Planning a Meaningful and Stress-Free Trip to Europe

Does this Sound Familiar?

Do you love to travel but have very limited vacation time?

Have you traveled to Europe before and come back more exhausted than when you started because it was a whirlwind race to see everything?

Are you exhausting yourself trying to plan the perfect trip?

How our Family Travels

My husband and I (and kids) travel a lot. Usually taking 2 vacations per year. No, they are not expensive, nor fancy, nor lengthy. Just like many of you, we are super busy. We both have full time jobs, budget constraints, and schedules to consider. We also have 3 teenage sons that are almost heading off to college.

Our family loves to travel, but between our limited vacation time, and their school schedules, and just life in general, we have to get really creative with our travel planning.

Yet, despite all these things to consider, we still manage to take relaxing and meaningful trips to Europe, with vacation time left over, and return mostly refreshed (excluding a little jet lag).

It has always been very important to that we not to just show up, see the sights and leave. We seek more.  It’s harder to do this when you’re short on time, but still very much possible. When we travel we really like to experience the area, searching for fun things to do and experiencing what might expose us to real life. Like the locals and their culture. Oh, and food. You can’t forget the food.

Our Not So Secret “Formula”

We are the master’s of the 9 day vacation.

Typically we fly out Friday evening, arriving in Europe on Saturday morning at our first chosen city or region. Spend 2 or 3 nights in this area then move on to next city or location. Allow a full day of travel to you next destination. Try to keep this a reasonable distance so you can use this as a no-rush sightseeing day. Spend 2 or 3 nights at your next chosen city or destination then travel out on Sunday morning, not too early, arriving home Sunday evening.

7 tips for planning your trip

1 | Don’t make planning a chore.

Part of the fun is the process BEFORE the trip. If you’re not enjoying it, then you’re not doing it right.

Have fun with your planning, don’t make it a chore. It’s a huge world out there and the possibilities of where to go and, what to do, are endless!

Some people just ‘wing it” and try to plan as they go.  While this works for some people, it can lead to wasted time once you start your trip.

Its kind of like planning a wedding.  You can’t expect to start planning the week before the wedding and expect that it will be the greatest day ever.

Do a little research and let it sink in for a while.  Then come back and review again.

And don’t wait till the last minute.

2 | Plan and research well in advance.

We plan at least 12 to 18 months in advance. This will give you plenty of time to make well thought out decisions.

If you are considering Europe but don’t know where to go, by all means post your questions below. Maybe we can all help each other come up with some cool trips!

Start by asking friends and family for ideas. Search online for inspiration, watch some travel shows, and pick up an overview travel guide (with good photos) on Europe. Pinterest, Instagram, travel bloggers, Trip Advisor, are all great options for inspiration.

Just as a personal preference DK Eyewitness Europe does a really GREAT job summarizing the countries. They also have some really great pictures, illustrations, and maps that I find very useful in our initial planning.

Once you narrow it down to exactly where you are going,  purchase reliable guidebooks to complete the rest of your planning. Order a few guidebooks specific to the area you are traveling. In my experience, Rick Steve’s, DK Eyewitness, and Lonely Planet are VERY reliable sources of information. We have never found any inconsistencies in the information they provide.

A quick note on guidebooks. We use electronic versions of guidebooks when we are actually traveling so that we don’t have to carry them with us. Once you buy your electronic version of the book you can install the reader app on multiple devices. This is super convenient because you can install it on your smartphone.  Talk about convenient!

3 | You CANNOT see everything.

When planning, realize that you won’t be able to see everything.

Many people don’t consider this but changing locations can eat up a lot of time, energy, and money traveling.

It’s important that you prioritize the things you want to see.

Set your sight on a couple of locations, or cities, then plan meaningful activities & experiences from there.

Rank the things you want to see or areas you want to go and take everyone you are traveling with into consideration. Get their input? This includes your children. Traveling with children will be much easier if they have an interest or something to look forward to in the trip.

Think of travel as a lifelong commitment. Plan on going back to places you really love for a more in-depth look later. You don’t have to see it all on this trip!

4| Know your limits.

Know how your spouse, or kids, are to travel with. Consider all travel companions. Some people are go-go-go, others are laid back. Others don’t like crowds, or heat., and some love crowds, and cold weather. You get the idea.

Understand your limits and don’t over-schedule yourself. It’s easy to be an armchair traveler and get ambitious. I am guilty of this every time we take a trip.

It’s amazing what you’re willing to give up when you’ve walked miles and your feet hurt. You’re going to be really disappointed later if you sacrificed one of your important must-sees because you were tired. Make sure to do your highest priority item first.

If you’re new to traveling and don’t know your limits, do a “trial” run and plan a 2-night weekend trip to a city near you. Plan the weekend and tackle the sightseeing like you think you would for a trip to Europe. Reevaluate when you get back.

5 | Understand how much time you need.

If you are moving from large city to city, then allow 2 to 3 nights, so 3 to 4 days in each city. You can get a good feel for a city in that amount of time. Plan on staying longer if you find a centrally located city and are planning to make day trips from there.

Remember the 9-day vacations I mentioned? As a rule of thumb, we can get in 2 major cities, plus travel between. Or, 1 major city, and 1 central location as a base for day trips.

This past December we spent 9 days in Ireland. We allowed 2 nights for Dublin, 2 nights in Western Ireland at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, and 5 nights in County Clare as a base location for day trips to the South/SW of Ireland. While we would not typically splurge for such luxury accommodations, it was the off-season and we felt that while we were in Ireland we just HAD to stay in a  castle!

6| Set a budget and follow it

Traveling to Europe CAN be done without breaking the bank, you just need to set a budget. I know, it’s no fun to set a budget but it’s super important. If you stick to your budget, then you will be able to travel more.

Our family has a travel budget every year. Because we are very careful in our planning and utilize a variety of ways for finding travel deals it affords us two 9 to 10-day trips per year. We usually travel to Europe one of those trips, and within the U.S. (in our R.V.) the second trip. This year we’ve traveled to Europe twice and have taken weekend getaways in the R.V.

As I am writing this I am realizing that this topic could be a post all on it’s own. Hmmm…lot’s of ideas forming in my head! Stay tuned…

7| Start your trip before you get there.

Once everything starts falling into place and you know where you are going, start learning about where you be spending your time.

Travel is about exposing yourself and your loved ones to the wonders of the world.  Whether you realize it or not, you will learn things you never knew, and will be a better person for it.

Don’t just show up without any understanding of the area. It is unfortunate for me, but I used to do this when I was younger. The most important thing was to see the sights and move on. I never connected to any particular area because I never took the time to understand a little about it before I visited.

Time to dig into those guidebooks.  Start highlighting, turning down page corners, use sticky notes, or however helps you best make use of the information in the guide.  Each guide may be structured differently and offer different ideas and options for the traveler.  There is no right or wrong way to explore.  But just remember you don’t have to do everything in the guide and you don’t have to do it in the order they suggest.

Read non-fiction and fiction books that take place where you’re going. Especially in the case of Europe, there are many many books to help you understand the history in a fun and exciting way.

Brush up on the history of the area you are visiting. WWI and WWII had major impacts on Europe.  The relatively recent fall of Communism in Eastern Europe has changed things dramatically too.  There are hidden treasures behind the former Iron Curtain!!!

Watch some movies that are filmed where you are headed.  Some people plan their trips from movies they’ve watched! A huge percentage of people traveling to Salzburg, Austria are there because the Sound of Music was filmed there.

Heck, I’m not ashamed to admit that I watched Gigi before going to Paris, or Roman Holiday with Carey Grant and Audrey Hepburn before going to Rome! Or the Quiet Man before we left for Ireland! LOL!

xoxo

Kori

The post Planning a Meaningful and Stress-Free Trip to Europe appeared first on Seeking the Travel Life.

I used to be what I (laughingly) refer to as a tacky tourist. I’m sure you know the type – the tacky tourist is a tornado rushing through their trip snapping pictures, buying super cheap (quality) souvenirs (not even made locally), then leaves. They make no effort to get to know the area they are traveling to, and can’t be bothered to speak to the locals because they are in such a hurry. Oh. And they love to over-pack. Does any of this sound familiar?

If you can identify yourself with a tacky tourist, it’s okay. I am here to help! As a former tacky tourist turned somewhat savvy, I though I’d share my 9 tips on how to be a savvy traveler and not a tacky tourist.  LOL!

How to be a Savvy Traveler and Not a Tacky Tourist

1 | Pack light.

Yes, this is ALL of my luggage. WAY too much!

Tacky tourist mistake number one, over-packing.

Please pack light. I used to be the one with the giant suitcases, a bunch of shoes, and clothing for literally everything that came my way. I look back and think how ridiculous this really was. Large amounts of luggage is not only very difficult to handle, but it slows you and your companions down, you have to wait in baggage claim, and nothing marks you as a naive tourist more than a bunch of luggage.

Ditch that giant suitcase and free yourself of all that baggage! You got this!

In fact, as I mention in my other post 6 Travel Trips for Having a Stress-Free Vacation Abroad, my first trip to Europe was as a college student years ago. I remember being so proud of my packing. After all, I was ready for any circumstance and any occasion! Not so. I managed to overlook one important thing – how to handle all of that darn luggage! Everywhere I went, I literally held people up, and annoyed taxi and bus drivers. On many trains and metro lines there wasn’t hardly enough room for a carry on, let alone my entire closet. People were literally glaring. I never made that mistake again.

Unlike my former self, I can now pack the equivalent of 10 outfits in a small carry on. If I can do it, so can you. Trust me. Over the years I have created a travel capsule wardrobe so I don’t even have to think what to pack now. I do vary a few items depending upon the time of the year, location, and temperature of where we are headed. If you stick with basic colors that can mix and match easily you should be good to go!

2 | Dress like a local.

Tacky tourist mistake number two, wearing clothing that is completely inappropriate out of place for your destination.

Be low-profile and conservative in your choices. Do your homework about what people typically wear in the region you are going to.

Do not wear clothing that easily identifies you as a tourist – savvy or tacky. These things identify you as a tourist to criminals and pickpockets.

Be careful choosing skimpy and flamboyant outfits. Many places have dress codes, especially churches. For most areas in the world, I always dress in basic colors and lend towards gray, black, beige, and white. I can mix and match clothes easily and it helps me pack light.

I came across a great post written by Megan Lee from Packsmith. She gives great packing tips and advice on what to wear. Here’s the link: What to Wear in Europe Without Looking Like a Tourist.

3 | Learn some local phrases, don’t assume everyone should speak English.

Tacky tourist mistake number three, assuming everyone speaks English. Uh, no.

While traveling abroad, never assume that everyone speaks English. It’s much more polite to make an attempt to speak in a native language (and probably butcher it), than it is to just start talking English. At least ask if they speak English in their native language.

Learn some local phrases, and put them to use. Make it fun. Don’t be afraid to engage locals in conversation and ask questions. They will love and appreciate your effort. A lady in Hungary once hugged my husband because he was trying to say hello, good-bye, and thank you to her. Seriously! Apparently she said it is quite rare for tourists to try and speak their language. Hungarians are proud of their language and know that it isn’t the easiest to master, if you try you will be awesome! I can’t promise a hug from strangers, but you will be awesome nonetheless.

4 | Do your homework.

Tacky tourist mistake number four, not bothering to learn, or get to know, the area you are traveling to.

Please do your homework and learn about the area you are traveling to. Since it takes a lot of time, planning, and money, its definitely worth getting to  know a little about the area you will be traveling to. Even if you are in a tour group, don’t just show up expecting everyone to chauffeur you around without making any attempt to learn about the country you are in.

It means so much more  and helps you connect to your destination if you know about where you are. There are so many more options than just Tripadvisor and mainstream travel books.  Try watching movies filmed in or about the area, maybe read a fictional or nonfiction book. Research on Pinterest and get various blogger’s takes on your destination. When you arrive at your destination, ask your hotel, a local, or even a cabbie for further advice. By the way, I swear that cabbies have been some of the BEST tour guides we have had! They know ALL the places to go.

5 | Enjoy off-the-beaten-path and try something unique.

Tacky tourist mistake number five, sticking to mainstream “must-see” sites only.

When we travel we like to mix things up. We typically choose a couple of sights from the “must-sees” but then balance them with interesting, off-the-beaten-path, activities to do. Try a bike tour, or a segway tour, a cooking class, or some other fun activity. We love market tours combined with cooking classes. It’s super unique and it’s a great way to meet people.

Museums, churches and synagogues are wonderful places to visit, however, if you visit multiple over a period of a week or two, they really will all start looking alike. Don’t get me wrong, ALL of these places are special and are full of important historical significance.  The problem is that you may lose sight of their beauty and importance after visiting multiple on one vacation. Give them the attention that they deserve and try viewing churches of different architecture, or religion. Try different types of museums, like maybe a museum of modern art and then classical art.

If you’re short on time and don’t want to be in a crowded large group tour, then hire a private guide. Yes, sometimes they are expensive, but when compared to big group tours, they aren’t that much more (and sometimes they are less). We have found that we actually get in more sightseeing with a private tour guide because move along faster and are able to make more progress. Because the experience is more personal, it really is a great way to see the sights and learn about the history.

6 | Ditch the heavy guidebooks.

Switch to an electronic guidebook instead. If you are more comfortable with a book in hand, then by all means use it. We have learned not to haul guidebooks with us as they can be heavy and take up too much space in my bag. Use a Kindle (or other brand) app to take an electronic version of a guidebook with you.

The Kindle app can be loaded on any device so both my husband and I can have the same book or map open, or different guidebooks.

The best part is that you don’t look like a tourist because you blend in with all the other people staring at their phones! Perfect. 

7 | Travel in the off-season

I completely understanding the need to travel during your children’s school holiday or your own work holidays, but if you can swing it, try and travel during the shoulder seasons or off-season.

You may have to make some concessions, like weather, or a few less things open. Overall you will have a much more enjoyable time – it’s less expensive, there are less crowds, and less traffic.

During tourist season, the tourists often outnumber the locals. By traveling in the off-season you can have the sights and locals to yourself.

Last December, the week before Christmas, we went to Ireland. It was AMAZING. The locals were in a festive spirit and there were literally no tourists. We went to site after site and we were often the only ones there. I highly recommend it.

8 | Enjoy your time, don’t schedule every minute of your day.

Don’t schedule every minute of your day. Make sure to allow for downtime and build in time so you don’t have to rush from site to site. Assume you are going to go back and don’t feel like you have to see EVERYTHING. It’s just not possible.

9 | Plan your trip carefully

Make the most of you time and plan your trip carefully.

As I mentioned above, build in some down time and flexibility. You don’t want to be a in a rush, and you never know what is going to pop up – good or bad. It’s possible to experience flight or train delays. If there are a lot of crowds you may have to wait in line for a lot longer than you anticipated. We have often changed our schedule because we come across something unexpected and fun and didn’t want to leave. If you have some flexibility in your schedule it makes it a lot easier

Make sure that your accommodations are easily accessible to transportation and the activities that you want to do. If you spend a bunch of time getting to and from one place, it will eat up your precious time and money.

All in good fun! (Of course we are savvy travelers)

The post How to Be a Savvy Traveler and Not a Tacky Tourist appeared first on Seeking the Travel Life.

6  Travel Tips for Having a Stress-Free Vacation Abroad

1 | Pack light.

I used to be the kind of person who over packs. You know the type – the extra-large suitcase, the large carry on, AND a giant “under seat” tote bag. I’m embarrassed to even think about it. LOL! Here’s what I learned: The more luggage, the less mobile you are. You will be miserable, and you will be annoying to travel with.

If any part of your trip involves a train/tram/bus, there is no guarantee that you will have anywhere to put your suitcases. In addition, you will make a lot of people angry if your suitcases eat up all the available seats on a full train.

You will be hating life if you have to wheel your luggage across cobblestones for several blocks. By the way, if you’re needing help from your traveling companions at this point, you’re not likely to get it (unless you offer to buy them a drink). No one likes wheeling luggage across cobblestones.

My first trip to Europe was as a college student years ago. I remember being so proud of my packing. After all, I was ready for any circumstance and any occasion! No so. I managed to overlook one important thing – how to handle all of that darn luggage! Everywhere I went, I literally held people up, and annoyed taxi and bus drivers. On many trains and metro lines there wasn’t hardly enough room for a carry on, let alone my entire closet. People were literally glaring. I never made that mistake again.

2 | Be a savvy traveler, not a tacky tourist.

A tacky tourist makes no effort to understand the local culture because they don’t think that there is any better culture than their own. They are seeing the sights and don’t care what the locals think of them. They give the rest of us travelers a bad name.

A savvy traveler is armed with information. They have made an effort to learn about where they are going to. They’ve done their homework and try to understand the culture of where they are visiting.

The savvy traveler knows that every country they visit has a difference in their etiquette, how to tip, how to hold utensils, ways to greet people, dress code in churches, use of credit card vs cash, etc.). Each country has their own language and distinct personality. They also might even have their own currency.

A savvy traveler also knows that their own personal views, and cultural background, are not necessarily important to others from different countries.

Just like they are back home, savvy travelers always try to be polite and courteous. Tacky tourists, on the other hand, are usually in a big hurry, and often quite rude and pushy. They are busy taking as many pictures as possible without regard to those around them.

A traveler makes an effort to learn some local phrases and attempts to connect with the locals. They know that this is all part of the adventure, so they make it fun! It’s much more courteous and polite to say hello and ask if they speak English in their local language then it is to just start speaking English. Trust me, it makes locals happy that you would try and use their language. A tacky tourist assumes that everyone speaks their language.

3 | Stay organized and one step ahead of your itinerary.

At the end of every day, usually over dinner and wine or beer, we do a recap of the day. We also review our itinerary and plan for the next day to make sure we haven’t forgotten anything and understand any logistics involved.
This is where some of our best memories have been made. Sitting around talking and laughing and sharing stories and pictures of the day. This is a great time to write some of these stories down in a travel journal.

By the way, this is also a great time to start quizzing yourself on your phrases if you’re moving to a new country the following day! I cannot tell you how much fun our family has had trying to work through various foreign phrases!

4 | Make it meaningful.

Meaningful trips are not necessarily the ones where you go from site to site. In my experience that can be a little boring.
Engage your senses and you’ll come away with a fantastic experience. Try some local foods while taking a cooking class. Smell the flowers (or the fish stalls, LOL) at a local market. See the beauty in all both architecture and nature.

Do something different. Instead of a walking tour, maybe try a bike tour. It is a super fun way to see more sights in less time (because you are moving faster). One additional benefit of a bike tour? You’ll give your aching feet a break.

While we fondly remember seeing the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame in Paris, our favorite part was wandering from shop to shop to assemble a picnic. It was like a scavenger hunt for adults. We bought bread from a baker, chose wine from a wine shop, cheese from a fromagerie, fresh fruit from a market, and flowers from a pretty stall. We had the most perfect picnic along the Seine at dusk, in full view of the Eiffel Tower lit up. Fantastic memory.

5 | Be flexible.

Be flexible. Not everything is going to go as planned. Perhaps you may be more tired than you think, your flight is delayed, or a major site you wanted to see is under construction. Regardless, make sure to build alternative options into your itinerary.

A great rule of thumb is to always tackle your important must-see sights first. This way, if you run out of energy later in the day you won’t feel guilty or that you’re missing out.

A side note about jet lag, for years I assumed that jet lag would hit me the first days. It doesn’t. For me, jet lag usually occurs around day three. No matter what I do, I continue to struggle with it. Regardless, it seems that every trip I still manage to overestimate my energy level. I always think I can do more than I actually can.

6 | Stay healthy.

Staying healthy is one of the most important things you can do to make sure you enjoy your trip. As a result, if you aren’t feeling good, your trip may, quite literally, be ruined.

Many people feel that because they’ve paid a lot of money for their trip they need to squeeze in every single sight and activity. Please don’t make this mistake overdue it. Balance your sightseeing with down time, and higher activity days with lower activity days. Make sure to squeeze in some rest, it’s super important.

Dehydration is another cause of problems for travelers. For most people, dehydration will most likely start on the plane ride over, and won’t stop until they’ve returned home. Because of this, make sure to carry a refillable water bottle with you. Fill it when you leave your room, and again when you see a drinking fountain. It’s so important to keep drinking, people!

XOXO

Kori

Other posts you might like:

-Planning a Meaningful and Trip to Europe

-How To Be A Savvy Traveler and Not A Tacky Tourist

The post 6 Travel Tips for Having a Stress-Free Vacation Abroad appeared first on Seeking the Travel Life.