5 Remarkably Affordable Travel Destinations for 2013 - 0 views
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Kunhal Malhotra on 19 Jan 13One of the most common savings goals we hear from our readers is travel. We tend to think that we need to save up thousands of dollars in order to justify taking those vacation days and heading out of town. But we might not need quite as much as we think. 1. Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon is a sumptuous European capital--at a discount. With the façades of many of its buildings decorated with azulejos-tiles painted in flowery, intricate blue designs-Lisbon rivals the beauty of many other European capitals, and you'll pay about 20% less for lodging. The local economy is still reeling from the country's financial crisis, which means that hotels are offering deep discounts on rooms to lure foreign tourist dollars. Despite the austerity, the city feels sumptuous, with its well-restored colonial-era castle, Castelo de São Jorge; colonnaded plazas and countless art galleries and museums. 2. Québec City The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac hotel is a designated historic site in Quebec City. This Canadian city offers stellar French cuisine and architecture for much less than Paris. The U.S. dollar is roughly equal to the Canadian dollar, so prices for our neighbor to the north are alluring when compared to the euro-the exchange rate of which puts a 30% premium on everything in France. 3. Roatán, Honduras Roatán, the biggest of Honduras' Bay Islands, is a favorite scuba destination. The word is getting out about the first-class diving, ecotourism and zip-lining adventures available for discount prices in Roatán, a Bay Island off the coast of Honduras. In November 2012, American Airlines began direct flights from Miami, and many other carriers have been increasing flights to its pink-and-white sand beaches via connections in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. Once in Roatán, expect to pay approximately half the price of lodging on a higher-profile Caribbean island. Best Bargain: A scuba dive in the local bay waters-through a t
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