- Oct 24, 2000
- 29,767
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I have received a few PMs lately from fellow ATOTers requesting information about how to prepare for European travel, so I guess it's time for me to post my European Travel Guide (Version 2.0).
I know I am NOT the only one here who has traveled to Europe, so I hope others feel free to post information that I am unaware of or have forgotten to mention.
GTaudiophile's Ibiza Travel Tips
My recent travel history:
Summer 1996: Germany for three weeks (after sophomore year of HS)
Summer 1998: Germany, Austria, and Italy for four weeks
Summer 1999: Germany for six weeks (studied in Düsseldorf)
Summer 2000: Germany for two weeks
Winter 2000: Germany for one week
Summer 2001: Germany for two weeks
Summer 2002: Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden for six weeks (summer before graduating college)
Summer 2003: Greece and Germany for nine weeks
Summer 2004: Greece and Germany for three weeks
Winter 2004: Germany for two weeks
Summer 2005: Germany and Greece for five weeks
-------------------------------------------------------------------
When to travel: You can't top Europe in the summer. So much energy and things to do. Weather is nice. Europeans tend to shed clothes when it hits 80! I have to recommend going then. Unless you are a big winter sports person, then hanging around the Swiss/Austrian/Italian alps would be awesome too. December is "off-season" if there is such a thing, so you could MAYBE save a little cash. But that's not too likely if the dollar continues to weaken against the Euro.
So, first decide when and how long you want to be gone.
Second, decide what kind of trip you want: 1) Lots of cities/places in a short amount of time, or 2) Fewer cities and more time spent per city visited. Option 1 can be exhausting and is best done in your youth. I did that once to find out which kind of places I prefer to visit such that I could narrow my list of desired destinations in the future. For instance, I learned Copenhagen, Denmark in mid August is still cold and rainy and not how I want to spend my summer. To have a more enjoyable vacation, I prefer option 2. This allows me to better absorb the places I visit.
Third, decide where you want to go. I have spent a lot of time in Greece, Italy, Austria, France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. Aside from Berlin, I prefer not to go much further north than southern Germany (Bavaria) and prefer to stick around the Alps (southern Germany, Austria, eastern France, northern Italy) or the Mediterranean sea (southern Italy, Greek islands). I personally tend to stay away from the big cities, though I think some should still be visited at least once in life (Berlin, Paris, Rome, Florence). I prefer to find the smaller, cozier towns, often on the coast, and settle in for a few days. I avoid large tourist groups at all costs.
To get more ideas on where to go, consider going to your local bookstore's travel section and flip through travel books. Or perhaps you've seen a place in a movie you've always wanted to visit? Or perhaps you want to visit all the big car makers in Europe from VW to Ferrari? Or perhaps you want to sit on the best nude beaches in Europe? Or perhaps you want to visit famous WWII battlefields? Or perhaps you want to visit cities famous for their wine or beer? (All of the above have been reasons for me.) Once you've found a handful of cities, do a Google search and investigate further online. Find pictures of those places and see what you like. Lonelyplanet may give you some ideas too. They have decent forums there.
Once you have a list of cities, arrange them from north to south or from east to west on a map. Select one of the cities as a starting point. Then find the nearest major airport to that city. Typically, people flying from the US have the best prices and flight options when flying to large European cities like Frankfurt, Paris, or London. I typically use Frankfurt as my starting point. Feel free to book your tickets online at a site like Expedia.com or Orbitz.com.
Once you've landed, you'll rely on your Eurail pass. You'll need to buy such a pass online before departing. And before you can buy one, you need a valid passport that does not expire until at least 6 months AFTER you've returned from Europe. There are several types of passes. Eurail pass: Valid for 15 days, 21 days, 1 month, 2 months, or 3 months of consecutive-day travel. Eurail Flexipass: 10 or 15 days of non-consecutive travel within a 2-month period. Both of these can be used within the "Eurail 17" countries. The Eurail Selectpass is a newer thing. You can buy passes for 5, 6, 8, or 10 days of non-consecutive travel within a 2 month period for any 3, 4, or 5 countries you select. You'll have to know your itinerary before you can decide which pass to buy. Discounts are available via the Youth pass if you are 26 or younger. In the past, I have bought the Eurail Youth Flexipass with 10 days of travel.
Once you have your Eurail pass, you can use the German web site, www.bahn.de to view the various train schedules and print out that information before you even leave the US. Even though the site is geared towards the German rail network, it can also show you the train schedules of most train networks in western Europe. A fantastic web site! Once you know which trains to jump on and when, you just get on (after having validated your pass), and show the pass along with your passport to the conductor.
So you've gotten to Europe, you're on the train, you've got your pass, and you're bound for some city. Next, you'll need a place to stay. You can use www.hostels.com to research and/or book a bed at a hostel. You can do that online with a credit card. I recommend, if you know you're heading to city X, that you book a bed about 48 hours before your arrival at that city. Getting into some hostels can be difficult in the summer. Don't worry, an Internet connection is usually always available somewhere nearby in Europe, but you may have to ask for the nearest Internet cafe. Or go to a public library. Be warned that hostels come in all shapes and sizes. They all typically cost between 15 and 30 Euro per night, but what you get for that money varies drastically. You may get your own hotel-like room with a bathroom. Or you might be put in a tent with 500 beds and communal showers. That's just the luck of the draw sometimes.
Will you be traveling alone or with a friend? I have done both. Traveling with a friend is good for one reason only and that is you can use the buddy system to guard each other's stuff while one goes to the bathroom, etc. Otherwise, I prefer going alone. You meet so many cool people through the hostels and many that I have met have become good friends. I still communicate via e-mail with many. Traveling alone also means you have no one with competing interests. You go where you want to go. And what ever you do, don't travel with a GF! You'll want to dump her as soon as you meet the cool European chicks. And she'll be self-conscious and complain the whole time. And be warned if you travel with a friend of either gender: you'll most likely be sick of each other and hate each other after a few weeks. Two weeks might be fine, but more than three and you'll regret traveling with that person.
Pack light! Bring 7-14 days worth of underwear and socks. Bring several bathing suits as guys can easily substitute them for shorts, they can get wet, and are very easy to clean in a sink. Bring one nice outfit for clubbing if that is your thing (one nice shirt, one nice pair of pants). Bring one light-weight, water-proof jacket or sweater for the colder situations. I travel with two pairs of shoes: one pair of semi-formal Rockports/Tennis shoes and one pair of sandals/Tivas. Most European travelers travel with a backpack. I have this one. Backpacks are a highly individual thing and you just need to go to a store with a large selection and find one that is 1) comfortable and 2) offers the storage capacity you need. While you're at it, buy a nice water bottle. You'll need it! You might also consider a small, portable utensil set for those situations when you're trying to eat on the train or something. Plastic Ziploc bags are very useful when packing and you can't have enough of them, and a few extra bungee cords are also good to have around. Go here for tons of packing tips.
You'll also want a money belt of some sort to keep your cash, cards, passport, etc. I suggest traveling with your driver's license, passport, ATM card (best exchange rate, forget traveler's checks), and one widely-accepted credit card (MasterCard or Visa). Be sure to make photocopies of all of these important documents before you leave the US (passport, Eurail pass, airplane tickets, credit cards, etc.). Leave one set of copies at home and pack the other set in your backpack. Be sure to take the contact information of your CC/ATM companies in case you need to call to report a stolen card. Never carry these important items in your back pockets. Stick them in the money belt or at least in your front pockets. Leave your bulky wallet at home. Think stealth and slim!
You'll want to take a camera. (If film: film can be cheaper at places like Wal-Mart in the US. If digital: make sure you take some batteries or have some method of charging the batteries overseas. Also be sure you have a large enough memory card!) You'll want to take a list of addresses for postcards if you like to write those. Be sure to take a small diary in which to write your thoughts as you go. I have actually not done this but regret not having done so! Take a few pens as you'll always lose one or two. You want to be able to write down the e-mail address of that hawt Italian girl you just met. Take a music player of sorts (mp3 players are easiest). Don't take any novels or books aside from travel guides, dictionaries, etc. There is ALWAYS too much to see and observe, even during seemingly boring times, that you don't need to have your head buried in a book. Of course, if you forget something, it's not like Europe is a third-world country. You'll be able to buy all sorts of familiar products, if not better ones, in European stores.
Europe is about half the size of the Unites States. It's not a huge place; it's just foreign. And many of those foreigners aren't too happy with Mr. Bush. So do your best not to look American: avoid clothes with US/College sports teams, baseball caps, spandex, etc. Don't wear the American flag everywhere you go. Don't stitch it into your backpack. Do NOT approach everyone assuming they speak English! If you can, take a small travel dictionary and attempt to ask, "Excuse me, but do you speak English?" in the native tongue of that country. Only after they say yes, then proceed in English. Don't be the typical arrogant American. And be mindful that Europeans are typically quieter in public and appreciate more personal space. Don't be too loud on the train. Be careful of personal space when you approach people, especially older people. Don't forget to smile!
When you get to your hostel, grab the hostel's business card so that you can show it to a cab driver if you get lost. Be smart as you walk around. Don't walk alone in places you think you'll be unsafe. Don't worry about calling home too often. If you have to, buy an international calling card in Europe. But the best way to update people is via forums like ATOT or via e-mail. In fact, daily e-mails can act as a trip diary if you save them in an outbox.
Traveling to Europs is not as daunting as it seems. I've been traveling alone through Europe since I was 15, and I can get around easier than I can here in the US. Just relax and use your head. Develop those street smarts! Speaking of streets, it never hurts to buy a small pocket map once you arrive at a city. Stuff like that is often found in the main train station.
In terms of a budget, plan on spending $50-80 per day. This does not include start-up costs like your backpack, plane ticket, Eurail pass, etc. You can cut food costs by buying at supermarkets. Buy some bread, deli meats, cheese, crackers, wine, etc. You can build a DAMN fine meal. But be sure to always sample the local cuisine/treat yourself to a nice dinner every city you visit.
My favorite cities: Berlin, Munich, Interlaken (Switzerland), Cinque Terre (Italy), Bellagio (Italy), Ibiza (Spanish island), and Naxos (Greek island). The western Italian coast and southern coast of France (French Riviera) are both insanely gorgeous. Greece, as photogenic as it is, is out of the way for most travelers.
I know I am NOT the only one here who has traveled to Europe, so I hope others feel free to post information that I am unaware of or have forgotten to mention.
GTaudiophile's Ibiza Travel Tips
My recent travel history:
Summer 1996: Germany for three weeks (after sophomore year of HS)
Summer 1998: Germany, Austria, and Italy for four weeks
Summer 1999: Germany for six weeks (studied in Düsseldorf)
Summer 2000: Germany for two weeks
Winter 2000: Germany for one week
Summer 2001: Germany for two weeks
Summer 2002: Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden for six weeks (summer before graduating college)
Summer 2003: Greece and Germany for nine weeks
Summer 2004: Greece and Germany for three weeks
Winter 2004: Germany for two weeks
Summer 2005: Germany and Greece for five weeks
-------------------------------------------------------------------
When to travel: You can't top Europe in the summer. So much energy and things to do. Weather is nice. Europeans tend to shed clothes when it hits 80! I have to recommend going then. Unless you are a big winter sports person, then hanging around the Swiss/Austrian/Italian alps would be awesome too. December is "off-season" if there is such a thing, so you could MAYBE save a little cash. But that's not too likely if the dollar continues to weaken against the Euro.
So, first decide when and how long you want to be gone.
Second, decide what kind of trip you want: 1) Lots of cities/places in a short amount of time, or 2) Fewer cities and more time spent per city visited. Option 1 can be exhausting and is best done in your youth. I did that once to find out which kind of places I prefer to visit such that I could narrow my list of desired destinations in the future. For instance, I learned Copenhagen, Denmark in mid August is still cold and rainy and not how I want to spend my summer. To have a more enjoyable vacation, I prefer option 2. This allows me to better absorb the places I visit.
Third, decide where you want to go. I have spent a lot of time in Greece, Italy, Austria, France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. Aside from Berlin, I prefer not to go much further north than southern Germany (Bavaria) and prefer to stick around the Alps (southern Germany, Austria, eastern France, northern Italy) or the Mediterranean sea (southern Italy, Greek islands). I personally tend to stay away from the big cities, though I think some should still be visited at least once in life (Berlin, Paris, Rome, Florence). I prefer to find the smaller, cozier towns, often on the coast, and settle in for a few days. I avoid large tourist groups at all costs.
To get more ideas on where to go, consider going to your local bookstore's travel section and flip through travel books. Or perhaps you've seen a place in a movie you've always wanted to visit? Or perhaps you want to visit all the big car makers in Europe from VW to Ferrari? Or perhaps you want to sit on the best nude beaches in Europe? Or perhaps you want to visit famous WWII battlefields? Or perhaps you want to visit cities famous for their wine or beer? (All of the above have been reasons for me.) Once you've found a handful of cities, do a Google search and investigate further online. Find pictures of those places and see what you like. Lonelyplanet may give you some ideas too. They have decent forums there.
Once you have a list of cities, arrange them from north to south or from east to west on a map. Select one of the cities as a starting point. Then find the nearest major airport to that city. Typically, people flying from the US have the best prices and flight options when flying to large European cities like Frankfurt, Paris, or London. I typically use Frankfurt as my starting point. Feel free to book your tickets online at a site like Expedia.com or Orbitz.com.
Once you've landed, you'll rely on your Eurail pass. You'll need to buy such a pass online before departing. And before you can buy one, you need a valid passport that does not expire until at least 6 months AFTER you've returned from Europe. There are several types of passes. Eurail pass: Valid for 15 days, 21 days, 1 month, 2 months, or 3 months of consecutive-day travel. Eurail Flexipass: 10 or 15 days of non-consecutive travel within a 2-month period. Both of these can be used within the "Eurail 17" countries. The Eurail Selectpass is a newer thing. You can buy passes for 5, 6, 8, or 10 days of non-consecutive travel within a 2 month period for any 3, 4, or 5 countries you select. You'll have to know your itinerary before you can decide which pass to buy. Discounts are available via the Youth pass if you are 26 or younger. In the past, I have bought the Eurail Youth Flexipass with 10 days of travel.
Once you have your Eurail pass, you can use the German web site, www.bahn.de to view the various train schedules and print out that information before you even leave the US. Even though the site is geared towards the German rail network, it can also show you the train schedules of most train networks in western Europe. A fantastic web site! Once you know which trains to jump on and when, you just get on (after having validated your pass), and show the pass along with your passport to the conductor.
So you've gotten to Europe, you're on the train, you've got your pass, and you're bound for some city. Next, you'll need a place to stay. You can use www.hostels.com to research and/or book a bed at a hostel. You can do that online with a credit card. I recommend, if you know you're heading to city X, that you book a bed about 48 hours before your arrival at that city. Getting into some hostels can be difficult in the summer. Don't worry, an Internet connection is usually always available somewhere nearby in Europe, but you may have to ask for the nearest Internet cafe. Or go to a public library. Be warned that hostels come in all shapes and sizes. They all typically cost between 15 and 30 Euro per night, but what you get for that money varies drastically. You may get your own hotel-like room with a bathroom. Or you might be put in a tent with 500 beds and communal showers. That's just the luck of the draw sometimes.
Will you be traveling alone or with a friend? I have done both. Traveling with a friend is good for one reason only and that is you can use the buddy system to guard each other's stuff while one goes to the bathroom, etc. Otherwise, I prefer going alone. You meet so many cool people through the hostels and many that I have met have become good friends. I still communicate via e-mail with many. Traveling alone also means you have no one with competing interests. You go where you want to go. And what ever you do, don't travel with a GF! You'll want to dump her as soon as you meet the cool European chicks. And she'll be self-conscious and complain the whole time. And be warned if you travel with a friend of either gender: you'll most likely be sick of each other and hate each other after a few weeks. Two weeks might be fine, but more than three and you'll regret traveling with that person.
Pack light! Bring 7-14 days worth of underwear and socks. Bring several bathing suits as guys can easily substitute them for shorts, they can get wet, and are very easy to clean in a sink. Bring one nice outfit for clubbing if that is your thing (one nice shirt, one nice pair of pants). Bring one light-weight, water-proof jacket or sweater for the colder situations. I travel with two pairs of shoes: one pair of semi-formal Rockports/Tennis shoes and one pair of sandals/Tivas. Most European travelers travel with a backpack. I have this one. Backpacks are a highly individual thing and you just need to go to a store with a large selection and find one that is 1) comfortable and 2) offers the storage capacity you need. While you're at it, buy a nice water bottle. You'll need it! You might also consider a small, portable utensil set for those situations when you're trying to eat on the train or something. Plastic Ziploc bags are very useful when packing and you can't have enough of them, and a few extra bungee cords are also good to have around. Go here for tons of packing tips.
You'll also want a money belt of some sort to keep your cash, cards, passport, etc. I suggest traveling with your driver's license, passport, ATM card (best exchange rate, forget traveler's checks), and one widely-accepted credit card (MasterCard or Visa). Be sure to make photocopies of all of these important documents before you leave the US (passport, Eurail pass, airplane tickets, credit cards, etc.). Leave one set of copies at home and pack the other set in your backpack. Be sure to take the contact information of your CC/ATM companies in case you need to call to report a stolen card. Never carry these important items in your back pockets. Stick them in the money belt or at least in your front pockets. Leave your bulky wallet at home. Think stealth and slim!
You'll want to take a camera. (If film: film can be cheaper at places like Wal-Mart in the US. If digital: make sure you take some batteries or have some method of charging the batteries overseas. Also be sure you have a large enough memory card!) You'll want to take a list of addresses for postcards if you like to write those. Be sure to take a small diary in which to write your thoughts as you go. I have actually not done this but regret not having done so! Take a few pens as you'll always lose one or two. You want to be able to write down the e-mail address of that hawt Italian girl you just met. Take a music player of sorts (mp3 players are easiest). Don't take any novels or books aside from travel guides, dictionaries, etc. There is ALWAYS too much to see and observe, even during seemingly boring times, that you don't need to have your head buried in a book. Of course, if you forget something, it's not like Europe is a third-world country. You'll be able to buy all sorts of familiar products, if not better ones, in European stores.
Europe is about half the size of the Unites States. It's not a huge place; it's just foreign. And many of those foreigners aren't too happy with Mr. Bush. So do your best not to look American: avoid clothes with US/College sports teams, baseball caps, spandex, etc. Don't wear the American flag everywhere you go. Don't stitch it into your backpack. Do NOT approach everyone assuming they speak English! If you can, take a small travel dictionary and attempt to ask, "Excuse me, but do you speak English?" in the native tongue of that country. Only after they say yes, then proceed in English. Don't be the typical arrogant American. And be mindful that Europeans are typically quieter in public and appreciate more personal space. Don't be too loud on the train. Be careful of personal space when you approach people, especially older people. Don't forget to smile!
When you get to your hostel, grab the hostel's business card so that you can show it to a cab driver if you get lost. Be smart as you walk around. Don't walk alone in places you think you'll be unsafe. Don't worry about calling home too often. If you have to, buy an international calling card in Europe. But the best way to update people is via forums like ATOT or via e-mail. In fact, daily e-mails can act as a trip diary if you save them in an outbox.
Traveling to Europs is not as daunting as it seems. I've been traveling alone through Europe since I was 15, and I can get around easier than I can here in the US. Just relax and use your head. Develop those street smarts! Speaking of streets, it never hurts to buy a small pocket map once you arrive at a city. Stuff like that is often found in the main train station.
In terms of a budget, plan on spending $50-80 per day. This does not include start-up costs like your backpack, plane ticket, Eurail pass, etc. You can cut food costs by buying at supermarkets. Buy some bread, deli meats, cheese, crackers, wine, etc. You can build a DAMN fine meal. But be sure to always sample the local cuisine/treat yourself to a nice dinner every city you visit.
My favorite cities: Berlin, Munich, Interlaken (Switzerland), Cinque Terre (Italy), Bellagio (Italy), Ibiza (Spanish island), and Naxos (Greek island). The western Italian coast and southern coast of France (French Riviera) are both insanely gorgeous. Greece, as photogenic as it is, is out of the way for most travelers.
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