A BLONDE VINTAGE

Travel to Europe can be overwhelming and stressful, especially if it’s the first time you’ve ventured overseas. But don’t let the stress eat at you! You’ve got this! I came up with the below 10 things you must do before a trip to Europe upon a request from a friend..I wanted to share these with everyone in the hope that this list will help at least one person feel calm and prepared for their next European adventure!

1. Call Your Credit Cards and Bank

If you do anything in preparation for your upcoming trip, let this be it! The last thing you want is for your cards to be frozen when you arrive at your destination because the credit card company suspects fraud. Eek! So, make sure to give your credit card company and bank a call prior to departure and let them know your dates of travel and the countries you’ll be visiting.

2. Bring a Debit Card and Chip Credit Card

Europe is generally 10 or more steps ahead of the US with technology. In 2011, while traveling to Europe, I only brought credit cards. Big mistake. Europe had already moved entirely into chip technology and only accepted cards with chips…which mine did not have. Thankfully, I was traveling with my family and my parents kindly lent me money, however I could have avoided the entire debacle had I brought along my bank debit card.

Your debit card is useable at most bank ATM’s in Europe. You’ll only need to pay the ATM fee your bank outlines (bonus if you pick a card which doesn’t have one!), plus the currency conversion fee. Make sure to check if your card charges a currency conversion fee on purchases or ATM withdrawals, too. If it does, consider using a different card.

Example: Our Debit Card has free ATM withdrawals, and a very minimal currency conversion fee. If we withdraw $100, we end up paying $103.00 in total for the withdrawal. Every bank is different, so make sure to check yours ahead of time!

3. Buy a Money Belt

When traveling abroad, it’s always a good rule of thumb to bring a money belt with you. That way, when moving from point A to B during your trip, you can rest assured your passports and money are safely tucked away and no one can access them. Always wear your money belt to the front. As tempting as it is to slide it to the back, it only makes it more accessible to thieves.

Once you arrive at your hotel, you can then store your money belt in the in-room safe (if there is one provided). If your room does not have a safe, then it’s best to keep it on you at all times.

Here is my favorite money belt..it’s RFID blocking, comfortable and comes in a few different colors.

MEN: When traveling abroad, wear your wallet in your front pocket and not in your back pocket. Pick pockets are the real deal and they are extremely good at their jobs. It’s more difficult for them to pick your front pocket, and you’ll less likely be a target.

Additionally, consider buying one of these Slim Minimalist Wallets. They are amazing for travel and allows you to only bring the cards you really need on your trip while keeping your pocket much less bulky.

4. Leave Valuables at Home 

Diamond rings, necklaces, earrings, even your favorite sunglasses… if you treasure it and could never live without it, just leave it at home (ideally in a safe). Depending on where in Europe you travel, theft can be a somewhat big deal or a really, really big deal. And thieves are every where.

If you’re a woman, it’s difficult to think about traveling without your wedding ring. I totally get it. But, isn’t it more difficult to think about it getting stolen? My solution? Go to TJ Maxx, or Nordstrom Rack and buy yourself the biggest, fattiest, blingy CZ diamond ring you can find and enjoy showing that rock off in Europa.

Then, make sure you buy a safe like this for your home.

5. Take Photos Of All Important Documents

Best. Idea. Ever. I cannot take the credit for this, it was actually my mom’s idea (yes the same woman who won’t even graduate from a flip phone to a smart phone). Anyway, take a photo of your drivers license, passport, credit cards and debit cards (front and back) and save it in either a locked photo folder or note on your phone. This way, in case all hell breaks loose and you really find yourself in a sticky situation, you’ve got a back up. Just make sure it’s locked on your phone with your finger print or numeric id.

6. Adjust Your Cell Plan

Avoid serious overage charges by doing your research! Figure out what it will cost to use your phone while overseas. Trust me. You want to do your due diligence on this because you do not want to come home to a $500 phone bill!

My advice? Buy the minimum for International data & texts through your provider, keep your phone on airplane mode and only use it while on WiFi (hint: most major EU cities have city-wide WiFi). Download the Google Call app, which calls for free to the US from abroad and load up about $5.00 for International calls. Google Call charges about .01 cent to .03 cent per minutes for International phone calls from the app.

Example: We have AT&T and we always buy the one-month $50 International 1 GB Data, plus the $10 texts for emergencies, directions and incoming data texts from friends & family. We use our Google Call App (while connected to WiFi) for free calls to the US and very inexpensive calls Internationally. It works beautifully!

7. Make Reservations and Buy Tickets in Advance

Unless you’re planning an epic backpack adventure through Europe… make sure to make hotel, car, special dining, transfers and excursion reservations well in advance!

I’m the child of non-planning parents, and I cannot even begin to tell you the disappointment of traveling across the ocean to see or experience something you’re excited about only to learn you should have made reservations or bought tickets, MONTHS in advance. So take the time to make a loose plan of things you want to see and do and check out the websites ahead of time to see what you need to do in preparation for your visit.

Along the same lines, even if you do not necessarily need reservations or to pre purchase tickets, it can sometimes be a really good idea and comes with some advantages. For example, while traveling to Florence, IT a few years ago I wanted to see Michaelangelo’s David which is housed at the Accademia. When I went to their website I learned it was both cheaper and faster (skip the line upon arrival) to pre purchase my tickets online. I also secured a coupon code, which knocked a few bucks off the ticket price. Boom!

8 Schedule Free Walking Tours

Free? Yes! Free!

Most major European cities have Free Walking Tours hosted by local guides. Simply Google the name of the town you’ll be visiting (example: Amsterdam; Free Walking Tour) and you’ll see several “Free Walking Tour” websites pop up! Click around, and pick one. I usually set these up for my first day, that way I really get the lay of the land and know where everything is and the history. You will not regret it. Just remember to tip generously as most of these guides rely on your tips for their income!

Our favorite to date was in Bruges, Belgium. It was a Free Food Tour! The local guide took us to five different, locally owned restaurants to try quintessential Belgium food. We got to try Belgium beer, fries, waffles & chocolate!

You’ll want to make reservations for these in advance!

9. Buy a Water Filter

…or at least check if the water is safe to drink in the countries you’ll be visiting. Each European country has different standards on their water purification and regulation, and the last thing you want is to get sick while traveling! Make sure to read travel advisories and check if it’s safe to drink the tap water prior to leaving.

If it’s not safe to drink, your first stop should be to pick up big bottles of water from a super market and make sure to stay hydrated. It’s not uncommon for your activity level to be much higher while on vacation than at home, so make sure to consume enough water every day!

If you would rather filter you’re own water, my personal favorite is the Go Berkey Kit, which we have the larger version of at home. Or, my second favorite for ease of packing is the LifeStraw Water Bottle.

10. Remember, you can’t do it all

I’m SO GUILTY of this. I want to do it all and in Europe everything is so much closer! Though, resist the urge and focus on enjoying. It’s so much more fun to stick around in a place long enough to not only enjoy all the sights and things to do, but also get to know the people that live in the area, the cultures that make them who they are and really dig your toes into what life is like.

I suggest planning to spend between 3-4 days in one place at a time (not accounting the travel time). I utilize websites like RickSteves.com and read example itineraries to get a quick idea of how long I will want to visit various area. This helps with the initial planning phase!

 

Now, are you wondering what to pack? Use this Packing for Europe guide to make sure you bring along everything you’ll definitely need!

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