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When in Europe: Tips For First Time Travelers



Traveling to Europe for the first time? 

 I'm no "Rick Steves" - but from a non-Rick Steves European traveler and tourist like me, I hope you get the information you need that will help you determine your itinerary and hear some advice I had to learn the hard way.  

 I went to 9 countries in Europe on a fast-paced 3-week guided tour after college, and then 6 years later I went to Europe again for a 2-week family vacation to 6 countries.

 I will list the top recommended things I did, and let you know if you need to know any specific tips. European countries mentioned in this blog: The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Czech Republic. I also listed general tips at the bottom that every traveler should know before traveling to Europe. Enjoy!
  

When in The Netherlands / Holland:

Things to eat/drink:

  • Gouda cheese
  • Frites (french fries -- with mayonnaise...originated in Belgium)
  • Indonesian or Oriental food (very authentic and popular in this part of Europe)
  • FEBO Snack Wall
  • Banketbakkerij Van Der Linde - original Dutch ice cream
  • Stroop waffles
  • White beer
  • Windmill brewery - Brouwerij’t IJ

Souvenir ideas:

  • Holland cheese (has wax around it and doesn't have to be refrigerated)
  • Cheese slicer
  • Dutch "Delft/Royal Blue" items
  • Wooden shoes
  • Fake tulips
  • Windmill magnet
  • Item from Anne Frank gift shop
  • " iamsterdam" item


Amsterdam:

  • Anne Frank House – during this tour, you can take a picture of the bookcase door that opens before you go up the stairs to where they lived…but you can’t take a picture of anything else during the tour. The bookcase door is the best part of the tour anyway, in my opinion.
  • The "Red Light District" - this is not for families (if that's who you are traveling with). This area is one of the many things that Amsterdam is known for, but it's not a place I would recommend browsing the streets to see what it's all about. There are pornographic photos and ads everywhere, men flocking to different areas with available women, and some places are pretty sketchy.
  • Bike ride tour (consider Mike's Bikes countryside tour!) or rent bikes to travel around Amsterdam. 
  • Hook of Holland - Cutest little Holland town with windmill homes. About an hour drive from Amsterdam. You can book a bike tour here, as well. 
  • Heineken brewery tour experience – even if you don’t like the beer, the experience is worth it. 
  • A’DAM Lookout - Panoramic city views / swinging chairs off the top of the building
  • Gouda Cheese and Wooden Shoe Making - Henri Willig (located in Voldendam, about 20 min away from Amsterdam)


Kinderdijk:


When in Italy:

Things to eat/drink:

  • Red and white wine
  • Margherita pizza
  • Pasta
  • Bruschetta
  • Gelato

Souvenir Ideas: 

  • Rosary from Vatican City
  • Funny "sexy" or Statue of David aprons
  • Replica paintings/prints of the "creation of Adam" image on items or canvases
  • Wine
  • Italian leather items (purse, jacket, etc.) 


Rome:

Things to do:

  • Trevi Fountain - Toss coin into fountain: left hand over right shoulder
    • One coin toss: you will come back to Rome
    • Two coin toss: you will fall in love with a Roman
    • Three coin toss: you will marry a Roman
  • Colosseum
  • St. Peter's Basilica - To see the tombs of priests/popes/etc. beneath St. Peters Basilica, it is only open for viewing at very specific hours. You can also go to the top of the Vatican tower (up many stairs) to get a great view and take pictures…but you might have to pay.
  • Vatican Museum / Sistine Chapel (same place) - Sistine Chapel is at the VERY end of the museum. It is actually best to go to this museum when there are a lot of people (rush hour) because then the guards/cops can't control whether or not you take a picture of the "creation of Adam" painting on the ceiling...they just yell "No pictures! No talking!" and still everyone does it. Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam painting is in the very middle of the chapel's ceiling, way up high. It's kind of hard to see unless you use zoom on your camera, so find it first, then hurry and pull out your camera to take a picture.
  • Pantheon
  • Roman Forum
  • Spanish Steps
  • Piazza Navona
  • Aventine Hill


Venice:

Souvenir ideas:

  • Venice striped sweater or t-shirt
  • Murano or blown glass items

Things to do:

  • St. Mark's Basilica
  • Rialto Bridge
  • Doge's Place
  • Gondola ride of the Grand Canal is a MUST…raining or not. This was the only place it rained our entire trip, and it rained hard, but it was worth it. Find a gondola with a singing gondolier!
  • Feed the pigeons in Venice. This was the only place I really saw a lot of pigeons gathered together in one area (like you see in the movies).
  • Visit glass blowing museum / factory


When in France:

Things to eat/drink:

  • Crepes
  • Macarons
  • Red wine
  • Breakfast pastries
  • Escargots (get pesto flavored)
  • Gelato
  • Espresso

Souvenir Ideas:

  • Scarf or ascot
  • French beret
  • Painting
  • Perfume
  • Wine
  • Sexy lingerie
  • Book (many are sold on the streets)
  • Fashion items
  • Fur


Paris:

Things to do:

  • Seine River Cruise at sunset
  • Eiffel Tower - Make sure you have your camera settings correct for "night" pictures before the Eiffel Tower sparkles. I tried taking pictures of the sparkling Eiffel Tower but they didn't turn out very good, especially when I tried to get a picture of me with it in the background. You can relax on the lawn below the tower before the lights go off at night, or you can go up to the top. 
  • Basilique du Sacre-Coeur chapel  - Great to watch the sunset go down (view of City of Paris) with all the locals. BYOB/wine, listen to local music, see (good) talent shows from street dancers, see Eiffel tower, see sunset go down.
  • Orsay Museum - highly recommended
  • The Louvre - highly recommended
  • Notre Dame de Paris
  • Arc de Triomphe 
  • Fragonard Perfume Museum
  • Palace of Versailles and gardens (about a 35 minute drive/taxi from Paris) – highly recommended
  • Catacombs of Paris
  • Palais Garnier


Strasbourg

Things to do:

  • La Petite France
  • Alsatian wine region - Albert Seltz tasting and tour in Mittelbergheim

When in Germany:

Munich:

Things to do:

  • Munich's Hofbrauhaus - best place to get a German-sized stein of beer! 
  • Biergartens in Munich – some of the best in Germany. 
  • Neuschwanstein Castle (what inspired the Disneyland castle) – about 1 hour drive from Munich, some tour companies will shuttle you there including in the price.
  • Nymphenburg Palace
  • Oktoberfest
  • Munich Residenz
  • BMW Museum
  • New Town Hall / Glockenspiel 
  • Olympic Stadium
  • Mike’s Bike tour

Things to eat/drink:

  • Brautwurst
  • Currywurst
  • Schnitzel
  • Sauerkraut 
  • Black Forest Cake 
  • Pretzel with mustard
  • Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel) – some say the best Apple Strudel is in Vienna. 
  • Radler beer (half lemonade, half lager—very popular and delicious). I didn't like beer at the time, but German beer (light beer) is very good…but you should at least TRY the Radler.
  • Dunkel – dark beer that is good even for those who aren’t a big fan of dark beers.

Souvenir ideas:

  • Cuckoo clock
  • Traditional bier-stein or large glass stein 
  • Babushka dolls or containers (the little containers that open up and have multiple ones inside each other)
  • Bottle opener


Rudesheim Am Rhein:

  • Drosslegasse - quaint beirgartens, weingartens, polka music and more. 


Heidelberg:


Cologne:

  • Cologne Cathedral – also walk up 500 steps up a spiral staircase to get city views!
  • Lindt Chocolate / Schokoladen Museum or tour, café, and beautiful lookout for pics
  • Koln Triangle Tower – 360 panoramic views of the city including the cathedral. A must at sunset/night! 
  • Historic old town – cute patio restaurants and one of the highlights on a city tour
  • City walking tour
  • Hohenzollern Bridge – love lock bridge that leads to the Koln Triangle tower across the river

When in Austria:

Things to eat/drink:

  • Gulash
  • Schnitzel 
  • Sunday pie (introduced by Marie Antoinette)


Salzburg:

  • The Original Sound of Music bus tour  
  • Home and birthplace of Mozart
  • Hohensalzberg Fortress and 2 restaurants with the best views! 
  • Sternbrau restaurant for authentic Austrian cuisine 
  • Augustiner beer garden and beer hall at a monastery, beer brewed by monks – highly recommend! 
  • Hiking in the Swiss Alps (in summer!) - Trails near Club la Costa Alpine Center in Austria (5 star resort)
  • Wolfgang Sea


Vienna:


When in Switzerland:

Things to eat/drink:

  • Swiss chocolate (refrain from buying a brand that already sells in the U.S., chocolate is not cheap but delicious, is very delicate chocolate = will melt easily!)
  • Swiss cheese
  • Fondue

Souvenir ideas: 

  • Edelweiss cowbell keychain or home decor
  • Swiss chocolate (keep out of heat and from getting squished…very delicate)
  • Swiss Army knife or other items with Swiss cross logo on it
  • Swatch Watch (popular watch brand in Germany/Switz and most parts of Europe)


Basel:

  • City tour bus hop on hop off


Lucerne:

  • Chapel bridge
  • Rhine Falls in Switzerland
  • Rhine River ferry 


When in Czech Republic:

Things to eat/drink:

  • Tredlnik / tredlo with soft serve ice cream
  • Pilsner beer
  • Pork Knee
  • Open faced sandwiches
  • Kolaches – only found at farmer’s markets. Other locals do not know what this is. 
  • Lokal restaurant – local prices and quality traditional Czech food.


Prague:

  • Prague castle (palace) / cathedral – walk through main area for free, or pay for indoor tour / cathedral tower lookout
  • Starbucks near the castle – best Starbucks ever with amazing views. 
  • Market at lunch near the castle – delicious food and local vendors. 
  • I Like EBikes electric bike city tour – highly recommend. 
  • Farmers Market near river on Saturday mornings - great local food and vendors for good prices
  • Along the river there are many "river boats" that have turned into restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. 
  • Public fruit orchard park


General Tips

Personalities / Language:

  • Generally, the French, German and Czech are the least friendly and don’t smile much. They are least likely to “desire” to speak English with you even if they know it somewhat well, but most people will speak English with you to some level if necessary. The waitresses/waiters can be rude especially in larger cities and in the Czech Republic (our worst experiences). But don’t take it personally as even the locals know that the wait staff are rude. 
  • Italians speak the language of love and the men will say “beautiful woman/lady” a lot, especially when it comes to selling you things. There are more money-making schemes and beggars in Italy than anywhere else in Western Europe. 
  • It is helpful to know at least the main words you will use for each language, such as: yes, no, thank you, hello, toilet/bathroom, coffee, train/bus station, water (and type of water), etc.

Transportation:

  • Bike routes are very common in most parts of Europe, so consider renting a bike or using public transportation to get around. However you should be aware of how to use the bike lanes and paths to stay safe as these can be dangerous if not used correctly. It’s best to start out with a bike tour to get a feel of how to travel with a bike in the city before you go out on your own. Consider day passes or Hop On Hop Off Bus passes for public transportation if you will need it often to get around. Walking is probably your easiest, safest and cheapest option if your physical capacity allows. 
  • Europeans in general seemed to be crazy drivers…especially in large cities like Paris, Rome, and Munich. Crazier than NYC drivers. This includes bikes in the bike lanes…bike lanes include motorcycles and mopeds as well. Be aware of your surroundings and look both ways before crossing paths. 

Streets & Pathways:

  • ***Many cities in Europe have a street, a sidewalk for pedestrians....AND a separate “bike” lane (for mopeds, bicycles, and motorcycles), which is also located on the same path as the pedestrian walking path. The bike path is designated in a different color than the walking path (usually red or green), but WATCH OUT where you are walking and make sure to stay out of the bike path! Multiple times we didn’t realize we were standing in it and almost got ran over!!! This was especially true in Amsterdam. Very dangerous. Make sure you look BOTH ways before crossing any street or “bike path.” The bike paths are 2-way and mopeds may come speeding from all directions. It can be quite scary, and very easy to forget.

Scammers & Beggars:

  • Do not pay to see a trick or magic or other skit. Many friends got ripped off because it was a “See if you can do this, and if you can you will win $50,” and of course it’s a rigged game and they lost a bunch of money.
  • Beggars are very common especially in larger cities. They aren’t usually the typical beggars like we see in America (homeless look). Some are crippled, old women, begging with their dogs, or doing numerous types of acts or skills to get tips from by passers. If you feel inclined, these are great people to get rid of your smaller Euro coins (cents) that you are less likely to use. You will need anything 50 cents and above for bathrooms or other purchases. 
  • If you don’t want to give to them (and you will come across TONS of them), just don’t make eye contact and ignore them if they talk to you, or if they come up to you while you are sitting down just say “NO” sternly so they know not to mess with you.

Souvenir shops:

  • The only thing I noticed about souvenir shops is that they DO NOT have the same prices on the same things. For example, one shop sells scarves for $6, but just a few shops down they may sell the same quality of scarves for just $3. Shop around if you are not in a rush. 

Electronics:

  • Do not bring a straightener or other expensive plug-in devices. My Chi was ruined in Europe, even with an adapter, because the watts were too big. One time we even used an adapter to plug in our phone charger and the whole apartment (and older building) had a power outtage  Figure out ways to fix your hair without a straightener / curling iron(bring a cute fedora or other hat!), or wait until you get to Europe to buy a cheap/low voltage straightener and blow dryer.

Taking pictures:

  • Many people took pics in Europe with their iPhones, which took great pictures, so you can rely on your phone to take pics if your camera battery dies. However, it's the trip of a lifetime so if you have a nice camera, bring it. Bring a portable charger to charge your phone, too! A selfie stick (although may feel super touristy) is actually a really nice tool to have if you are traveling with a group of 3 or more. 

Necessities:

  • General/pharmacy/convenient stores are not that easy to find. Everywhere else we looked to find a store to get Tylenol, chap stick, gum, etc. and either it took us a long time, or we didn’t find one at all. Bring your own if you think you might need it.

Water:

  • Sparkling water is very common in Europe so you have to ask for a specific kind of water if you don’t want sparkling. Usually at restaurants, they will charge you for water (still cheaper than another beverage) and may bring out bottled water. Some places call sparkling water “bubbly.” Some places call tap water “faucet/sink water” or regular non-sparkling water “still” or “flat.” 
  • Most places in Europe it is safe to drink tap water but you should do research first.

Etiquette: 

  • If you use the restroom somewhere or use the wifi, you should first buy something there as a customer. 
  • "Public" restrooms usually require 50 Euros paid to the gate keeper. Keep a few of those coins on you at all times. 
  • You can’t just go into a café / coffee shop and sit down to use the wifi or chat without ordering something – you might get asked to leave. If you sit down at a table, order something, even if it's just an espresso or snack. Tip is still expected.
  • In most restaurants/cafes/etc, you are not greeted by a host so you just need to find a place to sit, in which you will later be greeted by a waitress to take your order. This also pertains to indoor coffee shops and bakeries where it is less common to order things in line or to-go, and instead you will have to sit at a table to order. 
  • There IS a tip etiquette in Europe regardless of what you have heard or believe. A 15%+ tip is expected (almost required unless terrible service) in America, so we shouldn’t feel like it’s not expected anywhere else. Tourists are expected to top at least 10% even if the service is not great because most likely you wont get the same kind of service anywhere in Europe as you get in the states. However waiters and waitresses only get paid $3 per hour so please have enough euros at each place set aside for tipping, especially if you use a credit card to pay for your meal. Some credit card machines that they run your credit card on do not give the option to tip, so you will need to leave Euros on the table before you go. 

ATM / Currency:

  • We used the ATM multiple times, so don’t be afraid to use them. Fees are the same as in America. They aren’t at every corner though, so when you see one and you are about to need cash, go use it. You will need your debit card or a credit card with a pin number. RIA is another good option widely used for currency exchange that you can find in most medium to large cities.
  • Keep in mind that while there are a lot of places that do take credit card in larger cities, there are still a ton of places (even in larger cities) that take cash only, especially smaller cafés/restaurant/bakeries/beer gardens, street vendors, boutiques, and farmers markets. 
  • Download a currency calculator app so you can see how much things are in USD perspective. This is especially true in places that do not take Euros, i.e. 100 Czech Koruna = $4.55.


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