Adventure Travel Online

Now that the £ has devalued to a record lows against the Euro the national media is full of expert advice highlighting how venturing across the channel is an act of financial suicide from which travellers will never recover. But is it? Will the cost of trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc mean you'll be relegated to hunter gather status upon your return? Will a week climbing via ferrata in the Dolomites mean you'll be hanging out in soup kitchens for life? Is travel to Europe dead?

Hardly. I reckon that by using low cost airlines, public transport, supermarkets (for food) and camping it can still make financial sense to fly over to Europe in 2009. In fact, your biggest expense (and No1 rip off) is probably going to be in travelling to, or parking the car, at a UK airport. Any views?

Ah well, may as well post my own view. I reckon that you can still fly over to Europe, get to the trailhead and hike the Tour du Mont Blanc for under £200 all in. Ditto for via ferrata in the Dolomites.

I agree - I have just been to the Dolomites Skiing for a week and while the cost of things such as skipasses has been affected by the decline in the pound the cost of food and drink is still low in Italy. Getting a last minute deal with an AITO or ABTA affiliated company is easy from either of their sites - so you know your money is 100% protected.

Having skied in France, Austria and Switzerland I find the Italians don't over charge for excellent food, wine or beer.

My flight with Ryanair was Free - pay taxes and baggage only - so a return worked out to be £52.65 which is cheaper than a train to the Lakes from London.

I got some last minute insurance with insureandgo for £31 - This is an annual package including winter sports and climbing! - Bargin!

Good advice there Sam, and welcome to the site.

I totally agree with your comments on Italian food prices being good value and the same can be said when skiing in the Spanish Pyrenees. I was out in Formigal a couple of weeks ago and beer (i'm talking essential supplies here) was Euro2 and you could get a meal for under Euro 10.

I also agreed that the price of lift passes (and ski hire) is now approaching the level where it's the deal breaker when deciding whether to travel or not. In Formigal it was Euro 220 for a weeks lift pass and Euro 100 for ski hire.

Do you know what the lift and hire prices were in Italy?

Hi,

My lift pass for 6 days on the Dolomitisuperski was 193Euro slightly cheaper than Formigal's 220Euro(£25 cheaper) but offered a whole lot more... 1,083 more kilometres of piste in the Dolomites!

26/1/2009 Formigal

• Spanish Pyrenees


• 61/100 Slopes Open


• 78/137 Km's Piste Open


• 85 lower - 220 Upper cm Snow


• 220Euro (£205) Skipass


• 100Euro (£93.50) Ski Hire (& boots?)

26/1/2009 Dolomitisuperski

• Italian Dolomites


• 450/450 Lifts Open


• 1220/1220 Km's Piste Open


• 193Euro (£180) Skipass


• 75Euro (£70) Ski & Boot Hire (Intermediate Skis)


• 105Euro (£98.22) Ski & Boot Hire (Expert Skis)

Italian Rifugio Lunch
Beer 3Euro (large)
Wine 1.50Euro (glass)
Pasta & Salad 5.50Euro
Pizza 6.50Euro
Steak & Salad 9Euro

Meal for 14 in Arabba 265Euro

I think that aramon website data regarding the number of slopes and pistes open is wrong or the weather's come over all Hawaii in the past 10 days. When I was out there all the pistes were open as were all the slopes. Very odd.

The ski hire price I quoted includes boots and sticks.

I must get out to the Dolomites for a winter adventure, I've been there so many times in the summer but not once at this time of year. Maybe next season, I hope.

In the meantime I'm flying to Merribel tomorrow for a couple of days skiing the Three Valleys

A friend of mine works at the Hotel Sabocos in Panticosa and some of the pistes have had to be closed but they anticipate them re-opening by half term. Snow is forecast this week! I do like the area but prefer Panticosa (or Sallent) to Formigal as it is more of a village than a resort. But Formigal does have immeadiate access to the piste.

I spent a day at Panticosa and the run to the village - which is low down in the bottom of the valley - was a bit sparse alright.

Even though Formigal is a purpose built resort I liked the place and was hugely impressed with the size and scale of the slopes. And the amount of off piste available for non experts was huge, far more than I expected. I was so impressed I've booked to go back in Feb on a family and friends trip.

And the best part of all - no lift queues.

Sounds good! have a great time!

Just came across this offer.
http://uk.holidays.travelzoo.com/ski-and-snow/526580?utm_source=top20_uk&utm_medium=email_top20