Travel to Europe...

[cincy jacket]

I am currently beginning to plan a trip to Europe for sometime late next spring or early next summer. I was wondering if anyone could offer any tips or recommendations? It will be me and my wife, no kids. It will be both ours first time to visit Europe.

Currently planning on a 2-3 week trip. Was thinking about doing a Eastern Mediterranian cruise and then coming back to hit Paris and London for a few days after the cruise. Really have no idea if that is a good way to see more sights the first time or not. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[BuckWild03]

If you're planning on visiting multiple cities, get yourself a Eurail pass. It's a great way to see Europe at a reasonable price.

[WMR]

Don't advertise the fact that you're American.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Don't advertise the fact that you're American.

Don't worry you won't have to.

The cruise is a great idea. Gives you a good "sampler platter" of some cool spots. I really loved Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels/Brugge, Belgium.

[Rojo]

Don't advertise the fact that you're American.

Actually, I think it might be better to be an American than another European -- they have a long history of intra-continental animosity.

[reds1869]

Don't advertise the fact that you're American.

Or go to the UK. I was treated very well by the English and Welsh. Most of them were thrilled to meet an American; the only place where there was any real tension was Oxford.

As far as other countries, I think you will find Americans are better received than you think. And, trust me, they will know you are American.

[George Anderson]

And, trust me, they will know you are American.

We went to Russia a few years back and we were focused on trying not to look American. Now I am as patriotic as anyone but with the situation we were in of adopting a child from Russia I didn't wanna start a ruckus for being American so I went along with the try not to look American thing. I asked a good friend of mines wife who is Russian how to look Russian. She laughed and told us not to wear shorts no matter how hot it was and try to wear dark colors only but she also said it isn't going to matter because everyone will know you are American. I had a hard time believeing this was true until at the very end of our trip we were in a souvenier store in Moscow and I saw a guy and I just knew he was an American. He was dressed as a Russian but he just had an "I'm American" look. It's hard to describe but even though for the most part we share the same skin color we don't look the same or act the same as Europeans/Russians.

[Rojo]

She laughed and told us not to wear shorts no matter how hot it was and try to wear dark colors

Good advice anywhere. Shorts are for the beach.

[BillDoran]

The cities I'd recommend would be: Berlin, Zurich, Bilbao (had friends there, though), and Cinque Terre.

I agree with SunDeck's advice as well. Less is more when traveling Europe. I'd much rather get an intimate feel for a couple of cities than a rushed glimpse of a dozen.

And as for sticking out as an American, I had little to no problem. But just like over here, there's a certain number of jerks in every crowd.

[Yachtzee]

Don't advertise the fact that you're American.

I think this is a fair statement, but not in the way you might think. Of course you will likely stick out as an American even if you try to look "Euro." It took me a good year in Austria before strangers didn't automatically think I was American. However, I think it is important for Americans traveling to Europe (or any foreign destination) to be somewhat self-aware of how you might be perceived in a foreign context. Most Europeans will be very friendly with Americans they perceive as nice, but no so much with people they deem obnoxious. Here are some tips based on my experience:

1) Always remember that you are a guest in their country. If you wouldn't do something when invited over to someone's house, don't do it in someone else's country. However, don't feel like you need to hide being an American. I've met some of the most interesting people who wanted to talk to me simply because I was an American. You'll meet jerks as well, but that can't be helped. Every place has its jerks.
1a) This is not Disney. Just because someone is wearing traditional dress does not mean that person is there to entertain you. For example, if visiting Salzburg, Austria, don't comment on how the locals are dressed up just like the "Sound of Music Kids" or ask them to sing "Edelweiss."

2) Don't talk so loud. Nothing says "Here come obnoxious Americans" more than a group of tourists speaking English so loud you can hear them 1/4 a mile away on a crowded street.

3) Learning "please" and "Thank you" in each language goes a long way.

4) As has been said earlier, it's best to save the shorts for the beach. The reason being that if you are checking out museums or churches, shorts are considered inappropriate.

5) Leave the sneakers in your bag unless you're taking a morning run. Instead, wear comfortable shoes with sturdy soles. You will be doing a lot of walking and cobblestone streets can be murder on your feet if you don't have the right footwear.

6) Keep your head on a swivel, especially in Train Stations, Metro/Subway stations, and large public squares. While you probably won't run into terrorists looking to take you down, you will probably run into pickpockets and thieves. Gypsies are real and you will run into those who fit the stereotype, especially in Southern and Eastern Europe. Rome was the worst in my experience. Avoid groups of children hanging outside the train station, aggressive female beggars in pairs or more, and don't let crazy people on the metro distract you. Don't be afraid, just be aware.

[redsmetz]

I'm not necessarily recommending his tours, but he has books about traveling throughout Europe that are spot on, so check out Rick Steves' site and see if the library has any of his books.

http://www.ricksteves.com/

[westofyou]

I'm not necessarily recommending his tours, but he has books about traveling throughout Europe that are spot on, so check out Rick Steves' site and see if the library has any of his books.

http://www.ricksteves.com/

Good guy for basic tips.

[redsmetz]

Good guy for basic tips.

What I catch from his shows and I've heard friends who went to hear him speak say this too, he's great at getting us to understand other cultures, how to step out of "the usual" and help folks get over whatever trepidations they may have about traveling abroad.

I've only visited Germany once, back in 1977 when my brother finished studying for a year in Heidelberg. I stayed with friends I had met over here in the same town and we then traveled to Wurzburg, Munich and Tubingen. I was only 22, but I was struck at how friendly everyone was. We took a sidetrip to Landau near where my Metz family was from to check out some family history. I still remember the clerk in a records office just exclaiming over and over, "you came all the way from America to see us!". Given how difficult it was to communicate long distance then, my 3rd cousin discovered an old family history in a ltter while I was over there and had no way to contact me so we didn't get to see the village my great grandfather came from.

It was great to be able to hit places that were off the beaten path. I can highly recommend Munich, which was just a beautiful city. I fell in love with Wurzburg, a smaller town, but equally beautiful.

[westofyou]

Loved Paris, I'd avoid pricy stuffy places for food and visit the markets and corner bakeries, do the museums early and don't be afraid of using the Metro and your feet.

[SunDeck]

This is a hard sell, but I think the best way to do a European trip is to pick a place and stay there for the duration. Use it as a base to visit other locations- over night trains are one of the best ways to get from one town to another and save time.

I say it's a hard sell because there is such a temptation to hit every European highlight, which to me is mind numbing.