Traveling As a Temporary Local
Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and the Roman Colosseum. Yodeling in the Alps, biking down cobblestone paths, and taking a canal ride under the stars. Michelangelo’s David and “Mad” King Ludwig’s castles. Sunny Riviera beaches, medieval German towns, and Spanish streets that teem with people at night. Pasta and bratwurst, strudel and scones, Parisian crêpes and Tuscan grapes....
Europe offers a rich smorgasbord of cultures. To wrestle it down to a manageable size, this book breaks Europe into its top destinations. It then gives you all the information and opinions necessary to wring the maximum value out of your limited time and money in each location. If you plan to stay for two months or less in Europe, this book is all you need for a blitz trip.
Experiencing Europe’s culture, people, and natural wonders economically and hassle-free has been my goal for more than 30 years of traveling, tour guiding, and travel writing. With this book, I pass on to you the lessons I’ve learned, updated for 2015.
Rick Steves Best of Europe is the crème de la crème of places featured in my country guidebooks. It’s balanced to include a comfortable mix of exciting cities and cozy towns: from Paris, London, and Rome to traffic-free Italian Riviera ports, alpine villages, and mom-and-pop châteaux. It covers the predictable biggies and mixes in a healthy dose of Back Door intimacy. Along with Leonardo in the Louvre, you’ll enjoy Caterina in her cantina. I’ve been selective. For example, rather than listing countless medieval towns, I recommend only the best.
The best is, of course, only my opinion. But after three decades of travel research, I’ve developed a sixth sense for what travelers enjoy.
This book is organized by destinations. Each is a mini-vacation on its own, filled with exciting sights, strollable neighborhoods, affordable places to stay, and memorable places to eat. In the following chapters, you’ll find these sections:
Planning Your Time suggests a schedule for how to best use your limited time.
Orientation includes specifics on public transportation, helpful hints, local tour options, easy-to-read maps, and tourist information.
Sights describes the top attractions and includes their cost and hours.
Sleeping describes my favorite hotels, from good-value deals to cushy splurges.
Eating serves up a range of options, from inexpensive eateries to fancy restaurants.
Connections outlines your options for traveling to destinations by train, bus, car, and plane.
Use this legend to help you navigate the maps in this book.
The appendix has transportation basics and information on US embassies for the countries in this book.
Browse through this book, choose your favorite destinations, and link them up. Then have a great trip! Traveling like a temporary local and taking advantage of the information here, you’ll get the absolute most out of every mile, minute, and dollar. I’m happy you’ll be visiting places I know and love, and meeting some of my favorite European people.
This section will help you get started planning your trip—with advice on trip costs, when to go, and what you should know before you take off.
Your trip to Europe is like a complex play—it’s easier to follow and really appreciate on a second viewing. While no one does the same trip twice to gain that advantage, reading this book’s chapters on your intended destinations before your trip accomplishes much the same thing.
Design an itinerary that enables you to visit sights at the best possible times. Note holidays, festivals, specifics on sights, and days when sights are closed or most crowded (all covered in this book). For example, many sights in Florence are closed on Mondays; Tuesdays are bad in Paris. To get between destinations smoothly, read the tips in this book’s appendix on taking trains and buses, or renting a car and driving. A smart trip is a puzzle—a fun, doable, and worthwhile challenge.
When you’re plotting your itinerary, strive for a mix of intense and relaxed stretches. To maximize rootedness, minimize one-night stands. It’s worth taking a long drive after dinner (or a train ride with a dinner picnic) to get settled in a town for two nights. Every trip—and every traveler—needs slack time (laundry, picnics, people-watching, and so on). Pace yourself. Assume you will return.
Reread this book as you travel, and visit local tourist information offices (abbreviated as TI in this book). Upon arrival in a new town, lay the groundwork for a smooth departure; get the schedule for the train, bus, or boat that you’ll take when you depart. Drivers can study the best route to their next destination.
Get online at Internet cafés or your hotel, and carry a mobile phone (or use a phone card) to make travel plans: You can find out tourist information, learn the latest on sights (special events, tour schedule, etc.), book tickets and tours, make reservations, reconfirm hotels, research transportation connections, and keep in touch with your loved ones.
Enjoy the friendliness of the European people. Connect with the culture. Slow down and be open to unexpected experiences. Ask questions—most locals are eager to point you in their idea of the right direction. Keep a notepad in your pocket for noting directions, organizing your thoughts, and confirming prices. Wear your money belt, learn the currency, and figure out how to estimate prices in dollars. Those who expect to travel smart, do.
Five components make up your trip cost: airfare, surface transportation, room and board, sightseeing and entertainment, and shopping and miscellany.
Airfare: A basic round-trip flight from the US to Europe can cost, on average, about $1,000–1,800 total, depending on where you fly from and when (cheaper in winter). Consider saving time and money in Europe by flying into one city and out of another—for example, into London and out of Rome.
Surface Transportation: Your best mode of travel depends on the length and scope of your trip. Train passes normally must be purchased outside of Europe, but aren’t necessarily your best option—you may save money by simply buying tickets as you go (for more information, see here of the appendix).
Drivers can figure about $400 per person per week (based on two people splitting the cost of the car, tolls, gas, and insurance). Car rental is cheapest to arrange from the US; for trips of three weeks or more, look into leasing.
Room and Board: You can easily manage in Europe in 2015 on an overall average of $125 a day per person for room and board (more for cities, less for towns). A $125-a-day budget allows an average of $15 for lunch, $5 for a snack, $30 for dinner, and $75 for lodging (based on two people splitting the cost of a $150 double room that includes breakfast). Allow about 15 percent more for your days in major cities. Students and tightwads can enjoy Europe for as little as $60 a day ($30 per hostel bed, $30 for meals and snacks).
Sightseeing and Entertainment: In big cities, figure $15–20 per major sight, $7–10 for minor ones, and $30 for splurge experiences (such as walking tours, concerts, or gelato binges). An overall average of $35 a day works for most. Don’t skimp here. After all, this category is the driving force behind your trip—you came to sightsee, enjoy, and experience Europe.
Shopping and Miscellany: Figure $3 per postcard, $4 per coffee and ice-cream cone, and $6 per beer. Shopping can vary in cost from nearly nothing to a small fortune. Good budget travelers find that this category has little to do with assembling a trip full of lifelong and wonderful memories.
Only have a week to “see” Europe? You can’t, of course, but if you’re organized and energetic, you can see the two art-filled cultural capitals of London and Paris plus Europe’s most magnificent landscape—the Swiss Alps.
Whether you have just a week, or longer, here are my recommended priorities. These itineraries are fast-paced, but doable by car or train, and each allows about two nights in each spot (I’ve taken geographical proximity into account). Most work best if you begin and end your trip by flying in and out of different cities (e.g., into London and out of Vienna).
If you have...
| 5 days: | Paris, Swiss Alps |
| 7 days, add: | London |
| 10 days, add: | Rome |
| 14 days, add: | Rhine, Amsterdam, Haarlem |
| 18 days, add: | Venice, Florence |
| 24 days, add: | Cinque Terre, Rothenburg, Bavaria |
| 27 days, add: | Salzburg, Hallstatt |
| 33 days, add: | Nice, Provence, Barcelona |
| 38 days, add: | Vienna |
| 40 days, add: | Bruges |
May, June, September, and October are the best travel months. Peak season, July and August, offers the sunniest weather and the most exciting slate of activities—but the worst crowds. During this busy time, it’s best to reserve rooms well in advance, particularly in big cities.
During the off-season, October through April, expect generally shorter hours at attractions, more closures for lunchtime (especially at smaller sights), fewer activities, and fewer—if any—guided tours in English. Especially off-season, be sure to confirm opening hours for sights at local tourist information offices.
As a general rule any time of year, the climate north of the Alps is mild (like Seattle), while south of the Alps it’s like Arizona. For specifics, see worldclimate.com. If you wilt in the heat, avoid the Mediterranean in summer. If you want blue skies in the Alps and Britain, travel during the height of summer.
Plan your itinerary to meet your needs. To beat the heat, start in the south in the spring and work your way north. To moderate culture shock, start in Britain and travel south and east.
Your trip is more likely to go smoothly if you plan ahead. Check this list of things to arrange while you’re still at home.
You need a passport—but no visa or shots—to travel to any of the countries in this book. You may be denied entry into certain European countries if your passport is due to expire within three to six months of your ticketed date of return. Get it renewed if you’ll be cutting it close. It can take up to six weeks to get or renew a passport (for more on passports, see travel.state.gov). Pack a photocopy of your passport in your luggage in case the original is lost or stolen.
Book your rooms well in advance if you’ll be traveling during peak season or any major holidays (the lists at ricksteves.com/europe/festivals include most national holidays and major festivals).
Call your debit- and credit-card companies to let them know the countries you’ll be visiting, to ask about fees, request your PIN code (it will be mailed to you), and more. See here for details.
Do your homework if you want to buy travel insurance. Compare the cost of the insurance to the likelihood of your using it and your potential loss if something goes wrong. Also, check whether your existing insurance (health, homeowners, or renters) covers you and your possessions overseas. For more tips, see ricksteves.com/insurance.
Consider buying a rail pass after researching your options (see here and ricksteves.com/rail for all the specifics).
If you’re planning on renting a car in Europe, bring your driver’s license. In addition, an International Driving Permit is required in Austria, Italy, and Spain. They’re available at your local AAA office ($15 plus the cost of two passport-type photos, see aaa.com). For information on car-rental insurance, check ricksteves.com/cdw. Confirm pick-up hours—many car-rental offices close Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday.
If you plan to hire a local guide, reserve ahead by email. Popular guides can get booked up.
If you’re bringing a mobile device, download any apps you might want to use on the road, such as translators, maps, and transit schedules. Check out Rick Steves Audio Europe, featuring audio tours of major sights, hours of travel interviews, and more (for details, see the sidebar).
Check the Rick Steves guidebook updates page for any recent changes to this book (ricksteves.com/update).
Because airline carry-on restrictions are always changing, visit the Transportation Security Administration’s website (tsa.gov) for an up-to-date list of what you can bring on the plane with you...and what you must check.
Emergency and Medical Help: If you get sick, do as many Europeans do and go to a pharmacist for advice. Or ask at your hotel for help—they’ll know the nearest medical and emergency services.
Theft or Loss: To replace a passport, you’ll need to go in person to an embassy or consulate (see here). If your credit and debit cards disappear, cancel and replace them (see “Damage Control for Lost Cards” on here). File a police report, either on the spot or within a day or two; you’ll need it to submit an insurance claim for lost or stolen rail passes or travel gear, and it can help with replacing your passport or credit and debit cards. For more information, see ricksteves.com/help. Precautionary measures can minimize the effects of loss—back up your digital photos and other files frequently.
Time Zones: Most of continental Europe is generally six/nine hours ahead of the East/West Coasts of the US. Britain, which is one hour earlier than most of continental Europe, is five/eight hours ahead of the East/West Coasts. For a handy online time converter, try timeanddate.com/worldclock.
Watt’s Up? Europe’s electrical system is 220 volts, instead of North America’s 110 volts. Most newer electronics (such as laptops, battery chargers, and hair dryers) convert automatically, so you won’t need a converter, but you will need an adapter plug with two round prongs (or three square prongs in Britain), sold inexpensively at travel stores in the US. Avoid bringing older appliances that don’t automatically convert voltage; instead, buy a cheap replacement in Europe.
Discounts: While discounts are not listed in this book, seniors (age 60 and over), students with International Student Identification Cards, teachers with proper identification, and youths under 18 often get discounts—always ask. To get a teacher or student ID card, visit statravel.com or isic.org.
Online Translation Tip: You can use Google’s Chrome browser (available free at google.com/chrome) to instantly translate websites. With one click, the page appears in (very rough) English translation. You can also paste the URL of the site into the translation window at google.com/translate.
Additional Online Resources: Shoppers can check on VAT refunds (ricksteves.com/vat) and custom rules and duty rates (cbp.gov; click on “Travel,” then “Know Before You Go”). For information on making calls, see ricksteves.com/phoning. For sightseeing tips and museum strategies, check ricksteves.com/sights.
This section offers advice on how to pay for purchases on your trip (including getting cash from ATMs and paying with plastic), dealing with lost or stolen cards, and tipping.
Bring both a credit card and a debit card. You’ll use the debit card at cash machines (ATMs) to withdraw cash for most purchases, and the credit card to pay for larger items. Some travelers carry a third card, in case one gets demagnetized or eaten by a temperamental machine.
For an emergency stash, bring several hundred dollars in hard cash in $20 bills. If you need to exchange the bills, go to a bank; avoid currency-exchange booths because of their lousy rates and/or outrageous fees. But if you’re in France, you will need to use a currency booth—banks won’t take dollars.
Cash is just as desirable in Europe as it is at home. Small businesses (hotels, restaurants, and shops) prefer that you pay your bills with cash. Some vendors will charge you extra for using a credit card, and some won’t take credit cards at all. Cash is the best—and sometimes only—way to pay for bus fares, taxis, and local guides.
Throughout Europe, ATMs are the standard way for travelers to get cash. But stay away from “independent” ATMs such as Travelex, Euronet, Moneybox, Cardpoint, and Cashzone, which charge huge commissions, have terrible exchange rates, and may try to trick users with “dynamic currency conversion” (described later).
To withdraw money from an ATM, you’ll need a debit card (ideally with a Visa or MasterCard logo for maximum usability), plus a PIN code. Know your PIN code in numbers; there are only numbers—no letters—on European keypads. Although you can use a credit card for an ATM transaction, it only makes sense in an emergency, because it’s considered a cash advance (borrowed at a high interest rate) rather than a withdrawal. Try to withdraw large sums of money to reduce the number of per-transaction bank fees you’ll pay.
Try to use ATMs at banks—a thief is less likely to target a cash machine near surveillance cameras. For increased security, shield the keypad when entering your PIN code, and don’t use an ATM if anything on the front of the machine looks loose or damaged (a sign that someone may have attached a “skimming” device to capture account information).
Pickpockets target tourists. To safeguard your cash, wear a money belt—a pouch with a strap that you buckle around your waist like a belt and tuck under your clothes. Keep your cash, credit cards, and passport secure in your money belt, and carry only a day’s spending money in your front pocket.
For purchases, Visa and MasterCard are more commonly accepted than American Express. Just like at home, credit or debit cards work easily at larger hotels, restaurants, and shops. I typically use my debit card to withdraw cash to pay for most purchases. I use my credit card only in a few specific situations: to book hotel reservations, to cover major expenses (such as car rentals, plane tickets, and long hotel stays), and to pay for things near the end of my trip (to avoid another visit to the ATM). While you could use a debit card to make most large purchases, using a credit card offers a greater degree of fraud protection (because debit cards draw funds directly from your account).
Ask Your Credit- or Debit-Card Company: Before your trip, contact the company that issued your debit or credit cards.
• Confirm that your card will work overseas, and alert them that you’ll be using it in Europe; otherwise, they may deny transactions if they perceive unusual spending patterns.
• Ask for the specifics on transaction fees. When you use your credit or debit card—either for purchases or ATM withdrawals—you’ll typically be charged additional “international transaction” fees of up to 3 percent (1 percent is normal) plus $5 per transaction. If your card’s fees seem high, consider getting a different card just for your trip: Capital One (capitalone.com) and most credit unions have low-to-no international fees.
• If you plan to withdraw cash from ATMs, confirm your daily withdrawal limit, and if necessary, ask your bank to adjust it. Some travelers prefer a high limit that allows them to take out more cash at each ATM stop (saving on bank fees), while others prefer to set a lower limit in case their card is stolen. Note that foreign banks also set maximum withdrawal amounts for their ATMs.
• Get your bank’s emergency phone number in the US (but not its 800 number, which isn’t accessible from overseas) to call collect if you have a problem.
• Ask for your credit card’s PIN in case you need to make an emergency cash withdrawal or encounter Europe’s chip-and-PIN system; the bank won’t tell you your PIN over the phone, so allow time for it to be mailed to you.
Chip and PIN: Europeans are increasingly using chip-and-PIN cards, which are embedded with an electronic security chip (in addition to the magnetic stripe found on American-style cards). When making a purchase, rather than signing a receipt, the cardholder enters a PIN (similar to using a debit card in the US) while the card stays in its slot in the sales terminal. Your American-style card might not work at automated payment machines, such as those at train and subway stations, toll roads, parking garages, luggage lockers, bike-rental kiosks, and self-serve gas pumps.
If you have problems using your American card in a chip-and-PIN machine, here are some suggestions: For either a debit card or a credit card, try entering that card’s PIN when prompted. (Note that your credit-card PIN may not be the same as your debit-card PIN; you’ll need to ask your bank for your credit-card PIN.) If your cards still don’t work, look for a machine that takes cash, seek out a clerk who might be able to process the transaction manually, or ask a local if you can pay them cash to run the transaction on their card.
And don’t panic. Many travelers who use only magnetic-stripe cards never have a problem. Still, it pays to carry plenty of the local currency (you can always use an ATM to withdraw cash with your magnetic-stripe debit card).
If you’re still concerned, you can apply for a chip card in the US (though I think it’s overkill). One option is the no-annual-fee GlobeTrek Visa, offered by Andrews Federal Credit Union in Maryland (open to all US residents; see andrewsfcu.org).
Dynamic Currency Conversion: If merchants or ATMs offer to convert your purchase price into dollars (called dynamic currency conversion, or “DCC”), refuse this “service.” You’ll pay even more in fees for the expensive convenience of seeing your charge in dollars.
If you lose your credit, debit, or ATM card, you can stop people from using it by reporting the loss immediately to the respective global customer-assistance centers. Call these 24-hour US numbers collect: Visa (tel. 303/967-1096), MasterCard (tel. 636/722-7111), or American Express (tel. 336/393-1111). European toll-free numbers (listed by country) can be found at the websites for Visa and MasterCard.
Providing the following information will allow for a quicker cancellation of your missing card: full card number, whether you are the primary or secondary cardholder, the cardholder’s name exactly as printed on the card, billing address, home phone number, circumstances of the loss or theft, and identification verification (your birth date, your mother’s maiden name, or your Social Security number—memorize this, don’t carry a copy). If you are the secondary cardholder, you’ll also need to provide the primary cardholder’s identification-verification details. You can generally receive a temporary card within two or three business days in Europe (for more tips, see ricksteves/help).
If you report your loss within two days, you typically won’t be responsible for any unauthorized transactions on your account, although many banks charge a liability fee of $50.
Tipping in Europe isn’t as automatic and generous as it is in the US—but for special service, tips are appreciated, if not expected. As in the US, the proper amount depends on your resources, tipping philosophy, and the circumstances, but some general guidelines apply.
Restaurants: If you’re pleased with the service, round up a euro or two. In most places, 5 percent is adequate and 10 percent is considered a big tip. Tipping is expected only at restaurants with wait staff; skip the tip if you order food at a counter (in a pub, for example). Servers prefer to be tipped in cash even if you pay with your credit card (otherwise the tip may never reach your server).
Taxis: To tip a cabbie, round up. For a typical ride, round up your fare a bit (for instance, if the fare is €4.50, pay €5). If the cabbie hauls your bags and zips you to the airport to help you catch your flight, you might want to toss in a little more. But if you feel like you’re being driven in circles or otherwise ripped off, skip the tip.
Services: In general, if someone in the service industry does a super job for you, a small tip (the equivalent of a euro or two) is appropriate...but not required.
If you’re not sure whether (or how much) to tip for a service, ask your hotelier or the TI.
I favor hotels (and restaurants) that are handy to your sightseeing activities. Rather than list hotels scattered throughout a city, I choose my favorite neighborhoods and recommend the best accommodations values in each, from dorm beds to fancy doubles with all of the comforts.
A major feature of this book is its extensive and opinionated listings of good-value rooms. I like places that are clean, central, relatively quiet at night, reasonably priced, friendly, small enough to have a hands-on owner and stable staff, run with a respect for European traditions, and not listed in other guidebooks. (In Europe, for me, meeting six out of these eight criteria means it’s a keeper.) I’m more impressed by a convenient location and a fun-loving philosophy than flat-screen TVs and a pricey laundry service.
Book your accommodations well in advance if you’ll be traveling during busy times. For tips on making reservations, see here.
I’ve described my recommended accommodations using a Sleep Code (see sidebar). Prices listed are for one-night stays in peak season and assume you’re booking directly (not through an online hotel-booking engine or TI). Booking services extract a commission from the hotel, which logically closes the door on special deals. Book direct.
For most of the hotels I list, I provide a website (which often has a built-in booking form) and an email address; you can expect a response within a day (and often sooner).
If you’re on a budget, it’s smart to email several hotels to ask for their best price. Comparison-shop and make your choice. This is especially helpful when dealing with larger hotels that use “dynamic pricing,” a computer-generated system that predicts the demand for particular days in advance and sets prices accordingly: High-demand days will often be more than double the price of low-demand days. This makes it impossible for a guidebook to list anything more accurate than a wide range of prices.
As you look over the listings, you’ll notice that some accommodations promise special discounts to Rick Steves readers. To get these rates, you must book directly with the hotel (not through a booking site like TripAdvisor or Booking.com), mention this book when you reserve, and then show the book upon arrival. Rick Steves discounts apply to readers with ebooks as well as printed books. Because I trust hotels to honor this, please let me know if you don’t receive a listed discount. Note, though, that discounts understandably may not be applied to promotional rates.
In general, prices can soften if you do any of the following: offer to pay cash, stay at least three nights, or mention this book. You can also try asking for a cheaper room or a discount, or offer to skip breakfast.
Double rooms in hotels listed in this book will range from about $50 (very simple, toilet and shower down the hall) to $450 (maximum plumbing and more), with most clustering at about $150 (with private bathrooms). Prices are higher in big cities and heavily touristed cities, and lower off the beaten path. In general, a triple room is cheaper than the cost of a double and a single. Traveling alone can be expensive: A single room can be close to the cost of a double. Breakfast is generally included (sometimes continental, but often buffet).
If you’re arriving early in the morning, your room probably won’t be ready. You can drop your bag safely at the hotel and dive right into sightseeing.
Hoteliers can be a great help and source of advice. Most know their city well and can assist you with everything from public transit and airport connections to finding a good restaurant, the nearest launderette, or a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Hotel elevators, while becoming more common, are often very small—pack light, or you may need to send your bags up separately. Even at the best places, mechanical breakdowns occur: Air-conditioning malfunctions, sinks leak, hot water turns cold, and toilets gurgle and smell. Report your concerns clearly and calmly at the front desk. For more complicated problems, don’t expect instant results.
If you suspect night noise will be a problem (if, for instance, the hotel is located above a nightclub), ask for a quiet room in the back or on an upper floor. To guard against theft in your room, keep valuables out of sight. Some rooms come with a safe, and others have safes at the front desk. I’ve never bothered using one.
Checkout can pose problems if surprise charges pop up on your bill. If you settle your bill the afternoon before you leave, you’ll have time to discuss and address any points of contention (before 19:00, when the night shift usually arrives).
Above all, keep a positive attitude. Remember, you’re on vacation. If your hotel is a disappointment, spend more time out enjoying the city you came to see.
Between hotels and hostels in price and style is a special class of accommodations: bed-and-breakfasts (B&Bs) and pensions. These are small, warm, and family-run, and offer a personal touch at a budget price—about $45–60 per person. Each country has these friendly accommodations in varying degrees of abundance, facilities, and service. Some include breakfast; some don’t. They have different names from country to country—they’re called Gasthäuser in Germany, chambre d’hôte in France, affitta camere in Italy, and casa particulare in Spain—but all have one thing in common: They satisfy the need for a place to stay that gives you the privacy of a hotel and the comforts of home at an affordable price.
You’ll pay about $30 per bed to stay at a hostel. Travelers of any age are welcome if they don’t mind dorm-style accommodations or meeting other travelers. Most hostels offer kitchen facilities, guest computers, Wi-Fi, and a self-service laundry. Nowadays, concerned about bedbugs, hostels are likely to provide all bedding, including sheets. Family and private rooms may be available on request.
Independent hostels tend to be easygoing, colorful, and informal (no membership required). Hostelworld.com is the standard way backpackers search and book hostels these days, but also try hostelz.com and hostels.com.
Official hostels are part of Hostelling International (HI) and share an online booking site (hihostels.com). HI hostels typically require that you either have a membership card or pay extra per night.
Whether you’re in a city or the countryside, renting an apartment, house, or villa can be a fun and cost-effective way to delve into Europe. Websites such as HomeAway.com and its sister site VRBO.com let you correspond directly with European property owners or managers.
Airbnb.com makes it reasonably easy to find a place to sleep in someone’s home. Beds range from air-mattress-in-living-room basic to plush-B&B-suite posh. If you want a place to sleep that’s free, Couchsurfing.org is a vagabond’s alternative to Airbnb. It lists millions of outgoing members, who host fellow “surfers” in their homes.
Reserve your rooms several weeks in advance—or as soon as you’ve pinned down your travel dates—particularly if you’ll be traveling during peak times. Note that some national holidays jam things up and merit your making reservations far in advance.
Requesting a Reservation: It’s usually easiest to book your room through the hotel’s website. Many have a reservation-request form built right in. (For the best rates, be sure to use the hotel’s official site and not a booking agency’s site.) Simpler websites will generate an email to the hotelier with your request. If there’s no reservation form, or for complicated requests, send an email (see below for a sample request).
The hotelier wants to know:
• the number and type of rooms you need
• the number of nights you’ll stay
• your date of arrival (use the European style for writing dates: day/month/year)
• your date of departure
• any special needs (such as bathroom in the room or down the hall, cheapest room, twin beds vs. double bed, crib, air-conditioning, quiet, view, ground floor, etc.)
Make sure you mention any discounts—for Rick Steves readers or otherwise—when you make the reservation.
Confirming a Reservation: When the hotel replies with its room availability and rates, just email back to confirm your reservation. Most places will request your credit-card number to hold the room. While you can email it (I do), it’s safer to share that confidential info via a phone call, two emails (splitting your number between them), or the hotel’s secure online reservation form. On the small chance that a hotel loses track of your reservation, bring along a hard copy of their confirmation.
Canceling a Reservation: If you must cancel your reservation, it’s courteous—and smart—to do so with as much notice as possible, especially for smaller family-run places. Simply make a quick phone call or send an email. Request confirmation of your cancellation in case you are accidentally billed.
Cancellation policies can be strict: read the fine print or ask about these before you book. For example, if you cancel on short notice, you could lose your deposit, or be billed for one night or even your entire stay. Internet deals may require prepayment, with no refunds for cancellations.
Reconfirming a Reservation: Call to reconfirm your room reservation a few days in advance. Smaller hotels and B&Bs appreciate knowing your estimated time of arrival. If you’ll be arriving late (after 17:00), let them know. On the small chance that a hotel loses track of your reservation, bring along a hard copy of their confirmation.
Reserving Rooms as You Travel: You can make reservations as you travel, calling hotels a few days to a week before your arrival. If you’d rather travel without any reservations at all, you’ll have greater success snaring rooms if you arrive at your destination early in the day. When you anticipate crowds (weekends are worst), call hotels at about 9:00 or 10:00 on the day you plan to arrive, when the receptionist knows who’ll be checking out and which rooms will be available. If you encounter a language barrier, ask the fluent receptionist at your current hotel to call for you.
We travel all the way to Europe to enjoy differences—to become temporary locals. You’ll experience frustrations. Certain truths that we find “God-given” or “self-evident,” like cold beer, ice in drinks, bottomless cups of coffee, and bigger being better, are suddenly not so true. One of the benefits of travel is the eye-opening realization that there are logical, civil, and even better alternatives. A willingness to go local ensures that you’ll enjoy a full dose of European hospitality.
Europeans generally like Americans. But if there is a negative aspect to their image of Americans, it’s that we are loud, wasteful, ethnocentric, too informal (which can seem disrespectful), and a bit naive. While Europeans look bemusedly at some of our Yankee excesses—and worriedly at others—they nearly always afford us individual travelers all the warmth we deserve.
Judging from all the positive comments I receive from travelers who have used this book, it’s safe to assume you’ll enjoy a great, affordable vacation—with the finesse of an experienced, independent traveler. Thanks, and happy travels!
From Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door
Travel is intensified living—maximum thrills per minute and one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is freedom. It’s recess, and we need it.
Experiencing the real Europe requires catching it by surprise, going casual...“through the Back Door.”
Affording travel is a matter of priorities. (Make do with the old car.) You can eat and sleep—simply, safely, and enjoyably—anywhere in Europe for $125 a day plus transportation costs. In many ways, spending more money only builds a thicker wall between you and what you traveled so far to see. Europe is a cultural carnival, and time after time, you’ll find that its best acts are free and the best seats are the cheap ones.
A tight budget forces you to travel close to the ground, meeting and communicating with the people. Never sacrifice sleep, nutrition, safety, or cleanliness to save money. Simply enjoy the local-style alternatives to expensive hotels and restaurants.
Connecting with people carbonates your experience. Extroverts have more fun. If your trip is low on magic moments, kick yourself and make things happen. If you don’t enjoy a place, maybe you don’t know enough about it. Seek the truth. Recognize tourist traps. Give a culture the benefit of your open mind. See things as different, but not better or worse. Any culture has plenty to share.
Of course, travel, like the world, is a series of hills and valleys. Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something’s not to your liking, change your liking.
Travel can make you a happier American, as well as a citizen of the world. Our Earth is home to seven billion equally precious people. It’s humbling to travel and find that other people don’t have the “American Dream”—they have their own dreams. Europeans like us, but with all due respect, they wouldn’t trade passports.
Thoughtful travel engages us with the world. In tough economic times, it reminds us what is truly important. By broadening perspectives, travel teaches new ways to measure quality of life.
Globetrotting destroys ethnocentricity, helping us understand and appreciate other cultures. Rather than fear the diversity on this planet, celebrate it. Among your most prized souvenirs will be the strands of different cultures you choose to knit into your own character. The world is a cultural yarn shop, and Back Door travelers are weaving the ultimate tapestry. Join in!