Big savings are, perhaps, the #1 reason for traveling out of season. Airlines often knock a third or more off their peak-period ticket prices and reduced competition means those coveted frequent flyer reward seats are far easier to come by. Ditto for accommodations. You’ll discover that budget and one-of-a-kind lodgings are more readily available, while lavish ones are suddenly more affordable. Sometimes hotels dispense with cost-boosting extras (such as mandatory meal plans or minimum-stay requirements). But on many occasions, they simply drop their prices. For example, one of my favorite European hotels—the elegant Aria in Prague—cuts rates up to 45 percent off peak.
Families
Conventional wisdom dictates that school-age children put off taking vacations until classes let out. But elementary students can usually afford to take time out for a legitimate learning experience. Older ones might also get the nod from teachers—provided they already have good grades and solid attendance records. What’s the catch? Kids must be prepared to stay current with their homework. And parents must be prepared for the fact that family-oriented sites routinely close or have shorter operating hours during low periods. In Denmark, for example, both Legoland and the Tivoli Gardens shut down off-season.
Procrastinators
If it is impossible for you to plot—or pay for—a trip before Easter rolls around again, don’t fret. There are a few notable exceptions to Europe’s seasonal rule. You see, even though summer and weekends year round are peak times for vacationers, they are low times for business travelers. Hence, the types of hotels that cater to them in major commercial and administrative centers lower their rates to fill the rooms suit-wearing patrons vacate. It’s not uncommon to see prices there cut by a third—even a half—or to see extras offered as an incentive. Hotels participating in Stockholm and Copenhagen’s à la Carte programs, for example, give sightseeing passes to top attractions and tours.
Regardless of which category you fall into, you’ll find an added bonus in traveling out of season: namely a more authentic experience. Once the tour buses drive off and the postcard racks are pulled in from the sidewalks, you have a unique opportunity to see Europe in a more realistic light. Better yet, when the hawkers and the tourist hordes disappear, you actually get a chance to rub elbows with residents. Even though the weather may not be at its warmest, the people will be. And for many savvy travelers, that alone is reason enough to embrace the off-season …
Let’s Make a Deal
To ensure you snag the best deal when planning your off-season vacation online, don’t restrict yourself to old standbys like Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity. Newcomer Kayak is definitely worth a look. This aggregator scans 120-plus travel sites, including European-based ones; then links directly to suppliers (hotels, airlines, car rental companies), thereby letting you avoid middlemen’s fees and access unadvertised specials. Package sellers such as Gate 1 and Go-Today are another good bet—even if you are strictly a DIY type.
These companies offer everything from escorted tours to fly-and-drive combos and independent land-only components. Plus it’s hard to beat the bulk rates these guys negotiate. Gate 1’s self-guided “Madrid and Lisbon” special is just one budget-friendly example. Two people departing from NYC early November through late March can get transatlantic airfare, air transfers within the Iberian Peninsula, six nights’ hotel and breakfast daily starting at $1798. (In many cases, couples would be lucky to pay that for the flights alone!) Book a summer departure, on the other hand, and prices start at $2998.
Rainy Days and Sunny Days
Generally speaking, the low season in Europe runs from mid-October to mid-December, then carries on again once the new year has been rung in. Crowds and costs start rising steadily around Easter with a corresponding drop in early autumn. Needless to say, temperatures start dropping once autumn arrives too, and it’s important to be prepared. Learn what’s in store weather-wise for your off-peak stay by checking www.wunderground.com before heading across the pond.
