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For quite a few years now a group of the airlines labelled “low-cost airlines in Europe have been taking part in a price war trying to offer the lowest air fares to a huge number of cities throughout Europe. It’s not unusual to see that one of the leading low cost airlines such as Easyjet or Ryanair has an offer of return flights from Britain to Germany, France or Spain for £1 (approx $1.45). There might be taxes and airport landing fees to be added to the fare, but it remains an absolute bargain if you’re looking to see a variety of European cities. The downside of these cheap flights is that they frequently make use of to the smaller municipal airports instead of the better known biginternational ones. This sometimes means that a flight that is supposed to be flying to a major European city actually lands up to 50 miles away. In fact there are a number of plus-points with this situation, the smaller airports often provide a much slicker turnround on check-in and luggage since they are servicing a much smaller number of flights. The downside is that transportation serving these airports can be scrappy at best and a very popular alternative is hiring a car from the airport. Here are some of the great cities that we have visited using cheap flights. We are sure that you would enjoy visiting any of these scenic, you can rest assured that they have a lot to offer to visitors to their country.

Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow, once the butt of so many jokes about the slums of the Gorbals has undergone a Renaissance and has become a fascinating, architecturally diverse city attracting a huge number of tourists throughout the year. The trendy West part of Glasgow is home to the fourth oldest university in the U.K.. Situated on a hill amidst the Medieval region of Glasgow, its students contribute a great deal to the fun loving and vibrant atmosphere of that area. The low cost carriers use Prestwick Airport which is approximately 35 miles (51 km) to the north east of the city centre and you will find an excellent road between the airport and the city centre. This is a popular sightseeing area, so it is advisable to rent a car at Prestwick in advance of your trip. A congestion free 30 minute drive from the airport on the M77 motorway brings you to the centre of the city. Glasgow is a perfect starting point for an adventure in the Trossachs National Park. Just 20 km (13 mile) journey out of Glasgow and you could discover stunning countryside seated upon a pony, whilst a 50 km (30 mile) drive east using another excellent motorway will find you in Edinburgh , the city of festivals complete with Princes Street shopping, castle, palace and the seaside.

Florence, Italy

Undoubtedly one of the most hauntingly beautiful locations in Europe, Florence is served by Pisa Airport, which is 84 km (50 miles) west of Florence. Hire a car at Florence airport and you’ll be perfectly positioned to take in Pisa with its leaning tower, the wonders of historic Florence and a selection of some of the most picturesque countryside in the whole of Europe, that of the majestically beautiful Tuscany. It is therefore not surprising that Florence is high in the popularity stakes when looking at European cities. When you visit Florence you will discover that a large proportion of the centre is traffic free thus preserving its many ancient statues and architectural treasures from the pollution and vibrations caused by heavy traffic. The complete lack of traffic brings a feeling of peace and quiet as you walk from one fragment of history to the next. You do not need to walk too far before experiencing the ghastly, ear splitting roar from Florence’s legion of scooter riders. Apart from the Ponte Vecchio the remainder of the bridges leading to city centre are polluted, noisy places, thus giving us a further incentive to keep to the narrow alleyways and tranquil sanctuaries of Florence’s wonderful piazzas.

Tours, France

Tours, set amongst the famed Loire Valley chateaux with not a solitary chateau to its name! The ideal centre for exploring the Loire Valley famed for its serious selection of palatial residences, the city has quite a few of its own charms. Although the small airport is only a couple of miles from town, it’s pretty much essential that you hire a car in the Loire Valley to fully explore a selection of the most stunning towns and villages to be found throughout France. Along the banks of the River Loire between Chalonnes and Sully-sur-Loire, a host of cultural treasures are presented for the visitor to enjoy. The Loire valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site and offers scenic countryside, lots of flamboyant castles plus a good scattering of historic villages. Formerly the “Retreat of Kings” back in the days of the Renaissance and the middle ages, the Loire Valley was a favourite location for the French monarchy. Built originally as working fortified castles, the buildings were converted into the palatial chaeaux that you will find today. The historic towns that line the river banks are a magnet to tourists from all over the world. Towns such as Tours, Blois and Chinon have so much to see and do whilst the most popular of all the chateaux is maybe that on the Chambord Estate. Throughout the region you will find small, family owned vineyards offering a variety of tasty wines at budget prices. Look out for the word “degustation”, which means sampling I guess, and as long as ‘Le Patron’ is not in the middle of a long leisurely lunch you will be offered a warm welcome and he will be delighted to lead you through a tasting of his complete selection of wines. Naturally, it is strongly advised that you take a non-drinker as your chauffer, some of these tasting sessions can get very serious!.