Visit These Amazing Destinations While the Prices Are Low

There are a number of reasons travel prices might drop for a particular destination. Perhaps there are recent economic or security issues that have caused a dip in tourist interests. Sometimes it's as simple as an expected cool stretch in a hot-weather destination. Whatever the reason, there's a long list of desirable locales that are surprisingly affordable to visit right this minute. Keep reading for some exciting and budget-friendly travel inspiration.

Source: Visit These Amazing Destinations While the Prices Are Low

Severe thunderstorms and hail to lash popular European destinations

Thunderstorms and hail are set to saturate a section of southern Europe as a complex front stretches from Croatia to Italy.

The deluge will begin Thursday and is expected to last for much of the day, where thermometers in parts of Croatia will plummet to highs of 14C.

Dr. Dave Reynolds, senior meteorologist of The Weather Channel, said: "From Croatia to Italy, thundery conditions are more likely - some may reach severe levels with large hail locally."

Italy and Croatia to face thundery conditions on Thursday (The Weather Company)

Rainfall is forecast to be locally very heavy where residents and holidaymakers have been warned of possible travel disruption.

Another trailing cold front will also bring further rain along southern Scandinavia to northern Poland and on to Belarus, where temperatures are expected to hover around the low teens.

The British Isles aren't predicted to escape these grim conditions either as an area of deep low pressure will move on Thursday to bring plenty of rain - which will be heavy in the north-west.

Elsewhere will be dry and partly cloudy to mostly cloudy under a ridge of high pressure.

General cooling of temperatures across much of mainland and northern Europe (The Weather Company)

Balmy sunny skies are more likely across Iberia and southern parts of south-eastern Europe under a slack pressure gradient.

Meanwhile, stronger high pressure will bring dry and bright conditions from the far north-west of Russia to northern Norway.

Maximum temperatures will remain around 10 degrees celsius in the Scandinavian Mountains, with widespread lows in the mid teens forecast across northern Europe.

The best of the hot weather however is expected in Spain and Greece, with highs reaching the low to mid 30s.

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1. Kunstkamera, St. Petersburg, Russia: This Kunstkamera is the first museum in Russia. Established by Peter the Great and completed in 1727, the building hosts the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, with a collection of almost two million items - including a skeleton of conjoined twins and a small intestine floating in a glass jar. (Dominic Sayers / Flickr Creative Commons)

The Weather Company's primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

Source: Severe thunderstorms and hail to lash popular European destinations

Anti-visitor sentiment sweeps some of Europe's most popular destinations

San Sebastian, a picturesque tourist destination in northern Spain's Basque Country, has been plagued by anti-tourism protests this summer. Organized by leftist youth group Ernai, one incident saw a tourist train stopped by demonstrators.

Tourism is worth 13 percent to San Sebastian's economy, and the city was deemed 2016's European Capital of Culture.

Eneko Goia, the city's mayor, told CNBC that the protests were "clearly motivated by political reasons," and not representative of the views of most locals. But, tourism in the city is being managed with a firmer hand.

San Sebastian will announce "much more restrictive" rules on tourist apartments in the coming weeks, which are blamed for pushing up rent prices, and have closed almost 100 illegal rentals in the past two years, Goia said.

Source: Anti-visitor sentiment sweeps some of Europe's most popular destinations

Soon, low cost carriers could offer flights to Europe for Rs 12000

Moneycontrol News

Low-cost carriers could soon offer direct flights to Europe at affordable rates. Indians will be able to fly directly to Europe by next year at a rate as cheap as Rs 12000.

According to a report in Times of India, the new low-cost flights will not only be launched just by the Indian low-cost carriers but also foreign carrier companies. While Indian carriers like SpiceJet and IndiGo are taking steps to launch low-cost services to Europe, Scoot, the subsidiary of Singapore Airlines is also trying to make inroads into the Indian market.

According to Scoot officials, this will be due to the 'Fifth Freedom' rights that the company has. The fifth freedom permits a carrier to operate direct flights between two foreign destinations. "Since we have fifth freedom, we can operate direct flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata to destinations like Copenhagen, Vienna, Cairo and Manchester," said Bharath Mahadevan, who heads the Scoot's operations in India.

While at present a direct trip to Europe costs at least Rs 45000, one way trip between Mumbai and Copenhagen could in future cost only around Rs 12000 including 20 Kg baggage and a meal, as per the Scoot officials.

The Indian low-cost carriers too are moving forward with their plans to launch long haul flights at low rates. Indigo and SpiceJet have already placed orders for 142 Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts suited for long haul flights.

And unlike Scoot, which will not carry direct services to London in order to avoid eating into the profit of Singapore Airlines, the Indian carriers could launch direct services to London-Gatwick.

India is all set to become the new big market for the 'Low cost, long haul' air travel but the challenge will be to ensure the viability of the segment in the long run.
Source: Soon, low cost carriers could offer flights to Europe for Rs 12000

A beginner's guide to Iceland, Cleveland Hopkins' newest destination (photos)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- From glaciers to geysers, Northern Lights to the "Game of Thrones": It's time to put Iceland on your bucket list, Cleveland. 

With two new airlines offering competing, nonstop service from Cleveland Hopkins to Reykjavik starting in May, there will likely be no cheaper time to fly to the exotic island nation. (Staying overnight -- now that's a different story.)

Even if your final destination is elsewhere in Europe, consider adding a day or more in Iceland, dubbed the land of fire and ice for its landscape of volcanoes and glaciers. Both Icelandair and Wow Air offer free stopovers en route to dozens of European destinations.

Related: How Cleveland Hopkins International Airport landed two flights to Iceland in one week

Tourism to Iceland has soared in recent years, up more than 300 percent since 2010, with Americans leading the charge.

Tourism took off here early this decade, after the economic collapse of 2008 pushed the country to launch a major visitor campaign. Two years later, the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, which shut down air traffic throughout Europe, attracted additional interest.

With popularity comes price, however: Iceland is among the world's most expensive countries to visit, thanks to its remote location and the strengthening value of the Icelandic krona.

It's so cheap to get here, however, perhaps you can afford to splurge once you land.

Read on, for a primer on the newest, coolest destination from CLE:

Where: Nearly 3,000 miles northeast of Cleveland, Iceland is in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Greenland and northwest of Scotland, just below the Arctic Circle.

How big: The island is 39,700 square miles, just a bit bigger than Maine. Its population is 334,000, about the size of Pittsburgh.

Climate: Despite what its name implies, Iceland is not icy cold, though the weather is notoriously variable. July, the warmest month, offers an average high temperature of 60; January is the coldest, with an average high of 36.

Capital city: Reykjavik, on the west coast, has a population of 122,000, a bit smaller than Dayton. The downtown is easily walkable, with lots of shops, cafes and clubs.

The language: Notoriously tough to pronounce, Icelandic is a North Germanic language, related to Norwegian. Its alphabet consists of 32 letters -- 18 consonants and 14 vowels. Go ahead and learn a few words to be polite, but there is no language barrier in Iceland -- nearly everyone here speaks English.

Keflavik International Airport: Iceland's main international airport is 30 miles south of Reykjavik. It served just over 6.8 million passengers in 2016.

Midnight Sun: In June, the sun in Reykjavik sets after midnight and rises before 3 a.m.; in December, the city gets as few as four hours of daylight.

Top attractions: Spend a day or two weeks. Here are the highlights:

Reykjavik: No matter how long you're here, you'll likely spend at least a day in the capital city. Attractions here include the stunning Harpa concert hall, which debuted in 2011 and is home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and many special events; Laugavegur, the city's main shopping and dining strip; the National Museum of Iceland; and Hallgrimskirkja church, with stunning views from atop the bell tower.

Blue Lagoon: The top attraction in Iceland is a man-made lagoon filled with geothermal water originating a mile below the earth's surface (it's captured by a nearby power plant to create electricity and then routed to the spa). Loaded with minerals, the water appears blue and offers reputed health benefits. The lagoon is about 25 miles southeast of Reykjavik, a short drive from the airport.

Golden Circle: Several of Iceland's top attractions are along a circular driving route east of Reykjavik dubbed the Golden Circle, a popular day trip. The primary stop on the route is Thingvellir National Park, where you can walk (or snorkel) between North American and European continental plates; and wander among the remains of the world's oldest national parliament, the Althing (founded in 930 and moved to Reykjavik in the mid-1800s). Scenes from "Game of Thrones" were filmed here. Also on the Circle: the Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir hot springs area, after which all geysers are named.

Southern coast: If you have a few days to explore, consider a drive along Iceland's southern coast, with numerous natural wonders. Highlights include Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, the fishing village of Vik, black-sand beaches, gorgeous waterfalls, ice caves and more.

Ring Road perimeter: Take a week or more and drive Route 1, 828 miles around the perimeter of the island. It's a two-lane road, speed limit 55 mph, so there's no hurrying. In addition to the sights of the south, highlights here include Myvatn Lake and Grjotagja cave, both featured in "Game of Thrones." Also: spectacular waterfalls, whale-watching opportunities, scenic fjords and Akureyi, Iceland's second largest city.

Northern Lights: Travel to Iceland in the off-season -- late fall through early spring -- has picked up in recent years, primarily because this is one of the best places to see aurora borealis, or Northern Lights. The lights -- caused when gas particles in the Earth's atmosphere collide with charged particles from the sun's atmosphere -- are visible from almost anywhere in the country, September through April. Lousy weather is the only deterrent.

Planning help: This is not a vacation to plan at the very last moment, particularly during the high summer season. Iceland's tourism infrastructure hasn't caught up with its popularity - hotel rooms and rental cars may be hard to find on short notice. Many visitors to Iceland enlist the assistance of tour operators to help plan their itinerary. Tours can be self-guided or with a group.

More information: inspiredbyiceland .com

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Visitors to Iceland

2009: 464,000

2010: 487,000

2011: 566,000

2012: 673,000

2013: 807,000

2014: 997,000

2015: 1.3 million

2016: 1.8 million

2017: 2.3 million (estimated)

Source: Icelandic Tourist Board

Source: A beginner's guide to Iceland, Cleveland Hopkins' newest destination (photos)

Stadium Goods Is Officially Expanding to Europe

NYC-based sneaker retailer/consignment Stadium Goods will expand into the European market through an exclusive partnership with Zalando this Fall.

Through this unique partnership with Europe's biggest online platform for fashion, Stadium Goods' marketplace of hundreds of thousands of the most coveted sneakers and streetwear items will be available to customers in Germany first before it is going to be further rolled-out after a successful testing phase.

"As a leader in the sneaker market, we're excited to be partnering with Europe's premiere online shopping destination. We believe together, Zalando and Stadium Goods will offer sneaker enthusiasts the authenticity and selection European consumers have long been asking for," says John McPheters, Stadium Goods Co-Founder and CEO.

The Zalando partnership allows Stadium Goods to connect their own e-commerce stock to the Zalando fashion store, giving customers a broader assortment of products to select from. For sellers at Stadium Goods, this partnership increases the visibility of the sneakers they're selling across multiple channels.

Carsten Keller, VP Direct-to-Consumer at Zalando says, "Stadium Goods' presence at Bread & Butter makes it a truly unmissable event for the European streetwear cognoscenti and this exclusive partnership with Zalando's Partner Program positions us as a key destination for Europe's community of discerning sneakerheads."

Also, in case you missed it, here are Stadium Goods' 10 most expensive Kobe Bryant sneakers.

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Source: Stadium Goods Is Officially Expanding to Europe

Looking for cheap fares to Europe? Consider these expert tips

You actually can afford to travel. Buzz60

The face of the Great Clock of the Elizabeth Tower, commonly referred to as Big Ben, is pictured at the Houses of Parliament in London, on August 17, 2017, as a red London bus crosses Westminster Bridge.(Photo: TOLGA AKMEN, AFP/Getty Images)

If you've always wanted to take a European vacation, but thought it was out of reach because of expensive airfare, think again. 

Cheap fares are yours for the taking to European hot spots like Paris, London, Glasgow, Dublin, Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona. You just have to know the tricks for finding affordable plane tickets. 

Flexibility — in travel dates, in which airlines you're willing to fly, in arrival and departure airports and even in the season you choose for your trip — can have a big impact on what you pay, said David Fishman, president of Southfield-based Cadillac Travel Group.

"The key is flexibility, dates, times, destinations." If you're willing to be nimble about all those elements, he said, "you'll find a good deal."

Marge Ballheim, owner of Fantasy travel in Wyandotte, agreed, noting that one of the best ways to save money on overseas airfare is to travel through Canada rather than Detroit Metro Airport.  

"I always check booking flights through Canada," she said. "You have airlines like Air Transat that have wonderful fares out of Toronto that I always use as another option for folks."

Related: 

WOW Air coming to Detroit Metro Airport in April

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Some of the last working windmills in the region are at the historic village of Zaanse Schans, about 15 minutes by train northwest of Amsterdam. 2009 FILE PHOTO (Photo: Ellen Creager, Detroit Free Press)

In fact, a round-trip flight from Toronto to London runs $482.62 (U.S. dollars) on Air Transat. (Remember, the price you see when booking online is in Canadian dollars. Because the U.S. dollar is strong right now, the $605.78 price for that flight amounts to $482.62 in U.S. dollars.) That compares to $1,315 (U.S. dollars) for a main cabin seat on Delta Air Lines out of Metro Airport for the same October travel dates. 

"An airline like Air Transat does a really good job," Ballheim said. "Certainly, they're no frills. But for what you get, it's a wonderful way to do it. ... It just depends how much you want to pay, and how convenient you want it to be."

Convenience sometimes can be worth the price, Fishman said. Though you'll save more than $800 by flying Air Transat out of Toronto to get to London rather than Delta out of Detroit, he notes that you still have to make your way to Toronto to catch your flight. 

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Tourists gather around the Sir Walter Scott Monument in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 8, 2017. (Photo: Kristen Jordan Shamus/Detroit Free Press)

There's traffic to consider on Ontario Highway 401, upcoming construction on the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and the border crossing/customs to complicate matters. 

"You have to give yourself more time because crossing the border can really extend how much time it takes you to get to your destination," Fishman said. "The time factor is really key there because you want to make sure you don't miss your flight."

Still, it might be worth it.

Ballheim booked a trip for a group of local Kiwanis Club members recently traveling to Paris for a convention. 

"I routed a lot of my people from Michigan out of Toronto because the difference in the rate was such a lot of money," she said. 

People visit the Trocadero Plaza to take souvenir pictures at sunrise with the Eiffel Tower in the background on August 25, 2017, in Paris. (Photo: LUDOVIC MARIN, AFP/Getty Images)

Now is a great time for bargain hunters, Fishman and Ballheim agreed, because the high summer travel season is winding down. 

Fall and spring trips to Europe tend to be economical because they're considered off season. But for the best deals, Fishman said, consider a winter trip. 

"Clearly once you get past end of the season starting in end of May-June all the way to early September, that is the peak time to fly to Europe," he said. "If you're going to fly to Europe during that time, it's going to cost you more.

"Once you get out of that period of time and start getting into the shoulder — September, October, November — it's a lot less expensive. Then, you get into the winter season of December, January, February, and even March, and those are going to be the lowest-cost times because the weather is not as nice and people are just not traveling there."

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The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland. February 2014. (Photo: Ellen Creager, Ellen Creager/Detroit Free Press)

He suggested spending a family Christmas in Paris or London.

"It's an interesting experience, and it'll cost you a lot less staying at the hotels as well," he said, traveling in winter rather than summer.

Ballheim said one of her favorite trips is visiting Prague in late November, when the city's Christmas markets have just opened. 

"I love Prague. The city itself is beautiful, very, very old, and the buildings are just so unique," she said. "Prague is one of the prettiest cities I think I've ever been to, and their Christmas market in the town square is so much fun. They really do have some beautiful things to buy and to bring home.

"I'll bring back crystal, and wonderful puppets and wooden toys — things that aren't really very expensive, but are just beautifully made over there," Ballheim said, adding that she gifts her European shopping finds to friends and family for Christmas. 

 Another perk to traveling in the off-season is that there generally are fewer people at many of the major tourist hot spots. 

Tourists at the Colosseum on the eve of 'Ferragosto' in Rome, Italy,14 August 2017. Ferragosto is an Italian public holiday celebrated on 15 August, coinciding with the major Catholic feast of the Assumption of Mary. By metonymy, it is also the summer vacation period around mid-August, which may be a long weekend (ponte di ferragosto) or most of August. (Photo : ANGELO CARCONI, EPA)

"It's better to be in those places when it's not so crowded," Fishman said. "It's not as fun being in Italy when it's so crowded that you can't get near the Vatican or the Trevi Fountain or the Colosseum. So it changes the experience, too, by traveling more in the off-season time."

A potential game-changer for international travel from Metro Airport is the addition of low-cost carrier WOW Air, which is offering $99 each-way fares to Iceland as well as other bargain fares starting in April. The airline also plans to offer service to Amsterdam, Paris, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfort, London and Berlin starting April 25.  

"It's always good to have an airline like them come in just to shake up the market a little bit," Ballheim said. "I honestly can't see carriers like Delta, United, American, or any of those that go into Europe, really adjust their airfares very much" because of WOW Air's low-cost offerings.

Tourists pose for selfies in front of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) basilica in Barcelona on August 19, 2017, two days after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 and injuring over 100. (Photo: LLUIS GENE, AFP/Getty Images)

"It's just going to be very interesting to see what the competition looks like when they start their service and exactly what kind of airline they are."

No matter what your destination might be, Ballheim urges travelers to book early. 

"Don't wait till the last minute," she said. "So many people think that in waiting till the last minute they're going to get a good deal, but not necessarily."

Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus.

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Source: Looking for cheap fares to Europe? Consider these expert tips