travel in the age of EasyJet | a 4-part strategy

graphic from easyjet.com which should thank me for the free link

A client wanted to plan a trip to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. He contacted me this Tuesday for his dates in June ... and I soon discovered that every hotel he was interested in was totally booked. There was no space whatsoever for his dates at the Grand Bretagne or the King George in Athens. Choices in Mykonos and Santorini were extremely limited. Quite a frustrating experience, as he was ready to book a trip ... so he decided to postpone.

Europe is crowded these days ... and a big reason for this is that it's so cheap and easy for Europeans to fly around the continent. Just hop aboard a discount airline, and be in Paris, London, Rome, or a Mediterranean beach destination in little more than an hour. And if you can get there for 26.99£ as EasyJet's website promises (see above), why not!

You need a strategy to plan your trip to Europe.

1. Book early. 60 days is not enough lead-time to plan a trip to the Greek Islands in June, as my frustrating Tuesday impressed on me. Start 330 days ahead. Think hotels as soon as you start booking your award tickets. You'll have more availability, and you'll also put a ceiling on the rate you pay; flexible rates can always be lowered!

2. Explore less well known destinations. Rome, Venice, and Florence are always crowded; ever felt like a sardine packed into the Sistine Chapel? When you go back to Italy, visit lesser known destination such as Verona (where you can see Juliet's balcony), Sicily, and Puglia. Avoid the thundering herds of tourists and encounter a more authentic side of Italy.

3. Employ private guides and drivers. Pricey, yes, but knowledgeable local guides can save you time, your most precious asset. Why stand in queue to buy tickets or get through the front door? Our Virtuoso on-sites can even arrange after-hours tours of many attractions. Imagine having a private candlelit dinner at the Library of Celsus in Ephesus ... after all the crowds have left, a memory that will last a lifetime! Or book a VIP skip-the-line tour of the Eiffel Tower or Paris Catacombs.

4. Take advantage of local experts. Your Virtuoso travel consultant has a network of local experts practically everywhere on earth. These ladies and gentlemen have the experience and connections to craft a memorable European vacation, sparing you much of the stress encountered by those in the back of an EasyJet.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.