Traveling is something most people dream of doing, yet many go their entire lives without leaving their home country. Planning a vacation can be a daunting task because there are tons to think about, and that can be discouraging to a lot of people. With careful planning and confidence, making your dreams a reality can be done. I am taking a 10 day trip to London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris and Cardiff and I, a 20-year college student, am about to live out some of my childhood dreams!
The first step is to decide where you want to go. While there are tons of cities and countries in Europe worth visiting, making a list of places that are most important to you can set you on the right track. Even if you cannot visit everywhere you want to go, at least you can visit a few great places! London and Cardiff are my starting and ending points for my trip, so making a small day out of where you are flying from/to is a good way to check a couple places off your list. I will be traveling with my boyfriend, who is a history buff, so visiting Berlin was his #1 choice. My place of choice is Paris, somewhere that I have wanted to visit since I was 11. We decided to use Amsterdam as a place where we can have a true vacation. While it is somewhere we want to go, it is also a place that we are not concerned with having to see all there is. Of course, there are tons of other cities we would love to visit, but these are the most important to us.
Second, talk to people! Friends, family, co-workers, teachers, anyone that you know that has traveled. Other people's experiences can really help you plan your trip, especially if you have never been to Europe before. I asked a lot of friends for their tips, especially when it comes to being safe.
Next, you should decide how long you want to spend in each place. If you do not mind spending one to two days in each city, you can visit a lot more places. Playing around with dates can also result in cheaper flights and accommodation rates. Having a flexible plan for the direction of travel you want to take is important in the planning stages. I can't remember how many times we changed the order of which we are traveling because we found going to certain countries are cheaper to travel to from others.
Deciding your budget is an important step in making your trip successful. I recommend budgeting slightly above what you want to spend in order to avoid being short of money. Flights within Europe are fairly cheap in comparison to the U.S., so your most expensive flight will probably be to and from the States. Traveling by train is also a great option for budget travel. If you are comfortable staying in a hostel, you can save tons of money, but if hotels are more your style, there are still great deals if you do a lot of research. Food is probably the most expensive factor in your budget, especially if you are planning to eat out for every meal. Your trip does not have to break the bank if you plan carefully.
Now that you know where you want to go and have planned the money you have available, you can start making concrete plans! Visit tons of discount sites for deals on flights and keep an eye on them for a couple weeks to get an idea of the changing prices. Buying your first plane ticket may be nerve wracking, but after you do you will feel so excited that your travels are really going to happen! After booking your flights, you can book your accommodation whether it be hostels, hotels or AirBnB.
Transportation around the cities you visit is something to think about. You will need a way to get to and from the airport and possibly around the city depending on how much time you have. A lot of cities have extensive public transportation systems and offer passes for great prices, certainly cheaper than taking a taxi everywhere! You can either buy these passes online or wait until you get to the city. Having a plan for when you arrive will save you a headache depending on the time you arrive.
If you want to do sightseeing and visit museums, you will probably need tickets. Again, many deals can be found online or bought in person. Whether you want to make a detailed plan of your days or have a general idea of what you want to see, you will benefit from researching a bit.
After you have everything booked and have done some research on the cities you are visiting, it is time to think about safety. The world has experienced a lot of violence over the last few years, so it is better to be safe than sorry in my opinion. I highly recommend registering for the Smart Traveller Enrollment Program. This is run by the U.S. Department of State so that in the even of an emergency, officials know you are there and can help you, as well as your family get in contact with you. Sending your family or friends the information for your flights and hotels can be useful, just in case. I also find it eases my mind to add in the closest U.S. embassy's number in my phone should I need it. Lastly, making a photocopy of your passport and bank card can make life much easier should you lose either. Email and cloud type programs make those copies easily available.
While this is by no means the one and only way to plan your European adventure, I found this the easiest way to plan my trip. There is so much to think about and it can become overwhelming, so having some sort of plan can be useful. Now get to traveling!
