Find “Off Season” Deals for Travel to Europe

Traveling to Europe during the “off season” (November through March) has a few drawbacks offset by many advantages.  The disadvantages are that some popular attractions will have shorter hours or be closed altogether.  The weather can be iffy or downright terrible, but if you’re prepared with proper clothes and shoes you can be comfortable.  And after all, it’s the weather – no matter what time of year you travel, you can be disappointed or pleasantly surprised.  As long as you’re not expecting a sunny beach vacation, you’ll be fine.

The advantages are many:

• Airfares, hotels, and popular attractions are generally much lower in price during this time.
• You won’t have to deal with crowds (unless you opt for the popular Christmas markets in Switzerland, Germany and Poland.)  
• This is the time of year when many Europeans do their traveling, so the experience will be much less “touristy,” and you can enjoy authentic cultural experiences and get to know local people who are on vacation too.
• A surprising number of winter festivals are popular in Europe including performances by the Vienna Boys Choir, the Festival of Lights in the Netherlands, the Snow Bike Festival in Gstaad, Switzerland, and the Venice Carnival which features competitions and performances open to the public at no cost.

There’s a wide variety of things to do besides touring museums and historical monuments at your leisure without waiting in line or battling crowds.

• View the Northern Lights in Tromso, Norway.
• Relax in one of Budapest’s famous thermal baths.
• Avoid the chic ski resorts in Switzerland, and ski in Borovets, Bulgaria, a small resort town with all the amenities.
• Sunbathe on the Isle of Cyprus when you’ve had enough winter weather.
• Take a cooking class in Tuscany.
• Take a wine tour in Porto, Portugal.

The experts at Travel Leaders can help you plan this amazing European winter getaway.  Give us a call!