The Weak Euro: An American Traveler’s Delight?

Travel Blog  •  Elyse Franko  •  10.24.08 | 10:33 AM ET

Since I was worried my saved U.S. dollars wouldn’t go very far here in Vienna, the rapid decline of the euro in the past few weeks has been a blessing.

When I got here, the euro was at $1.48 and I was sure “going out” would consist of drinking €1.99 bottles of wine with bums in train stations. However, the euro’s now at a five-year low of $1.28, which means that Europeans have stopped joking about using U.S. dollars as toilet paper, and I feel like I can re-enter the world of cheap student bars. Or at least buy the €2.99 wine every once in a while.

Additionally, it seems like Americans itching to go abroad might have more opportunity to travel in the coming months if the rates stay like they are.

But I can’t help but wonder: how long will it last? Financial news from the U.S. is disconcerting, and I’d be fooling myself if I believed the sudden plummeting values of European currencies are particularly good for the global economy. I guess I can take comfort in the fact that I can now indulge in some Sachertorte and Sturm while reading about the end of the world economic order.

Related on World Hum:
* Eat the Cake of Kings in Austria

Tags: Cheap Travel, Europe, News and Briefs

Elyse Franko is a Long Island native, a graduate of the American University School of Communication in Washington, D.C., and a former World Hum intern. During her time at university, she wrote and edited for several campus publications and fostered her love for traveling by spending time abroad in Istanbul, Turkey, and Berlin, Germany. She currently works as a teaching assistant in Vienna, Austria.


2 Comments for The Weak Euro: An American Traveler’s Delight?

Pete Meyers 10.24.08 | 1:11 PM ET

Who knows how long it will last, but let’s take advantage of it while it does! 

Personally, I’d be surprised if it remains at the present levels and think the current sharp decrease is tied to the Euro’s exposure to developing economies in central / eastern Europe, which will rebound in due time.  Long term, I think the Euro will continue being valued higher than the dollar.

Regardless, I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that the exchange rate for British Pounds is at $1.56!  Goodbye $5 cans of Coke!

Krakow 11.26.08 | 7:45 AM ET

Polish currency - ZLOTY - became stronger before the crisis came, so you could purchase much less than before for both - Euros and USA Dollars. When the crisis came it started to come back to where it was… The foreigners can buy more for the same amount of their currency…
We’ll see where it goes:)

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.