Need Advice on Traveling to Europe

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 9/1/13 at 8:36pm

I'm in my mid-20s and still haven't been to Europe. Many my age have been, and I know I'm missing out on a lot! I'm just looking for general advice on anything Europe including:

- Traveling alone vs. going with a friend or group of people. A lot of my friends either don't want to spend the money or time going (many of them have been already as well, so it's probably not that important to them). I've know there are people who travel alone, but personally, I like the idea of being able to share the experience with someone. Thoughts?

- Cost and planning. One of the big things that stresses me out is the cost of the trip as well as extensive planning. I looked at some flights in the future to get an estimate, and many of them were $850+. Also, any advice on housing? I hear European hostels are better than the ones here in the US. Personally, I don't like the idea of shared bathrooms and common areas.

- Must-see countries. Due to work (and trying to keep costs down), I want to focus on visiting one country over the course of one week, maybe 9-10 days. I know you can't possibly see everything within that time span, but it's what would work best for my schedule, especially if I traveled with a friend. I really want to go to Italy...that is probably my number one choice; however, I was advised by someone that this is probably not the best choice for first time Europe travelers due to the language barrier. Honestly, it doesn't bother me at all. London is expensive. I've also thought about Germany and Spain as possibilities.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

Updated On: 9/1/13 at 08:36 PM

[sergio_27]

Posted: 9/1/13 at 8:56pm

I'm sure you can have more fun going with some of your friends, but if you go by yourself you'll still enjoy it. I wouldn't want to wait until someone decides to go, if they ever do. I don't know what kind of person you are, but you can make friends over there, specially if you stay in the right hostels.

The flights vary depending on your location and the time of the year. During the summer they are very expensive, but if you fly in spring or autumn and you book at least three months before you may find a good price.

I do recommend you to stay in hostels if you go by yourself. You can look on Hostelworld or HostelBookers and read the reviews to see which are the best ones in each city. The good ones are safe and clean, and they'll offer activities for you to meet people.

Italy is a good country to spend 10 days in. There are many cities that you can visit and the trains are not expensive. They are not very friendly with tourists, though (specially in Rome). Spain is a good option too, I think.

If you worry about the language barrier, I would recommend the Netherlands. Everyone speaks English over there. In 10 days you can visit the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg, and maybe some German cities like Cologne.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/1/13 at 9:19pm

Millie...go on a tour. It is cheaper hotel wise and transportation to everything is included. When you want to be by yourself you can be and then when you want to be with a group you can be. There are all ages on a tour. There are tour companies that specialize in younger people. Trafalgar has a great Italy tour as part of their Winter breaks package. (Simply Italy) This package generally runs through end of March to beginning of April. If you don't mind sharing a room, you can get by even cheaper. If there is not another single female then you get the room all by yourself without paying the single supplement. Gate 1 is another tour company I use, which is quite inexpensive. I have done the Netherlands trip without a tour. Your base is Amsterdam and you can make day trips by train to Brussells, Cologne, Brugge, Luxembouge and even Paris. I personally would not recommend a female going by yourself the first time.



Updated On: 9/1/13 at 09:19 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/1/13 at 9:22pm

Have you thought about taking a tour? Rick Steves or Globus or something like that.

The plus is that they are cheaper. You can get into places where other people have to stand on line. You have protection because you are not alone.

The negative is that it is regimented.

There are various cost saving techniques, such as going on the off-season and buying a Euro rail pass.

Also, check into travel websites such as Fodors.com. They have boards where you can post questions and get ideas about cost savings.

http://www.fodors.com/community/

Updated On: 9/1/13 at 09:22 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 9/1/13 at 9:29pm

Can anyone recommend a good tour company that includes airfare?

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/1/13 at 9:37pm

Cosmos (Which is Globus's budget company), Globus, Trafalgar, Gate 1 and their sister company Virgin Vacations, are all I have used in the past. BTW $850 for a flight to Europe is cheap. If you go during Winter, the fare is cheaper, especially if you live in NYC. I did a Virgin Vacation package to London about three years ago from Jacksonville for $1,000. This included flight and six nights hotel. This was not a tour. London is somewhere as a single female traveling alone you could be safe. I did this same trip to London and Paris including flights and hotel for $1100, six months later.

Updated On: 9/1/13 at 09:37 PM

[xxdrewboy85xx]

Posted: 9/1/13 at 10:25pm

I'm 28 and I have travelled through out Europe 4 times during my 20's. I never did one of the tours, but the first two times I went to Europe I stayed in Hostels only and it was the best option. If you go alone you will be able to make many friends, and even if you go with friends you will still make some others every hostel you stay at.

Another option I personally have never tried, but I have had many friends who have is volunteer to work on farms for free room and boarding. You work a couple hours a day or a couple days a week and get to spend the rest of the time exploring the country (I remember a GQ article on this a couple of years back).

If you plan on visiting multiple places in one Country, I would recommend traveling with a giant hiking Backpack over suitcases on wheels, etc. They become the worst part of traveling (for myself personally), especially when dealing with trains and pedestrian traffic when getting to where you are staying.

I also recommend Italy as a great country to visit. Florence is a great town for shopping, amazing food, great night life, and over all nice people. Verona is wonderful as well and you can check out an Opera or Shakespearian play at the Verona Outdoor Arena. The town of Sirmione on Lake Garda is one of the most gorgeous cities I have ever been to. Great food, nice beaches, and a view of the the mountains is breathtaking. I also recommend Sienna. Milan is to industrial, Rome has disgusting food, the people are rude, and it gets old after a day. I would not spend more than 2 days in Rome. Spend one day visiting the Vatican for the amazing art, and the other visiting the city, then leave. I think Florence is the place you'd want to stay at for the longest duration. Venice is also over rated, smells bad, and is WAY too expensive, but it is still something you want to see. Barcelona and the South of France aren't far and too expensive to get to from Italy as well.

I know you said you only wanted to do one country, but if you chose England as your Country, you could visit London, but then take a cheap 30 minute plane ride to Amsterdam (One of the most gorgeous countries I have ever been to, the 420 is a definite perk as well). You can also get to Ireland and Scotland very easily as well. When I went to England I ended up taking trips to Scotland, Ireland, Amsterdam, and Germany. I had friends that also went to Greece, but I stayed in London because I had tickets to Billy Elliot (with the original cast).

If you chose England, I found flights into Manchester were the Cheapest every time I've gone. The first time I flew into Manchester for $420 (ha!) roundtrip with no lay overs! That was back in 2005 and that was unheard of even then, but somehow I found those cheap flights on Kayak.com 3 weeks before I left. I would fly into Manchester and take the train to Liverpool and then a bus into London and it was cheaper than flights straight into London.

Remember the currency exchange. After a while you start forgetting and wonder where all your money went, especially when dealing with Pounds in the UK.

and Enjoy. I have never regretted spending money traveling to Europe. It is definitely something you want to experience, and your mid-twenties are the perfect time to do so!

Updated On: 9/1/13 at 10:25 PM

[mikem]

Posted: 9/1/13 at 10:51pm

I am a guy so this has never personally come up, but I have several female friends who say that, when travelling alone in France and Italy, they received an awful lot of unwanted male attention. I don't think they thought it was physically threatening, but it got old to be constantly approached by strange men on the street who wouldn't take a simple "I'm not interested" as an answer. It didn't seem to happen if they were with other people. Just something to think about.

There are different kinds of tours, some more regimented than others. I'm personally not a big fan of tours because the ones I've taken have forced me to spend time in places I didn't want to go and limited my time in other places, but I think I might not have chosen the tours that wisely. Some tours have a lot more unplanned time than others. I'd still rather make my own itinerary, but going outside of a tour is a lot of work in terms of planning, though.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 7:55am

My friend Rob is one of those, "Hell, I am traveling alone!" dudes. He LOVES it. I envy him. He's currently in Barcelona. Yesterday he posted pictures from a barbeque that he was attending with some locals. He's done the middle East, Beijing and most of Europe alone and wouldn't change it for the world. You can have a fantastic time. I just don't have the cajones or the single thing going on.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 9:42am

I can tell you that as nerdy as I think Rick Steves is, his European guidebooks are terrific. His advice on saving money and time are invaluable. Everything from hotels to food to transportation tips.

Example: Buy a museum pass in Paris for either 1, 3, or 5 days, and you can skip all the lines (which sometimes can take 1-2 hours to get through at the Louvre, Versailles, or Musee d"Orsay) and walk right in the door.

Also, his walking tours which are included in the book are basically "free" self-guided tours of whatever area of whatever city you choose. We did his tour for the Montmartre in Paris, and it was fantastic. He walks you past all the major sites there, plus tells you what they used to be, like "on your left is where Vincent Van Gogh lived with his brother Theo for two years." Things like that. Options for stops at museums, cafes, etc., and you end up at the Moulin Rouge. It was one of our favorite parts of our trip that year.

[dtzumbrunnen]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 10:08am

Another endorsement for the Rick Steves' guidebooks.

Two years ago we spent about the same amount of time you're considering and using his books as a guide, covered London > Paris > Stuttgart, Germany > Braubach, Germany > Amsterdam. Obviously didn't cover everything in any country, but also being in my late 20s at that point and never having been to Europe, I wanted to cover a lot of ground before finding a country to come back to and invest more time.

From that itinerary, London left us feeling underwhelmed. Paris was wonderful, a bustling metropolis with great bits of history all around. In three days we were able to see some of the standards (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the Catacombs, as well as some hidden gems like the Music Museum at the Paris Conservatory and Rodin's sculpture garden.

By far the biggest pleasant surprise was Germany. We hit Stuttgart during the Canstatter Wasen, the second largest beer festival in Germany, after Oktoberfest in Munich, which was tons of fun. The juxtaposition of Germany is fascinating - after being in a modern city like Stuttgart, we went to Braubach on the Rhine, which looks like a page out of a fairy tale village, complete with Marksburg Castle towering over the town.

Amsterdam was a bit of a let down compared to Paris and Germany. It was ok, but not amazing.

If you can swing it, I'd recommend going the B&B route. I used TripAdvisor to scout the different places, but had great experiences at each stop along the way. They tend to be cheaper than a full service hotel, but a good bit more than hostels.

Good luck!

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 11:25am

Thanks so much for everyone's input! I'll definitely check out the Rick Steves guides.

[suestorm]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 12:02pm

Sorry double post

Updated On: 9/2/13 at 12:02 PM

[suestorm]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 12:03pm

MilIe, I just spent a month in Europe earlier this summer and for me the must see cities are Rome, Paris and Prague. Each are filled with history with Awe inspiring churches and amazing museums. It seems to me that just about everyone speaks english and the people especially in Prague are very friendly.

If you are staying in just Italy I would make surs and visit venice and Florence as well.

Maje sure and get a europass. It will allow yiu to travel everywhere by train and yiur student I'd will allow you Into museums for free or little cost.

I like eyewitness travel guidebooka. They have pictures that show you what yiu are seeing.

Updated On: 9/2/13 at 12:03 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 12:07pm

Rick Steves also offers tours.

I would also look at the tour websites because they list their itineraries and can help with the question "What are the most important things to see?" Also tour websites like Cosmos and Globus list the hotels that they book so that could be a reference point as to what hotel websites you might want to look into just to see if they offer any type of discounts or travel deals.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 12:10pm

Another cost saving tip: find a hotel that serves breakfast included with the price of the room. Very discreetly take bread, meat and cheese from the breakfast bar and that can be your lunch.

[GuyfromGermany]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 12:14pm

If you decide to visit Hamburg, Germany, (and I highly recommend coming here) just drop me a line and I'll give you some advice...
I could also show you around if you're interested!
:)

[SNAFU]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 3:43pm

I am very partial for Spain. I've been there numerous times and just love it! Valencia, a great town to explore, as is Barcelona. The Spanish people tend to be very welcoming to American tourists and love to try and praticce their English on you!
Actually traveled to La Mancha and toou the Cervantes tour. Don Quixote is pretty much a travelogue, the towns and building he writes about are still standing today, from the windmills to the Walled Inn to Dulcinea's home town. You can read the passages and walk the streets of the town and see the buildings and churches he desribes. It is pretty cool!

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 5:59pm

I second the motion to put Paris and Rome at the very top of your list. In 9-10 days you can easily do both, and even include a 1 day stopover in Florence en route. It's ok to spend just 3 or 4 days in each. Promise yourself that this is just a first trip and you'll return to your favorites.

Right after those I'd put Venice, Barcelona, Prague, Vienna, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Istanbul.

England has great offerings (and of course the West End theaters to enjoy), but it's not that huge a cultural leap from America for me, and that's what I'd crave in a first European trip.

Whatever you do, I'd try to see 2 different countries in different climates. Many folks are instantly drawn to one culture or another-- you should give yourself a range of experiences. And take Rick Steve's suggestions to see the charms of a rural town amidst all your major capitals-- a day in Sienna, or even to Versailles, will give you a fuller experience.

Let us know where you go! You're just beginning an adventure that will last you your whole life!

Updated On: 9/2/13 at 05:59 PM

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 10:45pm

gah... I love this post because it's reminding me of my trip to Europe... i'm 34 and it's almost a year since I've been to Europe... it was my first time ever traveling there... I left on September 11 and spent 3 weeks partly alone... I spent a week in Switzerland (stayed with a friend so I saved a lot on food and lodging), then 3 days in Rome, 3 days in Paris, 3 days in Amsterdam (those 9 days all by myself) and then 1 week in London (also staying with some friends)...

so for Rome, Paris and Amsterdam I actually used www.airbnb.com. I think it's a great site. It is basically couch surfing. So I stayed with some families who hosted me for 3 days each. I basically spent about less then 100 dollars total for each country. The families also provided free wifi, snacks, information about the country, etc. It's great. I know some people are scared to use it, but I felt comfortable with the site and the reviews. I also chose families or elderly people so I'd feel a tad bit safer but you're really just doing a guessing game in terms of that. But I highly suggest you look into it if you want to save money and if you don't mind staying at a stranger's place (but you definitely experience more)

I used Fromer's guides for all my countries... i didn't plan anything. i just read the guide books and woke up every morning deciding what i'd do that day...

although i hated not having anyone to share moments with and eating by myself in restaurants and what have you, i loved the fact that i could just do whatever i wanted when i wanted... it became MY trip to Europe as opposed to someone else's trip to Europe... it was so freeing that way...

as for countries

Switzerland was just BEAUTIFUL... BEAUTIFUL! The images of everything I saw are seared into my mind forever... I want to go back so very badly... I went up Junfrauch and visited Appenzel and Zurich. I also visited neighboring Lichtenstein and Austria... both very beautiful countries as well... and drove across to Germany just so I can say I've been to Germany.. haha

Rome was awesome. I went basically because I'm Catholic and I've always wanted to go to Vatican City. I sat in the Cathedral and I cried. It was just overwhelming. LOVED the food. I just can't eat pasta here anymore without thinking of Rome.. haha. It's also a crowded city with HORRIBLE drivers and some not so nice looking parts. But it was great. I also did the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. I didn't do any tours. I just bought a ticket and wandered around.

Paris I did the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Napoleon's Tomb, and other stuff. Fun city.

Amsterdam... somewhat underwhelmed. Anne Frank museum was beautiful, though, and I'm glad I went. I did torture museums and the sex museusm because that was FUN! ha

London I did the theater stuff and everything else like the London Eye, Buckingham, etc.... also... the immature American in me couldn't stop laughing at the tube stop of Cockfosters... i always laughed... haha...

ugh... now i'm missing it more.. haha

oh and the total amount of my trip including airfare, train rides to each cities, etc... around $5000...

[Plum]

Posted: 9/3/13 at 2:40am

I can affirm that yes, a woman travelling alone in Paris might get unwanted male attention. I'm just really not sure how that's different from New York, except language-wise. Oh, and in Paris at least I wasn't trapped on a bus with the dude. Don't let it put you off. And if your friends don't share your level of interest in going to Europe, why should that stop you?

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 9/3/13 at 10:01am

Plan, plan, plan!

If you don't know what you want to do before you go you have the potential to waste a lot of time trying to figure out what to do, where to go...

Which days are museums open, what time to they open, which days are they closed, if on a budget which day of the week/month might the museum offer a free entrance.

Best12 is spot on with regard to Paris and the museum pass - in addition to that - you should know what museums are offered on that multiday pass so you can optimize the use.

If wandering is your thing - then go for it. Since time is of the essence for me I find it more enjoyable to know what I want to see and plan in advance to optimize my time.

As to go with a friend or alone - best find someone who is not only compatable but on the same budget, energy level, etc You don't want your trip to be a disaster because of a friend who sleeps late when you want to get an early start, or short of cash if you want to pay for a tour/museum, etc

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 1/7/14 at 11:40am

Hey everyone...just bumping up this thread because I booked a trip to Italy for next month!

I will be in Venice, Florence and Rome for 3 nights each.

Any suggestions for the "must sees" would be appreciated. So far here is what is on my list...I realize for each city there is MUCH more, but this is just a start:

Venice - St. Mark's Square, Murano (and the other islands)

Florence - The Duomo, Piazza del Duomo, Accademia Gallery & Statue of David, Uffizi Gallery, Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, wine tour in Chianti

Rome - Colosseum & other ruins, Vatican, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain

Like I said, I know I have so many gaps. Just wanted to get your guy's recommendations. Anything on this list not worth it?

Also, any other general advice - this is my first trip to Europe.

Thanks!

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 1/7/14 at 1:54pm

The Galleria Borghese is definitely worth a visit in Rome (make reservations) and in Florence, I thought the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Santa Croce (church) and Museo Nazionale del Bargello were all worth seeing if you have the time. If you are going to do a day trip from Florence, I'd skip the wine tour and go to Pisa to see the leaning tower. But that is really all personal preference. Make sure you have dinner in Florence at Il Latini one of the best meals I've had in any of my travels in Europe (not for vegetarians). FP Pelletterie has a few shops in Florence and they are great places for quality leather goods at great prices.

There is so much information on-line now; Fodors, Frommers, Rough Guide, Lonely Planet, Time Out Guides etc. Do your research and see what sites, restaurants, shops really speak to you. And if you are taking the train between cities, remember, Florence is Firenze and Venice is Venezia. You won't see the English names used in the train stations. Have fun.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/7/14 at 3:35pm

Although, Galleria Borghese is a must see, it's kind of far from the main sights. You have only three days in Rome. I would suggest doing your sightseeing by area. The Colosseum (do a tour) and the Roman Forum are right next to each other. That alone is a half of day. Are you going to St Peter? If you combine that with the Vatican, that is almost a full day. If you can get to the Vatican when it first opens (crowds are huge) go directly to the Michaelangelo. We were in there by ourselves for a good ten minutes before the crowds came. You can appreciate it alot better. Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain are not that time consuming. But do them if you are in the area visiting other sights. BTW you can go to the top of St Peter's for some great views. In Venice, I have not done the other islands. There are many palaces to go in at St Mark's Place, that I would recommend more. In Florence, you can go to the top of certain Main buildings for great views and pictures. The train to Venice used to be six hours one way. That may eat up some of your time. The first time I went to Rome, we had an extra day on our rail pass. We went to Venice just for the day, just to walk around for a couple of hours. Then some years later, I made a more proper visit. Also in Florence, you must walk across the Ponte Vechio, "old bridge". Hundreds of years old.

Updated On: 1/7/14 at 03:35 PM