It is the heat of the summer, and Europe is being invaded by throngs of map-wielding and bikini clad tourists. Sure this is the cause for the bottleneck traffic in Florence’ Piazza del Duomo, and makes for navigating through the Roman Forum that much more stressful. As the backpacker and weekend tourist influx grows, Europe’s extensive travel network opens up to the outlying locales like Greece, Barcelona, Portugal, the Baltics, the Balkans, and Sicily. Of course, it is still logical to hop on overnight buses and trains if you are traveling within Central Europe, with travel times on buses and trains comparable to the timely process of air travel (getting to the airport, check-in, etc). However, far-reaching cities like Athens and Lisbon that may take 16 – 24+ hours to reach overnight in the spring, winter, and fall months, are now reached in a fraction of the time by newly opened flight routes, and high speed ferry connections.

In the low-season it may be in vogue to hop a plodding 20+ hour bus, or overnight ferry to reach places like Barcelona, Lisbon, Ibiza, Mallorca, Sicily, and Corsica with some coin in your pocket. I don’t blame you as I would be standing at the ticket window with you. However, discount and national airlines cash-in on the tourism boom by opening up more frequent flights, and allowing greater flexibility for arrival times, and leave more money in your pocket. For trips to cities on the Iberian Peninsula (Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Lagos) and the nearby islands of Ibiza and Mallorca, frequent flight routes with TAP Portugal, Spainair, Vueling, RyanAir, Iberia, EasyJet, Air Europa, and other major national carriers provide dozens of daily flights allowing you to find the best deal. Wikipedia does a fantastic job of laying out all of Europe’s discount airlines. Keep in mind that the bulk of many of these airlines flight patterns are designated for the busy summer months only. Want some posh beaches closer to Central Europe and without the pick pockets of Barcelona? Have a look at the French Riviera!

For much of the year it is difficult and costly to reach the stunning white houses of Greek Islands Santorini and Mykonos. These iconic Greek Islands are only accessible via Athens in the low-season. Alas, the summer provides numerous flights at modest prices, providing an alternative to the 24+ hour ferry trip to the Greek mainland or having to pay an exorbitant price to fly from other major cities. Even places like the Corfu (home to the world famous Pink Palace) have frequent discount flights arriving through airlines like EasyJet, getting you there in a third of the time as the ferry). Of course if you are traveling in the spring, winter, and fall, the ferry becomes the ideal option as flight prices to Athens skyrocket and become very infrequent, as again, I will be in line right next to you, buying my overnight ferry ticket to Corfu and The Pink Palace.

For direct flights to Athens, Mykonos, Heraklion, and Santorini check out Aegean Airlines, Olympic Airlines, EasyJet, as well as the national carrier of the country you are in (i.e. in Italy check our fares with Alitalia). Once in Athens, freshly opened high-speed summer ferries connect you to the further reaches of the Cyclades and Dodecanese Islands in 4 to 8 hours. These new ferry routes sail many times a day, allowing maximum flexibility to check out Ancient Athens, and still see the white and blue houses of Greece. If you are staying in Athens, we recommend checking out Athenstyle and Easy Athens. For Santorini Hotels, check out Hotel Antonia and Villa Alizea. For Greece ferry timetable, head here. Do you want to get to some incredible beaches off the beaten path beaches, but want to be able to get there by bus or train? Why don’t you take a look at Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, the up and coming beach destination in Mediterranean.

Sure the summer months may ratchet up the stress level, with long lines for museums, and trying moments trying to negotiate a place a stay. But summer is also the time to take advantage of the opportunities of more flexible and readily available transportation options. Get out there and enjoy, because the summertime is for getting around in Europe!

Get more Informations under this link.

Jumping out of an airplane, cruising down the mountain on sleds at night, carving fresh tracks on some of the best terrain this planet has to offer, sailing through the sky with a paraglider, leaping off a suspended platform and flying through a canyon, exploring the views and local fare of Switzerland, and capping it all off each night at the local hot spot in town (located directly below our accommodation).  Yeah, I’d say we had a lot of fun this weekend.

Over one hundred study abroad students from across continental Europe traveled with us to Interlaken, Switzerland, this past weekend to engage in the world’s greatest winter wonderland.  It’s hard not to fall in love with the town of Interlaken, and even harder when you get conditions and weather like we had this weekend. There was fresh powder begging to be thrown through the air by a board or skis, and the skies had cleared up to offer us majestic mountain vistas, whether seen from the chairlift, the windows of our hostel, or even the bus ride home.

We love to tag each year with a unique label that we can forever remember just why that year was so unique. I can’t imagine a world without us reminding ourselves just why each year was so special, a world where a white Ford Broncos doesn’t make me think of my innocent youthful years of 1994, or hearing the word “poking” reminds me of how Mark Zuckerberg changed the world in 2004. For many, 2010 will be painted by their life-changing experience in Europe.

With that it is time to look in the shiny, reflective side-mirrors of Bus2alps 2010, where things are closer than they may appear, and rejoice at the all the memories we have made in Europe’s top destinations with some of the United States’ coolest people.

The year kicked off and ended with thousands of students from across Europe roaming the Alpine wonderland of Interlaken, Switzerland in search of beautiful scenery and powder. 2010 rolled through the adventure and thrills of Interlaken into Italy’s largest street festival, Venice Carnevale, followed by incredible spring break trips, including Greece (Athens, Corfu, and Aegina) and The Northern Loop (Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris), culminating with Easter Weekend in Corfu, Greece, where over 200 students were unleashed on a wild time of toga parties, booze cruises, and Greek love.

As the sun shone, destinations like The Amalfi Coast, French Riviera, Croatia and Cinque Terre brought us to Europe’s most beautiful beach spots. Of course, we would be reminisced to not dedicate part of this memoir of this thrill-packed year to the largest party in the world, Munich’s Oktoberfest. This year Bus2alps made our mark on Munich’s cherished festival. With 600 plus people strong, Bus2alps showed the Germans that those of us from the States do know how to party!

Despite the post-Oktoberfest haze, we continued Bus2alps and our guests continued our wonderful 2010 blitz on Europe, making return splashes to the Northern Loop and Greece for Fall Break. Bus2alps takes over Europe culminated with an incredible, family-style Thanksgiving dinner and weekend in Interlaken, and one last foray into Interlaken’s snow-covered winter wonderland.

2010 was as special year that Bus2alps will always remember. In 2010, Bus2alps launched began a full schedule of departures from Barcelona, Prague, Paris, and London, in addition to many successful new trips including The Northern Loop Spring Break, Croatia, Cinque Terre, and Florence & Tuscany. Most of all, Bus2alps will always remember 2010 for the thousands of awesome guests whose lives we had the privilege to be a part of.

Redeem your spring break gone bad with a free one in Europe

Have you wasted away a spring break cleaning the gutters for your grandparents? Did you wake up facedown on the balcony of a hotel room not knowing what day it was or how you got there? Were you a roadie for a local pan flute band?

We’ve all had an embarrassing, disastrous or less than memorable Spring Break moment. Submit a picture showing your last spring break’s mishaps, failures, or lack of excitement to prove why you deserve a free European Spring Break and a chance to make some real memories.

Enter to win a Free Spring Break and to vote on the best, worst photo on the Bus2alps Fan Page.

Does this bring back any lucid memories of a spring break gone bad?

Photo submissions should clearly explain why you need a second chance at spring break. Bus2alps and the facebook community want you to get creative. It’s time to scour you old photos and own up to your less than memorable spring break moments so that you can redeem yourself in 2011.

Photos are to be uploaded to the contest application on the Bus2alps fan page.

There are no boundaries or criteria for photo submissions, as long as they adhere to accepted conduct for public photo uploads.

Prize Eligibility

Only one entry is allowed per contest

Contest Starts

November 24, 2010 @ 08:30 am (PST)

Contest Ends

December 23, 2010 @ 08:30 am (PST)

Enter now to win a free Spring Break in Europe!

Below is the link for each entry so you can review them. Place your well-thought out or impulsive votes in the shiny white box below!

The top blog will be determined based on how cool their blog is and by a panel of Bus2alps’ literary experts.

Katherine Moran – “Blondes, Braids, and Bus2alps”

Curtis Chude – “Oktoberfest”

Beatrice in Italia – “Navy waters, Rocky Cliffs, Clear Skies, Sailboats….Amalfi Coast”

Justin Kuntz – “Beerfest”

Janine Narvaez – “Cinque Terre! An Italian Paradise….”

VOTE NOW!