On the desktop I can plot up to @ 12 cities at a time. This is Vernazza. Join Rick Steves at WTTW Studios, Monday, November 27 as he delivers a talk on some of the most important European Travel Tips and Tricks that we need to remember when we are traveling, as well as the latest on European travel. And you might as well make your numbers European style: cross your sevens because a one looks like this. I then plan out my day with (in general) one A and a B that is close. Join the village parade, make new friends where there are no postcards. On more than one occasion Ive taped business cards from restaurants Ive found into the notebook. [234,] Factor in your comfort level with doing things on the fly. Via the internet booked my ticket which I would obtain at will call. In addition to the places I want to visit, Ill include addresses, opening times, entrance fees, and also save hotel locations and public parking lots. New product good for travel (and the environment), Portugal, we loved you, but my suitcase wheels didn't. If it is about packing for your big trip, discuss here. Know the simple tricks of avoiding museum lines. These aren't efficiency tips, but they are 'value added' to me. [213] And when they write numbers, Europeans use commas and periods differently than we do. Know the bonuses that come with rail passes. has led 30,000 travelers on elaborate European vacations. (15:51), Sailing the Eastern Mediterranean Have you looked at how far these places are from each other or considered how you will get from place to place? Previously, Fred was at WRVO in Oswego, NY for 12 years serving in various roles including Program Director and before that Operations Manager. Most of their profit actually comes in Europe. Thus, for me, internet research is a planning must. Here, it's the city hall bell tower rather than the church spire that soars above the town. For shirts: a T-shirt, two long-sleeved, three short-sleeved works for me. Thieves can be mothers with babies in their arms and fast-fingered children at their sides. MariaF - yes, TripIt saves your trip after it is completed. Connecting with people whose cultures challenge ours. Share your creative tricks to fit your world into a small bag for a European trip. Cameron Dont know your actual schedule, but Id love to meet up in Salzburg, if youre there when Im there; May 12, 13, and 14. Research feast days, celebrations, city saint's day. Your various mobile devices are important travel tools. You may be a budget traveler and aim to save as much money as you can while you're on a trip. I also tend to geographically group my places of interest and note what may be closed on given dates. "No matter where you go whether a bustling city like Paris or a midsize destination like Siena the neighborhood and hotel you choose help shape your experience," he said. First, I make everything as visual as possible. Eat near markets. [239] There are all kinds of scams. Travel Tips topics include packing, planning, safety, tourist scams, transportation, money, sleeping, and much more. By the way, thanks for all the great pictures and blog posts from Scotland. Create adventure.". The retail price is often too good to be true designed just to get you on board. 3) I do a mapquest from each place to the next at home and print out each one, just in case. You must have cookies enabled to use the Rick Steves Travel Store. Cafes are open, parks are open, streets and outside viewing is available, and all without other people! I put my itinerary in a Word document with dates, times, flight and seat numbers, hotel addresses and phones, train reservation numbers, and all those specifics. Throughout the special, Rick imparts valuable lessons from a lifetime of travel so others can learn from his experience and travel smarter. You can also view all the collections of flowers that had been added to the external memorial at the church the days prior. Fred manages the schedules for our radio and television platforms. You'll find two IQs among tourists: those waiting in lines and those walking right by them because they made an entry appointment or have a museum pass that lets them go right in. Travel with a Mobile Device Ill print area maps, but also download the maps for offline use. I work my way back to the hotel towards the late afternoon. Go as early as possible. They are generally simply working for decent places which have to hustle to get business. This is a convertible suitcase/backpack. (717) 704-3000 Guidebooks are $25 tools for $4,000 experiences.". Which is fine - but if I really care to see it I will book ahead to make sure this does not happen. I am a terrible journal writer, so maybe I just need bullets, and a friend adds 'top 5 things today'..again as bullets. [238] By the way, while Europe has little violent crime; it comes with plenty of petty purse snatching and pickpocketing. Does it save your trips after they are concluded? What are some of the tricks you use to improve your planning? Almost any popular tourist destination is bound to have a never-ending line, which can really eat into your travel time. But between budgeting your trip, staying on top of a tight itinerary, and trying to make the most of your experience when you finally arrive, it can often be hard for travelers to be fully invested. They may be new, not in the guidebooks, or even blacklisted by the tourist office because of their refusal to pay dues and a commission on business the tourist information office sends their way. "You can't travel heavy, happy, and cheap. Lastly as I most often travel in the Fall or early winter my coat has an interior pocket where I carry a thin notebook with shrunken but readable copies of the above information. Watch Rick Steves: European Travel Tips and TricksMonday, March 1 at 8:00pm on WITF. With its classical past, hang-loose present, and edgy future, Greece offers something for every traveler. "Enjoy seeing what you can and be thankful you have important experiences left over to enjoy on your next adventure. Great thread and thanks to everyone for your posts. Thanks for joining us. 32 days. Then in the morning (or night before) I pull the sleeve for the days activities. Rick Steves shares the essential skills for smart European travel: itinerary planning, venturing off the beaten path, packing light, avoiding crowds (and thieves), transportation tips, finding . the answer is you don't have to. / Some hotels in Fr. Visits to the launderette cost needless time and money. Trade away the sleeper privacy for a couchette and save $55. You can also make reservations in places like Rome's Borghese Gallery to get directly into crowded sights by phone or on the web. Try for at least two nights per stop. [261] And travel information: very important, but not too much my notebook, a basic map, couple of guidebooks, and I rip out sections of guidebooks to keep the bulk down. Terms of Service | Privacy. Going beyond the sights, Rick shares some practical tips to help make European travel fun and hassle-free. (Avoid travel on the days just before and after holidays.) He said that going with the local specialties gets you the best quality and service for the best price. I know some people on here have gotten good at using Google maps and creating color coded stops for restaurants, shops and sites, etc. Anticipate any closed days. To be honest, we don't have a set procedure. Most tourists don't want to get up that early, and those on bus tours staying outside the city, or day trippers, can't be there that early. I really wish I kept a picture of it, but when my husband and I went to Germany and Austria and also with Italy I bought the Moleskine travel journals because they had such great Maps in it and I could mark them with where we wanted to go and where we stayed. And it comes with pros and cons too: flights are cheaper, museums are empty, and the high culture symphonies, opera and so on is in full swing. Explore. Also, WITF is hosting Rick Steves for a virtual conversation on March 24. And it's lots of fun snapping photos of the predictable biggies and checking out the cultural icons. Our next stop: Siena. My itinerary kicksoff in the Cinque Terre (Italys Riviera) before stops in Tuscany, Salzburg, the Austrian Alps, and the Italian Dolomites. I really wanted to get to Greece, but squeezing it in would rush my entire trip. For the cities that didnt have their own Moleskine guide I printed out the subway maps, city maps and whatnot and created my own fold out map and destination list. Not just must-see sights but restaurants I read about, cafes, bars, small sights that are interesting but not essential, everything. Rick Steves. Ciao. [255] You'll see all kinds of travelers and bags on the road. [205 map] In this three-part travel skills special, we start in the Netherlands, venture through Germany, dip into Italy, sweep through Switzerland and France before finishing in England. Okay, your friend is speaking your language. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. I bring one broken-in pair of good, sturdy walking shoes. I type out my hotel name, address and phone number on an index card and show to the taxi driver. Other times, I take advantage of the free days for museums I don't have a lot of interest in. Baggage insurance is statistically the worst value among the many bad values in travel insurance. A pair of shorts doubles as a swimsuit. I make pie charts of how money was spent, compare it to my pre-trip estimate and to past trips. Trip Advisor's offerings of multi day tours add ideas for routes and ideas for things to do near major cities "Cultural chameleons drink tea in England, beer in Prague, red wine in France, and white wine on the Rhine," Steves said. "You can get transplanted American niceties, but you're going to pay American prices, plus shipping, for them. I'll even walk a route via Google Maps so I can get a feel of what the area is going to look like. I don't tend to head out at night, so I didn't need to be near nightlife, and I was 20 minutes from Plaza Real. Add a quick note about why it's interesting. You're only concern is physically plugging it into the wall. Rick Steves shares the essential skills for smart European travel: itinerary planning, venturing off the beaten path, packing light, avoiding crowds (and thieves), transportation tips, finding hotels and restaurants, and much more. So maybe my plan is "Art museum morning, wander and explore afternoon, dinner reservation at FancyRestaurantX". He also analyzes audience research and manages the public affairs program Smart Talk. Im a huge fan of the show and the blog, but I almost returned my copy of the Budapest guide when some slimmer guides showed up in my bookstore. -Also stay out late. Printed out my proof of purchase and reference number. If it's a sight with entry times, be there before the doors open and be the first one in. For travel guidebooks to have with you during your trip, I always pick one or two from Rick Steves and Lonely Planet. [248] Years ago, the language barrier was a big problem. Check the weather charts. 9363 posts Seven cities (which city in Austria were you considering?) Ill give you the low-down on Budapest, as Ill have been there the prior 4 days. Offer to catch a line And leave the crowded main street. No lines and a view where I can just relax and enjoy the scenery and people watch. When you're traveling, you may initially feel more comfortable staying at a hotel chain that you're familiar with back home. Im very careful about not allowing this personalized travel log to get too bulky. I've also found many videos on YouTube showing a walking route from place to place including airport walks from the terminal to the train into town. So, their first floor is the American secondand their second floor is what we'd call the third. The latter printed out and stored in a flexible binder from Staples. For major purchases this can be well worth the paperwork. Share tips on packing light, travel gear, etc. Sometimes a half day is all you need somewhere but too many of those in a row becomes more of a slog than a vacation. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. It's rude to assume everybody speaks English. You never know what will happen. And if time allows (not all As take a long time) a few other options that fit the location. Or, since we all slip a goofy little extra in, which soothing, handy, or fun packing extravagances can you justify? You'll always find places you can't get to. One thing I do now that I didnt do during my first trips is to block off entire days for traveling from one location to another (and note how long the drive/train ride is between locations - plus time for checking in/out of lodging and getting to/from stations, etc. I begin with a large piece of paper and write the cities I might like to visit in one country on spots on the paper similar to how they would look on a map. Although I normally travel with sections from Rick's guidebooks (and sometimes others as well), I still go online to check current hours of museums and other sights I plan to visit before arriving in a city. Europe for Foodies: Tips and Tricks with Cameron Hewitt | Rick Steves Travel Talks Rick Steves Travel Talks 108K subscribers Subscribe 3K views 4 years ago Europe's dining customs may. Plus, you might save money. Mycenae Legendary mountaintop palace/fortress with iconic Lion Gate, massive beehive tomb, and mythic links to the Trojan War. All over Europe wherever there are tourists, you'll find tourist information offices. And for me that means connecting with, and learning from friendly locals. I also double check times on their websitesand before departure from home, I have looked to see if there are special exhibits either opening or closing during my time frame and adapt days to suit. If it's an outdoor sight that is open all the time, be there as close to sunrise as you can. "Go to the less-famous places,. If he says no, I do my best in his language. Im extremely envious! 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | CST# 2086743 | I have a format that has columns for Date, day of week, Morn/aft/eve.. then Activity, and city. A copy of the passport and insurance card and emergency contact info is folded and carried in my money belt as well. While these seem like friendly freebies, they're carefully tallied. Bring toiletries from home to save both time and money. [221] On a tour, you'll probably see more per day than you would on your own. For instance, one and a half kilos looks like thisand there's one thousand grams in a kilo. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | CST# 2086743 | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. My rough rule of thumb: north of the Alps is like Seattle or Boston; south of the Alps is like Southern California or Florida. in six countries in 18 days means less than three days in each city. If you're bringing a second pair of shoes make it a light one. 4) We plan to drive no more that two hours each day from place to place. European Travel Skills I'll try it on a short trip. For some days I put "if time" and then listed one or more additional sites. Simple places like Trevi Fountain, the Eiffel Tower, lakeside, mountain views, etc. I remember my hobbies. Rick's guidebooks are also available as ebooks that can be read on any Apple, Android, Kindle, Nook, or Kobo device, or on your computer. Travel Tips Rick Steves Just Told Us Everything You Need to Know About Traveling to Europe This Summer "Be out early, be out late," Rick Steves told T+L. Join Rick Steves as he shares the essential skills for smart European travel: itinerary planning, venturing off the beaten path, packing light, avoiding. Its wonderful. [233] Travel is freedom. Lastly, I always look at church bulletin boards flyers. Im taking off shortly for springtime in Europe. There are simple things you can do to make the most out of your trip, Steves told Business Insider, from packing as light as possible to eating family-style meals to maximize the variety dishes you can try. Rick Steves Travel Forum Connect with fellow travelers to discuss tips and tricks for successful travel, and to share your stories! Meet people. I've got 21 days off, that means I'm going to have to do some serious cutting hereminimize redundancycan't do both the Italian Riviera and the French Riviera. Does anyone else practice carrying their backpack ahead of their trip? Also, consider building in a few slack daystwo days on the beach midway through the trip; that'll be very nice. C). All the sleeves go in a binder and thus I have a schedule for the trip. Make sure I know when specific museums I want to see will be closed -- adjust plans as needed. I like to wear a money belt. With so many people traveling these days, if you're not on the ball, crowds can be a real problem. When you're traveling, lots of unexpected opportunities may arise, and, initially, it might be easier to dismiss them than accept them. Here's the procedure: First, crack open the spine to the sections you need, and neatly surgically slice between the splayed pages with a sharp utility knife. 2) Always have a rental car with a navigation system. [214] During the Middle Ages, Venice was Europe's trading superpower, but today the big business is tourism. If renting a car, use the cardboard parking clock you'll find in your glove compartment. "If it will save you a half hour, hop in a taxi. With the internet I can spend hours learning about people, places and things Id never knew existed. [235] Also, plan thoughtfully to get the best weather and the least crowds. The ancient Pantheon is mobbed through the daybut literally all yours early or late. But I arrive during daylight hours and with adequate time to do some grocery shopping day 1. :). Reservations are also kept in the binder. As an extra precaution, before my trip, I email all my important personal information to myself. For each day I listed the first site I would see, and the time of the day I expected to show up. I also cut out and adhere advert sayings, travel article headings. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | CST# 2086743 | I printed maps from google maps before my last 2 trips to Europe. Backups of my train tickets (can re-print from here if something is lost). Give it a try. Take your trip to the next level by researching events you'll encounter along the way: concerts, sporting events, and festivals. The line up to get in as I was leaving (and the parade had been completed) was very long. I should note that these grids are often prepared as I travel; I take some blank forms with me. In this practical lecture, Rick shares lessons from a lifetime of travel so others can learn from his experience and travel smarter. This is my toiletries kit just the basics you're on vacation, and a miscellaneous stuff bag full of odds and ends you knowthe ten essentials that you never need. He added that after you enjoy that "sweet mobility and freedom," you'll never go any other way. Must say one of my most favorite evenings of London travel was attending the Classical Spectacular. After 30 minutes in the copy room, I cut the amount of books Im hauling to Europe by two-thirds. Wherever you venture, let the experience broaden your perspective. To get a zero deductible on your rental car, Collision Damage Waiver supplements cost $1535 a day. [237] But in the winter it rains more and gets dark early especially in the north; and many activities and sights are closed, or run on shorter hours. Speaking of food, don't you hate it when everything on the menu looks appealing but you can choose only one thing? Think about it: Have you ever met anyone who, after five trips, brags, "Every year I pack heavier"? Something interesting if I have time and Things to Know about the Niagara Falls Waterfalls. Greece Olympia Birthplace of the Olympic Games, this famous site has evocative temple ruins, a still-functional stadium (and original starting line), an intimate museum of ancient masterpieces, and a town nearby. And, even in popular places like this, you can still find your own Back Doors. When you watch Rick Steves: European Travel Tips and Tricks, you can learn about a special VIP opportunity ahead of his virtual conversation on March 24 with WITF. You have three sleeping options: a free airplane-style seat; a couchette a bed in a six-person compartment for about $30; or a sleeper a bed in a compartment with a double bunk for about $80. Tapas in Spain are ideal for a light, inexpensive meal served any time handy for those wanting a meal in Spain before the standard 8 p.m. and later dinner hour. But today's Europe is increasingly bilingual and English is its second language. Good for reference and remembrance. Guides are generally paid a token wage and make most of their income through tips, selling optional sightseeing tours, and kickbacks on your shopping. And it's hot. Then develop a thoughtful itinerary in steps: [230] Brainstorm a wish list of destinations, put them in a logical geographical order, then write down how many days you'd like to spend in each place and then tally it up. If you eat one, you've purchased the lot. See the modern art in Paris, London, Venice or Madrid, not in Bilbao. Harrisburg, PA 17111 Travel as a Political Act, England & Wales 1) I plan the entire trip, with lodging (with free or inexpensive parking for our B&B or small hotel), day tours and travel from one city/town to the next. Italy Switzerland Who knew the French CarreFour was a big deal in Spain? If you can't get one of your essentials here, perhaps you should ask yourself how 400 million Europeans can live without it. My tablet is my guidebook, my jukebox and the place I offload my photos from my camera AND it easily fits into my day bag. Enunciate. They were a good inspiration for my trip planning. Ive been in Piazza Navona, Luxembourg Gardens, when they are practically empty, in July. The official registration and financial information of WITF may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, (800) 732-0999. And your fans are still awaiting the release of your finds from last year. Love your posts! Generally after a couple of sentences he'll say, "Actually I do speak a little English." Your email address will not be published. I have a packing list that stays pretty consistent, so I just print two copies - one as Im gathering items, trying on clothes, etc. Rather, I make a grid that shows, for each day I'll be in a city, places that are closed or have unusual hours (whether extended or shortened). But in the hot, muggy Mediterranean, I like a very light pair of long pants. Instead of asking for the restroom, ask "toilet?" Each post-it has one or two activities penciled on it, Its very easy to see the whole trip visually and make sure its fairly solid. Tap water, however, is free and drinkable almost everywhere. This is heavy on big cities. DH keeps all on his smart phone. You may hear of people taking a digital detox or putting their phone into airplane mode so they can enjoy the present moment more. But Europe still has its untouristy corners. I plot route ideas using "driving" desktop google maps site - on my pad or phone for some reason G-M only allows point to point info. Going on your own gives you flexibility, freedom, and you can connect more intimately with Europe. Support the local entrepreneurs. Its main square, Il Campo, is enchanting. For example, these people at the Louvre in Paris could avoid this notorious line if they simply bought the city museum pass (which lets you go directly through the turnstyle). Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe.
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