How often do you travel to Europe?

I guess my trips are timed more by when I find acceptably priced airfare. In the meantime I just plan my next trip.

In the first couple years of this century, I was in Europe 4 times (eight weeks) in 25 month, but overall, by the end of this year, I will have spent 14 weeks since 2000, 7 times in 9 years.

If "funds" are your criterium, learn how to travel economically.

Up until this year I had been going every year for vacation. I found that if I left the country my vacation was real. Americans still think that travel in Europe is different than travel in the US. No one expects you to take your computer to Europe and check email. Too, I found some things that I really liked doing-walking in Scotland, listening to Scottish fiddle music, exploring historical sights, taking landscape photos. I am really bummed that I didn't get to Europe this summer. It was my first miss in about ten years. And now with the economy going down the tubes I'm afraid I won't be able to go next year. It I lived on the East coast I might go more often. Pam

Right now we seem to be on a trip every 1.5 years plan. Our first was in March of 2006, then November of 2007, and now our next is planned in March of 2009.

I guess I'm a novice, but I hope to change that. My first trip was for almost a month the summer of 2006. We leave in two months for our next trip. We only have two weeks, but I wish we had longer. My daughter's dream is to spend New Years Eve in Paris, so we are doing that. Our trip to follow will be hopefully at least four weeks in the fall of 2010. If I could go every two years I would be happy with that. Since we have to fly from the West Coast, the airfare is more costly. If we lived on the East Coast it might be financially easier to travel more often. Of course it takes time to build up vacation time at work too. Oh well...it never hurts to dream...

In the past, I went every other year. However now that I am old enough to travel alone, I hope to go yearly during my summer breaks :)

Gee, Lucy we think alike. In 2005, I did go to Europe 2X, it was wonderful. However I have been lucky to go at least once for the last 8 yrs. I work hard at it so that my dollars go further. It still is a great value to me as long as I can get a decent airfare.

I travel to Europe about 2-3 times per year, but I usually combine vacation with work-related stuff and visits to my wife's family in Belgium. Visiting for the latter two reasons gives a unique perspective, because you begin to see Europe more as a dynamic, ever-evolving continent where people live and work, rather than as collection of museums and other tourist highlights. You also quickly realize that even the most extensive guidebooks only cover a tiny fraction Europe.

I would love to be able to go twice a year but can't afford to and don't have enough vacation time. But I've been 7 times in the last 10 years and consider myself lucky. There are many more places I like to see than I'll be able to fit in both financially and time-wise before I retire. Unfortunately, my post-retirement travel money has disappeared over the past few weeks so I'll probably have to go back to traveling through books. And websites like this, too!

I went sporadically but for longer periods as a child, 2-3 months at a time, then as a young adult about once every 4-5 years, now as a parent with kids who are finally teens ( 12-18 yrs old x3) I have been able to go more often, about once every 2-3 years, but, luckily have been able to go every year for last 4-5 years.

My plan is to continue with yearly trips, but extend length of time as kids leave house, now the most I can take is 3 weeks or so, which is not very long considering my travel time to get there. I think if I lived on the east coast I would try to go more often as I could see going for a week at a time if only had to fly 5-6 hours.
Hubby and I plan on spending a few months every year there when he retires, likely within next 5-6 years.. yippee!

On average, I travel outside the US about every year and a half. But like an earlier poster, the timing is often determined by when I find a good deal on a flight. Two examples of that were when Aer Lingus had a brief sale a few years ago with flights to Ireland from Chicago for $99, and another time when the same flights were $119. In both cases, I hadn't been planning on going until I saw those fares (in the case of the second one, I was just about to leave for China when I bought the tickets for Ireland for just three months later).

I'm leaving for Italy one week from Thursday!!!
This will be my fourth year in a row traveling to Europe in November. I can afford it so far, because I do travel low season. Also a shorter trip is better than no trip at all! I spend hours on the web looking for deals, and I always seem to find the deals. I hope I can next year! Most of the time I leave on November first, right on my birthday! Because I want to be in the USA for the election, I'm leaving November 6th. But it is nice to celebrate my birthday with my family for a change. I have a grown married son, and I'm self employed, so I can be flexible!

As often as I can, of course. ;)

Actually, it has varied quite widely, depending on what else is going on in my life and my finances.

Assuming I have the ability to get away from work and can finance it, I like to travel internationally about once per year, but I don't alwys go to Europe. Speaking very roughly, I figure there are three "directions" to go: east (to Europe), west (to Asia), and south (Latin America/Caribbean). I generally try to alternate all three directions...so if all else is going well, I tend to go to Europe roughly every 3 years. At least I try.

Now that my kids have more or less left the nest, I am trying to go once a year. There are so many places I want to go, and I feel like I need to get moving before I get old and fall apart. This year I ended up going twice. I was very fortunate that it worked out, and the trips were fabulous, but I don't think I'd do it again. I spend a huge amount of time researching and planning, which I really enjoy for the most part, though not the nitty gritty details. Then the trip over and back is somewhat of an ordeal with air travel being what it is. As long as I'm working, I think I'll focus on one trip a year (assuming my husband and I can manage to stay employed). I feel like I could use more down time at home to get things done and to just relax. When I'm retired I would love to do two trips a year, but looking at my 401(k) statements these days, I'm not sure that will happen. :)

After our first two trips in '90 and '91, it took us until 2001 to get back to Europe. Since 2001 we've travelled to Europe 5 times. Now we're trying for every other year. At least that's the plan. Who knows though.

Paul

We had gone 2 times a year (1 week in Nov/Dec and 1 to 2 weeks in July) for more than 20 years. This year we had to cut back due to my mother-in-law's poor health. we are now her primary caregivers and cannot be away that long. We hope to be able to return to Europe sooner rather than later. Until then, I enjoy Europe vicariously through these posts.

We're very fortunate, and as educators, have some time off in the winter, spring and summer. We've been going twice per year now, and hope to sustain that pace for some time...once over Winter Break for about a week, and once in the summer for about two weeks.

My first trip to the UK was in 1988 and it took me until 1996 to get back. For several years after that we were able to go once and sometimes twice a year..I also had two jobs then. I'm going again next September.

I have family in Europe so travelling over the Atlantic once a year is a priority for me. However, this year was the first time that I felt we travelled more "like tourists" and much less like family visitors. I prefer going back exploring more like the Europeans do it which would probably mean less of "cultural travel" but also a bit less spending and a slower pace.

Our original plan was to budget and save for a trip every two years, but for 3-4 weeks each trip. This spread the airfare out over many travel days, making the trip (combined with frugal lodging) a bargain. We have kept at least the original plan, having been there 5 times since 2000. We have found though that cheap airfares in the winter months are good for 1-2 week trips, and I am fortunate enough to see that I may be travelling to Europe on business at least once a year for a week long conference. So in the future it looks to be once or twice a year.

We have alot of relatives in Germany, and my Mom, daughter, and I have been going every year since '93 for 3-4 weeks(Lee, we never get tired of it). During those trips I take my daughter on a road trip, so have seen a fair amount of the rest of Europe as well. We did go twice in '06 and '08, seperate trips to London. When I was younger we weren't so fortunate, but managed every few years. I never get enough of Europe, would also go several times a year if I had the means.

I managed to go 2x last year and wish I could do that this year, but don't want to spend my hard earned savings for something like trip until the economy settles down.

We didn't travel for 20 years of our marriage, and now we've managed a trip once a year, or once every 2 years.

Vacation time when you work is a big determining factor. If you really want to travel, you will find the money.

In the last 2 years we managed a 2 week trip to Europe and 4 days in Mexico, but not this year!

Our vacation for Europe in 2009 is planned and being paid for monthly right now. We will have most of the trip paid for 2 months before we leave.

Also, we have only traveled to Europe when I have enough frequent flier miles to cover the flight. Our entire expense comes from "land" expenses, hotel, food, trains. That is one way we can afford to travel, saving up to $2K for airfare.

My husband and I have spent 18 weeks in Europe since 2001. We tend to stay for longer periods of time. Our last trip just ended October 13 and was for 5 weeks. We also enjoy traveling in the US,Canada and other countries, and we spend about 6-7 weeks a year traveling. Our next big trip: New Zealand!!

Our first trip to Europe was in 2002, we have since been 2 more times. We have a trip to Venice scheduled in December and a trip to Siena in March. I would also go more often if my finance and work schedule allowed. I also have many places in the US, Mexico and Canada I have yet to explore.

Travelling more would be in my plans and Funds are certainly a concern, not only just saving them, but we have found that family has come first lately. The economy has meant we have helped out children, another is looking at getting married, another a baby...leading to potential conflicts with travel. Beyond that, it seems harder to get away from work, the company has frozen hiring and is not replacing staff.. so the ideal situation I have (consider this: 5 weeks paid vacation plus generous holidays, a brother in Germany with a 4 bedroom duplex to himself, and a relatively bargain euro) seems wasted. I will persevere though and am constantly planning...maybe Mexico in January, Istanbul for work in July, Germany in September...maybe no Mexico and do Europe in April, who knows, or maybe they all fall through.

I look forward to a trip every year to Europe. When I travel to Europe it is a sight seeing trip for two to three weeks. I also go to Kauaii for two weeks a year and that is a vacation to relax and catch up on reading and sleep.

My hubby and I promised ourselves that we'd go every 2 years. Our first trip was to London back in '06 with our then 4 1/2 yr. old daughter. She did so well on the trip since she was into princesses and castles back then. This year we picked Italy and just got back last week-end. It was amazing! We all had a wonderful time, ate some amazing food, and met some wonderful people. We certainly hope to continue on with this " family tradition".