Are you planning a trip to Europe? You’re in good company, as it’s the most visited continent in the world. However, when people visit Europe for the first time, they often get it wrong. Either they don’t go for long enough, or they don’t make enough of the easy internal travel. Here are 6 things you should know when planning a trip to Europe.
You can’t do everything
Unless you’re planning a two-year trip, you’re going to struggle to fit everything in. Europe is a big continent, and you can travel for thousands of miles without leaving the continent. Trying to fit everything into two weeks is impossible, and you’d spend your whole time traveling. Before you start planning your trip, you should make a bucket list of everything you want to do in Europe. Then, choose a couple of things that are in relatively close proximity to each other. For example, doing the south-coast of France and northern Italy in one trip is possible.
You need to factor in travel time
Traveling internally in Europe is relatively easy. However, unless you’re flying between places, you can expect to spend a lot of time sitting on coaches or trains. You should factor travel time into your trip. It can be a lot of fun to rent a car and drive across multiple countries in a day, but it takes a lot of time. It’s best to visit countries that are next to each other in one trip, so you don’t waste time flying across the continent multiple times.
Trains are an excellent option
Trains in Europe are relatively affordable and very reliable. You can travel easily between major cities. For example, London to Paris takes just 2.5 hours (which makes it faster than flying when you factor in time in the airport). You can also access European railcards that allow you to travel freely by train within the continent. If you’re planning to see as many countries as possible, this option is worth checking out.
Every country is wildly different
Crossing a border in Europe is easy. The weather and terrain won’t change dramatically when you cross a border. However, you will start to notice a big difference in culture when you stop somewhere. If you’re not used to it, it can get pretty confusing. For example, driving through France and into Spain will be a big culture shock. The language, food, and people are completely different.
You should check out the sporting culture
Europe is one of the best places in the world to visit if you’re into sports. Football (or soccer) is the biggest sport in the continent. Getting tickets to a big European competition can be difficult. However, you will enjoy the experience just as much by visiting a local sports bar and placing a bet on Uefa euro 2020. Other popular sports include tennis, rugby, cricket, handball, golf, ice hockey, skiing, and more.
You can’t rely on the weather
Europe offers a pretty wide variety of climates. From the freezing temperatures of Iceland to the boiling hot summers in Spain, you can’t put it all in one box. However, in the middle of Europe (UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany), you can’t rely on the weather. It can be beautiful sunshine one minute and grey rain clouds the next. Make sure you bring the right clothing if you want to enjoy your trip to Europe.
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