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Traveling to Europe can be an expensive proposition these days. With oil prices reaching record highs and the US economy on a downward spiral, many people are finding that their dreams of a European holiday are being put on hold. But, there are ways to travel to Europe without breaking the bank.

Go east, young man

From the undiscovered beaches of Croatia to the Parisian style nightlife of Prague, Eastern Europe is a place to discover and be discovered while getting more bang for your buck. Inexpensive hotels, cheap beer, culinary treasures, and welcoming locals all entice the budget traveler to the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Finding a cheap flight might be more difficult, but once you’re there, you’ll be sure to make up the difference and then some.

Off season is key

Stay away from Europe and Eastern Europe in the summer. Airfare is through the roof, hotels fill up quickly and raise there prices even quicker, squares are busting at the seams with tourists, and most everything will cost you more. Conversely, autumn is the perfect time to travel; airfares are at their cheapest, hotels offer off-peak season discounts, and the tourists disappear.

Consider a hostel

You’re never too old to stay at a hostel. And if you’re worried about sleeping in a twelve bed dorm room, you may be surprised to learn that many hostels offer private rooms for a fraction of the price of a standard hotel. Yes, you may still have to share a bathroom and you certainly won’t get those nifty hotel soaps, but you will have a lot of extra money in your pocket.

Set a budget

Not having a firm budget can be the single most expensive mistake. Research your trip beforehand and allocate yourself a certain amount of money a day. This will deter you from spending needless cash on trinkets and that extra beer. It all adds up!

Visit Eurotrip

As the largest community of budget travelers to Europe, eurotrip.com offers advice for anyone who wants to save some money while trekking through Europe. From cheap flights to bargain pints, Eurotrip covers it all.

by Matt McLaughlin

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An historical monument becomes a sportive tourist attraction in Istria

This year a major new attraction was opened in Istria: ‘La Parenzana’,  a new biking and hiking trail starting in Savudria, passing Buje, Groznjan, Livade, Motovun and ending in Vizinada. The path is a great way to discover Istria, passes cozy towns, offers impressive panoramic views and is accesible to all, since it is nowhere steep. Indeed it follows an old railway track, nicknamed ‘La Parenzana’. The name comes from its final destination:  Porec or Parenzo in Italian.

The original railway was a project of the Austria-Hungary Empire, to which Istria belonged from 1815 to 1918. The steamlocomotives were operating on this track from 1902 to 1935. Then, during  the Great Depression, it was decided to abondon the railroad. This original railway was 123 kilometers long and was one of Europe’s longest narrow gauge railway’s. Leaving Trieste it first followed the coast and then turned eastwards towards the Istrian interior with its hilly landscape. The track reaches its highest point at an elevation of 293 meters above sealevel. Due to the many bends and ascents the average trains’ speed was only some 25km/h. There were all together 35 stops. The whole journey between Trieste and Porec took around 7 hours. At slower sections passengers could even jump off the train, pick some fruit from one of many orchards or releive themselves (there were no toilets in cars) and return back to the train. Many “blind passengers”, who could not afford to buy the expensive tickets, used the option to just jump on the train. At the steepest sections locomotives often could not handle the slope. So passengers had to disembark the train and hep pushing. Sometimes the train stopped because children greased rail tracks with figs. The journey could only be continue when the tracks were cleaned.

After World War II several ideas were formulated to reconstruct or reuse the railroad at least partially for the purpose of tourism. During the preparation of the railway’s centennial celebration in 2002, with the financial support of the European Union, the Italian and most of the Slovenian sections were used for the realisation of the ‘Trail of Health and Friendship,’suitable  for pedestrians an cyclists. Somewhat later similar works started at the Croatian side. In  2008 the trail from Trieste tot Vizinada was completed. Only the last section from Vizinada to Porec  (approximatly 10 km) still remains to be completed.

Today ‘La Parenzana’ is suitable for walking, jogging or bycicling. The trail runs through old towns and villages, along the sea, passes vineyards and fields with olive trees, through tunnels, over bridges, across valleys and over hills. There are several stops where visitors can take a break. On the farms along the way visitors can taste local wines and olive oil. The most beautifull part leads from Motovun, via Livade to Grosnjan. It offers spectacular views on the valley of the Mirna  down to the Adriatic Sea and on its way it also passes  Zaversje (Piemonte) and Opertalj (Portole), two remarkable small hilltop towns, embedded in the green landscape of the beautifull hinterland of Istria.

For people who want to avoid the crowd of tourists at the coast and enjoy the calm and beauty of nature in combination with a more sportive program, this Parenzana offers just the right thing. And why not staying in a villa or typical natural stone house along the way. You have houses that offer all the confort that you may wish, including a swimming pool and spa. For houses located in the neighbourhood of La parenzana we refer to Istra Panorama

A last information: on september 2008 the 26th, 27th and 28th the bicycle race Istra MTB Tartuffi Tour will follow the track of La Parenzana. With its specific formula (tourism and professional race) it attracts numerous home and foreign cyclists coming from all over Europe.

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