Europe – How To Travel

Note. We have a seperate Covid-19 checklist coming out that you should stay tuned for. These tips are all still relevant for 2021, medical aside! You need to create a list of things to do before entertaining the thought of a vacation in Europe. The planning involved in the logistics of a European trip might seem overwhelming or tedious. However, with the right amount of preparation, you can optimize your trip's success and have it exceed your expectations. You need to make sure that you do this right the first time around. The process will involve the creation of an itinerary, transportation arrangements, as well as other nuts and bolts before you fly off the continent. This article will explain how to coordinate a vacation in Europe. You can minimize the amount of time stressing out about travel arrangements. You can repurpose that time to looking at guys in kilts, visiting Prague rooftop terraces, and eating at a Rome pizzeria. Prepare Your Travel Documents Beforehand Check for Covid guidelines on whether destinations will allow you into their country. You may also need a special visa where you may not have required one before the pandemic. Be mindful that it may take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to get a passport after filling out an application to get one. Expeditors like Travel Visa Pro or the State's department may be able to cut down the waiting time by a week, at the most. You have to pay extra for this service, though. Regardless, this should be the very first thing you do when coordinating a trip to Europe. Do you already own a passport? Please have a look at the expiration date on it. The worst possible thing that could happen is learning that your passport expired once you get to the airport's check-in. Many countries mandate passports to remain valid for at least six months after your vacation date. Every car rental company will require a valid license from their drivers originating from their native country. Be sure to have a look at your driver's license's expiration date. Many car rental businesses also insist on a permit for international driving alongside a driver's license when renting a European vehicle. For American citizens, they can be acquired through the AAA (American Automobile Association). Canadians should consult the CAA (Canadian Auto Association). Americans traveling to either Turkey or Russia need to have visas that are valid alongside their passports. Getting one happens to be a complicated process. Worse, it can go on for weeks, well after approval has been granted. As such, it would do you well to begin early. Put Together a Europe Travel Budget As you plan your European vacation, endeavor to put together a budget early – even before a destination has been decided on. You want to do it before travel dates have been established and an itinerary has been put together. Some destinations will be more expensive than others. However, there are tricks you can use to save some money here and there. They may include traveling during off-seasons, choosing budget accommodations, and planning a briefer trip. For instance, London happens to be a costly city. However, several airlines and travel providers have inexpensive vacation packages available for it. It isn't challenging to find affordable airline deals for trips to London, particularly in the wintertime. Your budget should be set relatively early, too. You don't want to put together an itinerary for a vacation to Switzerland in the summertime and then realize that it is out of your price range. There are mobile apps that you can use to put together a travel budget. By using them, tracking expenses after you begin making bookings will be effortless. (1) Choose the European Cities and Countries you want to visit Once you understand what your budget limits are, you can decide where specifically you can go. When it comes to vacations in Europe, there is no shortage of options on the table. One approach is to choose a specific place that is on your bucket list. Coordinate a trip around that. You can also choose somewhere timely. Check out the tourism websites offered by the countries you're interested in. Conduct searches for more seasonal events, including local holidays and festivals. Based on your like or dislike for crowds, you can either partake in one of these events or avoid them altogether. You should also find out what the weather will be like before choosing a destination. Create an Itinerary Draft Were you interested in taking a trip to France? Stop yourself from brashly purchasing a round-trip Paris flight and the hotel room that goes with it. First, you need to put out a rough daily itinerary of what your vacation to France will entail before committing to the decision. Research cities and sites that you are interested in exploring, then determine which of them your budget and schedule will permit. Check to see if there are other ways of traveling to Europe. If you're interested in seeing multiple cities or countries, but your budget is tight, then a cruise might be something to consider. Exchange rates aren't something American citizens need to worry about if they are on an American ship. If you don't want to put together an itinerary of your own, consider being part of a tour group. Companies like Rick Steve's Europe, Trafalgar, G Adventures, and Intrepid Travel specialize in group tours. Booking Your Airfare Airfare will likely be the costliest aspect of the trip. As such, endeavor to schedule it before any other expense (hotel, car rental, etc.). Doing so will give you more flexibility with your timeframe, which will go a long way towards getting a deal on a flight. You'll also end up spending less money by using an international discount airline (Norwegian and Aer Lingus are a couple of examples). Review several booking websites, including ones that let you perform meta-searches (like Skyscanner). You should also have a look at conventional booking websites like Expedia. In doing so, you will see what options are on the table for you. Think about factoring in a layover along the way. Icelandair offers a program that lets passengers flying to various places in Europe take a stopover for free in Reykjavik (and remain there for as long as seven nights). Booking Your Accommodations You need to revisit the rough itinerary that you created earlier and find a few places to lay your head at the end of each day. You are encouraged to find hotel accommodations sooner than later, especially if you are vacationing in the summer season. Of course, booking a room in a nearby motel is always on the table. However, after conducting some research, you'll be exposed to all sorts of funky lodging areas you didn't even know about, most of which are as impressive as the places you intend to visit. Look for small B&Bs, historical castles, environmentally-friendly hotels, organic farms, and houseboats. Travelers on a budget should be mindful that house swapping, farm stays, homestays, and vacation rentals are accommodation choices that are a lot more affordable than they used to be. Look at sites to ensure that you get the best possible deal. Have a look at reviews from guests who made reservations in the past to see the kind of experiences they had. Consider Getting Travel Insurance Several travel insurance options are available to you – insurance for trip cancellations, flight cancellations, and even medical insurance. You are encouraged to purchase insurance after putting down a deposit on your vacation, whether that involves a package, prepaid hotels, or airfare. After you establish the amount of money that needs to be paid upfront, you'll be able to decide how much insurance you want to purchase for your trip. Most travel providers and airlines sell insurance, which can be purchased alongside your tour or flight package. Be sure to go over any fine print that the policy contains, then contrast it against other travel insurance policies before purchasing. Review the coverage for medical insurance you get to determine if it covers overseas trips. If it doesn't, then consider purchasing extra medical insurance for the sake of covering specific scenarios, including the costs that come with your trip back home if emergency care is involved. Booking Day Tours and Local Transportation Determine how the natives get from one place to another when planning your trip, then act accordingly. Some sites like London or Amsterdam are bike-friendly, nullifying the need to rent a car. Metropolitan areas also have underground transit. Renting a car will be worthwhile if you intend to visit locales that transit, planes, or buses cannot reach (for instance, Ireland's countryside). Be prepared mentally to drive around in an unfamiliar country, which may be a terrifying experience if you are not familiar with their narrow streets, sheep roadblocks, and traffic signs. To travel from one country to another (or from one city to another), find out what the rail options are and contrast prices and routes offered by Ryanair, EasyJet, and other discount airlines in Europe. If you're traveling to many places in Europe, you'll save a lot of money by buying a prepaid rail pass. Rail Europe's rail pass offers unlimited train traveling within a specific region. Be Prepared for Last-Minute Surprises Before the departure date, handle some of the smaller (but essential) logistics involved with the trip, including booking a pet sitter or house sitter, preparing your phone for international use, and foreign exchange. Let the credit card company know that you'll be vacationing abroad. Ask them if any fees will be charged for the use of the credit card overseas. Find out where ATMs are in the places you are going to, particularly if you will need to depend on cash. Will your mobile device be able to make overseas calls? What is the cost of doing so? Many cell phone service providers have short-term international plans you can buy to accommodate the period you are traveling within. Also, consider using a device for mobile hotspots that allow you to remain connected. Packing Your Bags When researching the place you're interested in visiting, think about what the climate is like when you'll be going there. Seven days or so before the trip, have a look at the forecast. Most of western and central Europe have climates that are milder all year long. However, a heatwave or monsoon may also be involved, depending on where you go. As such, you are encouraged to pack clothing that is simple to layer. Bring a travel umbrella or packable raincoat when vacationing in Europe. Some of the places you will be visiting are a lot more stylish than places in North America. Packing for a vacation will require a different kind of mindset compared to the other kinds of trips you have taken. Also, put some thought into how your money will be carried around. If you need one, it's always better to make sure you have a duffel bag or backpack with wheels for longer trips or vacations with a lot of walking. In Europe, there is no shortage of pickpocketing schemes taking place. As such, your money must be carried around securely, along with your personal belongings. Completely mobilize your packing list. Make sure that your suitcase works as it should. Check to see that it adheres to size restrictions enforced by the airline. Suggestion: if packing space is tight, think about getting a set of packing cubes. They are very convenient, especially if your trip involves multiple stops. In short, they simplify the process of repacking. Don't forget the small expensive things. If you're going to forget something, have it be something cheap. Replacing your electric travel toothbrush might be expensive and you may not be able to find the brand you like once abroad. Euro Tours Europe happens to be a big tour group destination. When tour groups come to mind, you probably think of travelers in hordes clicking their cameras before moving onto their next attraction. Once upon a time, that was a reasonably accurate image. Nowadays, it is completely outdated. Group tours have significantly evolved. They are a lot more diverse and nuanced than they were in our parent's time. Group tours cater to travel styles and age groups of all sorts. You can take tours by backpacking, bussing, river cruising, and even ones that you can hop on and off of. There is no shortage of tour selections to pick from. Regardless of the type of experience you are interested in (or what your budget allocates), you'll discover plenty of insightful and fantastic tours that can truly optimize your European vacation. Some of the tours that I have taken were provided by various companies from the continent. Several weren't that great. Others were fantastic. If you are interested in getting a European tour – either out of interest or because your budget is tight – consider using the following reputable companies: SOME OF THE BEST EUROPE DAY TOURS A gorgeous medieval street that is relatively narrow that sits at Europe's core. New Europe This tour company comes highly recommended. Their knowledgeable guides provide insight into all major tourist areas. Whether you're interested in historical sites (like Edinburgh Castle), they even offer specialized tours, food tours, or day trips. You'll find them in all sorts of places in Europe. Don't forget to tip the guides once the tour ends. The average tour lasts approximately three hours or so. Pricing for premium tours starts at 15 EUR for each person, based on the tour's duration. How to Plan your First Europe Trip If you're planning your first trip, here's a great video with some solid advice on how to plan it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI5CagXlQ0w