A Beginners Guide to Travel Planning
I plan to see Europe, after I…
Have you ever caught yourself amid that statement? I’m certainly guilty of getting caught up in the minutia of everyday responsibilities and obligations, often blaming my lack of action towards obtaining a goal, on my finances.
Believe me, I get it. Student loans, rent, credit card debt, there’s ALWAYS going to be a million reasons why it’s not the “ideal” time to take that trip to Paris, but you only live once, and I promise that a year from now you’ll find a whole new crop of reasons why it’s not the ideal time.
“But I don’t know how to plan a trip like that.” I believe this to be at the real heart of why people don’t travel, a feeling of intimidation about the distance, and culture. The good news is that this part isn’t as hard as you might think.
How to plan a trip to Europe
Selecting A European Destination
For your first trip abroad, I recommend that you start by making a list of all the places that you’ve ever dreamed of going to. Don’t limit this list for any reason (cost, language, distance, etc.), and make a note of why you’re interested in each place (I’ll tell you why, next).
*Personal Note: My first trip abroad, was to the United Kingdom, to visit friends.
Now that you’ve got your list (free of reservations and limiting factors), you should compare all the notes you made for each place, to see if there are similarities between places (it may reveal the experience you’re secretly hoping to have).
*I made a list a couple of years ago, containing five or six places, but three of which had similar reasons (climate and architecture). This group of three similar places revealed what I was seeking in my next destination, and made the narrowing process much easier.
With your first round of eliminations made, it’s now time to compare the nuts and bolts of each place. Using criteria such as accessibility, airport connectivity, weather at the time of year you plan to travel, and then ease of access to travelers (language and/or political openness).
If that all sounds like a lot, don’t stress, I’ll break it down.
Accessibility & Public Transport
If planning a trip to another country feels stressful, driving and parking in another country are on a whole other level. While some countries have similar rules of the road, dealing with a car in most big European cities should be avoided at all costs.
Unlike the US, light rail is a staple for most urban European cities and is an inexpensive, effective way to get around. I would advise that you choose a place not only with a rail system but also stay somewhere near a station for that rail system (you can use Google Maps to help you with this). If big cities aren’t what you’re wanting to see, perhaps choose a town that’s still on the rail line but is smaller and outside of the urban hustle and bustle.
Airport Connectivity
This can have an impact on the cost of your trip, so it’s something to consider. Let’s use Paris as an example.
Did you know that Paris has two major airports? When searching for flights, you may be tempted to search the route between your closest airport and the largest airport near your destination (makes sense). Let’s say that route for your dates, returns a price of $900 round-trip, for a standard coach seat. Alternatively, you could search instead, from your home airport to the intended Country, rather than the specific airport, and find that flying into the smaller airport costs much less! Another alternative you might discover is an airport in an alternative city, a few hours away, which maybe half the cost. *Tip - Flights to Europe from the US, typically have you landing in the morning hours, which allows you time to then connect with a train. Alternatively, stay the night in your arrival city, and head out to your target city the following day!
Ease of Access
A benefit of being an American traveler is that there are relatively few hoops to jump through when we want to travel. However, starting in 2021, Americans will need to register with the ETIAS system and pay a small fee, in addition to obtaining a valid passport. This new system is not the same as a visa but will remain valid for three years, regardless of the number of trips to Europe, taken during that time.
Beyond the EU, some countries do require a visa, which can be as easy as submitting a form online, or as complex as sending written forms by courier, to an appropriate consulate. Be sure to check on requirements before booking your flights, by visiting the official government travel site, HERE.
Lastly, don’t worry too much about language barriers, particularly in large cities in Europe, speaking English is something that most service industry people can do, as it’s a trade language around the world. As a rule, I think it’s courteous to keep a cheat sheet on hand, for saying basic things, such as “please and thank you,” in the native language.
Other Resources
Often when I’m planning trips, or even formulating ideas for future trips, I watch travel shows, from well-known guides, like Rick Steve’s or Anthony Bourdain. YouTube can also be an awesome resource, which can allow you to see a place as experienced by other travelers.
Google Flights, is a wonderful tool for finding flight deals as I discussed above, and you can even set alerts for routes that you like, and it will send you an email if the prices go up or down.
Scott’s Cheap Flights is an awesome resource for finding out about flight deals in general, even with the free level membership. The only downside is that it’s not airport specific.
Accommodations
As a rule of thumb, I advise booking a traditional hotel for the day that you arrive in a new country, and also for the last day in a country. I’m never “at my best” after getting off of an overnight flight, so navigating to some random Airbnb and then figuring out the check-in process, is just more difficult than I want to deal with. Book a hotel, where even if the country you’re in is not English speaking, they’ll know how to help you get to a hotel in that city. The next day, when fully rested and showered, migrate to the more affordable Airbnb option. Likewise, being in a hotel the night before your departure can save you a headache on the day you leave. Example - Checkout is at noon, but you don’t need to be at the airport until 3 pm? No problem, it’s usually fine to leave your luggage with the hotel staff for a few hours. Alternatively, you have an early morning flight and don’t want to deal with getting to the train station with all your luggage, have someone at the hotel front desk, call you a taxi. The cost is worth the mitigation of travel day stresses.
Do you have questions or need advice? Comment below!
