Europe on a Shoestring
For quite a few years now a number of the so-called “budget airlines” in Europe have been taking part in a fares war trying to offer the lowest air fares to a huge number of cities throughout Europe. It’s quite normal to see that one of the leading budget carriers such as Easyjet or Ryanair is offering return flights from Britain to Germany, Spain or France for £1 (approx $1.45). There might be airport landing fees and taxes to be added to that, but it remains an absolute bargain if you’re keen to see a number of cities throughout Europe. The downside of these cheap flights is that they frequently fly to the smaller local airports rather than the better known biginternational ones. This can mean that a flight that is supposed to be flying to a major European city actually lands up to fifty miles away. In fact there are a number of advantages with this arrangement, the regional airports will always offer a much quicker turnround on luggage and check-in because they are catering for a lot less flights. The downside is that transportation to and from these airfields can be patchy at best and a very popular alternative is hiring a car from the airport. Here are a variety of the great cities that we have visited using cheap flights. We’re sure that you would enjoy visiting any of these scenic, you can rest assured that they have plenty to offer to visitors to their country.
Glasgow, once the butt of so many jokes about the slums of the Gorbals has seen a Renaissance and has become a wonderful, architecturally divine city supporting huge numbers of tourists throughout the year. The chic West side of the city is the home of one of the oldest universities in the United Kingdom. Situated on a hill amidst the Medieval region of the city, the students bring a cosmopolitan, fun loving atmosphere to the city. The low cost carriers utilise Prestwick Airport which is approximately 51 km (35 miles) north east of the centre of Glasgow and there is an excellent road between the airport and the city centre. This is a popular area for sightseeing, so it is advisable to hire a car at Prestwick in advance of your trip. An uncrowded half hour drive from Prestwick along the M77 motorway brings you to the centre of the city. Glasgow is an ideal starting point for a journey to the Trossachs National Park. Just 13 mile (20 km) journey out of the city and you might discover stunning countryside on the back of a pony, whereas a 50 km (30 mile) drive eastwards using another excellent motorway will take you to Edinburgh together with its amazing festivals, shopping in Princes Street, the historic Castle and Holyrood Palace.
Undoubtedly one of the most stunningly beautiful locations in Europe, Florence is served by Pisa Airport, which is 84 km (50 miles) west of the city. Rent a car at Pisa airport and you will be in position to explore Pisa’s leaning tower, the wonders of historic Florence and some of Europe’s most picturesque countryside, that of the majestically beautiful Tuscany. It is therefore not surprising that Florence is high in the popularity stakes when looking at European cities. Once you arrive at the city of Florence you will discover that most of the centre of the city is traffic free thus preserving the many ancient statues and architectural treasures from the vibrations and pollution caused by hectic traffic. As a result you are overtaken by a feeling of tranquility as you walk from one fragment of history to the next. You don’t have to stray too far before experiencing the ghastly, ear piercing roar from Florence’s legion of scooter riders. Apart from the Ponte Vecchio all of the bridges into the city centre are noisy, polluted places, thus giving us an added incentive to keep to the narrow alleyways and tranquil inner sanctums of Florence’s beautiful piazzas.
Tours, France
Tours is the ideal centre for exploring France’s wonderful Loire valley and its majestic chateaux The perfect centre for discovering the Loire Valley famed for its amazing selection of palatial residences, Tours has a few charms of its own. Although the little airport is but a couple of miles out of town, you really need to rent a car at Tours airport in order to explore some of the most picturesque towns and villages in the whole of France. Along the banks of the River Loire between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes, a host of cultural treasures are presented for the tourist to enjoy. The Loire valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site and offers scenic countryside, historic villages and lots of flamboyant castles. Originally the “Retreat of Kings” back in the days of the Renaissance and the middle ages, the Loire Valley was a firm savourite of the French monarchy. Built originally as working fortified castles, the buildings were transformed into the palatial chaeaux that you can see today. Visitors from all over the world are drawn to the historic towns that are situated along the banks of the Loire. Towns such as Chinon, Tours and Orleans have so much to see and do whilst the most popular of all the chateaux is probably that on the estate of Chambord. Throughout the region you will find little, family owned vineyards offering a variety of wonderful wines at budget prices. Look out for the word “degustation”, which means sampling I guess, and as long as ‘Le Patron’ is not enjoying a long leisurely lunch you will be made very welcome and he will be delighted to lead you through a tasting of all his wines. Of course, it is vital that you take a non-drinker as your chauffer, some of these tasting sessions can get very serious!.
