Traveling in Europe is in an incredibly rewarding and exciting experience (a douche-bagey kinda sentence but you get me). Seriously though, you learn so much about other cultures and I feel like I have now experienced enough of this continent to be able to put together a little tip list on how you should be mentally preparing for a trip to Europe, best practices and managing your European itineraries.
Here are my top tips for traveling in Europe :
#1: Diversify Your Itinerary
This will be one of the first things to take into consideration when you start planning your European adventure. Depending on how long your trip is, it is super important to have a good mix of the type of destination so you have plenty of variety. By this I mean, sneak in a trip to Provence while you’re visiting Nice on the French Riviera, throw in the Dolomites when you’re heading to Venice and visit Salzburg when planning a trip to Vienna. This will keep your mental energy fresh as opposed to simply city hopping. I learned this a while ago when I did multiple trips going ONLY to cities and ignoring the idea of exploring the countryside part of a country. Eventually everything starts to blend together and you’ll get a little bored (even though you wont admit it out loud).
#2: Stay Central and Walk Everywhere
Omg you guys, staying central is such a key time saving tip for traveling in Europe. I know it can be very expensive to do this, but with the amount of accommodation options (hotels, hostels and Air BnBs galore), this is easier to do on a reasonable and healthy travel budget. This will help you save a ton of time (which of course we are always pressed for) as well as money. The feeling you will get from staying central enough to step out of your hotel and be in the thick of the city is truly a big part of experiencing the city. This is also helpful because you can simply pop into bed for a quick nap in the afternoon and it just adds to your experience in general. Trust me, the next time a cheaper hotel even 1 km from city center pops up, splurge on the one smack dab in the middle of the city. You won’t be sorry.
#3: Rent a Car
If you plan on exploring a country quite THOROUGHLY, then definitely rent a car and give yourself the ultimate mobility. You can skip the whole ‘catching the train’ bit and stop being a slave to public transport and it’ll actually save you a ton of time. Of course there are exceptions to this tip. There are situations where taking a high speed train (for example: the Eurostar for London or Trenitalia for Italy) will save you a ton of time, but it’s always best to do a quick Google Map check to see which method will save you very precious time and energy! You can actually save a ton of money by renting a car by opting out of paying for expensive train tickets and even cab fare to and from the airport.
#4. Take it Slow, It’s Not a Race
It is SO important to absorb the destinations you go to. I used to be the person trying to pack a thousand different and ALL of the things I wanted to see and do into one or two days. There will ALWAYS be something you wanna do and the list will never end, but I quickly realized that it’s so much more fun to take it slow instead. Now I love taking my time at breakfast in a local coffee shop, strolling the cobbled streets, looking up eateries and people watching with a gorgeous scenic backdrop. You will actually love this and not be exhausted when you’re going home after your holiday!
#5. Stay in Control of Your Navigation
My last but one of the most important tips for travelling Europe (or any other destination tbh), would be to use your tech to your advantage and get in on the Google Maps Offline! You can download entire cities on your phone and don’t even have to worry about having a data plan on your phone! This has come in handy even in areas where you can potentially lose reception but still stay on track and not end up totally lost!
So there you have it. These tips for travelling in Europe are very helpful to bear in mind when planning your adventure in the continent. These may not seem like a very big deal, but will actually maximize your time and money to give you a very special experience in the continent. Try em out for yourself and you will not be sorry!
