Winter Savings in Europe
Avoid summer tourist crowds and save up to 35% by traveling to Europe in the off-season
By Jennifer Davoren
"There are fewer crowds in Europe during the winter, so the sights are more easily accessible," says Troy Bringle, vice president of tours and resorts at Vacations To Go, a Houston-based travel agency.
Travelers may be unaware, Bringle notes, that many European destinations offer milder winters than most of the United States. The southern half of the continent, especially Italian and Spanish locales close to the Mediterranean, offers a surprisingly pleasant travel season, while a snowfall in northern countries such as Austria and Germany simply adds to the Old World charm. In Paris and London in January, average high temperatures hover in the low 30s, while at the same time New York City's average is 26 degrees, and Chicagoans are experiencing temperatures in the teens.
Winter in Europe brings a wealth of special events. Artistic venues come alive with opera, symphony and theater performances. The holidays themselves are another attraction, Bringle says, as a festive spirit infuses the continent.
"The Christmas markets of central and eastern Europe are popular for folks who want to celebrate the season on vacation. Cities and towns light up, both figuratively and literally, with decorations and festivities that fill the streets," he says.
Best of all, Bringle notes, leading tour operators lower the prices of their escorted vacations in winter. This type of tour can be an economical way to travel at any time of year -- it combines accommodations, land travel, sightseeing and most activities and meals into one price that's paid up front. The tour companies are able to negotiate low group rates, passing the savings on to customers. However, in a bid to attract customers during the sluggish off-season, these rates drop even lower between November and early April.
"Generally speaking, prices for both the tours and air are lower during the winter. Most operators quote savings of 25 to 35 percent off peak season prices," Bringle says.
Below, we've profiled four escorted tours that highlight Europe's winter wonders at vastly reduced rates. The first two explore a single county, the third highlights two countries and the last offers a broader view of the continent.
Italian Treasures
See Roman ruins and the riches of the Renaissance with "Italy's Great Cities (Winter)" a nine-day vacation with Globus. The trip begins in the Eternal City, Rome, where guided sightseeing includes a dazzling array of landmarks: the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Next, take off for Pisa, home of the infamous leaning tower, and Florence, capital of the dazzling region of Tuscany.
Guests spend two nights in Florence, taking in sights like Michelangelo's "David" at the Galleria dell'Accademia and the Piazza della Signoria with its multitude of centuries-old statues. Chianti is a staple of life in this part of Italy, and Florence will offer plenty of opportunities to sample regional vintages.
The vacation continues with a few hours in Verona, where Shakespeare set his tragic play of star-crossed lovers, "Romeo and Juliet." Guests can sneak a peak at "Juliet's balcony" before walking through Verona's market square. Next is Venice, where you'll ride through the canals on a private boat, explore St. Mark's Square, see the legendary Bridge of Sighs and tour the Doge's Palace, a Gothic manor dating to the ninth century. Tour participants spend two nights in this watery city.
The trip concludes with a drive along the famed "Highway of the Sun," a winding road through wine country and the Etruscan Apennine Mountains, and a lavish farewell dinner in Rome.
Details: Departures from Nov. 2, 2007, through April 15, 2008. Prices from $1,449 per person, land only. Click here for more information.
Irish Heritage
Trafalgar Tours takes on the Emerald Isle with its nine-day trip, "Real Ireland 2007/2008" and highlights the country's most popular attractions.
After guests check into their Dublin hotel, Trafalgar's tour guides will escort them to local landmarks like Oscar Wilde's alma mater, Trinity College; St. Patrick's Cathedral, the capital's center of worship since the 12th century; and Phoenix Park, one of the largest city parks in Europe. On day three, the tour winds through the country to Kildare and the Irish National Stud, an expansive horse-breeding farm run by the Irish government. Then, it's on to the 12th-century Norman stronghold and historic cathedral of St. Canice at Kilkenny. In Waterford, guests can shop for the fine glassware produced at the city's famous crystal factory.
The tour follows up with a relaxing drive along the southern coast. Guests travel through County Cork for a tour of St. Anne Shandon Church and Blarney Castle, where visitors pucker up for the "Stone of Eloquence," said to offer the gift of gab to all who kiss it.
Next is the Ring of Kerry, a scenic drive through a spectacular landscape of windswept cliffs, rugged mountains and sparkling lakes. You'll see picturesque villages along the route.
The tour then turns north toward County Limerick for a stop at Adare, camera-ready with its thatched-roof cottages and Tudor-style homes. Next is Knock, which has been a popular site of pilgrimage since 1879, when 15 people reported seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist here.
Rounding out the itinerary are stops at the grave of William Butler Yeats in Drumcliff, the Belleek Pottery factory and the sandy beaches of Sligo Bay. On the final morning of the trip, guests head back to Dublin for their flights home.
Details: Departures from Nov. 1, 2007, through April 12, 2008. Prices from $1,099 per person, land only. For more details, click here.
Southern Europe
Three stunning cities in Portugal and Spain are the centerpiece of "11-Day Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona" a popular vacation from Gate 1 Travel. Guests spend three nights in each destination, and they can sightsee with the rest of their Gate 1 group as little or as much as they like.
Each day, you are free to explore these cities at leisure, or you can choose to join one of the many optional excursions offered throughout the trip. These guided outings cost extra and can be purchased "a la carte." There are one or two scheduled each day of the vacation.
The trip begins in Lisbon, Portugal's capital. An optional tour takes in such sights as the historic downtown area; the Gothic Jeronimos Monastery, final resting place of Vasco da Gama; and the Monument of the Discoveries, the city's tribute to 15th- and 16th-century explorers. Another excursion visits the walled city of Obidos before heading to the fishing village of Nazare for lunch, followed by a tour of Fatima, home to a frequently visited shrine.
Guests then transfer to Madrid, located right in the heart of Spain. Guided sightseeing includes a trip to the Prado Museum for a glimpse of works by Botticelli, Goya and Rubens, as well as a jaunt outside the city to the royal monastery of Escorial. An afternoon tour travels to nearby Toledo, known as Spain's "Museum City."
Conclude your trip in Barcelona, on Spain's sunny northeast coast. Sights here include the city's famed gothic quarter, or Barri Gotic, laced by narrow streets; the intricately carved Sagrada Familia church; and the Picasso Museum, which boasts the world's largest collection of works created by the flamboyant artist. An optional tour allows for exploration of the Benedictine abbey at Montserrat, a mountain near Barcelona.
Details: Departures from Nov. 5, 2007, through March 17, 2008. Prices from $579 per person, land only. For more information, click here.
Hit All the Highlights
For a panoramic view of Europe in the off-season, try "Winter Spotlight" a 13-day trip from Insight Vacations. It squeezes seven countries into one impressive itinerary.
The tour sets off from London, where a morning of guided sightseeing takes in West End attractions like Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and Westminster Abbey. After two nights in the British capital, guests head east to the White Cliffs of Dover before crossing the English Channel by ferry and driving to Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands. Here, tour a diamond factory as well as the royal palace.
Guests cross the border into Germany on day five and visit Cologne, taking in the city's lovely cathedral with towering spires. You'll overnight in Heidelberg, home to Germany's oldest university and a spectacular castle. The next day, view Neuschwanstein, Bavaria's "castle in the sky." The trip continues to the Austrian mountain town of Innsbruck, then it's on to Verona and Venice, where you'll watch a glass-blowing demonstration by a local artisan.
A scenic drive through the Italian countryside on day nine meanders past Lake Como before entering the Swiss Alps. Guests spend the night in lakeside Lucerne, a city known for its covered bridges and frescoed homes. The trip winds down in Paris, allowing for tours that cover treasures like Notre Dame and the Louvre -- with free time for a stroll (or a shopping spree) down the Champs-Elysees.
Details: Departures through March 27, 2008. Prices from $2,299 per person, land only. Click here for more details.
The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published in September/October 2007.
Please visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 680-2858 for current rates and details.