Travelers are always looking for ways to save money and I have a tip for you today that will put more money in your pocket without sacrificing luxury or comfort.  If you follow my tip, it won't take much time at all to save this money.

The VAT (Value Added Tax) is a hidden surcharge (about 20%) already added on to just about every retail item sold. For large purchases (over €175) on items like jewelry, clothes, antiques, or artwork, a buyer may get at least a partial refund (about 12%) of the VAT.  The eligible purchase(s) can consist of multiple items totaling more than the threshold amount, but they must be made from the same store on the same day.

Check out my blog post to find out how to save the VAT.

I know, you've seen this teaser post before on other websites.  Then you read the post and there are several generally useless and lame "tips" that you've read 50 times before.  However, The Traveling Professor has 8 great USEFUL tips that will help you find good airfares, at the times YOU want to fly with the connections YOU want to make on the airlines YOU want to fly on.  I fly almost 100,000 air miles a year, domestically and internationally and I follow the practices outlined in my blog post all the time.  Fly like The Professor on good routes, in better seats, with less fees and hassles, and at lower fares than you are probably paying now.

There are a few options for getting around town in big European cities like Paris, Rome, London, and Madrid.   Of course there is the walking option and there are taxis.   Most major European cities are serviced by the metro and while it is probably the fastest way to get from point A to point B, there are many reasons why The Traveling Professor prefers the bus.   Read my blog post today and I will tell you why.

I am listening to the TV now, as news comes in on the horrific attacks in Brussels following on the heels of the terror attacks in Paris in November.   When The Traveling Professor goes to Europe on our small group tours, we take steps to protect our safety.    For some of my tips, please read today's blog post.  And, in the interest of everyone, I invite all travelers to post their safety tips too.

There are some essential devices I carry with me on both international and domestic trips to make my travel more comfortable, safe, and secure.   For instance, when I do check luggage, I want to know where it is at all times.  I want my flight to seem to go smoothly and comfortably.  I want my phones and other electronic devices to work overseas just as they do at home.  Take a look at my blog post to see what I always pack with me on trips wherever I go. 

The Traveling Professor has published blog posts on packing several times.   They are well-received by half the population because I always get the comment, "that's great Professor, but how about packing tips for women?".   In this guest blog post from blogger Debbie Damato, get a woman's perspective of what to pack on your next trip.

A big complaint The Traveling Professor always hears is that it can be very difficult to redeem accrued award miles for flights.  I agree that airlines do conspire for us to redeem those awards.  For instance, when traveling from North America to Europe, American Airlines seems to want to route you through London as much as they can.   I feel the reason for this is because taxes and fees going through London are so high, it discourages people from redeeming miles when a purchased ticket does not cost a significant amount more.  And of course, the big problem is that flights are simply not available.  However, I have discovered a tool on American Airline's site that makes it easier (not necessarily easy) to find award flights.

I used to travel alone, especially to Paris, quite a bit.   I loved the freedom of not being tethered to a schedule and go wherever my legs would take me.   To be honest, traveling alone to Paris really was the way I learned the city.   I probably took 15-20 trips to Paris alone before I ever ran group tours.   I've traveled alone to Italy also.  Read my blog post for tips on traveling solo.

Let's face it, airline travel is a hassle.  Long lines, grumpy passengers, lack of TSA and security staff can slow down the time it takes to get through the security queue.   Learn from me, I book over 100,000 air miles a year and have been in many security lines.    I have found ways to make the process go faster.  Check out The Traveling Professor's blog post to find out how with his 7 Ways to Get Through Airline Security Faster.

A lot of people, when they travel to Paris, Italy, Scandinavia, etc. spend a lot of time picking out hotels.   One way to select a hotel is to go by the government assigned star rating to hotels.   Does that mean a 5-star hotel is better located than a 1-star?  Does it mean a 4-star have more space in the rooms than a 2-star?   Not necessarily.  Check out today's blog post to find out more about what star ratings mean in European hotels.