Best European Travel Web Sites
What Web sites have helped you plan your trip? What do you like about the various sites? Anything missing that we could add to ours?
- Please don't post questions here. Use our Travelers Helpline.
Fly.com and Travelzoo.com
I have had really good luck finding cheap flights on fly.com. I usually look for flights both there, and on kayak, and I've found that the flights are almost always cheaper on fly.com. Also, it has a very clean look, and it's pretty easy to use.
I highly recommend signing up for the newsletter at Travelzoo.com. They don't spam your email with much correspondence, but they do send out a Top 20 email each week, with the 20 best deals their researchers have found. Those include flights, hotels, cruises, and activities (discounted meals in famous restaurants, for example). When they find a really great deal that is relevant to you (and something time-sensitive), they send out a Newsflash email. I have actually bought two of these. In October, I flew round trip from Chicago to New York for $86, including tax (on Spirit Air). Last March, my dad and I flew round trip from Chicago to Barcelona for $389, including tax (on United). Those deals are rare, and you have to buy them pretty quickly before they are sold out, but if you have been bit by the travel bug, this is the best way to make sure you catch the best deals.
Steve
Palatine, IL USA 02/01/2012
Great trip planner for European cities
When planning an European trip, try www.tripomatic.com. It's a free trip planner and it covers the most visited cities all round Europe. It's great for travelers like me who are always in a hurry and don't have too much time for research and planning.
Barbora Nevosadova
Brno, Czech Rep. 01/31/2012
Dingle Peninsula Website
Best website for planning your holiday to the Dingle Peninsula Ireland. The website includes HD Video
http://www.dingle-region.com
Julie Malone
philadelphia, PA USA 01/28/2012
travel website
Checked out a travel website that has links in case one has passports or credit cards stolen. Not much for the planning, but I think good to have in case something is going wrong during the holiday.
www.touristmayday.com
P.O.
Lisbon, Lisbon POR 01/07/2012
Natural Italy Tours
I just recently booked a tour with Natural Italy Tours. They were fantastic! We did their Vampires Nectar Tour and the Fiesole hike! It was like having a friend take you around. They also showed us how to order at restaurants and to get things for cheaper. It was a nice tour and educational! oh and their site is www.naturaltaly.it
Samantha J.
Phoenix, az USA 12/22/2011
Tucsany Italy
For the most amazing time in Tucany Italy, go to Villa Ferraia- an easy 45 minute drive south of Siena. A group of 6 of us just returned after spending a week at this fairytale experience. There literally are not enough words to explain how tremendous this place is. You get to experience the feel of a luxury resort, but with the down to earth,personal touch of the owner Vittorio and his charming wife and staff. Eating is family style with Vittorio at the head leading conversations and having the whole table doubled over from laughter, to making you think twice about the blessings we have in America. Outings we experienced included a tour of a small olive oil press enterprise, a Benetictine Abby, a sheep-cheese farmers operation and getting lunch with his family, picnics in the sight of vineyards, olive groves and rustic villas after a morning of horseback riding. There is an on-site pool, hot tub, sauna, observatory, and massage therapist....and not to forget the cooking lessons!! Vittorio will customize your activities to your personal interests and desires. These are the most marvelous Italian people you could ever want to meet in one of the most beautiful places in Italy! www.villaferraia.com
Angela
Cedaredge, CO USA 12/14/2011
Italy
If you are planning a trip to Italy, Rentvillas.com is the best!
Barbara made our travel easy and stress free!
We stayed on the Amalfi Coast in the small town of Minori. Our Villa, Casa Minori, was a short walk to this enchanting town.
The villa was like walking into a piece of heaven- each bedroom had double doors walking out to the covered porch facing the ocean.
The owners were gracious and supplied everything to make it the perfect vacation.
One tip if you are going to Italy- remember, you are on their time. You may have to wait on a bus but what a view while you are waiting!!
Jill
Chattanooga, TN USA 12/01/2011
Global Hotel Destination Index
I came across this site that has a pretty good page of countries and hotels with special offers ... I hope it is useful
http://www.selective-hotels.com/Destinations.html
USA 11/23/2011
Unexpected Sicily
Marcello (at AgaVe Travel Creative) was so charming and so much fun. I loved the food (at our Welcome Dinner) - a great introduction to Sicilian food. He was very kind and followed up with to ask how we were enjoying ourselves and if there was anything we needed. Our Culinary Guide took us to the market and we had a blast- he has a great rapport with many of the vendors so that was so much fun! Cooking in the kitchen was great also! I could go on and on.... The hotels were so amazing- each had it's own charm and style. We loved Siracusa- great history and charming town. We had wonderful dinners. Our guide for Ragusa and Modica- we loved her! She has a command of the history of both towns! The Chocolate Chef was so charming and I think he had a great time with us.
He even surprised me with a birthday cake which was such a lovely personal touch! Our guide in Siracusa was wonderful. When we were in the tunnel of the caves at the Greek Theater, she sang for us and attracted such a crowd. She was a wealth of information and we learned so much from her, and what a voice!
Mitchell
New York, NY USA 11/19/2011
Bacharach,Germany
I stayed at the Kraneturm in Bacharach last summer. Not only were Fatima and Kurt wonderful hosts, but Kurt is an unbelievable chef!! We had the most fun in the dining room conversing across tables with all of the guests! The flowers were beautiful! It was a terrific experience. Thanks for the tip!
Linda
Boston, MA USA 10/23/2011
Paris Museum passes on sale
Paris Museum passes on sale.
The Paris Museum Pass provides unlimited priority access to over 60 museums and monuments in and around Paris. The most important feature of the Museum Pass is the priority entrance. Remember, the most popular museums and monuments have line-ups regardless of the season, so the priority access is a valuable benefit. The museum pass is also very good value, considering individual entry prices to most museums and monuments averages over $15 per person. With the Paris Museum Pass there is no admission charge, no waiting in lines, and no limit to the number of times you can visit the participating museums and monuments in the Paris region. The pass provides priority entry to the permanent collections, and unlimited in & out access until December 31, 2011. Passes are valid for 2,4, or 6 consecutive days, beginning on the first day of use. More info at http://en.parismuseumpass.com/
Some of the most popular museum and monuments included in the Paris Museum Pass are: Arc de Triomphe, Musée de l'Armée and Napoléon's tomb, Museum of Modern Art, Cité des Sciences, Conciergerie, Delacroix Museum, Sewers of Paris, Louvre, Crypt of Notre Dame, Musée D'Orsay, Musée Picasso, Musée Rodin, Chateau Fontainebleau, Chateau Malmaison, Basilique Saint-Denis, Château Versailles, plus many more. Museum passes are not required for children, since most museums and monuments in Paris are free for children under the age of 18. Children can still take advantage of the priority access, when accompanying parents with museum passes. Children should have ID to prove their age and relationship to pass holders. When you are planning your visit to Paris, keep in mind that many museums are closed either on Mondays or Tuesdays.
Sale Prices:
2 day pass - 30 euros
4 day pass - 45 euros
6 day pass - 60 euros
France Bound
Vancouver, BC Canada 10/18/2011
Fun Travel Blog
Hello Everyone
I came across this fun blog about a family who are currently traveling through
Europe, Asia and the Middle East for 8 months. Check it out at thecamelatemyhomework.tumblr.com
Herman Miller
Bellingham, WA USA 10/08/2011
Singles Travel Europe
A fun singles travel club that goes to Europe often--went to Ireland with them this past year.
http://singlesbythebaytravel.com/
Jennifer
Boston, MA USA 09/21/2011
Good Restaurant in Cochem on the Mosel
Ate at a wonderful restaurant in Cochem Mosel Germany, Castello located at Oberbachstrasse 55
Vicki Franks
Sun City Center, FL USA 07/03/2011
Hotel Die Raeckse Haarlem Netherlands
Avoided Amsterdam hotels, went to Haarlem as Rick suggests. Stayed at Hotel Die Raeckse and it was very good, very clean, and a wonderful staff. Left a tip and the maid tried giving it back. Told her it was for her doing a good job.
Vicki Franks
Sun City Center, FL USA 07/03/2011
Europe and World Travel Club/Blog
This is a cool travel club and blog site that just got back from Ireland--they are doing Turkey and some other trips to Europe coming up...
photoflytravel.com
Eli Cashter
Boston, MA USA 06/29/2011
Valencia, Spain
There is a website that I found useful for Valencia, spain. www.valencia-cityguide.com and it provides current practical information which has made my planning very easy. I even purchased travel local travel cards on line as well as tickets to city of arts and sciences the dinosaur and ocean exhibits
grace familia
merrimack, nh USA 06/20/2011
Going to Portugal
We are going to Portugal next fall and we have found this website. No adds, just text and pictures about the country and it is realy helping us to plan a nice vaccation for us four. It is allways dificult to find a place that everyone of us likes. But we seam to be getting there. The site is www.portugaltraveladvisor.com
Stephany Gunthers
L.A., Ca USA 06/08/2011
Paris, France; Alcove & Agapes B&B Service
For accommodations for our recent trip to Paris, we used the Rick-Steves-recommended "Alcove & Agapes" web-site bed-and-breakfast-in-paris.com. It is the best lodging web-site we have ever used for any type accommodation. The descriptions of the lodging options are informative, thorough, and 100% accurate--no surprises. The B&B service offers many locations throughout Paris in a wide range of price options. All the prices are excellent values for Paris. The web-site is easy to use with personal email help if needed. We stayed at B&B #368 (Chantal & Joe), near La Madeleine and a 5-minute walk to Place de la Concorde. It was a fantastic experience. Do yourself a favor; check it out.
Marlene & Dave
Fort Collins, CO USA 05/18/2011
Turkey
Do NOT use
Rick
Seattle, WA USA 05/13/2011
Travel Club for Europe
A good travel club that goes to Europe frequently for solo travelers is singlesbythebaytravel.com
They are going to Ireland soon!
Steve
San Francisco, CA USA 04/21/2011
new Family Europe itinerary
We"d love to see a second itinerary for
Family Best of Europe. Europe. We loved our first trip
with a granddaughter and would like to
bring her again along with a grandson.
Patrick Kennedy
Northridge,, Califo USA 04/13/2011
Unforgettable Sicily!!
After 3 weeks in Venice, Florence and Chianti we thought it couldn't get any better...how wrong we were! Sicily is the new Tuscany...but at the same time raw and real, with a culturally rich and complex blend of amazing food, wine, history, culture and landscapes that outshine other regions of Italy. In Sicily, you really need somebody who gets both the local culture and international traveler's needs to help you navigate your trip and cultivate the right experience with personal care and passion. All I can say is that Marcello's expert guidance, insiders knowledge to local experiences really helped us get the most out of our time while feeling part of the Sicilian family. Originally from Hollywood, California. Marcello grew up in his father's Italian restaurant, Emilios, and has an innate passion for food, wine and local culture. As a personal chef looking for rich, real and regional culinary experiences. I really could not have asked or expected more than the magical itinerary of culinary adventures that the Agave Travel Creative team [INVALID]d for us, which ranged from a Sicilian Cheese Tasting / Making Workshop on a local Dairy Farm, tasting amazing wines overlooking the volcanic valleys of Mt. Etna to guided culinary tours of outdoor food markets. Not to mention the precious restaurant recommendations. Marcello and Agave Travel Creative (www.agavetravelcreative.com) really made our trip to Sicily unforgettable!
Kicki Larsson
Los Angeles, Ca. USA 04/04/2011
Blog & Podcast from Le Marche, Italy
La Tavola Marche (farm, inn & cooking school) in Le Marche posts festivals, markets, day trips & recipes from the little know region of Le Marche, Italy. Run by 2 fun energetic young American expats - they even have a podcast!
steve johnson
bothell, WA USA 04/03/2011
Parisian Food Lovers Blog
We loved reading David Lebovitz's blog before our trip to Paris. Great restaurant recommendations, as well as travel advice (make sure to check out the My Paris and FAQ sections).
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/
PlannerGrl
Washington, DC USA 02/27/2011
Best Help for Finding Italian Historical Estates
Last year while searching on the internet for historical farm estates in Tuscany, I found Trust & Travel (www.trustandtravel.com). They have historical estates all over Italy that are "Agriturismos." The Trust & Travel website is really informational and breaks down all the regions in Italy and has comprehensive recommendations for each region of Italy. There are a couple of videos of the estates on the website and also there is a blog that does a great job of telling interesting stories and unique experiences of Italy. The best part about the whole start to finish of the vacation was the owner of Trust & Travel, Katharina really did an exceptional job in helping me make an extraordinary vacation for my family and friends, and she answered my emails and phone calls and made me feel very comfortable and confident in traveling to rural Tuscany with family and friends.
Mary
Paris, France 01/26/2011
Photos
We did a portrait session on vacation with an American photographer - That was pretty cool! It was nice to have great vacation pics instead of our own usual heads being cut off or out of focus. www.internationalfamilyportraits.com
Kim
Tampa, FL USA 01/18/2011
Romance in France
romanceinfrance.co.uk
We found this great web site and accommodation lived up to expectations Wonderful apartments in the Armorick national Park. Hand carved French beds, whirlpool bath, log fire. perfect for couples who want something special. We had a wonderful time in this undiscovered part of France. Great countryside peaceful surroundings, lots of places to visit.
Sheila Lowe
Finistere Brittany, France USA 01/15/2011
Cottage Accommodation
We had a fantastic stay in a lovely village on the edge of the cotswolds in October, A beautiful cottage recently renovated it was very spacious and cosy, all mod cons and just 2 mins walk from a wonderful village pub doing food with a value for money that I haven't seen for a long time!.. Oh. and they had a log fire!
The web site for the cottage was cotswoldscottagefor2.co.uk
Samantha Eden
Loqueffret, France France 01/15/2011
Best student travel website - Bus2alps
I studied abroad this past fall in Florence, Italy and came across this travel agency, Bus2alps. Their website is www.bus2alps.com and they organize group trips for study abroad students throughout Europe. They were incredibly helpful in planning trips to destinations that most of our my fellow students and me already planned to go. Best of all, I was able to meet up in Munich with my friends studying in Rome and Barcelona on one of their trips since Bus2alps organized trips departing from there.
Matt
New York, NY USA 01/06/2011
Accomodation tips Barcelona
www.dailyflats.com helped me find a fantastic apartment for my trip to Barcelona, there were no hidden charges and it was as easy as booking a hotel. The apartment was fantastic and worked out the same price as a midrange hotel. Really fantastic site!
John
Rogers, FL USA 12/28/2010
B&B SMART lovely place in the heart of Rome!
B&B SMART website: http://www.bandbromeitaly.com
My girlfriend and i were a traveling on our first trip to Rome. I can honestly say that the B&b smart was the best stay ever! The staff was very pleasant, always willing to when we arrived we were offered our choice of two rooms since we were early in the afternoon and other guests had not arrived yet. I had originally requested a room to the rear of the building to be a bit quieter-however the room on the Via Cavour side was larger and it was nicer looking at people and things happening than the back of buildings. We were very pleased with our very large room, bed was comfortable, bathroom very clean. Plenty of hot water and pressure too. Our schedule was busy with tours and the staff delivered our breakfast tray to our room each morning as we had requested right on time. Breakfast was very good. (very good coffee!) Our room was also spotless and very clean. the Lift worked fine, the staff assisted with any of our needs for extra glasses, towels and to call a cab.
The neighborhood is great. There is a public school across the street but down a half block either direction are great deli's, cafes and grocery stores as well as a few gift shops. There is also a very nice church called Basilica di Santa Mary Maggiore (the 2nd biggest in Rome) near the B&B.
My girlfriend and I spent several nights out late siteseeing Ancient Rome bathed in lights..its beautiful and the night life is great and not once did we feel at all unsafe or ill at ease. Each time we returned, the staff at the hotel made us feel very welcomed. We plan on staying at the b&b smart again next year on a return visit..
A only suggestions would be: offer a pump pot of coffee (that is delicious) in the morning for those of us who like seconds.
I wouldn't hesitate at all to comeback again....Very very nice..!
Angela and Jeremy from Canada
Angela
Montreal, Canada 12/14/2010
Going to Sicily?? Contact Marcello Baglioni @ Agave Travel Creative - A true gem!!
After 3 weeks in Venice, Florence and Chianti we thought it couldn't get any better...how wrong we were! Sicily is the new Tuscany...but at the same time raw and real, with a culturally rich and complex blend of amazing food, wine, history, culture and landscapes that outshine other regions of Italy. In Sicily, you really need somebody who gets both the local culture and international traveler's needs to help you navigate your trip and cultivate the right experience with personal care and passion. All I can say is that Marcello's (http://www.agavetravelcreative.com/) expert guidance, insiders knowledge to local experiences really helped us get the most out of our time while feeling part of the Sicilian family. Originally from the Los Angeles, California area, Marcello grew up in his father's Italian restaurant, Emilios, and has an innate passion for food, wine and local culture. As a personal chef looking for rich, real and regional culinary experiences, I really could not have asked or expected more than the magical itinerary of culinary adventures the Agave Travel Creative team created for us that ranged from tasting amazing wines overlooking the volcanic valleys of Mt. Etna to guided culinary tours of outdoor food markets, not to mention the precious restaurant recommendations. Marcello and Agave Travel Creative really made our trip to Sicily unforgettable.
Kicki Larsson
Los Angeles, CA USA 11/07/2010
Comprehensive Online City Guides
I was surprised at how helpful this site is, from Sweden's SAS website: http://www.flysas.com/en/us/Travel_info/Destination_guides/ It offers what appear to be comprehensive city guides for cities all over the world, not just in Scandanavia.
Alison
Auburn, WA USA 10/12/2010
hotel praises
We stayed at the Kraneturm in Bacharach, Germany. Thanks for the recommendation. It was fabulous! Kurt and Fatima were most kind. However you warned us that our river-side rooms would be noisy due to the train tracks below. Not so. The soundproof walls and windows and the sturdy building meant not a rattle, and hardly a sound. The church bells were far louder! No earplugs needed! Also we stayed at Pension Becker in Rothenberg. I believe that was your recommendation also and the couple who owns it was so kind that they twice moved their cars so we could have their parking spaces!
mary
seaford, va USA 10/11/2010
hotels
I have found a website:www.thezouk.com When travelling around Europe I use this to find accomodation. No surfing - the offers come to me.
ole brandt
Copenhagen, Denmark 09/30/2010
Rome
It's not exactly a travel web site, but Anyone interested in Roman History and Architecture should check this link out: http://academicearth.org/lectures/intro-roman-architecture There are 24 Lectures on Roman Architecture each a little over 1 hour long. I'm going to Rome in November 2010 really enjoyed every lecture. If you love Roman history these are a must see.
Les
Mechainicsville, MD USA 09/12/2010
TEFL website with useful Europe travel info forum
I don't know if this will help you as it isn't specifically a Europe travel site. It's the website of the ITTP TEFL Prague course I took this year (so I could travel and teach English), and they have what I consider a useful forum page where folks discuss European travel tips, etc. http://www.tefl-prague.com
Sean
Prague, Praha Czech Rep 09/10/2010
Website for hotels and other accommodations in Rome
Just wanted to recommend the website nycerome.com if you are looking for an accommodation in the center of Rome. Accommodations can be ordered by price range (cheap, budget, comfort or luxury), by category (i.e. b&b, hotel, flat...)or also by location. Easy to navigate, pleasant website, a lot of pictures of the city and of the hotels. It definitely boosted our urge to re-discover Rome...
Sandra
Bordeaux, France 08/10/2010
Loire Valley websites
Loire Valley Accommodation:
www.experienceloire.com www.gitelink.com
With kids in tow:
www.ciaobambino.com www.babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk www.familyfriendlyholidays.com
Background:
http:averygrandpressigny.blogspot.html http:daysontheclaise.blogpot.html check out their links too!
www.ligeris.com - TOURS and the surround
'Loches' - don't forget Loches!! and the many smaller historic towns and villages such as Montresor, le Grand Pressigny, Descartes aside the headline museum pieces of Amboise, Chenonceau, Villandry etc. etc.
Nicole Crawford
le Grand Pressigny, France 07/14/2010
Searching outside of Rome city limits
If you use Trip advisor to search for B&B's, Restaurants, etc in the area outside of the city limits of Rome, be aware that Trip Advisor will limit its searches ONLY to the Rome metropolitan area. If you want any of the outlying area, try searching Lazio. I think that will work.
Bill
Dayton, OH USA 07/12/2010
New website for hotel reviews
I just heard of a new website where you can plug in different searches for hotels (i.e., Barcelona, near beach), etc., and it will then show all online reviews for the hotels it finds. You can then sort by price, score or # of stars. It's located at http://en.trustyou.com/
Mardee
Cincinnati, OH USA 07/09/2010
Ten Week in Europe Travel Blog
My wife and I spent ten weeks traveling through Europe last summer and we had a blog for family and friends. It's hard to believe that we were in Amsterdam this time last year. We got a lot out of the Rick Steves website, books and videos so I thought it would be nice to give back to the RS community. The link is http://tenweeksineurope.blogspot.com/
Conor
Potomac Falls, VA USA 07/06/2010
RAILEUROPE PASS ONLINE PROBLEMS
RailEurope web flaw. Beware of booking on-line trips with Rail Europe passes. The website allows reservations for travel e.g. Prague to Budapest (via Slovakia). It doesn't warn on-line users of a special $ fee that the pass doesn't cover. So during travel, the conductor will charge you on the spot. When I notified RailEurope they said its the users resp to check or otherwise book with them and pay their fee for additional research. Very very poor customer service.
Angie
Honolulu, HI USA 06/23/2010
Best Sicilian Travel Agent and Guide
Laurie Harris
When my sister and I decided to travel to Sicily for a destination wedding in May/June of 2010, we expected to have a good time. But thanks to Marcello Baglioni and AgaVe Travel Creative, our expectations were wildly exceeded!
Marcello's unique Sicilian expertise, local connections and intuitive skills were invaluable and like a Sicilian genie granting wishes, Marcello & AgaVe made beautiful things happen for us everyday!
Starting with the romantic Sicilian countryside wedding...we were lacking music so AgaVe came to the rescue with an amazing local folk band who created the perfect festive vibe needed for such a special occasion...next day AgaVe salvaged our group from an average tourist bar and whisked us up to the 5th floor patio of a beautiful hotel bar for an apertivo overlooking the most breathtaking sunset sea views, appointments were made in the best local spa where we enjoyed deluxe treatments, we visited an exquisite and unique olive ranch overlooking the turquoise Mediterranean and got great seats to the Greek Theatre performance. We were introduced to the best locals wine bar called Solaria and it's charming owner, Enzo and we now have friends for life. Without AgaVe we wouldn't have known how to order an almond granita with a shot of espresso (served with brioche for dipping) or be able to locate the very best pizza in Siracusa!
On top of all the varied and rich experiences we had, AgaVe was there to assure our safety and comfort as well. When the brakes on our rental car faltered, Marcello made a call to the rental agency and saw to the effortless exchange for a new car, no questions asked!
Our trip was a life-changing dream... an experience that we will treasure forever! Without Marcello and AgaVe providing their extra magical powers this dream could not have come true! Milli Grazii, Marcello!!!
Nancy Harris Nash/San Antonio, Texas
Laurie Harris/Austin, Texas
Laurie Harris
Austin, TX USA 06/16/2010
Travel Sites for Spain
Great sites for Madrid and Barcelona are:
www.madridman.com and www.barcelonaman.com
Sarah Bates
Fallbrook, CA USA 06/15/2010
response to destinationeurope.com
She was called and emailed 5 times, no response... you were on vacation... and never responded. One would assume you no longer are doing business... please don't slanderize our company, for your mishap
John
New York, NY USA 06/02/2010
Don't use David
David began to arrange my travel and then never called me back from european destinations.com
Linda F
Danville, pa USA 05/28/2010
ParisFlatRent - Thanks a million guys !
I was in Paris with my grand daughter to celebrate her high school graduation. The location of the flat was perfect as we were able to get around mainly by walking, access to Metro and tour buses were very convenient. I would like to thank Giovanni and Aurelien for helping to make my stay in Paris unforgettable.
Nancy
Paris, France 05/25/2010
PartyEarth.com
Partyearth.com. Great website for bars, clubs, and other nightlife in major European cities
Danny
Los Angeles, CA USA 05/21/2010
Parisbestlodge Paris. Perfect for us!
Extremely happy with Parisbestlodge in Paris. Vacation rentals by owner direct. Rooms are charming, clean. Thierry, the owner, is prompt to answer and help you. My first experience in paris. The perfect catch.
lesnuages
USA 04/24/2010
Best Sicily Travel agent
My wife and I recently spent a week in Sicily and the trip was planned with the help of Agave Travel (www.agavetravelcreative.com), which is located in Siracusa. Agave is expert in arranging for incredibly knowledgeable guides, who one and all were very Italian and very kind. They provided a very rich experience on every aspect of our Sicilian tour. Our cooking class for two was conducted by a chef who was chosen to take part in the Slow Food annual cooking competition in Savoy. Our guide for our walk on Mt. Etna was a trained rock climbed and vulcanologist. The guide who led us through Taorimina had a PhD in archeology and had just returned from a dig in Crete. And so on. Marcello, who runs Agave, was always helpful (like finding a dentist when my wife got a toothache). If you want to really get to know Sicily in the shortest time, Agave is the right choice.
Alan Engelberg
Los Altos, CA USA 04/16/2010
Cinque Terre
Hi, I was just passing by this forum and want to suggest a site where my wife and I found information on the Cinque Terre, Italy.
http://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en
A nice tourist guide with helpful information, tips, pictures, weather forecast, accomodations directory.
Regards
Stefan & Dorette
Munich, GERMANY 04/15/2010
Best European Travel Agency
I am with Jim from AZ, Destination Europe Travel has been my lifeline when traveling. They designed an awesome itinerary and it was 1st class all the way. The owner David Biery makes each trip the best it can be by maximizing time and budget. I would really recommend them. The website is www.destinationeuropetravel.info. i am also including their email as Jim did.
Have Fun,
Susan
Susan Collins
Wausau, WI USA 03/31/2010
hotels
For hotel booking in Europe (i'm an american military member living here) i use booking.com. You can pick what area you want to be in and the prices are reasonable.
gforce79
APO, AE USA 03/27/2010
Favorite Site
By far my favorite site for European travel is www.europeupclose.com. They have experts who write consistently and their articles are packed with useful info.
Janet
Northampton, MA USA 03/16/2010
Blogs are Primary Source Documents!
I use tripadvisor to search for b&bs and hostels--you can click on the different tabs at the top, and even specify how much you're willing to spend. i also very much value the user reviews. also, we booked an apartment in paris on vrbo.com, which is a great idea for anyone, especially anyone with a family. i also like to search blogs, as i find that i get a better idea of what a place (or process, such as trip planning) is REALLY like from actual people who take the time to write about it. i keep one of my own (http://elbodans.wordpress.com/) to share with others. right now it is all about the process of planning, and there are lots of blogs out there that are similar. just type the name of the city you are going to visit followed by the word 'blog' into a search engine. you'll be amazed at the wealth of information.
though, of course, this is my favorite site!
Tracy
Macungie, PA USA 03/10/2010
Five-Minute Films on European Art & Destinations
5 Minute YouTube Videos on European Sites and Art: http://www.youtube.com/giotheblogger
Gio
Chicago, IL USA 03/09/2010
discount air travel and hotels/B&B's within Europe
Hands down best website for cheap flights is www.SkyScanner.net. I've flown between Dublin/Vienna for $35, and from Brussels/Rome for $30.
Unfortunately you have to pack a little lighter than US/Europe trans-continental flights, but it saves you tons of cash and time over a long-distance train any day.
I've also managed to find excellent European hotels and B&B's thru www.Booking.com. Their reviews are pretty excellent, much more thorough than with American websites.
SpunkyBunks
Rio Rancho, NM USA 03/09/2010
Croatia tour
I recommend travel agency NATURA-TURIST, www.plitvicebooking.com for short or long-term vacation rentals in The Plitvice Lakes National Park region including Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. I had a great experience with them! If You need transfers, accomodation, local guiding contact them, e-mail is natura-turist@gs.t-com.hr
Tom
Castle Rock, WA USA 03/04/2010
Apartment Rentals
If you're looking to rent an apartment in Italy I recommend http://www.rome-accom.com We stayed near the Piazza Navona in Rome and walked just about everywhere. The apartment was clean and exactly what was resented on the website. Don’t be afraid to negotiate a cash price.
Jim
Scottsdale, AZ USA 02/26/2010
Best European Travel Agency
For the Best Experience in booking European Travel... I would highly suggest Destination Europe Travel. I have used them many of times and they got me the best rates and best accomdations. They are booking a tour for my church to Rome Currently. The Owner will take good care of you. His name is David Biery, the site is www.destinationeuropetravel.info
I am putting their email for correspondance.
safe travels,
Jim Scott
Tucson, AZ
Jim Scott
Tucson, AZ USA 02/25/2010
Romania Travel
In planning our private trip to Romania we found this web site most informative and helpful. They are adept at planning trips to Romania and the countries of the Balkans.
www.tours-of-romania.com
Stu Johnson
Seattle, WA USA 02/11/2010