Use Those Cheap Flights to Visit European Cities

For quite a few years now a group of the so-called “budget airlines” in Europe have been embroiled in a fares war attempting to offer the lowest air fares to a host of cities throughout Europe.

It’s not unusual to hear that one of the leading low cost carriers for example Ryanair or Easyjet is offering return flights from Britain to Spain, Germany or France for £1 (approx $1.45).

There might be airport landing fees and taxes to be added to the fare, but it’s still a real bargain if you’re looking to see a variety of European cities. One of the major disadvantages of flying with the budget airlines is that they frequently fly to the smaller rural airports rather than the better known majorinternational ones.

This can mean that a flight that is advertised to a big European city actually lands some fifty miles away. In fact there are a number of advantages with this situation, the smaller airports will normally provide a much slicker turnround on check-in and luggage because they’re catering for far fewer flights.

The disadvantage is that public transport serving these airfields can be scrappy at best and a very popular option is hiring a car from the airport. The following are some of the wonderful cities that we have visited using cheap flights. We’re sure that you will enjoy visiting any of these scenic, without doubt they have plenty to offer the visitor to their shores.

Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow was once an extremely ugly planning disaster but the city has undergone a Renaissance and has become a wonderful, architecturally diverse city welcoming a huge number of visitors throughout the year.

The trendy West side of Glasgow is the home of the fourth oldest university in the U.K.. Perched on a hill amidst the Medieval region of Glasgow, the students bring a cosmopolitan, fun loving atmosphere to the city. The low cost carriers utilise Prestwick Airport some 51 km (35 miles) to the north east of the centre of the city and you will find an excellent road between the airport and the city centre.

It’s a popular sightseeing area, so it is advisable to rent a car at Glasgow Airport in advance of your trip. A congestion free 30 minute journey from Prestwick on the M77 motorway brings you to the centre of the city. Glasgow is an ideal base for a trip out to the Trossachs National Park.

Just 20 km (13 mile) journey out of Glasgow and you might find yourself enjoying sensational countryside seated upon a pony, whereas a 50 km (30 mile) drive eastwards using another excellent motorway will take you to Edinburgh , the city of festivals complete with Princes Street shopping, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh Castle and the seaside.

Florence, Italy

Undoubtedly one of the most stunningly beautiful cities in Europe, Florence is served by the airport at Pisa, which is 84 km (50 miles) west of the city. Hire a car at Florence airport and you’ll be in position to take in Pisa with its leaning tower, majestic Florence and some of some of the most picturesque countryside in the whole of Europe, that of the majestically beautiful Tuscany.

It is therefore not surprising that Florence is high in the popularity stakes when considering European cities. Once you arrive at the city of Florence you will find that much of the centre is pedestrianized protecting its many ancient architectural treasures and statues from the pollution and vibrations associated with busy roads. As a result you are overtaken by a sense of tranquility as you wander from one fragment of history to the next.

You don’t have to stray too far before experiencing the ghastly, ear piercing roar of the scooter riders of Florence. Apart from the Ponte Vecchio all of the bridges leading to centre of the city 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 base for exploring France’s beautiful Loire valley and its magnificent chateaux The ideal centre for exploring the Loire Valley renowned for its amazing array of palatial residences, Tours boasts a few charms of its own. Although the small airport is but a couple of miles out of town, you really need to rent a car at Tours airport to fully explore some of the most picturesque towns and villages in the whole of France.

A large number of cultural treasures can be found along the banks of the Loire. A UNESCO site, the Loire Valley offers beautiful countryside, historic villages and lots of flamboyant castles. Formerly the “Retreat of Kings” back in the days of the Renaissance and the middle ages, the Loire Valley was a favourite location for the French monarchy.

Former working fortified castles were converted into palatial and elegant trophy residences and these are now the main tourist attractions of the region. Visitors from around the world are drawn to the historic towns that are situated along the banks of the Loire. Towns such as Tours, Blois and Chinon have so much to see and do whilst the most popular chateau is maybe that on the Chambord Estate.

Throughout the region you will find small, family owned vineyards selling a variety of great wines at very low prices. Look out for the word “degustation”, which means sampling I guess, and provided that ‘Le Patron’ is not enjoying a long leisurely lunch you will be made very welcome and he will be more than willing to offer you a tasting of his complete selection of wines.

Naturally, it is strongly advised that you take a tee-totaller as your chauffer, some of these tasting sessions can get very serious!.

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