We’re now starting to get into the full swing of National Final season and for some of you, it maybe the first time you are attending one. Admittedly, this will be my sixth year of attending National Finals, however this will be the first I’m attending Eesti Laul. In this article, I’ll share with you some advice on how to make the trip to a National Final a cost-effective experience – considering a trip to the Eurovision Song Contest itself can get very expensive.

Come Fly With Me… FLIGHTS

Don’t be lured into a false sense of security by using the same airline (unless you’re in a loyalty scheme) or airline. Use a flight comparison website such as Opodo or Sky Scanner. These sites will let you filter airlines and airports if you want to narrow down your search. Don’t forget, look at every airport around you – you’ll be surprised how many are close by on the rail network.

Location, Location, Location… ACCOMMODATION

Location is key in terms of accommodation. I always look for a hotel that is either near the National Final venue or situated on a public transport system like a metro for example. Another useful source of information is hotels.com or booking.com, as these sites will help locate hotels in an area of the desired town/city, rather than the town/city as a whole. Before booking a hotel through these sites though, don’t forget to check the official website of the hotel in case there are special offers that could make your stay even cheaper.

Money, Money, Money… CURRENCY

Shop around for your currency – this is something I’m not very good at doing if I’m honest with you! Every time I go for currency, I go and see Jean in our village Post Office – just to keep it in business mire than anything else! Travel Agents, online, Supermarkets and of course the Post Office offer very competitive rates. Don’t leave it to the very last minute to get your currency at the airport, as a competitive rate is one you will not get.

And On Your Left… TRAVEL GUIDES

Always invest in at least one or two Travel Guides for where you are heading. A great source of these is Stanfords. Their online site is fantastic if you can’t get to one of their stores in London Covent Garden or Bristol. A Travel Guide will give you all the basic information you require when heading to a brand new foreign location.

Have these tips helped you for booking your trip? Do you have any tips you would like to share with us? Don’t forget to leave a comment below.

Author/Richard Taylor

Source: Eurovision Ireland