excited about the trip. We will spend 14 days on a cruise ship and a week in Paris and London.

In the Spring of 2011 we will take a TA cruise from Galveston to Barcelona. We plan to stay in Spain and France for a week or two. We are just planning out where we want to go and see on that trip.

Good plan. We did a TA cruise in 2007. A great way to get there-no jet lag. Also, as they tend to be repositioning cruises they are much less expensive. We went Regent and it was pretty good. Ended in Barcelona-great city.

 

[chinaco]

We're going there on Monday for almost 3 months.

The weak pound will help... but prepare yourself for sticker shock. It is expensive!

 

[Bestwifeever]

We're going there on Monday for almost 3 months.

How is your FIL doing, Alan? I imagine Mrs. Alan is anxious to get there.

 

[audreyh1]

Spain! But it will be next year. I'm counting on the Euro to stay lower for a while.

Audrey

 

[CoolChange]

I am heading that direction this summer (mid-July through mid-August). Western Germany (Cologne) and southern Ireland (around the Dingle dangle) are the only certainties for me at this point; I am welcoming all suggestions for off the beaten path must-sees.

 

[Alan]

The weak pound will help... but prepare yourself for sticker shock. It is expensive!

Not too bad for us as we usually bum off relatives most of the time

Last year we went for 3 weeks in the summer as all 3 of our surviving parents were in their late 70's and early 80's. Although they were all relative healthy and we had been over less than 18 months before, we decided that we'd better go as at that age, you never know.

MIL died in October so we were over for 2 weeks, and then my Dad died the week before Christmas so I spent 10 days over then.

Now, FIL is in hospital with terminal cancer so we are going over as he probably only has a few weeks left. We had flights booked for July 7, for a long visit so we've pulled it forward to June 7 instead.

How is your FIL doing, Alan? I imagine Mrs. Alan is anxious to get there.

We did a webcam with her brother today and her Dad is pretty much unchanged. It is lymphona and at almost 86 there are few treatment options as he is very weak. There were no symptoms until his legs gave way under him and he felt really poorly. He was a great walker and really fit so it is a big surprise to everyone, as he just has never been ill in his entire life.

 

[Htown Harry]

The Htown family will be in France for two weeks in July, with Harry, DW and DD#2 visiting DD #1 now studying in Paris.

We'll spend some easy time in Paris at her host's home, then head out for 10 days testing how fast euros spend in southern France (Provence).

Although the drop in the exchange rate is certainly welcome news, it had no impact on our decision to go.

I don't think it will have too much of an effect on the itinerary, either. Compared to our typical vacation, this one is in already 3x or 4x more expensive. If the exchange rates makes it 2.5x or 3.5x as expensive, so much the better.

 

[brett]

We live in Canada. We are planning an extended trip to Europe next spring, probably three months or so-maybe more if we can get a decent rental. We have been spending more time in the US for the past two years-more cruises etc. because the exchange rates are very good (comparatively). We maintain US dollar bank accounts and credit cards in order to avoid those excessive bank charges. We are now just looking at starting to buy Euros and GBP's for our trip next year. We will probably average down as I suspect both the Euro and the GBP have a little way to go yet vis a vis our CAD dollar. Last time we were in Europe, to CAD, the GBP was $2.20 and Euro was $1.66 ish. It is now about $1.50 and 1.35 respectively. This should make a huge difference. We are also looking at doing something in the fall as transocean air fares show signs of decreasing in price. Exchange rates always play a part in our vacation decisions. We avoided the US and US based cruises when our dollar was low in favour of trips to Mexico, Cuba etc. and to places like Turkey. There are so many places on our list so it is just as easy for us to pick somewhere with an exchange or price advantage and it makes our vacation dollar go so much further.

 

[jimnjana]

We are going on a 12 day Cruise departing from Barcelona in August, visiting France, Italy and Croatia also doing a 4 night pre cruise tour of Spain starting in Madrid. While the Euro is relatively weak, still is about 30% higher than it was last time I was in Europe, a year or so after the Euro was adopted.

 

[GoodSense]

We are going to Venice->Salzburg->Verona->Florence->Rome->Sicily->Paris in July. So far hotel prices have been reasonable. Since I started planning the trip in January, the exchange rate has dropped from 1.5 (or so) to now 1.2. Can't complain!

 

[DangerMouse]

We hope to squeeze in a European vacation next year. We are working on spending on our BA visa card so we can get a free ticket for one of us. We truly do not have time to get to Europe in 2010, all vacation time has been promised to other locations.