After years of planning trips, I’ve tested countless websites, apps, and resources related to travel. Every week, I would spend hours searching for ways to travel more affordably and practically, ensuring that each trip to a destination is both cost-effective and convenient. I know how difficult it is to find cheap and convenient flights, well-located hotels that are both comfortable and budget-friendly, as well as sights worth visiting—especially when you need to buy tickets in advance and wonder where exactly to get them from…

That’s why in this article, I have gathered the best resources related to transportation, accommodation, sights, and many other useful tools that will help you make your trip truly perfect!

Everything you’ll find here has been personally used by me, and I’m happy to recommend it to other travelers as well. Let’s get started!

Travel

Here, I’ve selected the flight search engines I use, as well as the airlines I fly with most often. I’m also sharing useful links and apps that will help you get around both within cities and between them—trains, buses, rental cars, and public transport are the types of transport I use most frequently. If your flight happens to be delayed or canceled, I’ll point you in the right direction.

Flights

When planning a trip, the first and most important thing is to find affordable flight tickets! To do this, I use specific flight search engines to check the dates and prices, and then I go directly to the airline’s website to purchase the tickets.

Skyscanner

This is one of my favorite websites that I visit constantly! When I want to find the best flight for me, I always check Skyscanner because it shows all flights. The best part is that there’s a “Everywhere” destination option, which is perfect if you want to travel but haven’t decided exactly where to go—it will show you a lot of interesting and unexpected options. You can also search for flights only within a specific country, like Spain. But what I love most is that when I set the destination and dates, the calendar with available flights shows prices in different colors, like dollar signs. This way, you can easily see on which dates flights are the cheapest and which are the most expensive.

Definitely one of the best flight search engines, where, when choosing specific flights and making a reservation, there is no markup on the final price. Some other flight search engines charge a commission for the service.

eSky

This is another flight search engine, but I rarely use it. I sometimes compare prices and dates, but they take a commission for booking flights or any other service.

Airlines I Use:

I’ve flown with almost all the airlines you can think of! Here’s a list that might be useful if you’re looking for specific flights to a particular destination:

Low-Cost Airlines

Sometimes they offer quite affordable and convenient flights. The only concern I have when flying with low-cost airlines is the possibility of a canceled return flight, as this has happened to me with Ryanair. Another downside is that their return flights are often very early in the morning, and the arrival times are late in the evening. Everything depends on the destination.

Wizz Air

They fly to almost all European capitals and major cities, and if I have a short trip, I prefer to use them. I sometimes find great deals, but flights with them frequently get delayed or canceled.

Ryanair

Unlike Wizz Air, they don’t have as many destinations, so I use them less frequently. If I find a cheaper fare, I’ll choose them. Their seats are a bit uncomfortable, but for short flights, it’s not a problem. Again, delays and cancellations are common.

easyJet

If you need to travel to or from the UK, this is the perfect choice of airline! They also have regular flights from Sofia to Paris, and the flight prices are quite reasonable.

Traditional Airlines

When it comes to longer flights, I prefer to travel with traditional airlines. Yes, they are more expensive, but I have to admit that I’ve found cheaper and better deals with them than with low-cost carriers.

Qatar Airways

I usually fly with them when traveling to Asia – I’ve primarily used them for my trips to Thailand and Singapore. My transfers have always been through Doha, and when I had a long layover, I took the opportunity to explore Qatar’s capital. I’m very happy with the service on board, the seats are comfortable, the catering is excellent, and the staff is polite. Their prices are quite good, and their flight change policies or refunds are incredible.

LOT

If you want to visit Poland, you can take advantage of their flights. They also occasionally offer quite affordable flights to other destinations, but the only downside is that you have to transfer in Warsaw. However, the layover is around 1-2 hours, so it’s worth the wait, especially when there are no direct flights to your desired destination or direct flight prices are double or triple.

Lufthanza

In the past few years, the quality of this airline has declined significantly! Strikes, poor ground services, chaos with boarding passes, and more! But sometimes they have some really good offers, and to save a bit of money, I have to endure all of these issues I mentioned above.

Train

Unlike in Bulgaria, train transport is well-developed in almost all Western European countries. Many Europeans spend over 25% of their lives on trains. When planning to stay in one place and travel to another, I recommend using train services and checking options, schedules, and prices in advance. While you can certainly buy tickets at the station, it’s good to have an idea beforehand. I recommend:

Omio

Available in both mobile and desktop versions, I advise you to download the mobile version to your phone. Here, you’ll find information on European trains, which are generally very accurate, as well as bus, ferry, and other transportation schedules. Sometimes the mobile app gives errors, so I also use the web version to get all possible travel options.

Bus

Traveling by bus is also a great option when you need to get from one town to another. Omio can help with this as well, but you can also use:

FlixBus

With regular bus lines and excellent prices, I’ve used them a few times in Belgium and was very satisfied.

Car Rental

If you prefer to travel more privately or expect to cover long distances daily, I recommend renting a car.

Hertz

Very recognizable and offering cars for rent in nearly all countries, Hetz provides some of the best prices. Their cars are well-maintained and relatively new. I used their services during my Sicily tour, where we rented a car and covered almost the entire island in a week.

Public Transport

In some of the major European capitals, such as Copenhagen and Stockholm, you can purchase public transport tickets via apps. Everything is automated, and there are no booths to buy paper tickets. It’s all done digitally through mobile apps:

DOT Tickets App

If you’re visiting Copenhagen and plan to use the metro or buses, download the app to buy tickets. While there are no barriers in the metro, you can enter freely. However, if you don’t have a ticket, the fine is quite steep—about 100 euros!

SL

In Stockholm, they don’t sell tickets for the metro, buses, or trams either. So, download the app, and the great thing is you can purchase a card for one or several days for multiple people. Without a ticket, be ready for a hefty fine.

Compensation for Delayed or Canceled Flights

It’s common for flights to be delayed by over 2 hours or even canceled. In such cases, airlines are obligated to compensate passengers, but they often try to avoid paying. This means you may need to pursue your rights through legal action. If you don’t want to go through that hassle, I suggest you contact a company that specializes in these cases.

AirHelp

I haven’t had a flight canceled, but I’ve experienced delays of over 2 hours many times. Therefore, I always turn to AirHelp to assist me with this, in exchange for a percentage of the owed amount. If you encounter similar problems, reach out to them for help.

Accommodation

Once we have our tickets for the trip, the next step is to decide where to stay. There’s no shortage of options—there are plenty of search engines and booking platforms available. But honestly, I only use one! I’ve heard a lot of stories from friends and acquaintances about their bitter experiences with other booking sites. That’s why I prefer to stick to what I trust when booking hotels:

Booking.com

This is the site that offers the largest number of hotel accommodations worldwide. In recent years, they also offer apartment rentals, so the choice is vast. I prefer to book hotels here because if an issue arises, I can easily seek assistance directly through the platform.

Airbnb

The best platform if you want to stay in an apartment. Years ago, when the platform wasn’t so popular, I found some amazing offers—apartments in great locations, modernly furnished, and at very affordable prices. You can still find great deals on Airbnb, so I recommend using it without hesitation.

Luggage Storage

Many places to stay offer luggage storage if you arrive earlier or leave later than check-in/check-out times. But if the place you’re staying at doesn’t provide this option, I recommend using:

Radical Storage

Предлагат се шкафове за съхранение на багаж в почти всички градове, като цените са приемливи. Локациите също са доста удобни.

Билети за забележителности и атракции

They offer luggage storage lockers in almost every city, with reasonable prices. The locations are also very convenient.

Tickets for Sights and Attractions
For every trip, I plan ahead the places I want to visit and organize each day—what I want to see. That’s why I always buy tickets in advance for local sights, museums, and attractions. The advantage is that I don’t have to wait in lines, and I can be sure I’ll visit everything I want.
Well, sometimes I end up adding a few more sites to my list of places to visit.
That’s why I use:

GetYourGuide

Here you’ll find endless offers for tourist attractions and activities from all over the world! The prices are the same as on official museum and attraction websites, and sometimes there are even discounts, which is a great bonus. I’ve used their services several times, and I’ve always been more than satisfied!

Paris City Vision

If you’re planning to immerse yourself in the magic of Paris, I highly recommend checking out the incredible offers they have. You’ll find impressive tours filled with romance, history, and surprises. I guarantee that the experience will leave a lasting impression on you!

Turbopass

And if you dream of Dubai, Venice, Rome, Munich, London, or Barcelona, make sure to check out the options here. There’s something for everyone—boat rides through the Venetian canals to panoramic views from Dubai’s skyscrapers. An unforgettable adventure awaits you!