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10 Tips For A Super European Vacation
Copyright 2005 MHG Consulting
Europe has always been a popular travel destination. Whether
you're a seasoned traveler or planning your first trip, there
are several important things to keep in mind before calling your
travel agent and booking your next vacation:
1. Time of year: While "Paris in the Springtime" sounds very
romantic, the truth is that you're liable to spend many days
indoors, because the weather can be cold and rainy. On the other
hand, the French Riviera in the springtime boasts warm
temperatures, sunshine and beautiful places to visit. If you're
not sure of weather patterns, check with your travel agent who
can advise you on rainy seasons or other weather-related issues
for traveling to a specific spot.
2. Your Budget: Decide how much you've got to spend, and don't
forget to include extras like tourist attractions, getting
around, souvenirs and meals (which are typically more expensive
in Europe than in the states -- dinner can cost upwards of 50
Euros per person, especially in metropolitan cities). If your
budget is smaller, consider visiting Eastern Europe, looking for
packaged tours, or, if you're flexible, book a "last-minute"
trip, which can often save you 30% or more. Check out the
current exchange rate between your currency and that of the
country you'll be visiting, to have a better idea of what your
vacation is going to actually cost you. Whenever possible,
travel during an off-peak season to save even more.
3. Your secret dreams or "someday" wishes: For most of us,
taking a vacation is something we get to do only once a year,
and often plan and save the whole year for. So if you have
always wanted to visit somewhere or do something special -- why
wait? Include it in your next vacation plans.
4. Political Climate: While most countries that rely on tourism
make every effort to ensure the safety of tourists, these days
it's always a good idea to keep up on the current political
climate of the country you're planning to visit, especially if
there have been problems in the past.
5. Your own "internal clock": If you prefer sleeping in in the
mornings, and "doing your own thing" then a guided tour is
probably not for you. Most guided tours start early in the
morning, and you're on the go until evening. You may visit
several cities in a country or countries within a specified
amount of time, and you're required to stay with the group.
On the other hand, if you don't like traveling alone, you enjoy
the companionship of others and getting to see as much as
possible in the time you've got, a guided tour or cruise may be
just the thing for you.
6. How you like to spend your time: Take a little time to think
about what you like doing before planning your trip. Do you
prefer the water, or the mountains? Lying on the beach, or
rock-climbing? Adrenaline rushes or visiting an art museum?
While going outside your comfort zone and trying new things can
be a great experience, spending your time doing something that
bores you silly or makes you uncomfortable and unhappy just
doesn't make sense. Once you know what you want to do, figure
out what you'll have time to do. Many times, in an effort to get
the "most bang for our buck" we tend to over plan the vacation,
and end up needing a vacation from the vacation when we get
home! Prioritize your list, and be willing to save some
activities or attractions for
another trip.
7. Use the resources that are available to make your trip
special and save money:
Today's travelers have numerous options when planning their
vacation. You can use the Internet to find out more about the
cities or countries you want to visit, check out prices, even
book your flight or hotel room. If you're visiting a place for
the first time, check with a travel agent, talk to someone who's
"been there, done that" on an Internet Forum, or contact local
chambers or commerce or travel councils to get more information
about where to go, what to see and what to do.
8. Get organized: You can use trip-planning software, or your
own favorite organizing system to organize and plan your trip.
Don't forget things like making sure your passport and picture
ID are up-to-date, finding out if travel insurance is something
you need, and how and where to exchange your money. The more
organized you are in the beginning, the better vacation you'll
have.
9. Pack lightly: Most of us take too much on a vacation, and end
up lugging heavy suitcases and other bags along filled with
items that we either don't use or don't need. When planning your
trip, look at your wardrobe and pack as lightly as you can. Take
only what you'll really need, and remember that if you forget or
end up needing something, chances are you can get it once you
reach your destination.
10. Have fun! Get organized, make your plans and expect the
best. That way, once you're on your way, you'll be able to relax
and enjoy yourself. But remember, there are very few "perfect"
vacations, so if something does go wrong, try to relax and "go
with the flow" as much as possible. Experienced travelers say
that sometimes their best vacations have been the ones where the
unexpected happened.
Final note: One of the most visited european spots is Venice.
Here are a few tips to entice you to visit this charming city,
before it sinks!
No, I don't mean that the casual tourist is in danger of seeing
Venice sink into the lagoon or anything. Well, not today anyway.
What I meant was that some folks with great talent aren't
satisfied with simply pushing a tiny button on top of a digital
camera enough times to eventually come up with a Venice Photo
Essay. No, they take out the old sketchbook and apply a bunch of
talented scribbles that eventually turn their bits of white
paper into something that people want to pay good money for. I'm
talking sketchers and painters, devotees of the ancient, fussy,
and time consuming way to produce fine images.
Marion Boddy-Evans of About's Painting site is one such talented
person. Her Pages from a Venice Scrapbook is an evocative peek
at essential Venice--so good it's bound to make you wish you had
paid attention in art class instead of stuffing all those
spitballs down your milk straw and taking aim at the weird guy
in the corner when the teacher wasn't looking. Shame on you.
Marion also has a photo feature on Artists in Venice. Just like
the guy in the upper left, except he's painting in Lucca. Find
out more of Venice Photo Essay by going to:
http://goeurope.about.com/cs/venice/a/venice_pics.htm
About the author:
Dan Farrell is the owner of http://www.venetianlasvegashome.com
which highlights travel saving tips and the Venetian Hotel, Las
Vegas. He also offers a free newsletter, "Travel Tips You Never
Thought Of".
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