Planning Your Trip to Europe
Planning a trip to Europe is time consuming, so start planning well in advance of the trip. If you will be staying in vacation rentals, start planning at least six months before your travel dates so you can book the accommodations that you want.
The Very First Thing to Do
Check your passport - Many countries require that your passport be valid for six months past the start date of your trip. Check your passport and renew it if necessary.
Planning and Preparation
If this your first trip to Europe start by reading a good "Introduction to Europe" travel guide. I recommend Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2011: The Travel Skills Handbook or The Rough Guide First-Time Europe (published 2010).
Decide When to Go - High season in Europe is July and August. Prices are higher and many people are traveling. In parts of Europe it can get very hot. June and September are popular months with North American travelers. The days are long, the weather is moderate. In the off season the prices are better but the days are short and the weather may not be good. Northern countries have snowy and cold winters - even England in the last few years.
Decide Where to Go - There are many wonderful places to visit in Europe, but do not try to see too much on one trip. You will have a more enjoyable trip if you pick one or two places and see them in depth. Start reading travel guidebooks and websites to see which countries interest you the most.
Order Your Maps and Guidebooks - Use printed and online travel guides to decide where you want to go and plan out the details. Use maps to put together your trip plan. See our recommended travel guides and recommended maps.
I do a lot of research when planning a trip. I buy a guidebook for the country and a map and then study them to figure out where I want to go. I read novels set in the country or written by authors from the country. I read expat memoirs about living there. I read blogs, travel websites and message board. I spend hours figuring out driving times on Google Maps.
Pulling it All Together
If your travel dates are not fixed, this part can be tricky. You don't want to book your flights until you have your accommodations set, but you don't want to book your accommodations until you know what flights you will be on. If your travel dates are fixed or you are waiting for well priced flights, book your accommodations and assume you will get flights on the dates you want.
Book your accommodations - Vacation rentals can book up months in advance, especially in the summer months, so book these as early as possible. Remember that you will probably have to pay a large deposit (25% - 50%) on booking. Find vacation rentals in Europe.
Hotels also fill up quickly in popular travel periods. Book hotels in Europe.
Book your flights - Comparison websites like Kayak.com and Expedia.com let you review flight schedules. I always book through the airline website, but I am usually using miles to upgrade and use only a few airlines.
Try to get as direct a flight as possible. If you have to change planes when coming from North America to Europe, try to change in the US instead of in Europe (if you have the choice), to avoid that early morning jet-lagged wait in a European airport.
Look into the option of "open jaw" flights - arriving in one airport and departing from another - which lets you avoid traveling back to where you started on a trip.
If you will be traveling between countries, consider using European airlines for flights during your trip. Be aware that European airlines are more strict in their baggage allowances.
Travel Insurance - Now is the time to think about insurance in case you have to cancel the trip because of illness or a family emergency or if your health care insurance does not cover you when you travel. Reasons why you may not need insurance: If your flights and accommodations can easily be cancelled and rebooked and your current health care insurance covers you when you travel.
Book your rental car - Read more about car rentals in Europe.
Figure out your communications - order a cell phone. Read more about cell phones in Europe.
Create a detailed itinerary - Everything you need to know about your trip in one place. Bring a copy with you, leave one at home, email one to yourself so you can get it online.
Plan Your Day Trips
You have your trip dates and you know where you are staying. Now it is time to think about what you want to do while you are there.
Book any day tours -
A Few Weeks Before You Leave
Get your IDP - Set it to start on the day you pick up your rental car.
Label your luggage - Address tags on each bag, including carryons. Address cards inside each bag.
Get some foreign currency - It is best to arrive with enough cash to get you through the first day. Don't count on the ATM machine in the airport working.
Slow Europe shows you how to find vacation rentals in Europe - villas, houses, cottages or apartments that you rent by the week.
What are Vacation Rentals?
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