Europe-Specific Travel Tips

Ask anyone for travel tips and you’ll be inundated with personal anecdotes, web links, blogs galore and maybe even the occasional antiquated guidebook, but travel tips depend heavily on your destination. When planning a trip to Europe, for example, here are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure a seamless trip.

Pack a reusable water bottle. Unlike in the United States, water is not served in unlimited amounts for free in European restaurants. Most Europeans buy water in bulk and hardly ever drink out of the faucet. While water in most countries is perfectly safe to drink, typically only bottled water is served in restaurants which, of course, comes with an extra fee. Filling up your own water bottle ensures you’ll never be thirsty on a continent where thirst comes at a price.

Beware of “freebies” at restaurants. Americans are used to filling up on free bread at restaurants before the main course arrives, but these pre-meal snacks aren’t usually free in Europe. You’ll notice this when you receive your bill with an added charge on it for the bread you didn’t request. You can ask the server to remove it from your table or push it to the side to avoid charges.

Wander away from the main drags. The Champs-Élysées in Paris and Las Ramblas in Barcelona are famous streets, but this also means prices for any services, shops and restaurants are exorbitantly high. While these thoroughfares cater to tourists, you’ll find more authentic experiences if you wander off the main roads.

Take advantage of the steller public transit. Buses, trains and even planes connect European cities at affordable prices and are great ways to see the world outside of major cities. Country-to-country air travel can be insanely cheap, but be sure to check the add-on fees before booking.