How to Visit The Best National Parks in Europe on a Budget With a Free VPN
Europe is famous for its diverse and beautiful nature, historical monuments, and multiculturalism. From the glaciers and waterfalls of Iceland to the beaches of Croatia, every tourist will find something interesting. Lovers of national parks will not be bored in Europe either. However, such a trip can hit your pocket. Experienced travelers know how to use a VPN to reduce travel costs without sacrificing comfort. So let’s find out how to visit the best national parks in Europe on a budget with a free VPN.
Understanding the free VPN
To maximize the benefits of a certain technology, you need to understand how it works. So, a free VPN is primarily a security technology for safe online data exchange. It encrypts user data so that it is sent over the Internet in a code format that is nearly impossible to crack. Additionally, encrypted user data is redirected through a remote VPN server. On the server, it is decrypted and then sent to the final recipient. Thus, any third parties cannot see the user’s real IP address, but only the IP address of the distant server from which the data is received. This is where the main advantages of using VPNs for travel lie.
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By connecting to different VPN servers, a traveler can manipulate third parties’ perception of his or her location, which is usually determined by the user’s IP address. This, in turn, allows you to collect the best price offers for airline tickets and car bookings on the Internet.
Top 5 national parks in Europe
The Guardian recently published a list of the top 5 national parks in Europe. These places with extraordinary nature are not yet overcrowded with tourists, which is why they were ranked. The list includes:
- Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, Spain
- Mercantour, France
- Eifel, Germany
- Risnjak, Croatia
- Peneda-Gerês, Portugal
Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici took its place in the ranking because of the amazing water world with more than 200 lakes, waterfalls, and swamps. The Park has 13 cycling routes and 27 hiking trails with beautiful views.
The park can be reached by bus from Barcelona or by car. The closest airports to the park are in Toulouse, France, which is 220 km away, and Barcelona, Spain, which is 300 km away.
The Mercantour National Park is located in the French Alps on the border with Italy. Mercantour is home to Europe’s largest alpine lake, Allos. Tourists are drawn to Mercantour for climbing and skiing. But people also come here for hiking, just to be in the lap of nature, to take a break from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas.
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Since Nice has the closest airport, most people arrive in the park from there. You may use a bus, train, or car to get there. It takes around an hour by car, 2.5 hours by bus, and 90 minutes by train, so day visits are feasible.
The Eifel National Park is located in North Rhine-Westphalia in Western Germany. The park covers an area of 10,700 hectares (26,400 acres). Over 230 endangered species of animals and plants may be found in the Eifel National Park. Over 240 kilometers of hiking paths are available to the public. Furthermore, there are 104 kilometers of bike paths available.
The nearest airport is Cologne Bonn (CGN) Airport which is 56.6 km away. Also, visitors arrive from Dusseldorf (DUS) airport (77.3 km). You can get from Cologne by taking the train to Kall and then changing to a bus, but the most comfortable way is to drive.
The Risnjak National Park is known for the diversity of its flora and fauna, with many endangered species of animals, including brown bears, mountain goats, alpine deer, and lynx. The two highest peaks of the Rysniak National Park are very popular among climbers: Mount Velykyi Rysniak (1528 m high) and Mount Snizhnyk (1506 m high).
It is about an hour’s drive from popular tourist destinations such as Opatija, Crikvenica, and the island of Krka. The nearest international airport, Rijeka International Airport (RJK), is an hour and a half away by car.
Peneda-Gerês National Park is located in the north of Portugal, in the Minho province, adjacent to the border with Spain. The park’s territory is dominated by the Peneda and Gerês mountain ranges. In addition to beautiful landscapes, diverse flora, and fauna, the park attracts visitors with medieval castles, the ruins of a 12th-century monastery, and the open-air village museum.
The park can be reached from Porto Airport (OPO) by bus or car.
All these parks, located in different parts of Europe, attract tourists with their nature and the opportunity to be alone. However, a trip to at least one of them can be a significant cost. Obviously, the most convenient way to travel to such places is by car. It’s easy to rent a car in any airport or tourist city. However, savvy tourists make bookings in advance. In this case, a free VPN will help you save money while traveling conveniently.
How to save on car rental with a free VPN
Did you know that your age, browsing history, and location all affect the cost of your booking? This indicates that, due to your location, you are overpaying for the same services. Fortunately, a VPN can help you save money on rental cars.
The data about you is tracked through your IP address. So, to save money on car rental without changing the desired dates, type of car, and location you need:
- Download a free VPN on your mobile, tablet or PC.
- Join a server where the rates on rental vehicle websites ought to be lower. Try servers in Eastern European countries, if you are making a reservation from the United States.
- Look through car rental websites, such Hertz or Sixt.
- Get a better deal when you rent a car online.
It’s crucial to turn off the geolocation feature on your device, clear the cache and cookies, and utilize an anonymous browser window. This way you will avoid malfunctions and get the best prices.
The same approach will work for booking airline tickets to your destination.
However, the benefits of using a travel VPN do not end with saving money.
In addition, by setting up a VPN on your smartphone or tablet before you travel, you can securely connect to public Wi-Fi networks. This will allow you to stay in touch with your colleagues and securely check your corporate email.
With the ability to connect to different VPN servers, you can manipulate third-party perceptions of your location. This will allow you to maintain access to your favorite content on streaming services and social networks, no matter what country you are in.
So with a VPN, you can book airline tickets to the chosen national park and a car at a cheaper price, which will allow you to spend more money on entertainment during your trip, or spend more days traveling.
