Around Europe in 20 days – To do list before travelling

Planning to take that much needed vacation to the enchanting, beautiful and scenic Europe? If yes, then it’s the perfect destination to relieve the stress of back breaking hard work you’ve endured throughout the year. However, Europe is a big continent and making the most of your schedule can be a daunting experience. We suggest you that you try to cover at the most, three to four destinations for a relaxing and memorable experience.

It’s a good idea if you include a trip to France, Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg – the tourist haven of Europe! The diverse culture and lifestyle varying from one country to another will ensure you a trip filled with a lifetime of memories. From the snow covered peaks of Swiss Alps to the Autobahn highways of Germany and of course the French cuisine; you’re set to have the most unforgettable journey of your life.

But going to Europe without any preparation is not a wise thing to do. You will encounter a gamut of unfamiliar languages and cultures, and laws which you have to strictly adhere to.  A little research about the different aspects of European culture, their rules and regulations, travel tips and reviews from previous and fellow visitors can go a long way in making your holiday a pleasant and stress-free. With the internet technology at your disposal, travel research is no more rocket science. In fact, it’s a very easy and nice thing to do. Apart from that, we are here to help you out and give you a list of to-do things which are a bare minimum to take care of before you embark on your vacation.

Here is a list of 5 must-do-things which we have compiled based on our research and experience of previous visitors. If you take note of the following things and enact on them, we are sure that your trip will be a success.

1.  Research, Research and Research – There is always someone in the household who loves to research, read travel books and scan internet travel sites like a security camera! With a little research under your arms, you can save a lot of money by getting to know which days of the week or month the local museums and monuments are free to visit. Transportation is always important for tourists and can be a costly affair in Europe. Research about tourist passes for public transportation like buses and trains, which give you a good deal of savings from regular fares. Read hotel and restaurant reviews to find the best of places and restaurants. Finally, get to know about the local weather as they can change from time to time and be ready with your appropriate clothing.

  2.  Online Booking for Large Savings – Today, majority of bookings for various aspects like hotel bookings,     transportation and sight-seeing happens via the internet. A flood of online deals and offers make online booking the most  economical and convenient way to plan your holiday. It’s always cheaper to plan much in advance to get a whopping 25-40% discount on most bookings. Last minute bookings will not only burn a huge hole in your pocket, but may also devoid you of preferential choices.

 3.  Go for an Apartment rather than a Hotel – Though this might not be a conventional way to live while on your holiday, we suggest that you look for a rental serviced apartment or villa. This will not only save some cash (hotel rentals can be skyrocketing in European tourist places) but also let you have the freedom of making and enjoying your own food. Explore the fresh produce of the local markets and you would be amazed at the freshness and variety of European produce that you wouldn’t get in a hotel room. Make food at home and enjoy your lunch at a nearby park or garden. Visit  a nearby bar and spend an evening relishing on some fine European vines and liquors. Dive in the local culture and eat from street food trucks or vendors. Who would mind a cheap Banana Crepe or Croissant from a road side vendor?

 4. Check Credit and Debit Cards usage rates – This is the most important thing to do if you don’t want to get   bogged down by the exorbitant rates of foreign transactions on your debit and credit cards. Try to have sufficient Euros       in the form of local cash cards or travellers checks. There are some credit cards which don’t chare a foreign transaction fee. Look for such cards and try to access them.

5.  Don’t forget to carry a Converter/Charger for your Phones and Cameras – There are variations in power voltage output standards across the globe. So, carrying a converter that converts the local voltage to match your charger requirements is the best thing to do. Remember to carry a 110 volts to 220 volts converters as well a 220 volts to 110 volts converter, here is one site that provides you with such electronic products.

If you follow on our suggestions, you’re sure to make your European sojourn one of the best holiday’s you’ve ever had!