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When you think about
travel destinations, what comes to your mind? An exotic destination?
A seaside retreat? A small adventure? Do images of Hawaii, Paris, or
the Seychelles, spring to mind? Most people do not immediately think
about Yalta, Vilnius, or Warsaw. But Eastern Europe is
opening up and welcoming travelers in ways not previously
imaginable.
Eastern Europe offers not only history and culture, but also
sun and fun type holidays. Services and offerings are constantly
improving and prices are excellent. Yalta is a famous Ukrainian
seaside resort with a pretty promenade (boardwalk) and many lively
restaurants, bars and cafes. Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania is
well established as being amongst the world’s most attractive
cities. Warsaw is a fun and exciting city offering excellent dining
and nightlife at affordable prices. For more details about these and
other destinations in Eastern Europe see the TravelsWise.com
website.
Access
Eastern Europe is changing rapidly. Visas used to be required
in all Eastern European countries; this is no longer the
case. Many Eastern European countries no longer require visas for
short stays. Poland, Czech Republic, Lithuania are now part of the
EC and generally do not require visas for westerners. Even Ukraine
has recently dropped its visa requirements for travelers from many
western countries. As visa situation changes frequently, it is
suggested that the traveler confirms visa requirements before
departure.
Affordable Flights
Until recently it was relatively expensive to fly to many Eastern
European destinations. But now, low cost carriers are changing this.
Czech Air flies from New York to Prague for fares which are less
than many US domestic rates. Lithuanian Airlines, Air Baltic and
Estonian Air are all positioning themselves as low cost carriers and
all have extensive routes throughout Eastern Europe. EasyJet,
one of Europe’s largest discount airlines now flies to Budapest,
Warsaw, Split, Bratislava, Ljubljana, Prague, Rijeka and offers
return rates of under GBP 100 to many of these destinations. To see
a list of European Discount Airlines .
Top Hotels
The past decade has seen an incredible development in the level of
hotels. Eastern European cities such as Prague, Warsaw,
Vilnius, Kiev and Moscow all have top quality hotels. Many of the
international chains are there such as Intercontinental, Sofitel,
Raddison. But the best part is that many of these hotels, even the
internationally recognized chains, offer rates and specials that
would not be imaginable in the West. Imagine staying in a beautiful
top quality hotel with a breathtaking view, rich buffet breakfast
and luxurious wellness facilities (Sauna, Jacuzzi, Swimming Pool)
all included for under euro 100. This is possible in cities such as
Warsaw and Vilnius.
How do you do it? Start with a list with links to hotels. Most of
the National Tourist websites offer a databank of all hotels,
generally organized by city and hotel category (5 star, 4 star,
etc). To find a list of Official European Tourist and Travel boards,
: . First check the hotel websites. Often times you will find a
special offer that meets your needs. If not, simply compose a
general letter requesting the hotel's best offer. Give the type of
room (double / single) and your travel dates, decide what category
you are interested in, and send it to all of the hotels in that
category. Then sit back and wait to see what offers you get! Unless
nearly filled, many Eastern European hotels will make offers
well below the advertised rates. We have used this strategy
successfully in Poland, Lithuania and Czech Republic, but it
probably will not work in Belarus, for example. Usually the amount
you save will be well worth the effort.
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About the Author:
Gene and Galina are international travel enthusiasts. Gene is from
California and Galina is from Minsk, Belarus. They live in
Switzerland and have traveled extensively in Western and Eastern
Europe. They created
Travels Wise, a resource which
contains recommendations about travel in Europe, photos and free
travel videos.
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