Luxury Travel on a Cheap Euro

Today I want to share my guide to luxury travel on a cheap euro with you. There are a lot of great value destinations in Europe when the euro exchange rate sinks.

And right now the euro is cheap. Really cheap. For the first time in years, the currency is flirting with parity against the dollar and sinking ever lower against the pound.

For those of us based in the UK and US, it’s a great time to travel to Europe to take advantage of the inexpensive euro.

As such, today I bring you A Lady in London’s guide to the best luxury travel destinations in Europe for leveraging a very favorable exchange rate.

1. Douro Valley on a Cheap Euro

Portugal’s Douro Valley has topped my list of the best places to travel in Europe for a long time.

Home of Port wine, the region has dramatic vineyard-covered hills cascading into sapphire blue rivers and some of the best food and drink in the country.

Even with the strong euro, the Douro Valley was surprisingly inexpensive. But now it’s so affordable it’s almost criminal not to go.

Starting with a stay at The Yeatman hotel in Porto—even the swimming pool is shaped like a decanter—and moving inland to the sunny wine country, it’s the perfect place to take advantage of ever more attainable luxury.

And with the stunning Six Senses Douro Valley hotel to stay at, there’s even more of a reason to get excited about luxury travel on a cheap euro.

2. Paris on a Cheap Euro

Paris is one of my favorite cities in Europe, both for its beauty and its seemingly endless options for great luxury travel.

But as anyone that frequents the City of Light knows, Paris is not cheap. Well, not normally. But now that the euro is so affordable, luxury travel in Paris is becoming a lot more attractive.

Hotels, for example. My favorite place to stay in Paris is the Four Seasons Hotel George V. The hotel epitomizes luxury, and there’s no better time to book a room than when the exchange rate offers that ever-elusive deep discount.

The same goes for fine dining in Paris. All those Michelin stars usually come at a price, but today that price is significantly lower than it was even a few months ago.

Favorites like Le Chateaubriand and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon are worth revisiting, and even places like Mariage Freres, which serves some of the world’s best (and priciest) teas, are significantly more appealing.

3. Venice on a Cheap Euro

Venice has long been a romantic travel destination deserving of a luxurious sojourn, and now that dream can become an even higher-end reality.

Hotel Danieli is one of my favorite luxury hotels in Europe, and the sumptuous suites are even more appealing with the cheap euro “discount”.

And speaking of hotels, the iconic Hotel Cipriani, which is so luxurious it needs its own island, is another place worth visiting. Bellinis by the pool taste so much better when they don’t cost as much as a flight.

But the real reason Venice is such a great place to visit on a cheap euro is the gondola rides. At 100 euros for a short paddle through the canals at night, they’re usually a very pricey way to see what can be viewed on foot for free.

But there’s nothing more romantic than a gondola ride in Venice, and with the euro hitting fresh lows, it won’t be such a mix of pleasure and pain.

4. San Sebastian on a Cheap Euro

Whenever people ask where my favorite place in Europe is, San Sebastian always tops the list for food.

The small city in Spain’s Basque Country is one of the world’s most famous foodie travel destinations, and it hides an eyebrow-raising number of Michelin stars in its hills.

The tasting menus and wine pairings at three-star restaurants like Arzak and Akelarre look far more appetizing on an inexpensive euro, which is to say nothing of the lively pintxo bars in San Sebastian’s old town.

Even luxurious hotels like the Maria Cristina are more affordable than ever, making San Sebastian a very attractive luxury travel option at the moment.