Planning Vacations to Europe

A visit to Europe can mean snowing in the Alps, surfing in Biarritz or hiking through England until you are stopped by a massive castle. While it may be fun to imagine just packing up and heading to Europe with nothing but a backpack and a map, to get the most out of the continent you really need to go with a plan in hand. Some aspects of travel in Europe have to be known beforehand or you won't even make it across the border.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Passport Foreign and national currency
Passport
Foreign and national currency

Step 1

Apply early enough to get your passport before you leave for your vacation. Citizens of most countries outside Europe are required to have a valid passport both to enter European countries and to re-enter their own countries. If you have an older passport, consider renewing it as some countries in Europe won't allow you to enter if the passport expires within six months.

Step 2

Convert enough of your national currency at home to get you through the first few days. After that, it is probably better to convert your currency inside Europe. Trust only banks or currency exchange bureaus that have a 5 percent margin level between the buy and sell prices.

Step 3

Pack only half of what you think you'll really need. Chances are great that you will be buying clothing in Europe, often at a discount of what the same clothes might cost back home. Give yourself two weeks to break in hiking boots so that they are comfortable by the time you get there.

Step 4

Check with the Great Outdoor Recreation Pages at gorp.com to get information on camping in Europe. Many European cities have excellent and well-maintained camping facilities that feature bathrooms, showers and even restaurants. You may find very elaborate campsites near the bigger parks and wilderness areas, and some civic parks even allow free camping.

Step 5

Check with the tourism bureaus of the specific countries you plan to visit and inquire about organized adventure trips that include hiking, skiing, kayaking, biking and other outdoor recreations. Many European countries heavily promote their natural resources and recreational areas to tourists, especially the smaller countries. This is a good way to plan an adventure-based vacation to Europe.

Resources

Article Written By Timothy Sexton

Timothy Sexton is an award-winning author who started writing in 1994. He has written on topics ranging from politics and golf to nutrition and travel, and his work appears online for Zappos.com, Disaboom and MOJO, among others. He has also done work for "Sherlock Holmes and Philosophy." He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of West Florida.

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