Where do you want to go for your next holiday? How do you wish to spend your vacation? What kind of activities or relaxation are you hoping to experience? Are you thinking about a European vacation? These and many other questions will help guide you when picking the perfect place to visit. Don't put off that dream vacation even one more day, start making your list of questions and answers right now! Unlike the classic movie "European Vacation", you can experience much of what Europe has to offer without the headaches or the huge budget that many believe are necessary!
People are dying to spend their free time in Europe. They want to take a tour of the romantic city of Paris, catch a glimpse of London and visit Big Ben, even simply breathe the fresh crisp air of the Alpine valley. Stop dreaming and start planning. All of these moments and so many more are achievable when you take your time to set out on a well planned trip to Europe!
If you take your time and gather information about how you would like to spend your vacation, you will be sure to make the most of your time abroad. Take a few minutes and write a list of thing you would love to see, activities that make you happy, and places you have always thought you would never see. This list will help you begin your first steps towards planning an amazing trip. Think about and plan everyday before your departure you will be sure to have a trip that is not only unforgettable but has minimal issues. This article is not meant to be a complete walk through of how to make your dream of Europe happen tomorrow, but rather some basic tips to help get you started planning a journey you will remember forever.
Consider selecting a travel agency which specializes in dealing with European vacations and offers custom packages. Surely you can go with "the do-it-yourself planning", but you may find the logistics of your first trip much easier by consulting an expert in the area you are thinking of going. In some areas you may have to communicate using a language other than English in order to book excursions or even your accommodations. A local travel agent may be of great assistance in these aspects. A European travel agency can help you design an itinerary that is definitely to your advantage - this is also where your list of "must-see" and "must-do" activities will be a huge asset. While this option is great for your first trip especially to new regions, it will cost slightly more. The positive is you will no longer have to burden yourself with many common issues people experience when traveling to Europe
When planning to head off on your European vacation, be sure to get to know everything you can about the countries that you plan to visit. Take time to research the culture and most importantly the taboos in your destination spots. As you know, Europe is a continent with a lot of diversity so there is really a lot to learn. While you assume you may know many traditions and holidays in England, you will find that the Mediterranean regions are very different in culture and heritage providing for a very different experience. Plan for national holiday or large events that are happening in your destination before arriving! I still always have a standing joke that Germany is always closed... The only time I ever visited Germany was a quick one day stop and guess what day it was - Three King's Day. Yep, everything was closed for my only day there. You will find many places much more enjoyable by knowing what and how the locals think about many habits you just take for granted.
Try your best to learn some key phrases in the country's language where you will be visiting. You do not need to be a fluent speaker of its native tongue, but it will truly help if you try to grasp a few of the basic words and phrases. Your effort to learn their language will be appreciated by the locals - especially if venturing out of the typical tourist areas. I always recommend at bare minimum learn how to ask where a bathroom is located, how much something costs, if they speak "Your Language" and any other terms you think will be useful in navigation... As a side note: be sure to use the correct language when visiting a country. On my last trips to Portugal, I accidently used some Spanish phrases and quickly had a local tell me it was more offensive to them than if I just spoke in English from the beginning - Lesson learned. Another advantage to understanding basic phrases is that you can't easily be fooled into something you do not want while visiting the area. You need to know that while many regions do speak English very few of the locals in Holland, Germany, and some of the Scandinavian countries speak the English language. Also, the English language is commonly spoken in the coastal and tourist areas of Greece, Spain, and Portugal but not most other areas in these countries. As a matter of fact, I also found the further south I went in Italy this past trip the less English was used or understood by the Italians.
A European vacation with a very tight budget is a lot easier to plan if you have enough time to do so. Make the Internet your best friend for saving money during your European vacation. Long before leaving on vacation be sure to favorite sites involving places you want to see or experience... If they have newsletters - sign up! You will find many times you can get coupons or special savings during different times of the year. These can work to your advantage if budget is a big concern. In addition to these possible savings it is always helpful to read about your destinations ahead of time
Lastly for the sake of this quick "How-To" be sure to look into all possible modes of transportation. When you are in your destination cities plan to do a lot of walking. Keep this in mind while choosing your hotels as you will want to make sure they are centrally located to the sites you wish to see. You will find it is not only cheaper to walk than any other option (obviously), but usually much more convenient. If you are going to be traveling between cites and even countries be sure to check into train tickets not just flights. Unlike the US, most of Europe is accessible via train and usually much cheaper than the alternatives. With the introduction of high speed trains and reasonable fares you may just find them to be your perfect solution. This also holds true in many cities where it is cheaper to buy a multi day metro card to get around than it is to take just one cab trip. On our last trip to Southern Italy, we actually chose to do an all day private tour that started in Alberobello then went to Locorotondo, Martina Franca and then ended in Ostuni. In this case it was perfect as we had spent several days in Alberobello and then wanted to spend a few more days in Ostuni. This solved two problems - seeing more locations than we hoped to visit initially and moved us from one city to the next during our trip.
A European vacation is twice the fun when you have a well planned itinerary. I personally find planning for an upcoming trip to be enjoyable as it helps me get excited for all the things I will be experiencing. Enjoy your next trip and be sure to post about your trip on The Blog Master - there is nothing better than sharing your adventure with other travelers and gamers!!
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