Despite the wilting dollar, good vacations are still affordable
Skip the Ritz. Bypass London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Munich, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Athens. Head for the byways. Seek out country inns, auberges, Gasthãuser, bedsitters, farms, pensions, pousadas and paradores. This is the year of the offbeat, off-beaten-track European vacation.
As a result of airfare deregulation, getting there has never been cheaper. In some countries, notably Portugal, Italy and Greece, the dollar will go farther than it did two years ago. And, while the greenback continues to wilt elsewhere, it can still be stretched to wrap a memorable, moderately priced vacation. In fact, for the traveler who will settle for country candles over city lights, who has an appetite for food and drink modest only in price, this kind of vacation can be more rewarding than the traditional tour of the fleshpots. It will take him to towns as old as civilization, to architectural monuments, archaeological sites and little-known museums, uncrowded beaches and country fairs, superlative fishing, golf, tennis, hiking, biking, train rides and other forms of exploration and conviviality that do not come with a $100-a-day hotel room. Says Rene Bardy, an official of the French tourist bureau: "What is asked of today's tourist is that he be more curious and clever than he used to be."
To be sure, most visitors will want at least to see the big cities, if not to tarry in them. Thus the Strategic American Traveler (SAT) is well advised to find pleasant bases within easy distance of capitals, at prices lower than at any stateside Holiday Inn. In many countries, excellent railroads and mass transit provide fast, cheap transportation, particularly if the visitor takes advantage of the low-cost passes available to foreigners.
Country-to-country tips from TIME correspondents:
PORTUGAL. YOU CAN AFFORD IT IN PORTUGAL, according to the travel ads. Depending on the it, é verdade! It's true. In the past five years, the escudo has been devalued against the dollar by nearly 90%, making Portugal Europe's greatest tourist bargain for Americans. Escudos apart, the Indiana-size country has always been one of the Continent's most charming retreats, with diversions that include sophisticated casinos and primitive villages, superb beaches, great architecture, hearty meals and good wine.
There are a number of package tours, notably "Sportugal," which include golf, tennis and big-game fishing, hotel room and rental car for seven days for $360, and a wine tour that takes the visitor through the vineyards to the great port houses of Oporto. The best way to see the country is to rent a car and stay at the attractive, state-run pousadas. Some of them are in modernized medieval buildings and cost around $27 a day for double room and bath. One of the handsomest, Pousada dos Loios, is in the south central town of Évora, famous for its Roman ruins and Moorish architecture. At some seaside villages the visitor can rent a fisherman's cottage for as little as $250 a month.