The traditional backpacking trip through Europe with a group of your nearest and dearest friends has almost become a rite of passage. Although part of the fun is learning more about new places as well as learning more about yourself, knowing a few tips before you go can improve your trip.
The first thing to do when planning a trip to Europe is carefully choosing who you go with. Just because you can spend a few hours a week with someone does not mean that you will want to spend 24 hours a day with them for a few weeks. This is also true for significant others because there is nothing worse than a break-up a few days into a trip.
Make reservations for things you are interested in seeing. It saves time standing in line, often in the boiling hot sun. Often reservations can be made online before you leave. Same goes for hostels; call ahead to reserve a spot. Even if you don’t have the whole summer planned out, call ahead and make reservations a day or two before you get to your next destination. It will keep you from wasting half a day or more trudging around with a heavy backpack being told that all the hostels are full.
Try the local cuisine at the locations you visit. Even if it looks or smells odd, it’s often worth a try. Local bakeries often sell good food for cheap. For snack foods, check out local grocery stores rather than buying chips and candy at the train station; it’s much cheaper.
Learn to use a 24-hour clock before you leave. Nothing makes you look like more of an American tourist than standing in front of a train schedule trying to calculate exactly what time 17:23 is.
Eurail Passes are an excellent deal. They offer a wide variety of passes depending on your needs. Some offer unlimited travel for a certain period of time, while others are geared for those traveling only a few times. But even if you have a Eurail Pass, it is often a good idea to make reservations for the specific train you want to take. For about five Euros (or about $6), you can make sure that you get a seat by the window and that everyone you are traveling with can sit together.
If you need more information about a city, check with the tourist information center in the train station. They can usually answer any questions you have and offer free maps to help you on your way.
Of course, the most important thing is to have fun. Plan your trip to suit your personality, whether you like touring museums and castles all day or just wandering around foreign cities and sipping coffee in an outdoor cafe.
