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.

the library at Ephesus

The library at Ephesus was probably the highlight of my walk down the marble streets through the ruins of this ancient Roman city. It was one of the largest libraries of the ancient world, designed by the Roman architect Vitruoya, containing between 12,000 and 15,000 scrolls.

Ephesus was a wealthy city with the large library seen above, a large amphitheater, and much ornate statuary. There is a special exhibit (additional admission charge, but worth it) of excavated and partially restored Roman hill houses that is especially interesting. Here's a tip for seeing Ephesus: there are both upper and lower entrances to the city. By beginning your visit at the upper entrance, you get to walk downhill, not a bad idea for visitors in the hot summer sun.

Ephesus is a city of biblical significance. The apostle Paul was imprisoned in Ephesus and may have written some of his letters from that prison. The Epistle to the Ephesians, attributed to Paul, was an early letter sent to the church in Ephesus. Finally, Ephesus is one of the "seven churches of Asia" mentioned in the opening chapters of the Book of Revelation.

It is said that Turkey has more Roman ruins than Italy and more Greek ruins than Greece. It is a fascinating destination for lovers of ancient history.


library at Ephesus (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Turkey | travel photography

I got home a few days ago from a wonderful 10-day, 9-night trip to Turkey. Travel photography is an artistic expression I really enjoy. In this age of digital cameras, it is so easy to share pictures with anyone connected to the internet. Pictured above are the beautiful blue waters of the Aegean Sea as seen from Bodrum (in the southwest of Turkey). Bodrum's February weather was quite pleasant, and in the summer it is a destination frequented by Turkey's rich and famous.

I have posted a collection of photographs here. For those interested in such technical details, they were taken with a Ricoh GRD II camera, a small, light camera with an extremely high quality 28mm (equivalent) fixed focal length wide angle lens.

These photographs were taken in a variety of locations in Turkey: Istanbul, Ephesus, Bodrum, and Cappadocia. Interested in exploring some of these sights for yourself? Get in touch, and I can help you plan a great vacation in Turkey. The best months to visit? May, September, and October.

Turkey travel photography (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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