Planning your first trip overseas can be overwhelming at first, but with a little guidance to get you started, it’s really not so bad. I’ve traveled to over 30 countries, and taken dozens of trips overseas, and I have learned a lot along the way. Most of the tips below are more specific to Europe and the UK, but most apply to travel in other regions as well. There’s a lot more to consider when traveling to Asia, the Middle-East, and other countries where the alphabet is different and not as much English is spoken. Plus it’s important to understand the laws, especially in the Middle-East.
PLANNING, BOOKING, AND TAKING INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS:
I always recommend taking an overnight flight from the US overseas, with arrival in the morning or afternoon.
Pay attention to the seats you pick! Check sites like Seat Maps for your exact flight to find out if there is limited recline, you’re near the bathroom (avoid this because people linger and it can be stinky), etc. Each seat is rated and it’s really helpful. I prefer the aisle so that I can get out whenever I want to, however my kids like the window seats so they can lean against them to sleep.
Speaking of sleep, every overseas flight will start with a beverage and meal service within the first 1-2 hours of the flight. I recommend staying awake for that meal (you won’t get much else for a long time), but then try to sleep as soon as the meal service is over. Even if you just snooze for a couple of hours, you will be much better off when you land in Europe and it’s the middle of the night at home.
I don’t recommend drinking alcohol on the long flight. It will dehydrate you (there’s not as much access to water as you’d like…bring a big bottle on board with you), and the dryness on those long flights is intense. Plus you’ll have to go to the bathroom a lot and it will interrupt your precious sleep!
TRANSPORTATION WHEN OVERSEAS:
Avoid renting a car if you can…it’s expensive, the driving rules and signs are different, parking is impossible, and if you’re in a big city traffic is a nightmare. Public transportation is really good in Europe…much better than in most cities in the US.
Consider hiring a car service. Especially with a group of more than 2 people, this is often more economical. I’ve even hired a service to drive us from Salzburg, Austria to Prague, Czech Republic, and we were able to add a stop in a really neat village to get lunch and tour around for a couple hours along the route!
Aside from the underground trains within the city, there’s a great rail system that can take you to other cities, or even other countries throughout Europe. You’ll still need your passport and it’s best to book in advance, but it’s much easier than traveling by plane or renting a car.
If you really want to rent a car, be sure to confirm if it has a manual or automatic transmission. Manual transmissions are VERY common in Europe and most likely the default. If you can’t drive a stick, you will have an issue! Be sure to check with your insurance company regarding coverage outside your home country as well.
If you’re going to be staying for a few days, get the unlimited underground passes for the duration you’ll be there. You can buy them at the underground station right before your first journey. Be sure to check that all zones (areas of the city) that you want to visit are covered. And don’t lose your paper ticket…you’ll need it the entire time!
Many of the airports have a train station right on property (often with express options right in to the city center). Worst case, take an Uber to your hotel.
SELECTING AND BOOKING HOTELS:
l like to use a booking site like Hotels.com to book my hotels, because it’s very easy to compare hotels with all of my preferences applied, and they tend to have the best prices. Also, after 10 paid nights, you get one night free at the average of the value of the 10 nights stay. So after a trip to Europe, I usually have one free night for my next trip! You can apply your rewards number for other hotel chains to your stay, but generally you do not get the perks of hotel memberships (free water, late check-out, etc.) since you did not book directly through them. There are pros and cons, but I prefer to use Hotels.com.
When you’re booking a hotel, spend the extra money and stay in the city center. Make sure you aren’t too far from the nearest underground rail station.
Check to be sure the hotel is air conditioned…many are not, and it is miserable without it!
Make sure there is wifi…most hotels have it, but always best to confirm.
If you have any accessibility needs, make sure there are accommodations. Never assume that your hotel, the train station, etc. have elevators. I’ve been stuck lugging a heavy suitcase up stairs on multiple occasions.
If breakfast is included, you’re in luck, hotel breakfast in Europe is usually really good (not like the US). Even if it is a little extra charge, it is probably worth it. It’s not that easy to find quick breakfast places on the street aside from coffee and pastries, and I generally need more sustenance to get through my full itineraries!
INTERNATIONAL MOBILE PHONE USE:
These days, it really is important to have mobile phone service while you’re overseas. So much is online now. At least one person in your party should have local service, but if there’s any chance you’ll be separated I’d just get it for the full party.
One way to do this is to buy a local SIM card at an electronics store once you arrive. It will come with a local number for the country you are in. Sometimes they will work in neighboring countries as well, but usually you need to get a new one in each country for each phone. They are pretty low-cost, but then you need to have the special tool to remove the SIM card from your phone, save that somewhere safe, and then insert the local SIM card. Then make sure you share your number with the rest of your party.
The much easier (yet slightly more expensive) method is just to add international service to your existing phone coverage. For AT&T, you don’t even have to notify them that you are going out of country. When you arrive, just power up your phone and it should work. It will likely come up as a local service (not AT&T, but it’s fine). Just make sure your cellular data roaming option in settings is on. I’ve always had great coverage. Currently, the cost is $10 per day, plus $5 for each additional phone number on the same coverage plan, and no extra charge after 10 days.
LOCAL CURRENCY AND CASH:
Don’t assume that you can use a credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment everywhere overseas. You WILL need cash.
Check with your credit card company before you leave to see if they require notification that you are going out of country. Mine used to, but doesn’t anymore. Also check in to any foreign transaction fees.
One of my best tips is to get your cash at the ATM once you arrive. You can usually find them at the airport, but worst case they are easily found on the streets in the city too. Most major banks just charge a flat fee for using the ATM (mine is $5), and if you use one of your bank’s in-network partners they sometimes waive the fee later. Get as much local currency as you’ll need to avoid repeat fees, and the exchange rates will be much better from the ATM than one of the currency exchange booths.
If you end up with extra local currency at the end of your trip, I don’t recommend bringing it home, unless you have a return trip soon. You can use it to pay toward your final hotel bill, and then pay the balance on your credit card…it’s like free money!
If you want to use public restrooms when you are out and about, you often need to pay to use them, and they will not give you change. Some even require the exact coins if they do not have an attendant. This is a situation you don’t want to be in!
Finally, often times when you’re checking out in Europe they will ask if you want to pay in local currency, or USD. It’s always best to pick local currency…this way, you should only be charged conversion fees and/or favorable exchange rates by the bank, which are typically better than those applied by the merchant.
Speaking of, be sure to check the local currency for the country you are visiting, as well as the current exchange rate.
OTHER GENERAL TIPS:
LANGUAGE: In most major cities in Europe, English is widely-spoken, however, I recommend taking the time to look up common phrases on google translate (listen to the dictation for pronunciation too!) like hello, goodbye, thank-you, and other pleasantries. It is appreciated if you try.
ETIQUETTE: Get to know the culture, customs, and etiquette for the countries you are visiting before you go. There are lots of sites with valuable information!
JET LAG: When you arrive on your first day, you will be tired and want to nap…resist the urge! Take a quick shower if your hotel room is ready, otherwise, just drop your bags and start exploring. Walk a lot, get some fresh air, and maybe some caffeine. Do your best to stay up at least until 7PM local time so that you aren’t wide awake in the middle of the night.
POWER CONVERSION: Before you go, look up the type of outlet converters you will need for the countries you are visiting. You can find multi-country ones as well. There are lots of options on Amazon. Also, check outlet voltage…in Europe they use 220 volts, whereas in the US many of our small appliances (hair dryers, flat irons, etc.) run on just 110 volts, and will overheat and likely be destroyed if they don’t cause a fire! Some are dual voltage and can take both, so be sure to check your appliances and electronics before you pack them.
TOURS: Full-day guided tours, food tours, etc. really are worth it. I’ve had really good luck through Trip Advisor and Viator – just be sure to read the reviews first. They can be pricey, so pay for tours for those sites that require some travel and/or include multiple stops.
OVER-PLANNING: I used to over-plan for international trips, because I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be back and wanted to fit everything in. That caused a mutiny as my kids got older and needed their sleep, gym time, and social media time. I’d recommend doing a couple of half-day or full day tours from sites like Trip Advisor and Get Your Guide, but have at least one down-day in between. On those down-days, do some self-guided site seeing (you can find free tours online) with lots of stops to eat, drink, shop, or do a food tour…they are a blast!
Great tips!
I especially agree with the one about learning a few words in the visiting Country’s language. We would typically get a kind smile and people would respond in English after we said hello. 🙂
If we hadn’t learned how to say things like ‘thank you’ (happened when visiting several countries in one trip!), we generally ask the server or shopkeeper and find them happy to help teach us a few words!
Thank you Holly – Google translate comes in very handy…especially the dictation so you know how to pronounce properly!