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Europe can either be one of the most expensive destinations in the world, or one of the least costly, depending on what you do, where you eat, where you stay and how you get around. Europe is a hit with budget travelers and the well heeled alike, but this article focuses on helping the former get the very most from their travel dollar.

The goal of budget travel is not merely to spend as little as possible. The true goal of the budget traveler is to get the most value out of his or her travel budget, and to focus those limited funds on the things that mean the most to them. Often this means finding cheap lodging in order to enjoy a four star dinner at the finest restaurant in Paris. For others, it could mean buying food at the local grocery and cooking your own dinner, so that you can splurge on a night at the opera or the ballet.

Listed below are some of our all time favorite tips for saving money on a vacation in Europe (or anywhere else for that matter):

 Eat where the locals eat. Eating with the local people instead of the tourists is a great way to save money and enjoy some of the finest cuisine. The restaurants favored by local residents tend to be those that provide the best meals at the lowest prices.

 For a quick and economical breakfast, pick up a roll, some fresh cold cuts and a piece of fruit from the local market. Then enjoy a delicious sandwich and a cup of coffee in the local park.

 When eating out, choose the fixed price menu and the house wine for the best value. Most restaurants offer two or three choices on their fixed price menu, and these dishes are often a great way to sample the local cuisine.

 Sleep cheap on the train. Overnight trains are a great way to both get from place to place and sleep cheaply. Be sure to bring a meal, bottle of water and snack along with you. You will save money by not visiting the dining car, and you will enjoy some great food as well.

 Take lots of pictures and enjoy the people you meet on the road. Take pictures not only of local tourist attractions but of the friends you meet along the way. If using a film camera, it is best to bring the undeveloped rolls back with you and have them developed once you get back home, since film developing in tourist locations is usually quite costly. And of course a digital camera offers a great and cost effective alternative, and you can choose to print only the best shots.

 Try emailing your postcards. Find a website that offers some great photographs of local attractions, or upload your own from your digital camera. Use these shots to send some great personalized email postcards to family and friends back home.

 Try to learn at least a little bit of the local language. If you know the language, or at least the names of the currency, it will be easier, and often cheaper, to buy the things you need.

 When making large purchases, it is always best to use a credit card. Not only will your cash last longer, but credit cards provide the best exchange rates.

 Get cash through an ATM instead of at currency exchange kiosks and hotels. Like credit cards, ATM cash transactions provide the best exchange rates, and you will avoid the sometimes costly fees charged by hotels and currency services.

 Take advantage of all the discounts you are entitled to. Many locations provide student discounts, senior discounts, etc. If you are not sure about discounts, always be sure to ask.

 Plan your vacation budget wisely. There are some excellent, and very inexpensive mementos of your trip, such as stickers, patches or postcards. For more expensive purchases, remember that the further you venture from the tourist attraction, the less expensive the souvenirs will become.

 Tour the city with the locals. A bus pass or subway token is a great way to meet the local people and see the sights. The public transportation service of most European cites is remarkably efficient, clean, safe and easy to navigate. It is not necessary to speak the local language to navigate on the subway or the bus system of most cities.

Author is the editor of Special Feature section of newkerala.com, the Online newspaper published from India. Read more articles by the author at http://www.newkerala.com

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Torrevieja is situated in south Spain and chances are if you were a tourist you would be hiring a car from Alicante airport, Murcia airport or driving south from France.

The main road that serves all that area is the AP-7 and is linked to both airports, you can follow this road right up through Northeast Spain until you reach France.

Alicante airport is the largest in the area and is a major hub for all of North Europe and the world. Most tourists who arrive here get on to holiday busses and are whisked away up to Benidorm a major tourist destination. Alicante airport lies 40 minutes or so North of Torrevieja and because many visitors either own holiday homes here or are renting one out, chances are they will hire a car.

As you leave Alicante airport you will have 2 choices of which direction to go. Either follow the one way system around to meet the AP-7 or take the back road to meet up with the N-323. The AP-7 road is quicker in most cases, but if you are nervous driving in a foreign country you will be driving on a faster road. It is well signposted, but beware there is a dual carriageway that takes you to the AP-7, my first visit I actually though I already was on the AP-7. As you follow the AP-7 south look for the signs and turn left at the relevant slip road which will then take you straight into Torrevieja past Carrefore.

The second option using the N-323 is not so obvious as the signs at the rear of the airport are very small. There are also limited street lighting and road markings at night and if you don’t know where you re going can be a bit scary. Head for the coast to pick the N-332 and turn right. The benefits of using this road are that it will take you directly to Torrevieja without any detours. It is also ideal if you are going to a holiday home just south of Torrevieja, as this road continues straight on to these areas. But beware at night, lighting is poor and sometimes the Spanish drivers can’t get by because of single lines in the middle of the road and sharp bends.

Murcia Airport is situated 30 minutes or so south of Torrevieja and has a direct link to the AP-7. Because this is a small airport, it can be much easier getting out of the airport straight to the AP-7 and is my favourite option. Turn right on the AP-7 and follow this road north. However you will face tollbooths as you near the Torrevieja area. If you wish to avoid these, divert off the AP-7 on to the N323 going north this time, where the signs on the AP-7 say Campoamor beach. Again the N323 will take you straight to Torrevieja but going north.

Torrevieja is pretty much made up of narrow Spanish streets, many of them one way. If you wish to park, follow the roads down to the harbour where there is a car park right there. Most locals however try to park in the narrow streets; if you look around long enough you should find a parking space but I never find it worth the extra time and hassle from the habour car park.

The Spanish like to drive their cars fast, and hate to stop for anything. If driving past a slip road either speed up, slow down or move over, but find a place for that driver to fit in because he will not stop. Ironically though I find them far more polite with the horn and considerate to let you in when queuing. They don’t mind slower drivers as long as they can get past and on with their business and seem less likely to judgeyour driving than in other countries. In the are area around Torrevieja however there is a hugh North European population who have bought holiday homes there, so that Spanish driver may not be Spanish after all. Safe driving!

Mark is webmaster for European Breakdown Cover and Direct Line Insurance also RAC.

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