travel
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TR AV EL IN G TO
IN 20 17
fares and favorable exc
Thanks to cheaper air
accessible tha
rates, Europe is more
out of your next excurs
help you get the most
Illustrations by Luci Gutirrez
smarter
5 Things to Know Now
1 A CHEAPER BRITAIN
After Britons voted last year
to split from the European
Union, the pound sterling
plummeted. While it could
take until 2019 to fully cut
ties, travelers will find the
U.K. more affordable than it
has been in decades. Many
hotel properties are offering
discounts to lure guests.
2 HEIGHTENED SECURITY
The U.S. State Department
has issued a Worldwide
Caution, asking travelers
to exercise vigilance in the
wake of repeated terror
attacks. Expect longer lines
hange
at airport security screen-
n ever. These tips will
ings and border-control
ion.
checkpoints. Check travel.
state.gov before your trip.
EUROPE | travelandleisure.com 35
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3 FEWER TOURISTS
Despite favorable exchange
rates, terrorism has had
an impact on the number
of visitors to Belgium and
Turkey. Though France saw
a dip in visitors after at-
tacks in Paris and Nice, it
has bounced back and
remains the most popular
destination in the world.

4 CONTINENTAL DRIFT
While tourism growth

How to
across much of Western
Europe was flat in 2016, Though rail travel isnt as flexible
according to the United as renting a car, it can be far less
Nations World Tourism stressfuland far less of a hassle
Organization, several coun-
tries in the east enjoyed dou-
ble-digit gains in visitors,
See Europe than flying, especially given the
increased security measures at air-
ports. The hardest part is navigating
including Bulgaria, Serbia,
and Slovenia. Leading the
way, however, was Slovakia,
which saw a jump of 18
by Rail
Booking train tickets online can be
the booking sites, since theres no
one-stop shopping. The state-run sys-
tems all have different rules for fare
classes, changes, and cancellations.
percent, thanks in part to confusing and time-consuming. Also, some require riders to have a
Bratislavas fairy-tale build- Well help put you on the right track. paper ticket, which must be mailed to
ings, charming squares, and BY CHRISTOPHER TKACZYK you, though many now offer e-tickets
Baroque castle. The citys re- that can be presented to conductors
vitalized Old Town is a buzz- via your smartphone. Booking rail travel in Europe can be a complicated beast,
ing hot spot, with younger says Prashanth Kuchibhotla, director of strategy and business development for
travelers drawn to its cafs rail at Expedia. Its possible to navigate the websites and figure it out slowly,
and old-school beer halls. but its not very straightforward. Eventually, Expedia aims to become the
go-to source for train itineraries, but for now youll have to hop around to mul-
5 MORE ROUTES AND tiple sites. Here are a few tips to make sure your plans dont go off the rails.
CONNECTIONS
There are 395 new ways to Book in Advance Where to Buy Passes Use an Agent
fly to Spain, which last year
If you dont book in U.S.-based Rail Each country sells If the thought of
added the most new airline advance, youre not Europe (raileurope. its own passes, but studying timetables
routes in Europe. Virgin going to get the com/european- the universal ones on multiple web-
Atlantic now has nonstop time and day you trains) has a site sold by Eurail sites overwhelms
flights between Seattle and want, warns travel with maps and (eurail.com) are the you, consider hiring
agent Marc schedules for more easiest to buy a Europe-savvy
London, and Condor and Kazlauskas, a mem- than 50 different online (take note of travel specialist to
British Airways recently ber of T+Ls Travel train companies restrictions and handle the logistics.
began service between Advisory Board. organized by type, rules). Global Kazlauskas says,
New Orleans and London High-speed trains, such as premier Passes for five or There are a ton
such as the TGV, high-speed and more countries of third-party
the former citys first trans-
Eurostar, and Le express trains. start at $339, while websites that will
atlantic flight option in Frecce, often sell But the site charges Select Passes for gouge you with
three decades. Check out out weeks ahead of steep fees to book. travelers visiting extra fees, but an
The Cheapest Ways to Get time. Plus, many Often the cheapest two to four neigh- agent will do the
to Europe, on page 38, of the European rail option is to book boring countries digging for you to
operators use directly with the start at $145. get the best price.
for details on fares as low a dynamic pricing rail operator in There are also Find agents at
as $70 each way. system, including the country you single-country travelandleisure.
Melanie Lieberman early-bird fares. plan to visit. passes from $67. com/a-list.

36 travelandleisure.com | EUROPE
Upgrade

AYS
APEST W
THE CHEO GET TO
T

E UR OPE
By Me
la nie Lie
berma
n

Thanks to fierce
competition among
a growing number
of budget airlines,
rock-bottom flights
to Europe are now
a reality. Heres

The Best Low-Cost Airlines

where to find them.

LEVEL
This carrier launches
in June with flights Once youve booked your transatlantic flight, these low-cost independent carriers make it easy
between Barcelona to jet around Europe on a budget. Heres what you need to know. BY ERIC ROSEN
and Los Angeles, the
Bay Area, and Punta
Cana in the Dominican AIRLINE/CITIES HUBS SAMPLE ROUND- CHECKED-BAG POPULAR TIP
Republic. One-way SERVED IN EUROPE TRIP FARE FEE DESTINATIONS
fares start at $149,
with extra fees London London to $16 to $56, up Amsterdam; Your ticket gets you
for seat assignments, (Gatwick and Barcelona for to 44 lbs. Berlin; only one carry-on
checked bags, and
food. flylevel.com.
EasyJet
132
Luton), Milan
$89 Mallorca,
Spain
bagan overhead
or under-seat item,
but not both.
NORWEGIAN
AIR
After a $65 launch Copenhagen, London to $12 to $100, up Grand Bring your own
sale, Norwegian Norwegian London Barcelona for to 44 lbs. Canary and device to watch on-
began offering bargain
$139 transatlantic
Air
120
(Gatwick),
Oslo,
Stockholm
$71 Mlaga,
Spain
demand movies
using the free
Wi-Fi on most flights
flights from Stewart within Europe.
International Airport
(located 60 miles Dublin; London London to $11 to $54, Budapest; The fee to check
north of New York (Stansted); Barcelona for depending on Prague; in at the airport is
City) and from
Providence, R.I., to
Ryanair
200
Bergamo, Italy
$76 whether
its paid
online or
Lanzarote,
Spain
$55, so use the
Ryanair mobile
app to do it ahead of
Ireland and the U.K.
norwegian.com. at the airport. time and save.

WOW AIR Barcelona, London to $11 to $39, up Dubrovnik, Try to bring an

The Iceland-based Rome Barcelona for to 50 lbs. Croatia; extra carry-on
airline recently offered
$70 tickets from
Vueling
132 $61 Ibiza,
Spain;
aboard and you
could get slapped
Boston, San Francisco, Rome with a $39 charge.

and Miami to a
handful of European
cities, including Berlin
Bucharest, Budapest to $18 to $60, up Barcelona; Save between $11
Romania; Barcelona for to 50 lbs. Catania, and $33 by checking
Wizz Air
$161
and London. Next Budapest; Italy; in online instead
month it begins flying 138 Warsaw Gdask, of waiting to do so at
from Chicago to Poland the airport.
Reykjavk. wowair.us.

38 travelandleisure.com | EUROPE
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10
Great Apps for
Travelers
to Europe
If youre planning to hit the U.K.,
Ireland, or the Continent this summer,
these handyand (mostly) free
apps can help. BY SHIVANI VORA
1 Onefinestay
This lodging app
curates posh apart-
ments and homes in
London, Paris, and
Rome. It also presents
suggestions for local
restaurants and attrac-
tions as well as
essential information
such as the nearest
ATM or hospital.
onefinestay.com.
2 Pretty Streets
This app serves up
detailed walking
itineraries through
Dublin, London,
and Pariss most capti-
vating streets,
boulevards, and ave-
nues. Easy-to-follow
maps can be custom-
ized to adjust the
length of your walk.
pretty-streets.com.
*All apps are free and available for Android and iOS unless otherwise noted.
3 Fly Europe
Use this app to score
the cheapest airfares
to and within Europe.
In addition to compar-
ing ticket prices for
major airlines and
smaller carriers, it
searches fares from
more than a dozen
sites, such as Vayama,
Expedia, and eDreams.
airwaysbooking.com.
4 GoEuro
This comprehensive
travel tool allows you
to search and book
flights, trains, and
buses in 12 different
countries across
Europe. Travelers can
access options from
3,000-plus airports
and more than
80,000 rail and bus
stations. goeuro.com.
5 Spotted by 8 Citymapper
Locals
This navigation tool
This app is loaded with displays public-transit
guides to more than info, such as cost and
two dozen European live departure times of
cities. Local writers buses and trains. It will
and photographers even tell you the best
regularly update their section of the train to luggage, its customary to offer
dining and activity sug- find a seat. Use the
gestions. Each city Share ETA function to
equivalent) per bag. Concierges
guide costs $3.99and let friends follow
its more than worth it. your route in real time. who attend to special requests
spottedbylocals.com. citymapper.com.
6 TheFork 9 Monument
Tracker
TheFork has more than
30,000 restaurants in Learn about well-
10 European countries. known monuments and
Each listing has helpful
hidden historic gems
user reviews, photos, in 60 cities. Although
and sample menu the app has preset
items. It also offers itineraries, sticking to
a loyalty program them isnt necessary:
and in-app discounts it uses your GPS
of up to 50 percent
to alert you to nearby
at select restaurants. sights. monument-
thefork.com. tracker.com.
7 Michelin Travel 10 TripLingo
The Michelin Guide is Any language app will
revered as the Holy give you common key
Bible of hospitality phrases in the local
in Europe. The compa- tongue, but theres
nys app curates the nothing that will make
best restaurants, you feel more insider-y
hotels, and attractions than learning slang and are happy with a service, offer
travelers can even informal words.
make bookings for the One of our favorite
listings directly from features is the
their phones. travel instant voice translator.
guide.michelin.com. triplingo.com.
TIPPING
101
By Joh
n Sc a r p
inato
Unlike in the U.S., tipping
is not always expected
in Europe. Take these steps
to avoid causing offense
or spending needlessly
during your stay.
RESTAURANTS
Always check your bill: if a
service charge has been included,
no additional gratuity is
necessary. Otherwise, a 10
percent tip is seen as generous
in most European countries.
Bring cashsome restaurants
wont allow a gratuity to be
added to a credit card purchase.
HOTELS
If a porter helps with your
one or two euros (or the local
should also be recognized with
10 to 20 euros. Additionally,
tipping housekeeping staff a few
euros at the end of your stay
is appreciated but not expected.
TAXIS
Universally, taxi drivers do not
anticipate tips, though rounding
up to the next euro is standard.
OTHER SERVICES
It is routine to tip tour guides a
few euros for a job well done.
Hairstylists and spa technicians
in the U.K., France, and Germany
are used to a gratuity of 5 to 10
percent, whereas those in most
Scandinavian countries are not.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Ultimately, use discretion: if you
a few euros. And, when in doubt,
simply ask a local. Your hotel
manager or concierge can also
be an indispensable resource.