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!

Porcelain, and Pastry in Portugal

A Best Value Destination, Portugal should be on every traveler's list.

Porcelain tiles cover the buildings of Lisbon, bold colors, elaborate doors, artfully designed stone walkways, and colorful graffiti, make exploring Lisbon a pleasure for the eyes and senses.

From the moment you arrive in Lisbon, you’ll be enchanted with all things Portugal. The landscape is hilly, streets winding and views impressive. Music drifts from the doorways of small cafe’s and tucked away restaurants, “Fado” (the traditional music of Lisbon) is a beautiful, albeit sad sound, telling stories of hardship and loss, which only a place as rich with history, can do. This place will endear itself in your memory.

Cork, port, and pastry

The primary export of Portugal is cork, which you’ll see in all shapes and sizes, and a variety of uses, being sold at tourist shops.

Perhaps a cork Christmas tree ornament as a little memento?

Seafood is also in abundance here, sardines caught fresh and prepared in innumerable ways, are a food of choice, alongside a small pour of another popular export, port.

Perhaps a particular point of pride for the people of Lisbon is a small custard tart by the name of pastel de nata. The most popular place to experience one of these tasty treats is the famous Pastéis de Belém, located near the waterfront and monument to the Explorers.

Home away from home

While in Lisbon, we stayed at a charming little B&B, by the name of the “Lisbon Rooftop Guesthouse.” The proprietor was beyond accommodating, and despite our arrival not occurring until well after midnight (due to delay), he met us personally, to help get us settled upon our eventual arrival at the door.

Breakfast was provided each morning, and the personal attention was exceedingly helpful with not just planning our daily outings, but in general, setting us at ease in the space.

At less than $60 per night, I can’t imagine staying anywhere else, if I should ever return to Lisbon. A true value among accommodations.

So much to see, so little time…

It’s safe to say, that it takes more than two full days to truly see a city, and two days in Lisbon is an injustice. Striving to make the most of our limited time (cut short by an entire day, due to flight delays), we still managed to fall in love with the city.

 

Iberian Peninsula: Post 1 of 6

Feel free to ask questions below!

Milan, The Gateway to Italian Gelato

Tiny cappuccinos, Caprese salads, and all the wine you could want

just some of what Italy has to offer

 For some, the process of deciding where to go, once you know that you’re ready to go “abroad,” can feel daunting. On the flip side, there can be SO many places that you want to go, it can feel impossible to narrow it down to a single country. However, Italy is one of those places that even a seasoned traveler, would have a difficult time passing up an opportunity to visit, and when a really good flight deal presents itself, one needs only to say “Si!”

Our Italy story begins early in the year, when Emirates Airlines, runs their Valentine's Day specials. *Tip, for those of us that don’t live near to a major international airport, it can often be much more cost-effective, to fly to another city, and then jump across the pond from there. Emirates sometimes offers 2 for 1 flight deals, and while you may be able to find more traditional flight deals for the same or even less cost, I GUARANTEE that the flight experience won't be as nice as the coach experience on an Emirates flight.

For the price of $850, for two people (you heard me right, $425 pp), we flew round-trip from New York to Milan Italy, and we redeemed Southwest points to fly from Kansas City to New York, so it was a win-win for us. I would encourage you to sign-up for their email, so you can take advantage of this, and their other promotions.

I don’t have any photos from our flight, but it was the most elegant flight experience I’ve ever had! The flight crew was amazing, the seats were roomy and comfortable (even in coach), and the food was served with linen napkins and chilled silverware…better than some restaurant experiences.

There are a few train options to get from the airport to center of Milan, we chose the slower and cheaper option which took around an hour, but helped ease the chaos of arrival and allowed us to collect ourselves and game plan for next steps.

Milan is GORGEOUS! Also, if you’re not a coffee drinker when you arrive, you’ll be one by the time you leave.

Points are a travelers best friend.

The most expensive part of traveling isn’t the flights, it’s the accommodations. Despite the variety of affordable options available that can significantly reduce this particular pain point, there is still a benefit to nice hotels, which is priceless when travel weary.

Loyalty points are a lifesaver where hotels are concerned. To this end, I recommend putting all of your eggs in one basket where hotel chains are concerned and take advantage of available multipliers that may be offered. For us, Marriott is where it’s at, and point redemption has allowed us to stay in hotels MUCH nicer than what we could otherwise afford.

With that in mind, stumbling off of an overnight flight, groggy, in need of a shower, and luggage in tow, a nice hotel that can easily be found and has a staff that’s ready to assist you when you’re not thinking clearly, is the best way to arrive in a new place. Arriving at the Boscolo Milano was like having someone give you a glass of cold water on a hot summer day, and then offer to think for you. I struggle with decision making, until after I’ve been able to shower and change my clothes, so the fewer hoops I have to jump through after my flight lands, the better.

UPDATE: The Boscolo Milano is now the Palazzo Matteotti Milan

Modern design is in every detail of this hotel

Multiple lounges, each unique and thoughtfully appointed

This rooftop made me feel like I had “leveled up” in life

Palazzo Matteotti Milan

This is the way to kickoff our time in Milan.

What trip to Milan would be complete without a visit to the Duomo?

Our time in Milan was very limited, but it would be remiss to visit such a city and not pay homage to at least one of the jewels in its crown. Fortunately for us, the Duomo di Milano was just a short walk from our hotel. Unfortunately, it was pouring down rain, and the line to get inside was more than an hour-long, but the floor by itself, was more than worth the wait!

View of the Duomo from our hotel rooftop.

With our feet firmly planted on the Italian soil, and a lovely day and a half in Milan under our belts, we’re ready for our next destination, Lake Como.

Do you have questions or need advice? Comment below!

Italy - Part 1 of 4