European summer

A lot of choices for travel abroad this summer - check out our three part series.

What is it?
It is a travel series that we will run over the coming three weeks. This week we will tell you about travel packages to Europe. There are plenty of packages on offer from a whole load of travel agencies.

So we decided to simplify things a bit and shortlist packages from three travel agencies "" Thomas Cook, Cox & Kings and SOTC. All three offer 19-20 day, 15-day and week-long packages that'll take you to Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Amsterdam, Spain, France and England.

Why are we writing about it?
Well, travel agencies seem to be finally waking up to the fact that not everybody likes an all-in-one holiday. So you have SOTC offering packages especially tailored for family and kids (Grand Family Fun Tour), a package for senior citizens (Grand Forever Young Tour) and a tour for country hoppers (Grand Tour that covers Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France and England).

If you want a vacation that's also easy on your pocket, SOTC has cost saver tours that are priced at least a lakh lower than regular packages. And to sweeten the deal further, they're offering a discount of Rs 5,000 if you book right away.

Cox & Kings, on the other hand has introduced cashback packages to Europe this month where the company will refund between 30 to 40 per cent of your tour cost a year after the tour. They have even launched special vegetarian meal packages for Gujaratis and packages for Maharashtrians where the tour price includes everything.

What's in it for me?
For one, you'll not have to worry about passport, visa, overseas travel insurance and other formalities. Your tickets and accommodation (either a three, four or five star hotel) will be booked by the travel agency. Most agencies provide Indian food (breakfast and dinner).

What are the damages?
Anywhere between Rs 1,79,100 per person to Rs 44,000 per person. A 15-day package will cost between Rs 1,79,100 (Thomas Cook's Extravaganza Europe) to Rs 1,07,000 (SOTC's Grand Tour of Europe).

While SOTC's cost saver tours range between Rs 44,000 (seven-day Switzerland, Dijon and Paris package) to Rs 53,950 (eight-day Mini Europe Tour) and Rs 69,250 (11-day All Europe Tour).

Meanwhile, Cox & Kings cash back tours are priced at Rs 79,000 for a 10-day package, Rs 1,09,999 for a 14-day tour and Rs 1,32,000 for its 19-day European Splendour. And in a year's time you'll get back Rs 30,000.

Take it or leave it?
Doing your own thing is certainly better. But when you're travelling with family, a package tour where most of the things are taken care of makes a lot more sense. And if you want a mix of both the worlds, you could try SOTC's 'Do It Yourself Holidays' to Austria, Switzerland or Paris priced between Rs 29,970 to Rs 64,960.

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SNIPPETS

Break away
Been fascinated by the pyramids and pharaohs all your life, this one tour is for the budding Egyptologist in you. Superbreak, UK's online holiday specialists in short breaks, offers breaks to London to see "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs", Britain's largest ever exhibition that begins on November 22.

If you know you are in the UK in November, book the tickets and accommodation through SuperBreak website "" http://www.superbreak.com/tutankhamun-exhibition. The exhibition will be held at The 02 (formerly the millennium dome) in Greenwich over the following 10 months. And with tickets on sale from both Superbreak and over 7,000 travel agents across the country, you will have no excuse not to visit this fascinating spectacle from ancient Egypt.

Say Cheese!
Avast ye foodies! The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills is planning a "trip of a lifetime" tour of the Eastern Mediterranean aboard the Silversea luxury cruise ship Silver Cloud with an "insider's only" exploration of exotic ports of call, visiting markets, wineries, artisanal food producers, and off-the-tourist beat restaurants and cafes. Tour dates are July 6-13 this year. Tickets start at approximately $4,406, which includes beverages, meals, and gratuities. Airfare is not included.

Participants will disembark in Athens (Piraeus) on July 13 and will be lead on discovery tours in Mykonos, Thessaloniki, Bodrum (Turkey), Aghios Nikolaos (Crete), and Nauplia (Greece).

Smart travel
As the time to backpack gets nearer, the airlines are providing the best options for holidays. If Go Air is offering tickets as low as Rs zero, Air Deccan has done a strategic tie-up with online travel portal travelguru.com, to provide budget hotel bookings and holiday packages.

The special GoSmart Pre-Budget Summer Time Bonanza will be on offer from February 23 till February 28, 2007 for travel between March to August 2007.

Air Deccan's tie up will provide Air Deccan passengers the convenience of selecting and making reservations in 2,500 hotels including over 1,500 budget/economy hotels, through its website www.airdeccan.net. The hotels are located in 160 cities across India including all destinations that Air Deccan flies to.