Europe Travel Report:

November 20, 2007 - Next week we go to do battle with the mighty euro - and the leviathan British pound, which these days should be called the ton. We won’t spend much time in England; just enough to get from Heathrow to the new St. Pancras rail station, where we’ll catch the Eurostar to Brussels. On the agenda are Regensburg, Vienna, Berlin, a few points along the way, and a short excursion to Poland - a little over three weeks.

The Europe Traveler Blog
Please join us on the trip via our new blog, where the emphasis is on car rentals, driving in Europe, rail travel, currency/money issues, and hotels. Internet access permitting, I expect to post daily and, of course, comment on restaurants, hotels, our rental car and rail experiences, with an especially close look at what things cost.

If you want to check out the blog now here are some highlights:

• Why your US$100 bill may not be accepted by European banks
• The new Swiss tunnel that will significantly cut rail journey times
• How some airlines’ website are dealing off the bottom of the deck
• Rental car drivers beware: Visa CDW/theft insurance loophole could cost you $$$
• Ten costly mistakes made by European travelers

At the Europe Traveler Blog, your comments are always welcome.

Save $2,000 Per Couple on a 2008 European Trip
In the Dec/Jan issue of Gemütlichkeit, The Travel Letter for Germany, Austria & Switzerland, we explain in detail a travel plan that will reduce the cost of a normal hotel-restaurant, two-week European vacation by about $1,000 per person. Subscribe now and be ready for the 2008 travel season. If we don’t save you much more than the $59 subscription price — or if you simply decide Gemütlichkeit is not for you — we’ll refund your money.

Driving in Europe in Winter
Winter tires on rented cars in Europe has become a confusing — and expensive — issue. Some countries require them, some don't. Some rental companies include them in the basic rental price, others charge as much as $38 per day for winter tires. Enlightenment on this topic is only a click away.

Lienz: Charming Austrian Town with a Touch of Italy
It was a faintly auspicious sign for the Austrian town of Lienz when, on the very last day of World War II, a bomb landed in the courtyard of the seven century-old Bruck Castle without causing any damage. Later on, after years of war, occupation, and economic hardship, Lienz succeeded in converting its castle into a viable historical museum. A museum featuring paintings by Albin Egger-Lienz, Franz V. Defregger, and Hugo Engl; plus Roman archeological finds from nearby Aguntum, and collections of hand-carved cribs and traditional farmers tools. Read the whole story, with hotel and restaurant reviews.

Europe Travel Planning
We've carefully chosen suppliers that we believe offer the best combination of quality and value in the hotel, air, rail, rental car, and trip insurance categories. Quotes and/or purchases are available on our website:

• Car Rentals
• Transatlantic Airline Tickets
• Rail Passes & Tickets
• Book Hotels
• Travel Insurance
• Discounted Travel Gear (for 10% discount use code gemut2007)