Bloomberg Newly constructed houses near Dublin.If you’re looking for deals, you can now find them in a perhaps surprising place: Europe. The American dollar now goes farther in Europe than it has in years. Indeed, the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar this year is the most favorable it’s been to Americans (with 1 euro buying roughly $1.14) since September 2003. Plus, while prices will rise for those hoping to travel there this summer, there are deals to be had if you can travel soon (now through about May, before the “high” season kicks into gear) or at least book and pay now, experts say. All told, that means that for travelers, a trip to Europe, in many cases, is more affordable now than it has been in years. Of course, you can’t expect — even with a favorable exchange rate — to get bargain-basement deals in a pricey country like France. “In Europe, it’s still tough to get good value in mainstream [destination countries], so you need to look beyond that,” explains Greg Geronemus, the co-CEO of travel company smarTours. Luckily, there are plenty of countries in Europe that are culturally stimulating, naturally beautiful or otherwise interesting — and where your money can stretch far. Here are five sometimes-overlooked, relatively budget-friendly European countries deal hunters should consider visiting soon. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-places-in-europe-deal-hun...