Posts Tagged ‘Europe travel’

When backpacking around Europe (or any part of the world for that matter) here are a couple of tips that I found quite useful:

1. Figure out everything you’ll need while on your trip then reduce that amount by at least half! A common mistake is travelers taking too much stuff with them. Remember to enjoy your vacation instead of carrying around heavy luggage in areas you don’t know. One key thing to remember is as you travel you will find memorabilia that you will want to purchase, and this takes up precious cargo space.

2. As weird as it sounds, bringing a GOOD towel, such as a camping towel can really make your vacation a lot more tolerable. While traveling Europe for the first time I figured a normal beach towel would suffice, needless to say, it did not. Camping towels can be purchased luckily and are quite similar to the “sham wow”. They are great because they are anti-bacterial, absorb a lot of water and dry quite quickly. This was a major improvement to my second trip to Europe.

3. Take advantage of accommodation deals on websites. If you are the type of personality that can travel around and book your accommodations with short notice (I know some people like to know far in advance they have a place to stay every night), you can really save a lot of money on hotels. The later you book generally the better deal you receive. You don’t want to be stuck at the last minute and suddenly find Paris rooms all booked up.

4. Hostels also over a unique social setting you’re not likely to encounter anywhere else. The really amazing thing about staying in hostels is you have the opportunity to form great friendships from all over the world with people who are traveling like you. Though you may only be friends for a short period of time they help cement that trip into your mind.

5. Using the EU rail pass is a great way to travel throughout Europe. Once you’re aboard you’ll save a quite a bit of money. To top it off using the trains throughout Europe is a great way to travel. Be sure to make sure you purchase your tickets before you leave in order to save even more money. Though it takes some research to figure out what pass best suits your needs, it’s a great buy.

6. A secondary way to travel is to look into discount airliners over in Europe such as Ryan Air or Easy Jet. Because these airlines (and there are others) don’t serve all places in Europe I find that they are a great way to supplement an EU rail Pass for transportation. Often you can find flights for as low as $50 and depending how you plan your trip there a great way to get from one remote location to another and save valuable time those other forms of transportation take.

7. When you’re traveling, especially for long periods of time, it’s very important to register with your embassy to let them know what countries you’ll be in. The reason is just for peace of mind in case of disaster or other events that could leave you stuck in a remote country. By doing so the embassy can account for your and have a rough idea of where you are. Though the odds are quite small that disaster could strike, it’s better to be safe than sorry when traveling abroad and to be prepared just by chance disaster does strike.

Alessandra S. Llewellyn was born in Switzerland and raised in Paris. She has traveled all over the world with her family and loves to explore new places and meet new people. She loves to write about her travels and will sometimes review Paris cheap hotels for various travel magazines and websites.

Are you planning to spend family holidays in Poland but are worried about the expenses? True, traveling abroad can put a strain on your budget but don’t cancel the trip just yet. You can still enjoy a memorable vacation in Poland even if you don’t have a huge budget. You just have to learn a few tricks on how to save on your trip.

One way to save on your trip to Poland is to book a cheap car hire. Indeed, renting a car isn’t just less expensive than booking group tours. It also allows you to choose more affordable places for dining, shopping and lodging.

Driving a rental car means you’ll get to enjoy your vacation in Poland more, too, since you can follow your own schedule and itinerary. This, in turn, means you can have more time to appreciate each of Poland’s World Heritage Sites, along with other historic towns. You can also get to have more wonderful memories with your family.

You can also cut down expenses on your family holidays in Poland by leasing private rooms, pension houses and apartments instead of spending each night at a hotel. You can stay at a hostel, as well, if you like, though you have to keep in mind that most school groups stay in them, too.

Also, consider eating at out-of-the-way cafes or looking for milk bars (don’t worry, they serve more than milk) rather than dining in the restaurants you see on your guide. You’ll get a taste of the Polish cuisine along with a more unique dining experience.

Shopping is part of every trip, and is therefore bound to be a part of your family holidays in Poland. To save, skip the stores in Warsaw and buy your souvenirs in quaint little shops away from the city proper. You’re guaranteed to find better trinkets to bring home with you while enjoy better bargains.

Last but not least, try not to schedule your trip to Poland during the peak season, particularly July and August. During these months, it will be harder to find cheap accomodations. You’ll have to find your way through crowds at the tourist attractions, too.

Indeed, there are several ways to save on your family holidays in Poland. You just have to do your homework and be prepared to make small sacrifices. After all, you don’t need luxury accomodations or gourmet dining to make your vacation complete. What matters most is that you get to spend time with your family in one of the best European tourist destinations.

Isabella Olsen is a writer for various travel magazines who has toured global tourist destinations by car. To book your Poland hire cars or learn more about car rental worldwide, visit www.zencarhire.com.

Italy has always been one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Here are some quick Italy travel tips

Tips for Italy

• The most popular tourist season is June through September: aim for May or October and you will enjoy smaller crowds and still have good weather.
• Packing light is key to easy trip. One small bag that you can easy carry yourself on and off planes, trains and up and down stairs will give you a lot more freedom. Don’t expect every hotel to have an elevator – they don’t.
• Trans-Atlantic filghts generally arrive in Milan or Rome and these destinations usually have the best prices on fares. You may get a better over-all cost looking for a cheap flight into London or Amsterdam and then connecting on to Italy using a local European budget airline such as EasyJet or Ryan Air.
• If you do use a low cost airline check how far out of town the airport they are using is and how much it will cost you to get back into town. Few of the cheaper airports will be as convenient as Rome’s Fumcino airport where you can catch the Leonardo Express train to Rome’s Termini Station for Euro11
• Don’t worry about not speaking Italian – if you speak French or Spanish you won’t have a lot of problem. Even if you don’t patience, acting, sign language and a sense of humor will get you a long way.
• Train Travel. If you are going to use the Eurail pass for discounted train travel within Europe you need to purchase your pass before leaving home. Do you figures carefully though, many of the passes are not good value unless you are traveling from one end of Europe to the other. Also if you are over 26 you will have to travel first class on an Eurail pass while second class is comfortable and available for tickets bought in Italy.
• Italy has a fairly low rate of crime. Be careful of pickpockets in major cities but there is probably less violent crime than in your home town. Be aware of your surroundings in large train stations and popular tourist sites. The Romans never carry a bag slung over a shoulder but hung diagonally across the body – and you should too.

Enjoy your Italian vacation: hopefully these Italy vacation hints have helped