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errr... you do realize Europe is a continent with lots of countries right? Where, what cites? How much do you want to spend? Some people stay in 5 star hotels others backpack around and sleep in youth hostels on in a tent.
For Western European countries you don´t need a Visa.
errr... you do realize Europe is a continent with lots of countries right? Where, what cites? How much do you want to spend? Some people stay in 5 star hotels others backpack around and sleep in youth hostels on in a tent.
For Western European countries you don´t need a Visa.
lol of course, haven't decided on what countries yet. But probably London, Paris, and a few others.
The normal Cites where all the Tourists go are certainly worth a visit and there is lots to see but there are so many awesome places which not in major cites that I think renting a car and buying a guide book and exploring a bit is the way to visit. Maybe book your hotels in the major cites for a part of your time but get out a bit. A guided tour of London or Paris would be cool but I personally would not do a guided trip. It is not normally hard to find a hotel or B&B when you are underway.
So I'm thinking about going to Europe sometime within the next few years. But since I've never been to another country, I don't know what to do.
All I have to do is get my passport and buy a plane ticket? Do I need a visa?
Are you a US citizen? Then yes, you only need a passport and airfare.
Since Europe is a big place you need to do your research and focus on a geographic area/specific countries unless you have oodles of time and money and can cover a lot of ground.
Other areas are country by country. Ex- Russia still requires a visa from Americans for leisure travel, Croatia does not for trips less than 90 days.
You normally won't be allowed to board a plane without meeting basic arrival requirements at your destination. Airlines can get huge fines for flying someone in that can't get through customs, so they check.
English is a pretty common second or third language in many larger European countries like Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Nordic countries. It will be more hit or miss in a place like Serbia or Romania.
Plenty of good tour book series out there to give you ideas. I like both Rick Steves and Lonely Planet.
Both London are Paris have excellent subway systems. For me personally, I wouldn't do the guided tour. I like being able to see what I want when I want. Read a few guide books and make a list of the things you want to see and plan your itinerary from there.
If you are visiting a country where English isn't the primary language try to learn a little of the language (please, thank you, where is the bathroom, etc.) if you can.
I'd suggest reading books about and watching documentaries and anything else filmed on location in the countries that particularly interest you. If you know people from those countries, talk with them and ask for suggestions about what to see and where to go. Do the same if you have friends who've already visited these countries. Your local public library will have books, of course, and also may have DVD documentaries and movies. There are a lot of similar things online, especially on YouTube. When you find the places which seem particularly intriguing, you can plan your trip to include them.
Take into account the time of year you hope to travel, probable weather, how to pack lightly, coordinating and layering your travel wardrobe to "stretch" it, finances, and so on. Learn a little bit of any unfamiliar languages you'll encounter - hello, goodbye, thank you, excuse me, yes, no, help me, and so on. Learn the names of common foods so you won't have to eat at McDonald's all the time. Once you're in country, do check out local pubs, groceries, snack shops, small cafes, etc., where the locals dine. Unless you plan to travel in eastern Europe, the water is okay for drinking from the tap - if you plan to visit EE, stick with bottled water (avoid the fizzy/ "gassy" stuff, though).
Also, check out local traditional events and holidays: there are many traditional customs which are still locally celebrated, and it can be fascinating to witness and take part in them. I was in Oxford on May Morning many years ago, and arose before dawn to join the large crowd below Magdalene Tower to hear the hymns and carols (yes, May carols) being sung at daybreak from far above. It was an unforgettable experience to be part of something which has occurred annually for hundreds of years.
Figure out how long you want to be away from home, then subtract the first two days: one for flying across the Atlantic (unless you take an increasingly rare ocean liner across) and one for jet lag. You'll still be able to do some things on the second day, but you'll want to pace yourself and take it fairly easy until your body adjusts.
Are there any countries which you know you absolutely must visit? Perhaps English-speaking countries (the UK and Ireland), or places where you already know a little of the language - French, Spanish, German, etc. - would be good places to begin your trip. Are you interested in seeing the countries where your ancestors lived (assuming you're of European background)? It can be a very moving experience to walk the streets or fields where your ancestors lived long ago.
Many first-timers find it simpler and more affordable to go with a tour, while others prepare themselves as thoroughly as possible and go on day trips only, making other arrangements themselves or perhaps with the assistance of a travel agent for booking hotels, train or bus tickets, and so on. Most large cities have bus companies which offer reasonably priced day trips to places of interest that you might not find easily on your own.
Do you plan to travel alone or with a friend or companion?
I like how everyone just assumed you were American.
If you're not American, Canadian, Aussie, Kiwi, Brit, Japanese or from the EU, yes you will need a visa.
If you are from the aforementioned nations/entities, you'll need a visa if you want to stay longer than 6 months, or work.
As a citizen of a country that requires a visa, I have to get one. Every. Single. Year. That is despite the fact my wife is an EU citizen. Most people in the world are not from the aforementioned privileged countries.
Frankly it irritates me because it encourages an atmosphere of complacency and the "let's wing it" attitude. I would never be able to wing anything, because all my trips are planned 6 months in advance. Not by choice.
I was at the airport recently and overheard a wet-behind-the-ears Canadian woman asking the airline staff to tell her if she could travel to Ethiopia that same day on her passport that was about to expire. No doubt, a do-gooder going on a volunteering trip to make lives better for Africans. First-world privilege enabled her to ask this question on the day of departure to airline staff who are not paid for answering such questions anyway. They were very nice about it, instead of asking her to **** off and do her own research like 80% of the world does.
In all EU countries (plus Norway and Switzerland), you don't need a paper visa. Just buy your ticket and go.
Everything else is mostly like the US, except for the language, culture and, food and people (except there are passenger trains and busses). The further east you go, the dicier it gets. Parts of Romania and Bulgaria haven't entered the 20-century.
It's not too much different than going from Detroit to Mobile for a couple of weeks, just takes longer.
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