How To: One Week in Europe on a Budget for $1000

Is it possible? Are you wondering how to travel to Europe on a budget* for a week with a $1000 budget. Do you want to travel more but you’re ballin’ on a budget? I get SO MANY questions about how I travel, plan trips, and afford to travel. I recently saw a post in a travel group where a woman asked if we thought she could go to London for a week for $1000 including airfare.

FIRSTLY, a preface: I understand that $1000 may seem like a LOT to some and a very small budget to others. I know that travel is not something everybody can afford at every stage of their lives. I simply wanted to research if it is possible to do it, based on ACTUAL available travel AND my own experiences.

Can it be done? A week-long European Vacation from the USA for $1000 or under? I think so. Let me show you how.

As for how I personally afford to travel / budget for travel: one of the BIGGEST parts of that for me is using Digit to save money when I don’t see opportunities to do so.

*Yes, I know Europe is a continent and not a specific destination for a week long trip. However, as there are a TON of amazing places to visit, I am leaving it open so that we can look at various possibilities and see if different cities are more feasible. So we will be narrowing it down during this post, don’t worry!
Now. Let’s get to planning.

Europe on a Budget: Where to, and when?

As I mentioned, Europe is a continent, so we are gonna need to narrow down the search. My FAVORITE place to start is Skyscanner.com to get an idea for where your most affordable destinations that you are interested in are.

DISCLOSURE: I am doing this research and example from where I LIVE. Obviously this is going to be pretty significant since I am looking to fly from Los Angeles (or nearby). It is a large airport BUT its one of the furthest from Europe in the USA, so keep in mind your results will vary.

When?

I know, you’re thinking you should pick WHERE, then WHEN, right? Well…maybe not. If you have a flexible schedule, or have the chance to choose when you take your vacation days, you may be able to plan this trip for WAY less if you go in the off season.

Off-Season Pros:

• Less busy
• Less expensive
• Chance for new/unique experiences and off the beaten path places

Off-Season Cons:

• Possible inclement weather
• Store/event closures due to fewer visitors
• May be harder to get time off depending on your line of work