Europe on a Shoestring
For some years now a group of the airlines labelled “low-cost airlines in Europe have been taking part in a fares war attempting to offer the cheapest fares to a host of European cities. It’s quite normal to hear that one of the leading budget carriers such as Easyjet or Ryanair has an offer of return flights from Britain to Germany, France or Spain for £1 (approx $1.45). There are airport landing fees and taxes to be added to that, but it remains an absolute bargain if you’re looking to see a number of cities throughout Europe. The downside of these cheap flights is that they often fly to the smaller municipal airports rather than the more well known biginternational ones. This can mean that a flight that is supposed to be flying to a big European city actually lands some fifty miles away. In fact there are a number of plus-points with this situation, the smaller airports often offer a much faster turnround on luggage and check-in because they’re catering for a much smaller number of flights. The downside is that transportation to and from these airports can be scrappy at best and an extremely popular option is hiring a car from the airport. Here are some of the wonderful cities that we have visited whilst making use of cheap floghts from the low cost airlines. We’re sure that you would enjoy a visit to any of these great, they certainly have a lot to offer the visitor to their country.
Glasgow, Scotland
Glasgow was once a particularly ugly planning disaster but it has undergone a Renaissance and has become a wonderful, architecturally divine city welcoming huge numbers of tourists throughout the year. The trendy West side of the city is home to the fourth oldest university 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 area. The budget airlines use Prestwick Airport some 51 km (35 miles) north east of the centre of the city and there is an excellent road between the airport and Glasgow city centre. This is a popular area for sightseeing, so it is advisable to hire a car at Prestwick Airport in advance of your journey. A congestion free 30 minute journey from the airport on the M77 motorway takes you to the centre of the city. Glasgow is an ideal starting point for an adventure in the Trossachs National Park. Just 20 km (13 mile) drive out of the city and you might discover sensational countryside on the back of a pony, whereas a 30 mile (50 km) drive eastwards using another excellent motorway will take you to Edinburgh , the city of festivals complete with Princes Street shopping, castle, palace and the seaside.
Florence, Italy
Undoubtedly one of the most stunningly beautiful locations in Europe, Florence is served by the airport at Pisa, which is 50 miles (84 km) west of the city. Rent a car at Pisa airport and you will be in position to explore Pisa with its leaning tower, majestic Florence and some of Europe’s most picturesque countryside, that of the disturbingly beautiful Tuscany. It is therefore not surprising that Florence is high in the popularity stakes when considering European cities. When you arrive in Florence you will find that much of the centre of the city is traffic free thus preserving the many ancient architectural treasures and statues from the pollution and vibrations associated with hectic traffic. The traffic free status overwhelms you with a feeling of tranquility as you walk from one monument to the next. You do not need to stray too far before experiencing the ghastly, ear piercing roar from the scooter riders of Florence. Other than the Ponte Vecchio the remainder of the bridges into the city centre are polluted, noisy places, thus providing a further reason to keep to the narrow alleyways and tranquil sanctuaries of Florence’s beautiful piazzas.
Tours, France
Tours, set amongst the famed Loire Valley chateaux with not a single chateau to its name! The perfect centre for exploring the Loire Valley famed for its wonderful selection of palatial residences, Tours has a number of charms of its own. Although the small airport is but a couple of miles from town, it’s almost essential that you hire a car at Tours airport to fully explore a selection of the most picturesque towns and villages in the whole of France. Along the banks of the River Loire between Chalonnes and Sully-sur-Loire, a host of cultural treasures are presented for the visitor to enjoy. A UNESCO site, the Loire Valley offers scenic countryside, historic villages and lots of flamboyant castles. During the middle ages the Loire Valley was named the “Retreat of Kings and was a firm favourite of French royalty. Former working fortified castles were converted into elegant palatial trophy residences and these are now the region’s main tourist attractions. Tourists from around the world are attracted to the historic towns that are situated along the banks of the Loire. Towns such as Tours, Blois and Chinon have lots to see and do whilst the most popular chateau is maybe that on the Chambord Estate. Throughout the area you will discover little, family owned vineyards offering a variety of great wines at very low prices. Keep your eyes skinned for the word “degustation”, which means sampling I guess, and as long as ‘Le Patron’ is not in the middle of a long leisurely lunch you will be offered a warm welcome and he will be more than willing to lead you through a tasting of all his wines. Of course, it is vital that you take a tee-totaller as your driver, some of these tasting sessions can become extremely alcoholic!.