With the global economy taking a nosedive this year, many people are second-guessing their European (or German) vacations this year. So here are a few tips:
1. When planning a "Euro zone" vacation, do not buy your Euros all at once. Watch the currency markets over a period of months and buy your Euros on days /weeks that the dollar is "strong" this will give you a longer period of time to lock in the best exchange rates ahead of your trip.
2. Stay away from the large hotel chains throughout Europe unless you can get a "package deal" through your airline or through a travel broker (like AAA). If you have to stay in a chain hotel, always ask if there are any special discounts available before you book. Starting a trip mid-week is and carrying over to the middle of the following week means that you will get an overall cheaper rate per night than only booking from weekend to weekend.
3. Never rent a car from a major city unless you will be staying in that city your entire trip. You can rent a vehicle through Hertz, Alamo and others to pick up in a small town or city and save on the daily rates. Pickup your rental by taking public transit to where the rental office will be away from the big cities. Since the rental agencies do not get a lot of business in smaller towns and cities, the rates are far more competitive and its worth taking a train to pick up the vehicle for the savings.
4. When renting a vehicle, only rent the vehicle when you actually need it. If your plans include spending more than 2 days in a major city, turn the car back in and take the public transit. It is of no value to have a rental car sitting in a parking spot for days and driving in most major European cities is a major headache if you are not accustomed to driving in the big city.
5. Unless you "just have to see XXX" regionalize your vacation. Making loose plans that encompass and entire company is extremely expensive unless you have an itinerary to support it. If you don't have a vast list of "must see(s)" start in one interesting area and spend most of your time there (like the Rheinland or Mosel areas). This way, you can thoroughly explore an area's sites and minimize the overall cost by remaining in the same general area. On days where you will be traveling in rural areas, that is when having a rental car is important (since the time you will need to take public transit is extensive and you subsequently miss all the "stuff" in between).
more to come....
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Very nice post. Germany is a beautiful place to visit.Cologne is the most visited city in germany and famous for its historical monuments.Cologne is famous for the carnival.You may find best museums and cathedrals all over germany. Don't fail to visit Frauenkirch as it has many attractions. Frankfurt has one of the largest and ancient Jewish burial grounds. Stadel Art Museum, Liebig Haus, Musuem of Modern Art, Goethe’s birth home, Alte Oper, the 1180 built Staufen Wall, the Klein Market Hall are worth visiting. For more details refer Cologne germany
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