Northern Europe is notoriously expensive for tourists. Similarly, the UK has one of the highest costs of living in the world. Before electing to travel across Northern Europe (France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavia and the British Isles), do some research to get the best deal. It pays to be flexible with travel dates. Just because you've always wanted to see Paris in the spring doesn't meant it's not just as gorgeous in the fall when leaves are changing and airlines are offering cheap flights. Hotels are often half-full during the off-season also, so plan a last minute getaway with these facts in mind.
For a last minute trip, be prepared to not have the selection you normally would planning in advance. The only available hotel may be outside the city center so take the subway and buy a weekend or day ticket as these are often much cheaper than taxis or renting a car.
If you're hoping for a last minute trip across several countries, familiarize yourself with the local airlines. EasyJet or Ryan Air in the British Isles, Germanwings in Germany, and Aer Lingus routinely offer competitive fares and do not have to be booked very far in advance and you won't get penalized for booking a one-way ticket.
Last minute getaways in Central Europe and along the Mediterranean (Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Spain) take more flexibility as there are fewer last minute, inexpensive options. The flight will most likely be the most expensive part of your trip, so save money elsewhere by lodging in a hostel (many offer private rooms, but without the amenities of a hotel) and traveling off-season. Be accommodating with the airport you fly into, for instance, Munich Airport is about two hours from Salzburg and the train journey to Austria will only cost you about $22 to $25.
Several websites and travel companies specialize in last minute vacations to destinations with your holiday theme in mind. For example, city breaks (to Rome or Barcelona), historical sites (Florence or Vienna) or beach getaways in places like the Canary Islands and Malta.
Eastern Europe is by far the friendliest for the pocketbook when it comes to eleventh-hour holidays. It is possible to book a ticket through a large hub airport in the West, such as Heathrow or Frankfurt, and get a connecting flight for practically nothing to Prague, Krakow or Bratislava. Many countries in Eastern Europe offer the same quality of culture without all the tourists and at a much more affordable price. In Prague, it is possible to get a last-minute reservation for about $30 per night in a city center hostel. Many museums and tours will not cost over $10 to $12 and as Eastern Europe is fast becoming a hot spot for Westerners, the quality of service and value for money is increasing every year.
