<p>Would love to freeload on others’ research efforts. What’s the best way to find cheap flights to Europe (specifically Rome) this summer. Also a cheap place to stay there for a few nights (S and two friends) before they link up with Italian friends who will put them up. Thanks.</p>
<p>Try <a href=“http://www.sidestep.com%5B/url%5D”>www.sidestep.com</a></p>
<p>Posters gave me some good advice on places in Rome and London here.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=169293[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=169293</a></p>
<p>Priceline.com also is a good site to get cheap deals on travel. I’ve never used it but have heard some folks rave about it. We followed the advice of Rick Steves “Europe through the Back Door” in figuring out where to stay when we went to Europe in 1990 & had a WONDERFUL time. Youth hostels are inexpensive places to sleep. Bed & Breakfasts are very common in Europe.</p>
<p>Tese airfare sites are listed frequently in the travel forums:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.kayak.com%5B/url%5D”>www.kayak.com</a>
<a href=“http://www.itasoftware.com%5B/url%5D”>www.itasoftware.com</a></p>
<p>But, frankly, I’ve a;ways had the best luck just continually scouting the airline web sites.</p>
<p>Be careful when you go to Rome. It can be brutal there int eh summer. Terribly hot. Also don’t go int AUgust. Romans are on vacation and lots of stuff is closed.</p>
<p>You can get GREAT travel help on these sites:
<a href=“http://slowtalk.com/eve/ubb.x[/url]”>http://slowtalk.com/eve/ubb.x</a>
<a href=“Europe - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums”>Europe - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums;
<p>We went to Europe three years ago in August on a Mediterranean cruise. While it was hot, it was no hotter then here in the Northeast. I packed some easy-wear skirts (light and flippy), sandals and nice tank-tops and wraps for when we went into air conditioned or more formal places like Vatican City. We went to three ports in Italy (Rome, Venice and Naples) and did not have any trouble with things being closed. We went the last week in August so perhaps vacation time was over.</p>
<p>I agree with weenie about continually checking the airline websites. I do like sidestep, and then I’ll go back to the airline it points me to.</p>
<p>yea, I tend to use one of the comparison websites to find the best rate, and then generally go through the airline itself to buy tickets. Also, studentuniverse.com has really good student rates (sometimes, you often have to buy well in advance)</p>
<p>Yes, vacation in Italy is over by the last week in August. When we were in Rome last year June it was 101F and extremely humid and the locals laughed that we thought it was hot. Actually it was unseasonably hot. Luckily our apartment had good air conditioning. </p>
<p>We have been once second week in August (work - many years ago) and it was also extemely hot only many things (especially the smaller, family owned restaurants, shops and hotels which we prefer) were closed. I’m sure the hostels are open though. (Yuk - imagine how sweaty they are!)</p>
<p>We stayed at the Hotel Piazza di Spagna, it was (as its name implies) near the Spanish Steps. Nicest people, great location. The room was very basic but the air conditioning worked and the shower was normal. Prices were cheap enough that we got two rooms (about $100 a night each) which gave the four of us plenty of room.</p>
<p>If you don’t find a super sale on direct flights to Rome, take the cheapest flight to any major city in Europe, then get a connecting flight from that airport to Rome - or first fly into an NYC area airport, which usually has the cheapest flights. As long as your layover is either 1) short-ish if you book through or 2) long enough to get your bags and recheck them, it would work.</p>
<p>Also get on email lists by sites like Smart Travel(er?) - gives last minute flights for the coming weekend or the following week, and they are significantly cheaper. But to do this, you have to have some faith, especially if you booked your hotel already. Most of them are from major hubs, but the good thing is that the US flights always have sales, so you can connect from whereever to the major airport easily and cheaply.</p>
<p>You can also fly cheaply into London (sometimes) and use RyanAir from there.</p>
<p>We did Rome last year…omgosh, it was GREAT</p>
<p>We got used to the heat, and drank lots of water…</p>
<p>the trick was to get in out of the heat in a nice store and look at all the pretty shoes…we would also go back to the youth hostel in the heat of the afternoon, nap, clean up, do our laundry, and go back out about 6pn and stay our late</p>
<p>what a great trip</p>
<p>we took the double deacker bus tour the first day, it gave a real feel for how the city was laid out, you could get off and on as much as you wanted and it lasted two day (three if you coveed the date stamp)</p>
<p>we walked everywhere we could, did everything, and the heat, eh, you are in ROME for heavens sake!!!</p>
<p>Dress light, drink water,and enjoy!!!</p>
<p>We wre there in August as well, and most things were open…we stayed, gasp, a block from the train station, a mom and two teen girls, we felt safe (much security at the station)</p>
<p>Something I used that was really handy…a used a side back (like a bike bag) made of khaki, it was light, I could have it in front of me (pick pockets) and could carry water</p>
<p>I actually did some sewing on it so i could store passports, etc, that coudln’t just fall out, but were not in my way</p>
<p>we then took the night train (another fun adventure) to Paris…haning out in the train station for an hour or so, its like a big mall…</p>
<p>if you are aware, and focused, you will be fine…</p>
<p>And we found wearing light cotton skirts were the most comfortable witht he heat…I wore tank tops with light cotton shrts over the top</p>
<p>we did stay in a hostel, and it was also fun, cooked dinner after shopping at the italian grocery store</p>
<p>I would go back in an instant</p>
<p>and don’t get me going on Paris!!!</p>
<p>Oh yeah, Ryan Air, very cheap flight, a bit confused, but worked well…they have VERY strick rules on luggage so check that out</p>
<p>We carried like small gym bags, so we would not have to pay the extra fee for checking luggage on the way THERE, but we shopped alot, so budgeted to pay extra for our luggage on the RETURN flight…we found great deals on clothes, so bought to wear in Rome and Paris.</p>