tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16918531698759216402023-11-15T05:02:07.372-08:00Impossible Is NothingGod be with you till we meet againGanzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-82525654660135082072010-05-14T00:28:00.000-07:002010-05-14T00:32:42.204-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tours4fun.com/images/db/products/paris1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 161px; height: 106px;" src="http://www.tours4fun.com/images/db/products/paris1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Day 1 Hometown - Paris<br /><br />Paris From 8:00am - 8:00pm our driver will pick you up at the CDG and ORL airports at the "luggage claim" area, then transfer you to the hotel for you to check-in.<br /> Hotel: Express by Holiday Inn Paris Porte d'Italie or Novotel Orly Rungis or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tours4fun.com/images/db/products/paris1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 161px; height: 106px;" src="http://www.tours4fun.com/images/db/products/Versailles2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Day 2 Paris - Versailles - Paris<br /><br />Versailles Today we'll enjoy the sightseeing tour which includes the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysees and many more sites. We will drive along the Champs Elysees to the Place de la Concorde, where the royal and many aristocracy members were guillotined during the French Revolution. Then we will drive up to the Hotel des Invalides, where the Tombean de Napoleon 1er (Napoleon the First?s tomb) is located. Later, we'll feature the incredible ascent of the Eiffel Tower, and a relaxing scenic Seine Cruise featuring such highlights as the Notre Dame Cathedral and Pont Alexandre III. Afterwards, our drive takes us to visit the glorious Palace of Versailles, built as a hunting lodge by Louis XIII, and then it took on full royal power by Louis XIV. It was the residence of the royal family from1722 until the Revolution of 1789. Then, after dinner, we will transfer you to your hotel. Overnight in Paris or nearby. (If you are interested in visiting the Splendid Paris or Seine Cruise after dinner, our tour guide would be pleased to arrange it for you.)<br /> Hotel: Express by Holiday Inn Porte d'Italie or Kyriad Joinville Le Pont or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tours4fun.com/images/db/products/paris1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 161px; height: 106px;" src="http://www.tours4fun.com/images/db/products/paris_city.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Day 3 Paris<br />Paris This morning we will visit one of the world's greatest art museums - The Louvre. Enjoy the works of Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace (also called Nike of Samothrace) and the most famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci - the Mona Lisa. Later, the coach will transfer us to the Place d' Italie for lunch. After lunch the tour leader will take the group for a ride using Paris ?underground metro. You will then have some leisure time and can go shopping near the Opera. After dinner, meet with the tour leader and coach and transfer to the Hotel. Overnight in Paris or nearby.<br /> Hotel: Express by Holiday Inn Porte d'Italie or Kyriad Joinville Le Pont or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tours4fun.com/images/db/products/paris1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 161px; height: 106px;" src="http://www.tours4fun.com/images/db/products/lucern.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Day 4 Paris - Lucerne (650km)<br /><br />Lucerne Today we will drive from Paris to Switzerland. During our drive to Switzerland, we will travel through France and Germany, prior to driving through Basel, Switzerland. We will arrive in Lucerne in the early evening and overnight in Lucerne or in a city nearby.<br /> Hotel: NH Lucerne or Flora or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br />Day 5 Lucerne - Milan - Verona - Venice (200km)<br /><br />Milan After breakfast, we will drive to the world's most famous fashion city - Milan. We will enjoy a city tour which includes Sforza Castle, the Duomo, the 19th century Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the "La Scala" opera house. After enjoying the gorgeous architecture, our driver will take us to Verona, a city full of historical buildings and romance. We will tour on foot and visit the Roman amphitheatre - Verona Arena, and will pass by cobblestone streets. We will also see the setting of the story of Romeo and Juliet, the short passageway leading to the balcony is covered with slips of paper with signatures on it. Then we will transfer to Venice, the "city of canals". We will stay overnight in Venice or a nearby city.<br /> Hotel: Hotel Holiday or Park Villa Fiorita or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br />Day 6 Venice - Rome (550km)<br /><br />Venice After breakfast, a waterbus will take us along the canals past many marvellous buildings and beautiful churches, to San Marco Square. Here we will see the Basilica di San Marco, one the best known examples of Byzantine architecture in the world. Also we will visit The Bridge of Sighs which connects an old prison to the interrogation rooms in Doge's Palace. Then after witnessing a demonstration of Murana glass-blowing, perhaps a gondola ride to the Grand Canal would be hard to resist. In the afternoon, transfer to Rome or a nearby city for an overnight.<br /> Hotel: Holiday Inn Roma Fiano or BW Park Hotel Rome Nord or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br />Day 7 Rome - Vatican - Florence (280km)<br /><br />Rome After breakfast, we will be transfer to a tiny sovereign state, the Vatican, which heads the largest Church in the world but is located in the smallest country in the world. St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican was built as a great basilica by Emperor Constantine in AD 324 after he officially recognized Christianity. It was rebuilt in the year 1506 and was completed in 1615, and the basilica in itself is an artwork composed of many artistic elements by many famous architects and artists included. After lunch, we will enjoy our sightseeing which includes The Coliseum, built in the year AD 72 for gladiator combat against each other or against wild animals to the death. We will also visit The Arch of Constantine, The Pantheon, which was originally built as a temple to all gods, but has been a Christian church since the 7th century. Then why not make a wish at the Trevi Fountain like in the film "Three coins in the Fountain", and take a photo on the Spanish Steps. Later, transfer to Florence or nearby for overnight.<br /> Hotel: Unaway or Florence-Arezzo Minerva or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br />Day 8 Florence - Pisa - Genoa (550km)<br />Florence After breakfast, we will visit Florence, a city which is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. It is also famous for its fine art and architecture. Afterwards, enjoy the panoramic view from Piazzale Michelangelo. We will also go on a sightseeing tour on foot which features the Ponte Vecchio overlooking the Arno River, the Duomo and Campanile Tower (by Gitto), and also the Uffizi Gallery- one of the finest art galleries in the world. After sightseeing, why not look for your favorite leather goods during your leisure time, as Italy?s famous leather industry was originally started here. Later, our drive will take us to Pisa; enjoy a tour on foot and take photos of the Leaning Tower. The Duomo (Cathedral) and the Baptistery are also very beautiful. Later, we will head to Genoa or a nearby city in order to spend the night.<br /> Hotel: Hotel Miramarem or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br />Day 9 Genoa - Monaco - Nice - Cannes - Avignon (450km)<br /><br />Nice This morning we continue our journey along the Mediterranean Sea to Monaco. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery and visit a small country with a big attraction, by visiting the grand palace and famous casino in Monte-Carlo. Then we will stop briefly in Nice for a short tour. Later we will drive to Cannes and on our way will pass by a famous perfume town. A visit to the Fragonard Perfume Factory is also included. After the perfume factory, we will arrive in Cannes, a city which has given out prestigious film awards. Stop for a photo at the Palais des Festival and enjoy a relaxing drink near the beach. Tonight we stay in Avignon or a city nearby overnight.<br /> Hotel: Novotel or Express by Holiday Inn or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br />Day 10 Avignon - Paris (700km)<br /><br />Versailles Our day begins by driving back towards Paris. Enjoy the scenic drive and the beautiful scenery as we leave Italy. At night, we will arrive in Paris. Overnight in Paris or nearby.<br /> Hotel: Express By Holiday Inn Paris Porte d'Italie or Novotel Orly Rungis or Hotels offering similar standards of service.<br />Day 11 Paris - Hometown<br /><br />Paris Transfer to Paris CDG and ORL airports, and return home.<br /> <br /> Special Notes<br />TOP <br /><br /> * If you would like us to arrange a hotel extension, please make a note of it on the checkout page.<br /> * The Cancellation policy:<br /> 7 Days Prior to Departure Date - 100% of Reservation Cost<br /> 8-14 Days Prior to Departure Date - 50% of Reservation Cost<br /> 15-29 Days Prior to Departure Date - 25% of Reservation Cost<br /> 30 Days or more Prior to Departure Date - 10% of Reservation Cost<br /> * In Spring/Summer, we recommend you to wear lightweight clothing and comfortable shoes.<br /> In Fall/Winter, we recommend layered clothing to ensure comfort in cold weather.<br /><br /> Reservation Process and E-Ticket<br />TOP <br />1.Immediately after submitting your reservation you will receive a Receipt of Reservation via email.<br />2. Within one to two business days of submitting your reservation you will receive a confirmation email from us. If you need to book an airline ticket, we recommend that you do so after you receive a confirmation of your tour reservation from us.<br />3. An E-Ticket will be sent to you via email as soon as details of your reservation is confirmed or your supporting information is received by us. We will provide you with all detailed information about your tour on the E-Ticket. Contact information for local tour provider will be included on E-Ticket for your convenience or re-confirmation purpose if re-confirmation is required.<br />4. Simply print your E-Ticket and present it with your valid photo ID on the day of your activity to your tour guide. Please remember E-Ticket is your proof of purchase.<br /> Terms and Conditions<br />TOP <br /> <br />- Your purchase does not guarantee confirmation. Your purchase will initiate a reservation process. We will confirm with you via email within one to two business days.<br />- Prices may vary due to availability. We reserve the right to make price adjustment without prior notice.<br />- Please refer to our Standard Amendment, Cancellation and Refund Policy before you make reservation.<br />- Please refer to Customer Agreement before you make reservation.<br />- Local tour provider reserves the right to make modifications to tour arrangements including order of tour activities, hotel and its location if deemed necessary.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-70299271306397718072010-05-12T22:56:00.001-07:002010-05-12T22:57:02.395-07:00Niagara Falls Day Trip from New York by Air<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cache.graphicslib.viator.com/graphicslib/2625/SITours/niagara-falls-day-trip-from-new-york-by-air-in-new-york-city-2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://cache.graphicslib.viator.com/graphicslib/2625/SITours/niagara-falls-day-trip-from-new-york-by-air-in-new-york-city-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Discover the beauty and awesome power of Niagara Falls on a day trip from New York. You'll fly to Upstate New York, tour the falls on both the US and Canadian sides (don't forget your passport!), see all the sights, including a ride on the historic "Maid of the Mist" boat or the Journey Behind the Falls. And at the end of an amazing day you'll take an evening flight back to New York.<br />Highlights<br /><br /> * Likely to Sell Out<br /> * All entrance fees included<br /> * Roundtrip airfares<br /> * Lunch included<br /> * Tour is wheelchair accessible<br /> * All taxes, fuel surcharges and service fees included<br /><br />After being collected from your Midtown Manhattan hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Upstate New York (approximately one hour). On arrival, you will be met by your guide for the day to board the bus to Niagara Falls.<br /><br />After lunch, it's time to board the famous "Maid of the Mist" boat for an up-close Niagara Falls experience. The 30-minute cruise takes you through the foaming waters to the base of the American Falls and the basin of Horseshoe Falls. You will get close enough to the falls to feel their cool mist on your skin.<br /><br />The "Maid of the Mist" operates only in the warmer months, from May to October, so if you are traveling from November to April you will visit the Journey Behind the Falls instead. An elevator takes you behind the great sheet of Niagara Falls for a thunderous up-close view of Niagara Falls.<br /><br />This tour is likely to sell out! The Niagara Falls Day Trip from New York by Air regularly sells out weeks in advance, so book ahead to avoid disappointment!<br /><br />Please note: due to new TSA policies, each passenger's date of birth, passport name, number, expiry and country is required at the time of booking. You MUST include this information in the special requirements field within the booking process. Failure to include this information will result in your reservation not being completed.<br /><br />Special Offer - Book by May 31, 2010 and save over 20% off the recommended retail price - BOOK NOW!Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-55686759691821372632010-05-12T22:54:00.001-07:002010-05-12T22:54:34.983-07:00United States of America Travel Guide<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.worldtravelguide.net/a/main/8f350f44-1a25-476a-9457-1c431cc20c8b/690B3D66-AB4E-11DD-95D2-8DD1EB1A94FD/ADF10C9C-AB50-11DD-95D2-8DD1EB1A94FD.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 172px; height: 115px;" src="http://www.worldtravelguide.net/a/main/8f350f44-1a25-476a-9457-1c431cc20c8b/690B3D66-AB4E-11DD-95D2-8DD1EB1A94FD/ADF10C9C-AB50-11DD-95D2-8DD1EB1A94FD.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Mickey Mouse, Miami Vice, Sleepless in Seattle... thanks to cinema and TV we all have impressions of the United States of America. Yet nothing can prepare you for your first glimpse of Manhattan's unforgettable skyline, your first ride in a yellow cab, the ubiquitous hamburger joints, the vast expanses of prairie, the sweet strains of New Orleans jazz or the neon-lit excesses of Las Vegas.<br /><br />The USA is a huge country to explore, with 50 states to choose from, flanked by two oceans and covering an incredibly varied terrain. For five centuries, since the 'New World' discoveries of Christopher Columbus, people from every corner of the globe have come here in search of 'the American Dream'. Between them, they have created the richest, most powerful country on earth, and a fascinating melting pot of cultures and traditions.<br /><br />Vast plains, snow-covered mountain ranges, forested rolling hills, deserts, strange rock formations, soaring skyscrapers, stunning coastlines, impressive national parks and a thriving cultural scene; the USA has it all, plus some.<br /><br />Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus initiating trade routes to the Americas in 1492, the northern continent was inhabited by peoples thought to have been descended from nomadic Mongolian tribes who had travelled across the Bering Sea, between Russia and Alaska. The first wave of European settlers, mainly English, French and Dutch, crossed the Atlantic in the 17th century. The restrictions on political rights and punitive taxation imposed by the British government on American colonists led to the Boston Tea Party and the ensuing American War of Independence (1775-1783), with the Declaration of Independence being signed in 1776. The American Constitution resulted from the states' Declaration, a governing format emulated by many other countries.<br /><br />By 1853, the boundaries of the USA were, with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii, as they are today. Economic activity in the southern states centred on plantation agriculture dependent on slavery. Attempts by liberally-inclined Republicans, led by Abraham Lincoln, to end slavery were opposed. The election of Lincoln to the presidency in 1861 precipitated a political crisis in which 10 Southern states seceded from the Union, leading to the American Civil War - a war that focused primarily on states' rights. After the four years of war, the country entered a period of consolidation, building up an industrial economy and settling the vast interior region of America known as the Wild West.<br /><br />Read more: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/292/country_guide/North-America/United-States-of-America.html#ixzz0nmnmrZCwGanzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-6677400260445750902010-05-12T22:50:00.000-07:002010-05-12T22:55:36.153-07:00Las Vegas, NV<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.hv-static.flickr.com/3065/2768308423_d5d4f95cde.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="http://farm4.hv-static.flickr.com/3065/2768308423_d5d4f95cde.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Shimmering from the desert haze of Nevada like a latter-day El Dorado, Las Vegas is the most dynamic, spectacular city on earth. At the start of the twentieth century, it didn't even exist; now it's home to two million people, and boasts nineteen of the world's twenty-five largest hotels, whose flamboyant, no-expense-spared casinos lure in thirty-seven million tourists each year.<br /><br />Las Vegas has been stockpiling superlatives since the 1950s, but never rests on its laurels for a moment. Many first-time visitors expect the city to be kitsch, but the casino owners are far too canny to be sentimental. Yes, there are a few Elvis impersonators around, but what characterizes the city far more is its endless quest for novelty. Long before they lose their sparkle, yesterday's showpieces are blasted into rubble, to make way for ever more extravagant replacements. A few years ago, when the fashion was for fantasy, Arthurian castles and Egyptian pyramids mushroomed along the legendary Strip; next came a craze for constructing entire replica cities, like New York, Paris, Monte Carlo, and Venice; and the current trend is for high-end properties that attempt to straddle the line between screaming ostentation and "elegant" sophistication.<br /><br />While the city has cleaned up its act since the early days of Mob domination, it certainly hasn't become a family destination. Neither is Vegas as cheap as it used to be. It's still possible to find good, inexpensive rooms, and the all-you-care-to-eat buffets offer great value, but the casino owners have finally discovered that high-rollers happy to lose hundreds of dollars per night don't mind paying premium prices to eat at top-quality restaurants, while the latest developments are charging room rates of more like $300 than $30 per night.<br /><br />Although Las Vegas is an unmissable destination, it's one that palls for most visitors after a couple of (hectic) days. If you've come solely to gamble, there's not much to say beyond the fact that all the casinos are free, and open 24 hours per day, with acres of floor space packed with ways to lose money: million-dollar slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette wheels, and much, much more.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-71644135684265212202010-05-12T22:46:00.002-07:002010-05-12T22:47:12.160-07:00Taking Your Children to Europeby Rick Steves<br />Resources for Traveling with Kids in Europe<br /><br />Common sense and lessons learned from day trips at home are your best sources of information.<br /><br />Take Your Kids to Europe is full of practical, concrete lessons from firsthand family-travel experience, and the only good book I've seen for those traveling with kids ages 6–16 (by Cynthia Harriman, Globe Pequot Press, 8th edition, 2007).<br /><br />The best book I've found on traveling with infants is Lonely Planet's Travel with Children (5th edition, 2009), which covers travel worldwide, including Europe.<br /><br />For families interested in hiking, biking, and sailing abroad, pick up Adventuring With Children: An Inspirational Guide to World Travel and the Outdoors (by Nan Jeffrey, Avalon House, 1995). Cadogan offers many worthwhile books in its Take the Kids series, including books on London, Paris, Ireland, and more.<br /><br />Also consider:<br /><br /> * Fodor's Around London with Kids, Around Paris with Kids, Around Rome with Kids, and Family Adventures.<br /> * For solo parents, there's Brenda Elwell's Single Parent Travel Handbook (Globalbrenda Publishing, 2002).<br /><br />European families, like their American counterparts, enjoy traveling. You'll find more and more kids' menus, hotel playrooms, and kids-go-crazy zones at freeway rest stops all over Europe. Your child will be your ticket to countless conversations. Traveling with an infant or toddler can be challenging, but parents with a babe-in-arms will generally be offered a seat on crowded buses, and sometimes be allowed to go to the front of the line at museums.<br /><br />Grade-school kids are often the easiest travelers, provided you schedule some kid-friendly activities every day. They're happiest staying in rural places with swimming pools and grassy fields to run around in.<br /><br />High-schoolers feel that summer break is a vacation they've earned. If this European trip is not their trip, you become the enemy. They crave the bright lights and action of the big city. Ask for their help. Kids can get excited about a vacation if they're involved in the planning stages. Consider your child's suggestions and make real concessions. "Europe's greatest collection of white-knuckle rides" in Blackpool might be more fun than another ruined abbey.<br /><br />My kids are young adults now, but I remember what it was like taking them to Europe. In this chapter, I've included the lessons I've learned from parenting in Europe, along with tips collected from readers on this website's Graffiti Wall.<br /><br />International adventure is a great foundation for a mountain of memories. The key to a successful family trip is making everyone happy, including the parents.<br />Planning<br /><br />You'll need the proper documents. Even babies need passports. If you're traveling with a child who isn't yours (say, a niece or grandson), bring along a signed, notarized document from the parent(s) to prove to authorities that you have permission to take the child on a trip.<br /><br />It's a good idea to take extra passport photos with you. Since infants and toddlers change so quickly, carry photos that were taken for the passport, as well as ones taken close to your departure date. For children at any age, take an official copy of his or her birth certificate, along with a photocopy of the child's passport. Keep these separate from your passports — these documents will allow you get a replacement passport for your child quickly and easily.<br /><br />Most parents hold onto their kids' passports, but if you have older children that will be out on their own, you might get them a money belt or neck pouch for carrying their cash and ID.<br /><br />You'll find that because you are in a foreign country, your kids are more likely to stick close to you. But if you're worried about your younger children getting lost, consider ordering dog tags with contact information (see www.dogtagsonline.com). Give each child a business card from your hotel so they have local contact information. Another option is a ID Inside wristband, with a hidden pocket that holds a disposable, waterproof ID card. You can easily switch out the ID card, updating your hotel name and contact information as you travel. Or try the Lost & Found Temporary Tattoo, a washable tattoo with a space for you to write a contact phone number.<br /><br />At home, encourage your kids to learn about the countries, cities, sights, and people they'll be visiting. Even simple Wikipedia articles can provide enough background to pique a child's curiosity. Read books such as The Diary of Anne Frank for Amsterdam or The Thief Lord for Venice. Watch movies together, such as The Sound of Music for Salzburg, The Red Balloon for Paris, or The Secret of Roan Inish for Ireland. Your hometown library can be a great resource for age-appropriate books and movies.<br /><br />Get a jump on foreign phrases, learning the top 20 or so before you leave home. Capitalize on whatever hobbies your kids have or games they play that may relate to the history of the places you're visiting, especially if your family has some sort of connection to the "old country." Give them the chance to try out foreign specialties in advance by eating at ethnic restaurants, or get a cookbook and make meals together at home. Many US cities host celebrations of different cultures — look for Greek, French, Italian, Hungarian, or other European festivals in your town for your family to enjoy.<br />What to Bring<br /><br />The amount of gear you need depends on the age of your child. Since a baby on the road requires a lot of equipment, the key to happiness is a rental car or a long stay in one place. If you're visiting friends or family, give them ample notice, and they may be able to borrow a car seat, stroller, and travel crib so you won't have to pack it. If you have older kids, let them know they will be pulling their own roll-aboard luggage through airports and down cobblestone streets. Pack as light as you can, but if you figure you'll need it (based on your experience taking trips near home), trust your judgment.<br /><br />For young kids, it's helpful to have a stroller and a baby backpack. The light umbrella strollers can easily navigate cobblestones — just make sure you spend a little extra on a solidly built one that can take the bumps, such as Peg Pérego or Maclaren. Backpacks are great if you need to keep your hands free, and when you're traveling on subways and buses. Prepare to tote more than a tot. A combo purse/diaper bag with shoulder straps is ideal. You can always stow it in your stroller's basket if you tire of carrying it yourself. Be on guard: Purse snatchers target parents (especially while busy and off-guard, as when changing diapers).<br /><br />Some parents bring a travel bed, although hotels can usually supply a crib (ask in advance when you reserve the room). One travel model — PeaPod Plus — is a pop-up tent with an air mattress, sleeping bag, and hand pump (www.kidco.com). Other parents use a portable playpen as a bed for their child. Bringing a travel bed means your child never has to sleep in a "strange" bed — avoiding possible sleeping problems. However, carting around a travel bed or playpen makes more sense if you'll be traveling by car.<br /><br />Drivers should bring a car seat, buy one in Europe, or see if the car-rental company can provide one (usually the most expensive option). Pack along a car-seat clip in case you need to secure the car seat to the shoulder-strap seat belt. In addition to being required safety equipment while driving, a car seat can be a stress-saver when traveling by plane, train, or bus. Although it may seem like a bulky carry-on, a car seat is more comfortable for your child to sit in than a seat designed for an adult, and is a familiar place for a nap. Kids are used to car seats and know how to behave in them.<br /><br />If your child uses formula, consider bringing your own supply — the formula offerings in most of Europe are very different from those at home. Before you fly away, be sure you've packed acetaminophen, diaper rash cream, a thermometer, and any special medications your baby may need (keeping in mind the air travel rules about liquids).<br /><br />For older kids, today's technology can make the difference between a dream trip and a nightmare. Splurge for a portable DVD player or iPod. Load it with movies and TV shows, and get a splitter so two kids can watch at the same time. There's nothing like a favorite show to help calm your kids before bedtime. A Nintendo DS or other handheld game system can fill hours traveling between destinations. Consider giving each of your kids his or her own digital camera or cheap video camera. They can take pictures and make movies from their own perspective. Along with their journals, it will help them remember more about the trip. Bring the family laptop or netbook; you'll find that your teens will use it (more than you) to stay in touch with friends back home.<br /><br />You can easily buy toys and sports equipment in Europe. For the athletic child, a Whiffle ball and bat guarantee hours of amusement with newfound friends. A rubber ball lets kids play soccer on foreign turf. When you're in France or Italy, consider purchasing a set of boules or pétanque balls (called bocce in Italy); this popular form of outdoor bowling is played on public squares. (The balls are heavy, though, so only get them if you're staying in one place or traveling by car.)<br /><br />For quiet time in the hotel room, buy a set of Legos once you're in Europe — the popular building blocks are excitingly different from those found in the US. A small indoor Frisbee is fun.<br /><br />But don't overdo it. One family of four reported taking three suitcases, two backpacks, and a stroller to Spain. European taxis are much smaller than American ones, so every time they traveled between cities, they had to use two taxis to transfer to the airport or train station. Even with kids, you can pack light. Make the older ones carry their own bags. Do laundry more often. If there's a sudden cold snap, buy an extra sweater in Europe rather than bring one along.<br />In the Air<br /><br />Your cute gurgling baby might become an airborne Antichrist as soon as the seat-belt light goes off. You'll pay 10 percent of the ticket cost to take a child under the age of two on your lap for an international flight. The child doesn't get a seat, but many airlines have baby perks for moms and dads who request them in advance — roomier bulkhead seats, hang-from-the-ceiling bassinets, and baby meals. (Note, however, that many child-safety experts advise against holding a baby in your lap on the plane, and suggest that you buy a ticket and strap your child into his or her car seat instead.)<br /><br />After age two, a child's ticket typically costs 60–80 percent of the adult fare — a major financial ouchie (some sale fares do not allow any discounts for kids). From age 12 on, kids pay full fare.<br /><br />For long flights, choose a red-eye when possible so your child (and hopefully you) can sleep while you travel. Pick flights with few connections; nonstop works best. Decide if you want to sit near the aisle or window. A window seat gives your active child only one escape route, plus the added entertainment of the window. However, a toddler who needs frequent diaper changes and sits quietly may be more comfortable by the aisle.<br /><br />Tire out your tykes before boarding the plane. If you fly at night, consider having your child skip that afternoon's nap. While you're waiting to board, get your kids up and moving as much as possible. Finally, when you're on the plane and it's time for sleep, follow normal bedtime routines. Change your child into pajamas, tuck her in with a blanket, and read a story or two.<br /><br />Be prepared. The batteries might go out on your DVD player or iPod. For younger kids, make sure to have lots of toys and surprises, such as a Mini Slinky or stickers. Bring snacks (such as raisins and granola bars), activity supplies (washable markers, paper, various activity books — mazes, connect-the-dots, Mad Libs), books for reading, and small stuffed toys.<br /><br />Be warned — jet lag can be kiddie purgatory. If you can tolerate some — OK, maybe a lot — of crankiness on the first day, keep young children awake until a reasonable bedtime. After junior passes out from exhaustion, hopefully the whole family will sleep through the night and wake up when the locals do. Take it easy at the beginning (maybe even starting with a rural destination), allowing a couple of low-impact days to get over jet lag.<br />Lodging<br /><br />Some kids do better staying in an apartment or house than in a hotel. Self-catering flats rented by the week or two-week period, such as gîtes in France and villas in Italy, give a family a home on the road. To cut costs, try home-sharing services that let you swap houses with a European family (see a letter I received that's full of House-Swapping Tips). Many families prefer settling down this way and side-tripping from a home base. Not only is it cheaper, but you get to spend time together cooking, watching movies, and just hanging out. It's a cultural experience just to see European TV together. But be aware that European standards on televised sex and nudity are much more relaxed than in the US; you might stumble on some uncensored movies, or even soft-core porn, next to the Nickelodeon channel.<br /><br />If you're traveling with older kids, consider hostels. Families can hostel very cheaply, especially in high-priced Scandinavia. Family membership cards are inexpensive, and there's no age limit. Many hostels have "members' kitchens" where the family can cook and eat for the price of groceries. Some hostels also offer family rooms.<br /><br />If your kids love camping, rent a camper van or small RV. Kids and campgrounds — with swings, slides, and plenty of friends — mix wonderfully. Suddenly your family and the French kids over at the next tent are best buddies (see my article on Camping European Style).<br /><br />Most hotels, especially those catering to business travelers, have large family rooms. London's big, budget chain hotels allow two kids to sleep for free in their already reasonably priced rooms. A swimming pool is a bonus at these chain hotels.<br /><br />In some countries, you may need to know the necessary phrases to communicate your needs. If you have a family of four and your children are young, request a triple room plus a small extra child's bed. Traveling with teenagers, you may need two rooms: a double (one big bed) and a twin (a room with two single beds). In much of Europe, a "double" bed is actually two twins put together. These can easily be separated.<br /><br />Be careful about staying in small hotels or B&Bs with a baby. If your child wakes up in the middle of the night, you're going to wake up everybody else. Some B&Bs won't take even children, or impose an age limit (such as no kids under 8); ask before booking.<br /><br />Choosing lodging close to your daytime activities is smart in case your little traveler needs to return for a nap or supplies. Request quiet rooms away from the street and bar downstairs. If your child is used to sleeping in his or her own space, look for rooms with a partition, large closet, or other area in which you can separate your child when it's bedtime (baby can even sleep in the bathroom).<br /><br />If you have young children, childproof the room immediately on arrival. A roll of masking tape makes quick work of electrical outlets. Place anything breakable up out of reach. Proprietors are generally helpful to considerate and undemanding parents.<br /><br />With a toddler, budget extra to get a bath in your room — a practical need and a fun diversion. (Some showers have a 6-inch-tall "drain extension" and a high lip to create a kid-friendly bathing puddle.)<br />Food<br /><br />Keep children fed. Even with a big breakfast, don't expect them to "power through" to a late lunch. A short snack break will help in the long run. Make sure to pack along or stop to buy high-quality food as often as possible — a real sandwich, pasta, or yogurt.<br /><br />Buying bread, cheese, fruit, and drinks in the morning means you can picnic anytime, anywhere. Kids find that foreign grocery stores are an adventure, so bring them along and let them help shop. Get take-away food from one of the many (usually cheap) food stands in big cities — French fries, bratwurst or Currywurst, crêpes, or a sandwich.<br /><br />Eat gelato, croissants, or chocolate every day (gelato should be twice a day) — whatever is a "specialty" treat of the country you are in. It's a cultural experience and a great way to get off your feet and take a break.<br /><br />At home, you may try to avoid bribes, but the promise of a treat can make a huge difference to everyone's cooperation when you're out and about — and don't have space for a "time out."<br /><br />An occasional Big Mac or Whopper between all the bratwurst and kraut helps keep the family happy. You'll get your food relatively quickly, and the kids will almost always eat hamburgers, fries, or chicken nuggets. As much as adults love eating at European restaurants, kids get restless. The pacing is slow, and it can be stressful. Plan ahead and bring something for your child to do while waiting for dinner (or the check) to arrive.<br /><br />Eat dinner early (around 6–7 p.m.) to miss the romantic crowd. Skip the famous places. Look instead for relaxed cafés or pubs (kids are welcome, though sometimes restricted to the restaurant section or courtyard area). Don't expect high chairs to be available; use your stroller in a pinch.<br /><br />In restaurants (or anywhere), if your infant is making a disruptive fuss, apologetically say the local word for "teeth" (dientes in Spanish, dents in French, denti in Italian, Zähne in German), and annoyed people will become sympathetic.<br /><br />At fancier hotels, you can get babysitters, usually from professional agencies. The service is expensive but worth the splurge when you crave a leisurely, peaceful evening out.<br />Activities<br /><br />Review the day's plan at breakfast with the entire family. It should always include a kid-friendly activity. Hands-on tours, from cheesemaking to chocolate factories, keep kids engaged. Go to sports or cultural events, but don't insist on staying for the entire event.<br /><br />Kids need plenty of exercise. Allow time for a few extra runs on the luge. Small towns often have great public swimming pools, and big cities have recreation centers or water parks (check out Paris' Aquaboulevard). Mountain bikes are easily rentable (with helmets), suddenly making the Alps cool. Local TIs can help you dig up these treats.<br /><br />Let your kids make decisions: choosing lunch spots, deciding which stores to visit. (The cheapest toy selection is usually in the large department stores.) Turn your kid into your personal tour guide and navigator. If you use my guidebooks, have your child lead you on my self-guided walks and museum tours.<br /><br />Europe is full of kiddie discounts, but you have to ask. Many activities — most importantly train rides — are free for infants and toddlers. School-aged children often fall into the reduced fare category, but sometimes they ride free, too. Some museums are free for kids under a certain age. When adults have to pay to eat breakfast at hotels, their kids sometimes eat free — worth a whole lot of money, especially when you're in Scandinavia.<br /><br />Since a trip is a splurge for the parents, the kids should enjoy a larger allowance, too. Provide ample money and ask your kids to buy their own treats, gelati, postcards, and trinkets within that daily budget. In exchange for the extra allowance, require them to keep a daily journal or scrapbook. Expect older kids to carry and use the currency. If you don't want your younger child to carry cash, Mom or Dad can be the "banker" and keep a tally of expenses.<br /><br />Help your kids collect and process their observations. If you buy the actual journal at your first stop, it becomes a fun souvenir in itself. Kids like cool books — pay for a nice one. The journal is important, and it should feel that way. Encourage the kids to record more than just a trip log...collect feelings, smells, tastes, reactions to cultural differences, and so on. Grade-school kids enjoy pasting in ticket stubs or drawing pictures of things they've seen.<br /><br />Young kids will do better in museums if you let them buy postcards in the gift shop first and then have a scavenger hunt to find the artwork on their postcards. "I spy" games are also a fun way to get the kids to pay attention when they start to get bored. Have the younger ones count how many babies they can find in all the paintings in the room — or dogs, or crowns. Follow my crowd-beating tips on easy entry to major sights — kids despise long lines even more than you do.<br /><br />Older kids enjoy audioguides available at the museum or my free podcasts. Audioguides let your kids feel independent in their sightseeing. They also allow you a few moments to learn about the artwork, too.<br /><br />Try a guided walking tour. Some parents are leery of group tours because they're afraid their kids will be the most disruptive members. But your kids will listen to a guide more than they will listen to you. Being in a group of adults can tone down even the wildest child.<br /><br />Consider visiting an amusement park as an end-of-trip reward — the promise of Legoland in Denmark, Blackpool in England, or Disneyland Paris can keep your kids motoring through the more mundane attractions. In parks, look for puppet shows, pony rides, merry-go-rounds, small zoos, or playgrounds. Paris's Luxembourg Gardens is renowned for its toy sailboat rentals at the main pond (and they'll even let your kids play on the grass — usually a no-no at French parks).<br /><br />At least every other day, take an extended break. Return to your hotel or apartment after lunch for two hours for napping, reading, or listening to the iPod. What you lose in sightseeing time you will gain in energy levels.<br /><br />It can be hard for kids to hang around grown-ups all day, so help your kids connect with other children. In hot climates, kids hang out on the squares (in cities and villages alike) when the temperature begins to cool in the late afternoon, often staying until late in the evening. Take your children to the European nightspots to observe — if not actually make — the scene (such as the rollerbladers at the Trocadéro in Paris or the crowd at Rome's Trevi Fountain).<br /><br />Just a few phrases spoken by your kids will open many doors. Made a point of teaching them "thank you," "hello," and "good-bye" in the country's language. You'll find nearly everyone speaks English, but small phrases out of the mouths of babes will melt the cool of surly museum guards or harried shop clerks.<br /><br />Internet cafés allow kids to keep in touch with friends at home and European pals they meet on their trip. These days, blogging is popular and accessible even for kids (see my artcle on Communication over the Internet). Or, for a few euros, kids can purchase an international phone card and chat cheaply with friends back home. If you're traveling with a mobile phone, your kids can use it to text or send photos back to their friends in the US.<br /><br />Getting somewhere can be more fun than touring a sight. Your son might not care about the Crown Jewels, but he may go nuts riding the double-decker bus getting there. Kids love subway maps, train schedules, and plotting routes. The Paris Métro is especially fun, as many stations have boards that light up the route when you press the button for your destination. Even the automated ticket kiosks are entertaining. Allow time for all of this, rather than just rushing onto a subway train or bus. After a teaching run, let your child actually lead the family on subway journeys — kids love the challenge.<br /><br />In a crowded situation, having a unique family noise (a whistle or call, such as a "woo-woop" sound) enables you to easily get each other's attention. Consider buying cheap walkie-talkies in Europe to help you relax when the kids roam (don't bring walkie-talkies from home, as ours use a different bandwidth and are illegal in Europe). Or consider buying a cheap "pay as you go" mobile phone for them in Europe (explained in my article on Mobile Phones in Europe); this can also be helpful in case of emergencies.<br /><br />When using public transportation, have a backup plan for what to do in case you get separated in the crowd or if one of you gets off the Metro before the other (for example, plan to meet at the next stop — or, if all else fails, plan to reconvene at the hotel — make sure everyone has a hotel business card).<br /><br />Public WCs can be hard to find. Try department stores, museums, and restaurants, particularly fast-food places.<br /><br />This is not the United States of Litigation. Europeans love children, but their sense of child-proofing public spaces is vastly different from ours. You may find a footbridge across a raging river has child-sized gaps between the railings. Windows in fourth floor hotel rooms may be easy to open and unscreened. The hot water may scald you in about 30 seconds. Don't judge. But do pay attention.<br />Leave the Kids at Home?<br /><br />When parents tell me they're going to Europe and ask me where to take their kids, I'm tempted to answer, "to Grandma and Grandpa's on your way to the airport." It's easy to make the case against taking the kids. Traveling with kids is expensive. (Starting at age 12, they fly for full fare. Out of exhaustion and frustration, you may opt for pricey conveniences like taxis and the first restaurant you find with a kid-friendly menu.) And two adults with kids spend twice as much to experience about half the magic of Europe per day that they might without. Also, older kids would very often rather stay home to enjoy their school break with friends.<br /><br />If you and your partner have 20 days for a family vacation, are on a budget, and are dreaming of an adult time in Europe, consider this plan: Go for 10 days without the kids and really enjoy Europe as adults rather than parents — the savings from leaving them at home will easily cover top-notch child care. Then fly home and spend the other 10 days with your kids — camping, at a water park, or just playing with them at home. (If your kids have a "cool" but responsible young-adult relative somewhere else in the US who they'd enjoy getting to know better, offer to pay to fly them there and watch your kids while you're gone.)<br /><br />Some parents won't bring their kids until they are old enough to enjoy the trip. They should be able to stand a day of walking and be ready to eat what is in front of them — and sleep where you stay. They should be able to carry their own daypacks with some clothes, journal, and a couple of toys. It's about the same age as when a child is ready for a long day at Disneyland.<br /><br />You'll find your European trips will definitely change with children, but many parents wouldn't dream of leaving their kids behind. Your vacation will be much more about playgrounds and petting zoos than about museums and churches. Some of your best memories may be of your son playing in a sandbox with the girls who live next to your rental cottage, or your daughter going on a zip line at the local playground. Traveling with kids, you'll live more like a European and less like a tourist. And, if done well, you'll take home happy memories that you'll share for a lifetime.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-59045405718409830582010-05-12T22:46:00.001-07:002010-05-12T22:46:49.723-07:00Timing your Trip: Travel Throughout the YearBy Rick Steves<br /><br />In travel-industry jargon, the year is divided into three seasons: peak season (roughly June through August), shoulder season (April through May and September through October), and off-season (November through March). Each has its pros and cons.<br />Peak-Season Strategies<br /><br />Except for the crowds and high temperatures, summer is a great time to travel. The sunny weather, long days, and exuberant nightlife turn Europe into a powerful magnet. I haven't missed a peak season in 30 years. Here are a few tips to minimize the crowds and help keep your cool:<br /><br />Arrange your trip with crowd control in mind. Consider, for instance, a six-week European trip beginning June 1, half with a Eurailpass to see the famous sights and half visiting relatives in Scotland. It would be wise to do the Eurail section first, enjoying those precious last three weeks of relatively uncrowded shoulder season, and then spend time with the family during the last half of your vacation, when Florence and Salzburg are teeming with tourists. Salzburg on June 10 and Salzburg on July 10 are two very different experiences.<br /><br />Seek out places with no promotional budgets. Keep in mind that accessibility and promotional budgets determine a place's fame and popularity just as much as its worthiness as a tourist attraction. For example, Geneva is big and famous — with nothing special to offer the visitor. The beaches of Greece's Peloponnesian Peninsula enjoy the same weather and water as the highly promoted isles of Santorini and Ios but are out of the way, underpromoted, and wonderfully deserted. If you're traveling by car, take advantage of your mobility by leaving the well-worn tourist routes. The Europe away from the train tracks is less expensive and feels more peaceful and relaxed. Overlooked by the Eurail mobs, it's one step behind the modern parade.<br /><br />Hit the back streets. Many people energetically jockey themselves into the most crowded square of the most crowded city in the most crowded month (St. Mark's Square, Venice, July) — and then complain about the crowds. You could be in Venice in July and walk six blocks behind St. Mark's Basilica, step into a café, and be greeted by Venetians who act as though they've never seen a tourist.<br /><br />Spend the night. Popular day-trip destinations near big cities and resorts such as Toledo (near Madrid), San Marino (near huge Italian beach resorts), and San Gimignano (near Florence) take on a more peaceful and enjoyable atmosphere at night, when the legions of day-trippers retreat to the predictable plumbing of their big-city hotels. Small towns normally lack hotels big enough for tour groups and are often inaccessible to large buses. So they will experience, at worst, midday crowds.<br /><br />Be an early bird. In Germany, walk around Rothenburg's fortified wall at breakfast time, before the tour buses pull in and turn the town into a medieval theme park. Crack-of-dawn joggers and walkers enjoy a special look at wonderfully medieval cities as they yawn and stretch and prepare for the daily onslaught of the 21st century.<br /><br />See how the locals live. Residential neighborhoods rarely see a tourist. Browse through a department store. Buy a copy of the local Better Homes and Thatches and use it to explore that particular culture. Get off the map. In Florence, for instance, most tourists stick to the small section of the city covered by the ubiquitous tourist maps. Wander beyond that, and you'll dance with the locals or play street soccer with the neighborhood gang.<br /><br />Plan your museum sightseeing carefully. Avoid museums on their monthly free days, when they're most crowded. Because many Parisian museums are closed on Tuesday, nearby Versailles, which is open, is predictably crowded — very crowded. And it follows that Parisian museums are especially crowded on Monday and Wednesday. While crowds at the Louvre can't be avoided altogether, leaving home with a thoughtful itinerary can help. And for some top museums, you can reserve your visit in advance to avoid the lines entirely. (For more tips, see Museum Strategies.)<br /><br />Arrive at the most popular sights early or late in the day to avoid tour groups. At 8:00 in the morning, Germany's fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle is cool and easy, with relaxed guides and no crowds. And very late in the day — when most tourists are long gone, exhausted in their rooms, or searching for dinner — I linger alone, taking artistic liberties with some of Europe's greatest art in empty galleries.<br /><br />Prepare for intense heat. Europeans swear that it gets hotter every year. Even restaurants in cooler climates (like Munich or Amsterdam) now have ample al fresco seating to take advantage of the ever-longer outdoor-dining season. Throughout Europe in July and August, expect high temperatures — even sweltering heat — particularly in the south.<br /><br />Be aware of the exceptions. Although Europe's tourist crowds can generally be plotted on a bell-shaped curve peaking in July and August, there are odd glitches. For instance, Paris is relatively empty in July and August but packed full in June (conventions) and September (trade shows). Business-class hotels in Scandinavia are cheapest in the summer, when travel — up there, mostly business travel — is down.<br /><br />In much of Europe (especially Italy and France), cities are partially shut down in July and August, when local urbanites take their beach breaks. You'll hear that these are terrible times to travel, but it's really no big deal. You can't get a dentist and many launderettes are shut down, but tourists are basically unaffected by Europe's mass holidays. Just don't get caught on the wrong road on the first or 15th of the month (when vacations often start or finish) or try to compete with all of Europe for a piece of French Riviera beach in August.<br />Shoulder Season<br /><br />For many, "shoulder season" — generally April, May, September, and October — combines the advantages of both peak-season and off-season travel. In shoulder season, you'll enjoy decent weather, long-enough daylight, fewer crowds, and a local tourist industry that is still eager to please and entertain.<br /><br />Because fall and spring bring cooler temperatures in Mediterranean Europe, "shoulder season" in much of Italy, southern France, Spain, Croatia, and Greece can actually come with near-peak-season crowds and prices. For example, except for beach resorts, Italy's peak season is May, June, September, and October rather than July and August. Paris has its own surprising patterns (see above). Conversely, the Scandinavian countryside (such as the fjords of Norway) is a special case, with an extremely brief tourist season--basically from mid-June to late August. Avoid Scandinavia outside of this window.<br /><br />If debating the merits of spring versus fall, consider your destination. Mediterranean Europe is generally green in spring, but parched in fall. For hikers, the Alps are better in early fall, because many good hiking trails are covered with snow through the spring.<br /><br />On a budget note, keep in mind that round-trip airfares are determined by your departure date. Therefore, if you fly over during peak season and return late in the fall (shoulder season), you'll still pay peak-season round-trip fares.<br />Off-Season Europe<br /><br />Each summer, Europe greets a stampede of sightseers and shoppers with eager cash registers. Before jumping into the peak-season pig pile, consider a trip during the off-season — generally November through March.<br /><br />The advantages of off-season travel are many. Off-season airfares are often hundreds of dollars cheaper. With fewer crowds in Europe, you'll sleep cheaper. Many fine hotels drop their prices, and budget hotels will have plenty of vacancies. And while many of the cheap alternatives to hotels will be closed, those still open are usually empty and, therefore, more comfortable.<br /><br />Off-season adventurers loiter all alone through Leonardo da Vinci's home, ponder in Rome's Forum undisturbed, kick up sand on virgin beaches, and chat with laid-back guards by log fires in French châteaux. In wintertime Venice, you can be alone atop St. Mark's bell tower, watching the clouds of your breath roll over the Byzantine domes of the church to a horizon of cut-glass Alps. Below, on St. Mark's Square, pigeons fidget and wonder, "Where are the tourists?"<br /><br />Off-season adventurers enjoy step-right-up service at banks and tourist offices and experience a more European Europe. Although many popular tourist-oriented parks, shows, and tours will be closed, off-season is in-season for the high culture: the Vienna Boys' Choir, opera, and the Lipizzaner stallions are in their crowd-pleasing glory.<br /><br />But winter travel has its drawbacks. Because much of Europe is at Canadian latitudes, the days are short. It's dark by 5 p.m. The weather can be miserable — cold, windy, and drizzly — and then turn worse. But just as summer can be wet and gray, winter can be crisp and blue, and even into mid-November, hillsides blaze with colorful leaves.<br /><br />Off-season hours are limited. Some sights close down entirely, and most operate on shorter schedules (such as 10 a.m.–5 p.m. rather than 9 a.m.–7 p.m.), with darkness often determining the closing time. Winter sightseeing is fine in big cities, which bustle year-round, but it's more frustrating in small tourist towns, which often shut down entirely. In December, many beach resorts shut up as tight as canned hams. While Europe's wonderful outdoor evening ambience survives year-round in the south, wintertime streets are empty in the north after dark. English-language tours, common in the summer, are rare during the off-season, when most visitors are natives. Tourist information offices normally stay open year-round but have shorter hours in the winter. A final disadvantage of winter travel is loneliness. The solo traveler won't have the built-in camaraderie of other travelers that she would find in peak season.<br /><br />To thrive in the winter, you'll need to get the most out of your limited daylight hours. Start early and eat a quick lunch. Tourist offices close early and opening times are less predictable, so call ahead to double-check hours and confirm your plans. Pack for the cold and wet — layers, rainproof parka, gloves, wool hat, long johns, waterproof shoes, and an umbrella. Dress warmly. Cold weather is colder when you're outdoors trying to enjoy yourself all day long. And cheap hotels are not always adequately heated in the off-season. Use undershirts to limit the washing of slow-drying heavy shirts.<br /><br />In the winter, most hotels are empty and charge less. To save some money, arrive late, notice how many open rooms they have (keys on the rack), let them know you're a hosteler (student, senior, artist, or whatever) with a particular price limit, and bargain from there. The opposite is true of big-city business centers (especially in Berlin, Brussels, and the Scandinavian capitals), which are busiest and most expensive off-season.<br /><br />Regardless of when you go, if your objective is to "meet the people," you'll find Europe filled with them 365 days a year.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-78144748127519075152010-05-12T22:45:00.000-07:002010-05-12T22:46:00.160-07:00Flying Within EuropeBy Rick Steves<br /><br />For most of my traveling life, I never would have considered flying point-to-point within Europe. It simply wasn't affordable. But today that kind of thinking seems so 20th century.<br /><br />With the deregulation of airlines and the proliferation of extremely competitive discount carriers, suddenly Europe's vagabonds are jet-setters. More new no-frills airlines take off every year, and even some of the well-established carriers are following their lead. Before buying a long-distance train ticket, first visit a few budget airlines' websites to compare prices. You might be surprised.<br />Flight vs. Train?<br /><br />With the abundance of cheap flights within Europe, travelers can choose how to connect far-flung cities: hop a flight, or ride the rails?<br /><br />Flying can save both time and money, especially on long journeys. A cheap flight can help a light sleeper avoid spending the night on a rattling train. In fact, the availability of inexpensive flights is changing the way travelers plan their itineraries. A decade ago, it would be folly to squeeze Italy and Norway into a single two-week trip. Today that plan is easy and cheap.<br /><br />But if you're focusing on a single country or region, and connecting destinations that are closer together, the train is still more practical. Europe's high-speed train network is getting faster and faster, covering even long distances in a snap. From London to Paris, the Eurostar Chunnel train can be faster than flying when you consider the train zips you directly from downtown to downtown (www.ricksteves.com/eurostar). Train and car travel, unlike flights, keep you close to the scenery, to Europe, and to Europeans. Ground transportation is also less likely to be disrupted by bad weather, mechanical problems, or scheduling delays.<br /><br />If you're environmentally-minded, you already know that the greenest way to move your body around Europe is by train. Taking the train leaves a carbon footprint that's 70 to 90 percent smaller than if you'd flown. For that reason alone, some travelers choose to spend more time and money to ride the rails.<br />Budget Airlines<br /><br />Most of Europe's low-cost airlines operate user-friendly websites with interactive flight maps and straightforward online booking. To get the lowest fares, book long in advance. The cheapest seats sell out fast (aside from occasional surprise sales), leaving the pricier fares for latecomers.<br /><br />Many budget airlines offer flights between major European cities for about $100, but you can find some remarkable deals if your timing is right. A tour guide on my staff recently booked an easyJet flight from London to Amsterdam for less than $50. Ryanair routinely flies from London to any one of dozens of European cities for about $20. And you might occasionally find it-must-be-a-typo promotional flights for less than €1. Even after adding in taxes and airport fees, these flights are a great value.<br /><br />While new budget airlines are continually being launched (see below), a handful of them have been around long enough to be considered old-timers, including easyJet and Ryanair. But there are plenty of other options. The best strategy is to select an airline that uses either your starting point or your ending point as a hub. For example, for a trip from Dublin to Oslo, I'd look first at Ryanair, which has a hub in Dublin, and Norwegian, which has a hub in Oslo. Several Britain-based "leisure airlines" specialize in connecting the British Isles to Spain, Portugal, and other popular holiday destinations in southern Europe. If this fits your itinerary, try Monarch or Thomson.<br /><br />Not sure where to start? Some websites search routes on multiple (but not necessarily all) cheap airlines: Skyscanner.net is the best, but you can also try Kayak, Mobissimo, and wegolo. Because some of these sites focus on budget airlines, they can miss just-as-cheap promotional offers on major carriers; to find the right connection, you may need to search several sites. Other budget-airline information sites — which have destination maps and recent airline news — include flycheapo and attitude Travel.<br /><br />Europe by Air is another good budget resource (tel. 888-321-4737). They work with 20 different European airlines, offering flights between 170 European cities in 30 countries. Using their "flight pass" system, each coupon for a nonstop flight costs $99 plus tax (which can range from $50 to $90). Note that if you make a connection through one of Europe by Air's many hubs, you pay double — $99 for each flight to and from the hub.<br /><br />When exploring low-cost airlines, be creative. For example, let's say you need to get from Amsterdam to Rome. After a quick search, you may not find quite the flight you need, but you discover that a low-budget airline flies from Brussels to Rome for $130). It makes good travel sense to take a three-hour train ride from Amsterdam to Brussels ($45 second-class) to catch the two-hour flight to Rome. The train from Amsterdam to Rome would have wasted 19 hours of your valuable vacation time, and cost you $325. The train-plus-flight connection gets you there in half the time (including transfers) for nearly half the price.<br /><br />All of these low-cost European airlines offer one-way flights without a cost increase or penalty. Consider linking cheap flights, either with the same or different airlines. But be very careful to leave plenty of time for the connection — since you're on your own if the delay of one flight causes you to miss another flight. This is especially risky if that "other flight" is your transatlantic flight back to the US. If you're using a budget carrier to connect to your US-bound flight, allow time to absorb delays — maybe even an overnight. Advance check-in deadlines are strictly enforced.<br /><br />It seems these cheap flights are here to stay — and it's not just tourists taking advantage of the low fares. On a recent easyJet flight from Paris to Nice, I was the only American on a plane filled with European business travelers.<br />What's the Catch?<br /><br />With cheaper airfares come new pitfalls. These budget tickets are usually nonrefundable and nonchangeable. Many airlines take only online bookings, so it can be hard to track down a person to talk to if problems arise. (Read all the fine print carefully, so you know what you're getting in to.) Flights are often tightly scheduled to squeeze more flying time out of each plane, which can exaggerate the effects of delays. Deadlines are strictly enforced: If they tell you to arrive at the check-in desk an hour before the flight, and you show up 10 minutes late, you've just missed your flight — and have to buy a new ticket for the next flight. And, as these are relatively young companies, it's not uncommon for budget carriers to go out of business unexpectedly — leaving you scrambling to find an alternative.<br /><br />Since they're not making much money on your ticket, budget airlines look for other ways to pad their profits — bombarding you with ads, selling you overpriced food and drinks on board (nothing's included), and gouging you with fees for everything, whether paying with a credit card, checking in at the airport, or carrying an infant on board. There are also expensive baggage restrictions. For instance, Ryanair charges a $25 fee for each checked bag (less if you pre-book online). If your checked bag weighs more than 15 kilograms (about 33 pounds), you'll also pay $20 per extra kilo. To avoid unpleasant surprises, read the baggage policy carefully before you book.<br /><br />Another potential headache: Budget airlines sometimes use obscure airports. For example, Ryanair's England hub is Stansted Airport, one of the farthest of London's airports from the city center. Ryanair's flights to Frankfurt actually take you to Hahn, 75 miles away. Sometimes you may wind up in a different (though nearby) country: For example, a flight advertised as going to Copenhagen, Denmark, might actually go to Malmö, Sweden, while a flight bound for Vienna, Austria, might land in Bratislava, Slovakia. These are still safe and legal airstrips, but it can take money and time to reach them by public transportation.<br />Budget Flights on Major Airlines<br /><br />Faced with all this new competition, some major European airlines (including British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, Alitalia, SAS, KLM, LOT, and Croatia Airlines) are getting into the discount-airfare game. In some cases, they simply sell a few seats on certain flights at a deep discount. In other cases, you must buy your transatlantic flight from the airline in order to take advantage of its intra-Europe budget fares. But it can be worth an extra $100 for an overseas flight in order to save on other flights within Europe. In some cases, you purchase an "air pass" (for $300–400) — a set of three or more flight coupons, each good for one nonstop flight. Be aware that with any air pass, a flight will "cost" two coupons if you need two connecting flights to reach your destination. Check with a travel agent for details.<br />Budget Airlines Within Europe<br /><br />These are just a few of the many budget airlines taking to the European skies. To discover more, check out www.skyscanner.net, or simply use Google.com to search for "cheap flights" plus the cities you're interested in. Note that new airlines appear — and old ones go out of business — all the time.<br /><br />Airline Contact Information Hub(s)<br />Aer Lingus <br /><br />US tel. 800-474-7424<br />Irish tel. 0818-365-000<br /> <br /><br />Dublin (and other Irish airports)<br />Air Berlin <br /><br />US tel. 1-866-266-5588<br />German toll tel. 01805-737-800<br /> <br /><br />Multiple German cities<br />bmi (and its subsidiary, bmi baby) <br /><br />US tel. 800-788-0555<br />British tel. 0800-788-0555<br /> <br /><br />London (and other British airports)<br />Brussels Airlines <br /><br />US tel. 516/740-5200<br />Belgian tel. 090/251-600<br /> <br /><br />Brussels<br />Cimber Sterling <br /><br />Danish tel. 70 10 12 18<br /> <br /><br />Multiple Scandinavian cities<br />easyJet <br /><br />British toll tel. 0871-244-2366<br />From the US, dial 011-44-870-600-0000.<br /> <br /><br />Multiple cities including London, Berlin, Paris, Liverpool, Geneva, Basel & Milan<br />Germanwings <br /><br />German toll tel. 0871-702-9987<br /> <br /><br />Multiple German cities<br />RyanAir <br /><br />Irish toll tel. 0818/303-030<br />British toll tel. 0871/246-0000<br /><br />From the US, dial 011-353-1248-0856.<br /> <br /><br />London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Dublin, Shannon, Brussels, Frankfurt, Milan, Pisa, Rome, Stockholm, Barcelona<br />SmartWings <br /><br />From the US, dial 011-420-255-700-827<br />Czech toll tel. 900-166-565<br /> <br /><br />Prague<br />Spanair <br /><br />Spanish tel. 902/131-415<br /><br />US tel. 888-545-5757<br /> <br /><br />Madrid, Barcelona<br />Transavia <br /><br />Dutch toll tel. 0900-0737<br />From the US, dial 011-46-850-522-255.<br /> <br /><br />Amsterdam, Rotterdam<br />TUIfly <br /><br />German toll tel. 01805-757-510<br />From the US, dial 011-49-511-2200-4713<br /> <br /><br />Multiple German cities<br />Vueling <br /><br />Spanish tel. 902-333-933<br /> <br /><br />Barcelona, Madrid<br />Wind Jet <br /><br />Italian toll tel. 08-9965-6565<br /> <br /><br />Multiple Italian cities<br />WizzAir <br /><br />Polish toll tel. 0703/503-010<br />Hungarian toll tel. 0690/181-181<br /> <br /><br />Budapest, Warsaw, Katowice (near Kraków)<br /><br />For other options, consider airBaltic (Baltic capitals), Air One (Rome, Milan, and Turin), Baboo (Geneva), Blue1 (Helsinki and Stockholm), Blue Air (Bucharest), Condor (Germany), Estonian Air (Tallinn), Flybe (southern England), Helvetic.com (Zürich), Meridiana (Turin, Verona), NIKI (Vienna), Norwegian, (Oslo and Bergen), Thomson (Britain), VLM (London City Airport), Widerøe (Oslo), and XL Airways (Frankfurt and Paris; site in German and French only).Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-204364369280654392010-05-12T22:43:00.000-07:002010-05-12T22:44:25.263-07:00Train SchedulesTips for Finding Train Schedules on the Deutsche Bahn website:<br /><br />1) Follow this link to the Deutsche Bahn website: http://bahn.hafas.de/bin/query.exe/en.<br /><br />2) Start with a station to station search. Enter just the city name, unless you know the name of the station you want.<br /><br />3) Required fields: Only the "From" and "To" fields are required before you can click on "Search Connections." Date, Time, Means of Transport, and other fields are all optional.<br /><br />4) Spelling: Use the local European spelling of town names. (You'll find these in any good map or guidebook of Europe.) Here are some examples:<br /><br /> * Bergen = Bergen(N) (N for Norway)<br /> * Cologne = Koeln (oe replaces ö)<br /> * Florence = Firenze (SMN station)<br /> * Kopenhagen or Koebenhavn<br /> * Munich = Muenchen (ue replaces ü)<br /> * Prague = Praha (hl. n. station)<br /> * Rome = Roma (Termini station)<br /> * Rothenburg = Rothenburg ob der Tauber<br /> * Venice = Venezia (S. Lucia station)<br /> * Vienna = Wien<br /><br />5) Choosing a station: The Deutsche Bahn system may ask you to re-select a station from a list of options. Keep in mind:<br /><br />a. If the city is listed again (without station name), re-select that choice.<br /><br />b. You do not always have to make the right choice. Sometimes the DB will make a correction before providing the schedule. In other cases, the schedule will include a connection by train, bus, or subway from the "wrong" station to the main station.<br /><br />c. Main stations are often called "central," "terminus," "bahnhof," or "hauptbahnhof (hbf)."<br /><br />d. A very long list probably includes bus stops in the same town. Back up to the query page and type any city "hbf."<br /><br />6) Pricing: The DB website provides ticket prices within Germany and for some international trips that originate in Germany. If the system brings up a "Pricing" section, simply fill in any age and click the "Continue" button. Most tourists will not have a Bahn Card or Rail Plus discount.<br /><br />7) More detail: At the bottom of the schedule results, you'll find buttons to access more detail. The first level includes location and times for any change of train. Further links on the Detail page allow you to see major stops along the way.<br /><br />8) Date of travel: Schedules change seasonally around June 10, Sept. 10, and Dec. 10 (though changes are often small). The DB website posts updates as soon as they are available. Even if your trip is several months in the future, this is still the best planning tool. You can enter an earlier date for a fairly accurate idea of the schedule.<br /><br />9) Footnotes: "Compulsory reservation" means what it says, while "Please reserve" is recommended but optional. "International supplement" notes do not apply with railpasses.<br /><br />10) Alternate routes: This system shows the most direct and practical routes between two points. To design your own detour, add a "Via" (midpoint) city on the query screen.<br /><br />11) Coverage: The DB website is the most complete resource for train schedules throughout Europe. If your destination is not covered (and if you spelled it correctly), that's a good sign it doesn't have train service. Train websites for Spain and Italy may be useful if you do not find what you need on the DB website. For a comprehensive list of each country's railway sites, go to www.railfaneurope.net.<br /><br />12) New Query: The "New Query" and "back" buttons bring you to a fresh starting page. Use the "Change" button to change a few features of your original request.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-7905138628222455272010-05-12T21:51:00.003-07:002010-05-12T21:51:53.886-07:00Take It Back! 20 tips for stretching your dipping dollarBy Rick Steves<br /><br />Just when I was getting used to the idea that a Euro should cost US$1.20, our dollar plummets 20%, and now a Euro costs $1.50. Don't expect our dollar to recover any time soon because, frankly, we're not as rich as we think we are. The euro comes with built-in fiscal discipline: countries in the Euro zone are allowed to have only minimal deficits. Here in the USA, on the other hand — free from legal constraints or political will — we simply deficit finance our wars and tax-cuts. Logically, there's no free lunch. It's paid for by a hidden tax on Americans: less buying power overseas. I'm not going to tell you that travel to Europe is cheap. It's not. But twelve million Americans — the vast majority of them normal working people — had a blast in Europe in 2007. So don't mope. Just get smart and stretch that wimpy little dollar. To help you keep your travel dreams affordable in 2008, here are twenty ways you can take back that 20% drop in your dollar's value…and have a more rewarding trip.<br />Mama Rabatti<br />Mama Rabatti will rent you a double in Florence for €60, or a quad for €25 per bed.<br /><br />1. A B&B offers double the warmth and cultural intimacy for half the price of a hotel. You'll find them in most countries if you know the local word: Husrom is Norwegian for sobe, which is Slovenian for Zimmer, which is German for bed and breakfast. In Haarlem (Netherlands) I save 33% by sleeping a ten minute walk from the center with Hans and Marjet at Haus de Kiefte (double with a shower for €55) rather than on the square in the cheapest hotel in town (Hotel Amadeus, double with shower and toilet, €85).<br /><br />2. Europe's 2,000 hostels offer countless cheap dorm beds for half the price of beds in low-end hotels. And it's not limited to youths. Anyone can hostel. Most of my life I've shared hostels with American students and grown-ups from less wealthy countries. Now I'm seeing older Americans hostelling as well. And using the hostel's kitchen, you can cook for the price of groceries — a huge savings for traveling families.<br /><br />3. Throughout Europe, budget-chain hotels are driving small hotels and guesthouses out of business by renting efficient, if forgettable, rooms at near B&B prices. The cookie-cutter rooms — which cost the same for singles, couples, or even a family of four — offer the greatest savings for traveling families. In London, where it's hard to find a regular hotel room for less than £100, the huge Travel Inn chain rents one-size fits all rooms for £80 (a 20% savings for couples, even greater savings for a family of four). If your schedule forces you to spend a night near the airport, a four-star hotel will cost you a bloody fortune, yet the Heathrow Ibis charges £70 for a double and the Gatwick Travelodge charges £60.<br />Danhostel in Copenhagen<br />Copenhagen's new Danhostel mixes 16 storeis of $30 dorm beds with modern comforts.<br /><br />4. Save by choosing simpler hotels. A three-star place (with room service and a 24-hour reception desk) is a bad value for a budget traveler who's satisfied with a one-star place (e.g., no elevator, no restaurant, and no shoe-shine machines in the hallway). In Paris, getting a €55 double in the one-star Hotel de Nevers rather than a €120 double in the three-star Hotel St. Louis Bastille — both in the Canal St. Martin neighborhood — shows you can save big by taking a simpler room.<br /><br />Want to save even more? Only the simple one-star hotels still offer some rooms without a private bath. All rooms come with a sink, and walking down the hall to use the toilet and shower saves another 20%. At the Hotel de Nevers, a double room drops from €55 to €40. And the dumpiest little timewarp mom and pop places, like Florence's Soggiorno Magliani, charge only €50 and offer no private facilities at all.<br /><br />5. Pack the room. Funky European hotels have rooms of all sizes, and hoteliers are often happy to pack in extra beds. The more people you put in a hotel room, the cheaper it gets per person. All over Europe from Paris (e.g. Hotel Sevigne: Sb-€66, Db-€85, Tb-€102) to London (Vicarage Private Hotel: Sb-£85, Db-£110, Tb-£140, Qb-£155) to Vienna (Pension Schweizer: Sb-€70, Db-€90, Tb-€110, Qb-€130) the average cost per person drops by about 40% in a bigger room. Typically, two couples sharing a quad room will save 33% — often €60 a night — enough for a simple dinner for all.<br /><br />6. Hotel breakfasts, while convenient, are rarely a good value. If your breakfast is not included, save money and gain character by joining the local crowd at the corner café. Most Paris hotels charge extra for breakfast (€10 for a Continental, €15 for a buffet). And one of the most charming things about a visit to Paris is enjoying its café scene (where you can get a coffee, juice, and croissant for about €7). In Madrid, just around the corner from where good hotels charge €8 for breakfast, you can eat traditional churros con chocolate with crusty locals for €4. Add a wedge of potato omelet for €2 more. Result? You ate better and more memorably…and saved 25%.<br />Local menu<br />The mark of a good restaurant value is a small handwritten menu in one language: changes daily according to what was good in the market this morning, little selection so everything's fresh, and designed primarily for savvy local return customers.<br /><br />7. Avoid touristy restaurants with "We speak English" signs and multilingual menus. Eateries that are filled with locals aren't always cheaper, but they serve better food at a better value. Restaurants open only workdays for lunch (like Rome's Enoteca Corsi, a block from the Pantheon) are invariably serving savvy locals a fine value meal. At Enoteca Corsi you'll get great €6 pasta and €9.50 main plates, easily 20% cheaper than the forgettable "budget" cafeteria around the corner. In Vienna, you can enjoy rustic food and wine with the locals literally in the vineyards at a Heuriger wine garden. For instance, at Beethoven's hangout at Pfarrplatz, you'll get a quarter liter of wine for €2.20, a buffet dinner for €10, and strolling violinist ambiance to boot.<br /><br />8. Picnics save you money: $20 buys a hearty picnic lunch for two anywhere in Europe. Stock your hotel room with drinks and munchies upon arrival. You can pass train rides enjoyably over a picnic meal. Many grocery stores have fine, even elegant, deli sections — giving you the ingredients for a classy picnic for much less than a restaurant.<br /><br />9. Throughout southern Europe, drinks are cheaper at the bar rather than at a table. The table price can be a fine value if you'll linger and enjoy the view. But those just tossing down a quick drink can save 40% by standing (or leaning) at the bar.<br /><br />10. 7-Eleven-style convenience stores are the rage in northern Europe…but bigger grocery stores will save you 30% on snacks, drinks, picnic grub, and take-away food. Grocery stores can be hard to find in the high rent big city centers — they hide out in the basements of big department stores. <br />Local color<br />In Barcelona's market sit at Juan's bar and you'll eat cheap with the locals.<br /><br />11. Some of the best cheap eateries are in or near open-air markets. They cater to market workers and savvy local shoppers. Rome's Testaccio, the historic slaughterhouse district, is famous for serving enthusiastic locals the "fifth quarter" — less desirable animal parts in unforgettable, uniquely Roman dishes (Trattoria Da Oio A Casa Mia is a great scene and a fine value). At Barcelona's Boqueria market, the Kiosko Universal Bar — famous for its €12 fresh fish meals — is open for lunch only and always has a line.<br /><br />12. Don't over tip. Only Americans tip 20% in Europe — even when it's already included or not expected. When in doubt, ask locals (customers rather than restaurant employees) for advice. In much of Europe you'll save that 20% by simply going local — forget the tip.<br /><br />13. To save money in restaurants, couples can order two side salads and split an entrée. To save more, request tap water instead of mineral water, drink the house wine, and share a dessert. Know the local word for tap water and communicate clearly or you'll get it in a bottle and pay. These cheap tricks go over better if you eat early (before the European diners come out) and don't tie up the table all evening.<br /><br />14. Fly "open jaw" — into one city and out of another — to avoid a needless, costly, and time-consuming return to your starting point. If traveling through France, Spain and Portugal, don't be afraid to pay $150 extra to fly into Paris and out of Lisbon. The "cheaper" roundtrip ticket will force you to take a 20-hour, $200 train ride back from Lisbon to Paris.<br /><br />15. Cars are worthless and expensive headaches in big cities. Pick up your rental car after the first big city you visit, and drop it off before the final big city of your trip. You'll pay €20 a day to park in Florence and €25 a day in Paris (paying $35 a day to park a $50-a-day car while touring a city is a pricey mistake). For a France tour, do Paris, pick up your car as you leave, drop it upon arrival in Nice and do the Riviera by train without a car. In Italy, you don't want a car in Venice, Florence, Rome or the Cinque Terre.<br /><br />16. Buses, while generally slower, are about half the cost of trains. Buses are especially economical in Britain, home of Europe's most expensive train system. For instance, traveling from London to Edinburgh costs roughly $195 by train (second-class, 5 hours) and only $60 by bus (9 hours).<br /><br />17. Use public transit for airport transfers. Every major airport has efficient money-saving alternatives to taxis. Most train, metro, and bus services will take you from baggage claim to the city center in about 30 minutes, saving you enough cash to cover dinner. Here are just a few examples: London (tube £4, train £15.50, taxi £50 from Heathrow), Rome (train €11, taxi €40), Barcelona (train €3, bus €4, taxi €20). Amsterdam (train €4, taxi €45).<br /><br />18. Do most of your shopping in the cheaper countries where gifts are more interesting and your dollar stretches the farthest. The difference is huge: for the cost of a pewter Viking ship in Oslo ($200), you can buy an actual boat in Turkey ($200).<br /><br />19. Anywhere in Europe big department stores sell folk art, souvenirs, and postcards for 20% less than shops and stands on the streets and at the sight. Department stores (like Spain's El Corte Inglés) also come with inexpensive cafeterias and free bathrooms.<br /><br />20. Use ATMs rather than travelers checks. You'll get your cash cheaper and faster. While ATMs give the best possible rates, they do come with transaction fees. Minimize these by making fewer and larger withdrawals. Changing $400 at once rather than $200 twice cuts your bank fees by 50%. The downside: you'll be walking around with more cash — store it safely in your money belt. Another fee-cutting rule of thumb: use your debit card exclusively for ATM withdrawals and your credit card for purchases — not the opposite.<br /><br />What shouldn't you cut? As you seek out money-saving opportunities, remember that your vacation time is a precious resource (yes, time is money). Plan as much as you can before you leave home. And don't go to a country just because it has a reputation for being less expensive. The best value is found by traveling smartly in the country where your travel dreams are taking you. Don't whine about the weak dollar — enjoy spending it smartly. Those who travel wisely will save more money, make more friends, and create a more memorable — a truly richer — experience. Happy travels!Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-56971948145166929262010-05-12T21:51:00.001-07:002010-05-12T21:51:32.563-07:00Techie Tips for TravelersWith my mantra being “Pack Light,” I used to be against packing electronics of any kind. But now, I bring my laptop, iPod, digital camera, and mobile phone to Europe. With hotels retiring their fax machines in favor of email, mobile phones getting cheaper and easier to buy, and Wi-Fi hotspots popping up everywhere, it’s never been simpler to get connected.<br /><br />There are plenty of Internet cafés in Europe. Large European chains such as easyInternetcafé.com offer in¬expensive access in big cities. Even small towns have some way to get online — at hostels, hotels, libraries, bookstores, post offices, and so on. If you plan to check your email using a public machine, make sure you sign up for a Web-based account, such as Yahoo.com, Hotmail.com, or Gmail.com.<br /><br />If you tote your own laptop, you’ll find that many hotels and cafés offer wireless access — sometimes it’s free, other times, you’ll have to buy a drink or pay a fee — while some towns have Wi-Fi hotspots scattered around highly trafficked areas. Just pay for a password, park yourself on a bench in your favorite idyllic spot — overlooking a sandy beach, on a floodlit piazza, or along a bustling people-watching boulevard — then log on and surf away.<br /><br />I like to bring an iPod to listen to my favorite music and shows that I’ve downloaded at home. My website, ricksteves.com, offers free audio tours of Europe’s major sights plus hundreds of hours of my public-radio shows on travel.<br /><br />If you’re packing a digital camera, your biggest challenge will be storing photos. Buy the biggest memory card you can afford (or get two). Memory cards are available in Europe, but they’re more expensive. I travel with a six-megapixel camera and a two-gigabyte memory card. Taking photos at high resolution, I can fit about 500 photos onto my memory card. Since I usually travel with a laptop, I upload my photos to my computer. Without a laptop, you could empty — or copy — your memory card as you go, by getting your images burned to a CD (European photo stores and Internet cafés charge $7–10 for this service).<br /><br />It’s handy to travel with a mobile phone, whether you’re calling a hotel for directions or getting in touch with that lost travel buddy who missed the train. If you want to use a mobile phone in Europe, you have two choices: Take your own, or buy one once you’re there. While many American cell phones work overseas (especially T-Mobile and AT&T handsets), the per-minute cost adds up. Save money by purchasing a phone when you arrive. You can buy a phone for about $40 to $75 — which usually includes some prepaid calling time — at the ubiquitous corner phone marts or at mobile-phone counters in big department stores. You’ll pay cheaper in-country rates and feel like a local with your own European phone number.<br /><br />Ideally, you want to buy a phone that’s unlocked so you can switch out SIM cards as you travel to different countries. A SIM card is a small, fingernail-size chip that stores your phone number and other information. The EU is looking into standardizing roaming fees across Europe. But for now, when you cross a border, it’s best to buy a new SIM card, which you can get from newsstands kiosks and even vending machines at train stations for $10 to $20.<br /><br />Users of some handheld wireless devices (most notably the iPhone) have returned home to astronomical bills for unintentional roaming. Just watching a three-minute video on YouTube in the London Tube can cost about $40. You can pay extra for international access, but you’re better off disabling the data-roaming feature on your device altogether and getting online at public Wi-Fi points to check email and surf the Web. <br /><br />If you’re traveling with your laptop, the cheapest way to talk to loved ones back home is via VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). VoIP lets you converse with people around the world over the Internet for free. The two main services are Skype.com and Google.com/talk. Computer-to-computer calls are always free, and the sound quality is about as good as a standard phone connection. If your computer doesn’t have a microphone, you may have to buy an operator-type headset for about $20.<br /><br />If you’d rather blog, look into Travelpod.com, Mytripjournal.com, and Realtravel.com. These sites are specialized for travelers, providing custom maps with virtual pins for the places you’ve visited. Some sites send emails informing your friends when your blog is updated, and allow them to post comments (so expect a ribbing for those blurry Eiffel Tower photos).<br /><br />I’ve just been cruising through several European countries, communicating with friends, family, and office workers with my laptop and mobile phone. My days of chatting in noisy, smelly phone booths are long over.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-75257287265713735792010-05-12T21:50:00.002-07:002010-05-12T21:51:11.141-07:00Stretch Your DollarBy Rick Steves<br /><br />The economy may be wobbly, but our travel dreams are still strong — for good reason. Europe is every bit as magical as ever, and no recession can change that. What matters is how well you manage your travel budget, and how you use those skills to create a better trip. Playing your cards right, and spending less will lower the barrier that separates you and the culture you've traveled so far to experience.<br /><br />To help you keep your dream trip affordable, here are fifty thrifty ways to stretch your travel dollar in Europe...<br /><br />A B&B offers double the warmth and cultural intimacy for half the price of a hotel. You'll find them in most countries if you know the local word: Husrom is Norwegian for sobe which is Slovenian for Zimmer which is German for rooms in a private home.<br /><br />Avoid touristy restaurants with "We speak English signs" and multilingual menus. Those that are filled with locals serve better food for less money. I look for a short, handwritten menu in the local language only. Go with the daily specials.<br /><br />Fly open-jaws — that's into one city and out of another. Save time and money by avoiding a needless costly return to your starting point. When considering the beginning and end points of a long trip, try to start in mild countries (such as England) and work into the places with greater culture shock (such as Turkey). This way you'll minimize stress, and save countries offering the cheapest shopping — and greatest health risks — for the end of your trip.<br /><br />Travel off-season — generally October through April in Europe. You'll get cheaper airfare, find more budget rooms, spend less time in lines, and meet more Europeans than tourists. Big cities such as London, Paris and Rome are interesting any time of year.<br /><br />Family-run businesses offer the best values because they employ family members to get around Europe's costly labor regulations. In mom-and-pop shops you're more likely to be served by people who care about their reputation and their customers.<br /><br />Picnics save money. Ten dollars buy a fine picnic lunch for two anywhere in Europe. Stock your hotel room with drinks and munchies upon arrival. You can pass train rides enjoyably over a picnic meal. Many grocery stores have elegant deli sections. Know the metric system for buying produce. In Italy 100 grams (about a quarter pound) is a unit in itself called an etto.<br /><br />Eat with the season. Germans go crazy for the white asparagus. Italians lap up the porcini mushrooms. And Spaniards gobble their snails (caracoles) — but only when waiters announce that they're fresh today. You'll get more taste for less money throughout Europe by ordering what's in season.<br />Guidebooks are $20 tools for $3,000 experiences.<br />Guidebooks are $20 tools for $3,000 experiences.<br /><br />Use a guidebook. Guidebooks are $20 tools for $3,000 experiences. Saving money by not buying one is penny-wise and pound-foolish. An up-to-date guidebook pays for itself on your first day in Europe.<br /><br />Use ATMs rather than travelers checks. You'll get your cash cheaper and faster. While ATMs give the best possible rates, they do come with transaction fees. Minimize these fees by making fewer and larger withdrawals. Store the cash safely in your moneybelt.<br /><br />Stay in touch cheaply by dialing direct. International phone cards with PIN numbers are sold at newsstands throughout Europe. They offer calls to the US for ten cents a minute — a huge savings over the $3/minute rates offered by the big American services.<br /><br />Cars are worthless and costly headaches in big cities. Pick up your rental car after the first big city and drop it off before the final big city of your trip. Paying $20 a day to store a $40 a day car while touring a city is an expensive mistake.<br /><br />Do your shopping mostly in the cheaper countries where gifts are more interesting and your shopping dollar stretches the farthest. The difference is huge: For the cost of a pewter Viking ship in Oslo, you can buy an actual boat in Turkey.<br /><br />Look up friends, relatives, and contacts. Assume you are interesting and charming and enjoy local hospitality with gusto. This works best if you actually are interesting and charming. Bring a show-and-tell Ziploc baggie filled with photos of your family, house, and hometown.<br />Look up that homely little Norwegian cousin you remember from the sixth grade.<br />Look up that homely little Norwegian cousin you remember from the sixth grade.<br /><br />Adapt to European tastes. Cultural chameleons drink tea in England, beer in Prague, red wine in France, and white wine on the Rhine. They eat fish in Portugal and reindeer in Norway. Going with the local specialties gets you the best quality and service for the best price.<br /><br />Look for consolidator tickets for overseas flights. Consolidator or "discount" air tickets are perfectly legitimate. By putting up with a few minor drawbacks (no changes allowed and no frequent flier miles given) you can save hundreds of dollars. Student agencies are not limited to students and offer some great airfares.<br /><br />Don't let frequent flier miles cloud your judgment. Choose a plane ticket, car rental, hotel or tour according to the best value for your trip, not in hopes of scoring a few extra miles.<br /><br />Know your rail options. Eurailpasses can offer big savings — if you're traveling a lot. For short trips, point-to-point tickets are cheaper. Throughout Europe first-class tickets cost 50 percent more than second-class. If you're on a budget, go second-class. Nearly every train has both first — and second-class cars...each going precisely the same speed. Before buying a Eurailpass, know the options sold in Europe. For instance, Germany's "Beautiful Weekend" ticket lets groups of up to five travel anywhere in the country all day Saturday or Sunday on non-express trains for about $33.<br /><br />Buses, while often slower, are cheaper than trains — especially in Britain, home of Europe's most expensive train system. For instance, traveling from London to Edinburgh could cost $145 by train or only $45 by bus.<br /><br />Groups save by driving. Four people sharing a car generally travel much cheaper than four individuals buying four railpasses. And don't worry about gas costs. Even at $5 a gallon, you'll find cars get great mileage and distances between sights are short. A single two-hour train ticket can cost you the price of a full tank of gas.<br />Park carefully, or take this broken wing and learn to cry.<br />Park carefully, or take this broken wing and learn to cry.<br /><br />Park carefully. Thieves recognize and target tourist cars. Judge the safety of a lot by how it twinkles. Broken glass means thieves like this spot. Paying to park in a garage with an attendant can be a good investment.<br /><br />In many northern countries, train-ticket holders get discounts on bikes rented at the station. And in many cases you can rent a bike in one town and drop it at another for no extra charge.<br /><br />Pay with local cash, not credit cards. While credit cards get you a good exchange rate, many places offering Europe's best deals — from craft shops to bed & breakfasts — accept only cash.<br /><br />When changing cash, avoid exchange bureaus that don't show both the buying and selling rate. By seeing both rates you can derive the profit margin — which should be within 5 percent. Places showing only the selling rate are hiding something... an obscene profit margin.<br /><br />Wear a money belt. You'll save money by not losing it. Thieves target Americans not because they're mean but because they're smart. They know we're the ones with the good stuff in our purses and wallets. Assume beggars are pickpockets. Be wary of commotions in crowds and fake police who ask to see your wallet. When you know the scams, they're almost entertaining.<br /><br />Students, families, and seniors should ask for discounts. But be warned: Because the US doesn't reciprocate, many countries don't give their standard senior citizen discounts to Americans.<br />Travelers in a rush often pay too much. Always take a moment to review the math in any transaction.<br />Travelers in a rush often pay too much. Always take a moment to review the math in any transaction.<br /><br />In any transaction, understand all fees and expenses. Ask to have bills itemized. Assume you'll be short-changed. Always ask how much. Do your own arithmetic and don't let the cashier rush you. Smile but be savvy. You'll save lots of money.<br /><br />Travel with a partner to share and save. A single hotel room often costs nearly the same as a double. And by splitting taxis, chores, guidebooks, and picnics couples save both time and money.<br /><br />Buy your maps in Europe at half the price you'd pay in America. And you'll find a wider selection.<br /><br />Communicate via email with a free Yahoo- or Hotmail-type account rather than by mailing postcards. For the cost of a postcard and a stamp you can be online in a cybercafé for about 15 minutes. Many libraries, hotels and hostels offer free Internet access.<br /><br />Europe's 2,000 hostels offer countless cheap dorm beds. A hostel membership pays for itself in four nights. And it's not limited to youths. In fact, those over 55 get a discount on a hostel card. Using the hostel's kitchen, you can cook for the price of groceries — a great savings for traveling families.<br /><br />Take advantage of department stores anywhere in Europe for cheap folk art, souvenirs, and post cards. Local shoppers eat cheaply at department store cafeterias and restaurants. Savvy travelers can too.<br /><br />While notorious for ripping off tourists, flea markets can offer some great deals. Prices are soft, so haggle.<br />Flea markets are cheap sources of funky, fun souvenirs.<br />Flea markets are cheap sources of funky, fun souvenirs.<br /><br />Consider using a budget airline to connect distant cities. Europe's highly competitive no-frills airlines — such as Ryanair and Virgin Air — can often get you from one city to another faster and cheaper than the train. You generally book the flights yourself by phone or on the Web. Beware though: Cheap airlines often use small airports located far from town, which can cost a little extra time and money.<br /><br />Hike in the Alps. Even if you pay for a lift ticket to get you quickly into the high country, the glories of the Alps are one of Europe's great values. The Alps are littered with helicopter-supplied mountain huts offering cheap beds and menu prices that don't go up with the altitude.<br /><br />Know your hotel's cancellation policy and keep track of what you reserved. No shows are generally charged one night. If you won't make it, cancel long in advance. Reconfirm all hotel reservations two days in advance. Even a fine hotel can mess up a booking. Arriving and finding no room can become a huge and costly headache.<br /><br />Avoid travel agent and tourist office room-finding services. They charge a fee and generally offer only the highest-priced rooms with no discounts. For the best accommodations values, use a guidebook, shop around, and go direct.<br /><br />Find rooms on the fly, and check business hotels for off-peak deals. Brussels and the Scandinavian capitals, which cater to business travelers, offer deep discounts to travelers who arrive without reservations when business traffic is slow. During summer and weekends year-round, you can get a fancy business hotel room at a cheap one-star hotel price. It's not unusual to score a $300 double for $100.<br /><br />Throughout Europe, budget chain hotels rent rooms at B&B prices. Since these cookie-cutter rooms cost the same for singles, couples, or even a family of four, they offer the greatest savings for traveling families.<br /><br />Be smart about hotel choices. A three-star place (with room service and a 24-hour reception desk) is a bad value for a budget traveler who's satisfied with one-star services. Lavish lobbies can hide crummy rooms. See, smell, and hear the room before accepting it. If you're interested in sleeping, choosing a view room overlooking a noisy square is a mistake. Opting for the shower and toilet down the hall can save you $30 a night.<br /><br />Ask for a deal on your hotel room. You'll have the best chance of getting a discount if business is slow. Go direct (a room-finding service costs the hotel a booking fee), offer to pay in cash, or stay at least three nights.<br /><br />Pack the room. The more people you put in a hotel room, the cheaper it gets per person. A quad is only a little more expensive than a double.<br /><br />Avoid hotel breakfasts. While convenient, these are rarely a good value. If breakfast is optional, increase the character and lower the price by joining the local crowd at the corner café for your coffee and croissant.<br /><br />Throughout southern Europe, drinks are cheaper at the bar than at a table. The table price can be a great value if you'll linger and enjoy the view. But those just tossing down a quick drink do it at the bar for about half price.<br /><br />Every country has early bird and "Blue Plate" specials. Know the lingo, learn your options, and you can dine well with savvy locals anywhere in Europe for under $15.<br />Smart travelers never waste precious time in lines.<br />Smart travelers never waste precious time in lines.<br /><br />Don't overtip. Only Americans tip 15 to 20 percent in Europe. We even tip when it's already included or not expected. Ask locals (who are customers rather than employees of a restaurant) for advice.<br /><br />To save money in restaurants, couples can order a side salad and split an entree. To save more, request tap water instead of mineral water, drink the house wine, and skip desserts.<br /><br />Make the most of public transit. Many single tickets are actually good for round-trip, transfers, or an hour of travel. Three rides generally cost more than a day pass. Airports almost always have cheap and convenient public transit connections to the town center.<br /><br />Museum passes save time and money. The Paris Museum pass, for example, pays for itself in three visits and saves you hours by letting you skip the long lines and scoot right into each sight. Also, with a pass, you'll pop painlessly into sights that might otherwise not be worth the expense.<br /><br />If you get sick, see a doctor sooner rather than later. While it seems stressful to get medical help, visiting a clinic in Europe is actually an inexpensive and interesting experience. Any hotel or tourist office can point you in the right direction. You'll be diagnosed, have the proper medicine prescribed, and be on the mend in an hour.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-74486369728848571142010-05-12T21:50:00.001-07:002010-05-12T21:50:49.347-07:00Tourist Beware: Europe's Latest Travel ScamsGelato in hand, you’re strolling down a street in Italy, when suddenly, an attractive woman starts arguing with a street vendor. A crowd gathers as he accuses her of shoplifting. To prove her innocence, she starts to strip. Once she’s down to her underwear, the vendor apologizes, the woman leaves, and the onlookers disappear — and so have their wallets, thanks to a team of pickpockets working the show. This is just one of the new, inventive ways that European scam artists operate. The good news is that if you’re wise to their tricks, you can just marvel at their ingenuity. <br /><br />The sneakiest pickpockets look like well-dressed businessmen, generally with something official-looking in their hand. Lately many are posing as tourists with fanny packs, cameras, and even guidebooks.<br /><br />No matter what country you’re in, assume beggars are pickpockets and any scuffle is simply a distraction by a team of thieves. If you stop for any commotion or show, put your hands in your pockets before someone else does (or, even better, wear a money belt).<br /><br />Set-up scams are time-tested and popular. On the busy streets of Barcelona, Berlin, and Florence, you’ll find the shell game, or its variation, the pea-and-carrot game. Players pay to guess which of the moving shells hides the ball. It looks easy, but the winners are all ringers, and you can be sure that you’ll lose if you play.<br /><br />The most rampant scams are more subtle, such as being overcharged by a taxi driver. Some cabbies will pretend to drop a large bill and pick up a hidden small one, then tell you that you didn’t pay enough. Others will select the pricier “night and weekend” rate on their meter, even on weekdays. To decrease your odds of getting ripped off, call for a taxi from a hotel or restaurant. If you do hail a cab, choose one with a prominent taxi-company logo and telephone number. Either way, insist on using the meter, agree on a price up front, or know the going rate. If, for whatever reason, I’m charged a ridiculous price for a ride, I put a reasonable sum on the seat and say goodbye.<br /><br />Whenever cash is involved, it pays to be alert. If someone offers to help you use a cash machine, politely refuse (the person wants your PIN code). If a cash machine eats your ATM card, check for a thin plastic insert with a little flap hanging out — crooks use tweezers to extract your card. Cashiers, and even bank tellers, thrive on the “slow count,” dealing out change with odd pauses in hopes that rushed tourists will gather up the money early and say “Grazie.” Also, be careful when paying with large bills in restaurants and stores, and always inspect your change — in Italy, the now-worthless 500-lira coin looks like a 2-euro coin.<br /><br />Some thieves hang out at train-ticket machines, eager to assist you in buying tickets with a pile of your quickly disappearing foreign cash. And skip the helping hand from official-looking railroad attendants at the Rome train station. They’ll lead you to your seat...then demand a “tip.”<br /><br />In Spain, scruffy women offer you sprigs of rosemary (as if in friendship), and then grab your hand, read your fortune, and demand payment. Don’t make eye contact, don’t accept a sprig, and say firmly but politely, “No, gracias.”<br /><br />Just because someone looks official doesn’t mean they are. In Italy, “Tourist Police” may stop you on the street, flash their bogus badges, and ask to check your wallet for counterfeit bills or “drug money.” You won’t even notice some bills are missing until after they leave. Never open your door to “hotel inspectors.” One waits outside while the other comes in to take a look around. While you're distracted, the first thief slips in and snags valuables off your dresser. In Vienna, official-looking women decked out in long velvet capes roam famous sights, claiming to work for the opera house and offering to sell you tickets. The tickets are fakes, and the only seats you’ll be buying are the ones on the bus back to your hotel.<br /><br />I don’t mean to paint Europe as a dangerous place. In fact, it’s safer than America. Muggings in Europe are uncommon. Thieves want to separate you from your money painlessly.<br /><br />Scams are easy to avoid if you recognize them. But remember: Even the most vigilant traveler can get conned. If this happens, don’t let it ruin your trip. With the right attitude and lighter bags, you can still have a wonderful time.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-15431250728914170322010-05-12T21:49:00.000-07:002010-05-12T21:50:03.454-07:00Bus Tour Self-DefenseBy Rick Steves<br /><br />I've spent months on typical big bus tours and have some hard-earned advice. (And this is not leading to a plug of my tours.) If you follow these tips, even a big bad bus tour can be a good value.<br /><br />When calling tour companies, here are questions to ask:<br /><br />Nail down the price<br /><br /> * What does the price actually include? (How many nights and days? How many meals? Admission to sights? Exactly what kind of transportation?)<br /> * If the dollar drops, will the tour price stay the same or will a supplement be charged?<br /> * If the tour doesn't fill up, will the price increase? Are prices lower for off-season tours?<br /> * Do you take credit cards? (If you're dealing with a tour company that's not well established, pay by credit card. A credit-card company can be a strong ally in resolving disputes.)<br /> * Do singles pay a supplement? Can singles save money by sharing rooms?<br /> * Are optional excursions offered? Daily? Average cost?<br /> * Is trip interruption/cancellation insurance included?<br /> * Will the guide and driver expect to be tipped? How much? How often?<br /> * Are there any other costs?<br /> * Do customers receive any freebies for signing up?<br /><br />Find out how much the guide guides<br /><br /> * Is the guide also the driver?<br /> * Does the guide give talks on the cities, history, and art?<br /> * What are the guide's qualifications (education, experience, fluency in languages)? <br /><br />Run a reality check on your dream trip<br /><br /> * How many tour members will be on the tour?<br /> * Roughly what is the average age and singles-to-couples ratio?<br /> * Are children allowed? What is the minimum age?<br /> * How many seats on the bus? Is there a bathroom on the bus? How much time is spent on the bus each day?<br /> * Is smoking allowed?<br /> * Roughly how many hours a day are spent shopping and watching product demonstrations?<br /> * How much free time is usually allotted at each sight, museum, and city?<br /> * Are all the hotels located downtown or are they on the outskirts?<br /> * What's the average length of stay at hotels? One night? Two?<br /> * Does each room have a private bathroom? Air-conditioning?<br /> * What percentage of included meals are eaten at the hotel?<br /><br />Let's get personal<br /><br /> * How many years have you been in business?<br /> * Roughly how many tours do you run a year?<br /> * What is your policy if you have to cancel a tour?<br /> * What are your refund policies before and during the tour?<br /><br />Request<br /><br /> * The detailed itinerary and location of hotels.<br /> * The names and phone numbers of satisfied customers, though these aren't always given out.<br /> * Written tour evaluations, if available (may be posted on their website).<br /><br />How to Enjoy a Bus Tour<br /><br />Keep your guide happy. Independent-type tourists tend to threaten guides. Maintain your independence without alienating your guide. Don't insist on individual attention when the guide is hounded by countless others. Wait for a quiet moment to ask for advice or offer feedback. If a guide wants to, he can give his entire group a lot of extras — but when he pouts, everyone loses. Your objective, which requires some artistry, is to keep the guide on your side without letting him take advantage of you.<br /><br />Discriminate among optional excursions. While some activities may be included (such as the half-day city sightseeing tours), each day one or two special excursions or evening activities, called "options," are offered for $30–50 a day. Each person decides which options to take and pay for. To make sure you're not being ripped off on excursion prices, ask your hotelier the going rate for a gondola ride, Seine River cruise, or whatever.<br /><br />Some options are great, but others are not worth the time or money. While illuminated night tours of Rome and Paris are marvelous, I'd skip most "nights on the town." On the worst kind of big-bus-tour evening, several bus tours come together for the "evening of local color." Three hundred Australian, Japanese, and American tourists drinking watered-down sangria and watching flamenco dancing onstage to the rhythm of their digital camera bleeps is big-bus tourism at its grotesque worst.<br /><br />Your guide promotes excursions because she profits from them. Don't be pressured. Compare. Some options are cheaper through your tour than from the hotel concierge. Some meals are actually a better value with the group. Keep an open mind. While you are capable of doing plenty on your own, optional excursions can be a decent value — especially when you factor in the value of your time.<br /><br />But don't let bus tour priorities keep you from what you've traveled all the way to Europe to see. In Amsterdam, some tour companies instruct their guides to spend time in the diamond-polishing place instead of the Van Gogh Museum (no kickbacks on Van Gogh). Skip out if you like. Your guide may warn you that you'll get lost and the bus won't wait. Keep your independence (and the hotel address in your money belt).<br /><br />Be informed. Tour guides call the dreaded tourist with a guidebook an "informed passenger." But a guidebook is your key to travel freedom. Get maps and tourist information from your (or another) hotel desk or a tourist information office. Tour hotels are often located outside the city, where they cost the tour company less and where they figure you are more likely to book the options just to get into town. Ask the person behind the desk how to catch the bus downtown. Taxis are always a possibility, and, with three or four people sharing, they're affordable. Team up with others on your tour to explore on your own. No city is dead after the shops are closed. Go downtown and stroll.<br /><br />If you shop...shop around. Many people make their European holiday one long shopping spree. This suits your guide and the local tourist industry just fine. Guides are quick to say, "If you haven''t bought a Rolex, you haven't really been to Switzerland," or "You can't say you've experienced Florence if you haven't bargained for and bought a leather coat." Any tour guide in Europe knows that if she's got Americans on board, she's carting around a busload of stark raving shoppers. In Venice, as I orient my groups, merchants are tugging at my arm and whispering, "Bring your groups to our glassworks next time. We'll give you 15 percent back on whatever they spend — and a free glass 'orse!"<br /><br />Don't necessarily reject your guide's shopping tips; just keep in mind that the prices you see often include a 10–20 percent kickback. Tour guides are clever at dominating your time, making it difficult for shoppers to get out and discover the going rate for big purchases. Don't let them rush you. Never swallow the line, "This is a special price available only to your tour, but you must buy now."<br /><br />Remember, as your cruise ship docks in Turkey, that some cruise companies don't even hire a guide. They actually rent their groups out to the highest bidder. That "scholar" who meets you at the dock is actually a carpet salesman in disguise. He'll take you to the obligatory ancient site and then to the carpet shop. The demonstrations (by carpet sellers, glass merchants, and so on) are usually interesting. Use your newfound knowledge from the demonstration to shop around; you may find an item of equal quality for less elsewhere. Bargain.<br /><br />Spend time with locals who never deal with tourists. The only natives most tour groups encounter are hardened business people who know how to make money off of tour groups. Going through Tuscany in a flock of 50 Americans following your tour guide's umbrella, you'll meet all the wrong Italians. Break away. One summer night in Regensburg, I skipped out. While my tour was still piling off the bus, I enjoyed a beer — while overlooking the Danube and under shooting stars — with the great-great-great-grandson of the astronomer Johannes Kepler.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-44668866927200783182010-05-12T21:48:00.002-07:002010-05-12T21:49:13.619-07:00Prepare for SpontaneityBy Rick Steves<br />Rick in kilt<br /><br />Traveler 'A' takes off to Europe as a free spirit, without much planning, no real itinerary...and returns home with a backpack full of complaints about how expensive and stressful it all was. Traveler 'B' prepares for weeks as though her trip were some kind of final exam, mapping out a detailed day-to-day plan...and returns home with rich stories of spontaneous European adventures. It's the classic paradox of good travel: structure rewards a traveler with freedom, and "winging it" becomes a ball-and-chain of too many decisions, too little information...and precious little time to relax.<br /><br />I speak from experience. Between my guidebook research and TV filming commitments, I must have one of the most tightly-wound itineraries of any traveler today. Because of it, I always know where I need to be and what I need to be doing two hours from now. Ball-and-chain? No way. Good planning gives me the luxury of two hours of absolutely relaxed, focused-on-the-moment spontaneity, setting me up for a wealth of travel surprises. Not only am I prepared, I feel prepared. That makes me relaxed. It puts me in a frame of mind to look for fun: debating good whisky with proud Scotsmen, comparing frayed walking sticks with pilgrims in Santiago, and discussing cool cars with young bucks in Munich. It's one reason I love writing guidebooks: to find these vivid experiences and bring them home to my readers in hopes that they can be inspired to connect with Europe just as vividly...backed-up with the travel skills that make it all possible.<br /><br />After so many trips to Europe, I am still wowed by the blockbuster sights — but I've found that the experiences I truly savor are at the smaller, more obscure places. On a recent trip to Wales, I watched a frisky sheepdog enjoy total control over his flock as they ran along a green hillside. In this little dog-and-sheep show (given the too-clever name of "Ewe-phoria"), the sheepdog followed the whistled commands of his Welsh master. Later, in the Highlands, I asked a kilted friend whether he considers himself British or Scottish. He andwered, "Scottish first, Scottish second!" He then introduced me to the strange joy of wearing a fine kilt atop a windy peak. In York, a man in a suit took me up to the town's massive cathedral to ring its ten-ton tower bell. To my surprise, when he pulled the rope, the bell actually rung him — sending him swaying and giggling, high above the medieval floor.<br />Scottish wineseller<br />Taste the culture: I could have ordered a Coke on the run...or learned what's so special about what the locals drink.<br /><br />At the top of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, there's a touristy whisky-tasting experience that even includes a ride in a big whisky cask. I think of it as Malt Disney. At the bottom of that same street, there's a man who bottles whisky (the Scottish drop the "e", the Irish keep it) for local connoisseurs. As I step into his shop, he points to a rack of famous-name whisky bottles. He tells me the distillery owners who produce these — with their names on the bottles — dearly love their whisky. But they don't drink it from those bottles. ("It's all been purified, colorized and standardized for the mass market.") Walking me across the room to a shelf of aged wooden casks, the big, tough Scotsman explains, "They drink it in the rough, out of casks like these. It's like getting your milk straight from the farmer."<br /><br />He draws a wee dram for me, and I taste it. Whoa! Then he becomes suddenly gentle as, together, we pour a little spring water on it. Squinting into the glass, he coaches me along: "Look at the impurities gathering in a happy little pool there on top...the water is like a spring rain on a garden...it brings out the character...the personality." Sipping this whisky with an expert, I see how Scotland's national drink can become, as they're fond of saying, "a very good friend."<br /><br />Like in Scotland, in Santiago de Compostela — located in Spain's rainy northwest corner — old stones are mossy from constant drizzle. This, along with the local folk dancing (a kind of River Dance meets flamenco, complete with bagpipes and tambourines), reminds me of the local Gallego kinship with the Irish Celts due north of here. Here in Santiago, a famous pilgrimage destination, a magical feeling pervades — it's a timeless, spiritual, celebration of life. I stand where the scallop shell chiseled into the cathedral's doorstep marks the end of the 500-mile pilgrimage from France.<br />Pilgrim in spain<br />Share the joy: I could have spent the morning looking for a laundromat...or meeting far-trekking pilgrims at their moment of triumph.<br /><br />Triumphant trekkers of all ages and languages — walking sticks frayed on the ends, pant legs happily fringed, faces sunburned — pause to savor the sweet moment as they finally reach their goal. This is a personal inspiration for me, because the first guidebook ever written guided the ancestors of these spiritual pilgrims along this same well-worn path nearly a thousand years ago. Santiago was — and is today — a home to travelers from all over Europe, a place where cultures happily collide, borders melt away, and people embrace life.<br /><br />Venturing north to Munich, the locals like to discuss more earthly pursuits. While standing in line to buy train tickets, I strike up a conversation with a young man in front of me. I'm heading for the romance of Venice. He's catching a train to Frankfurt for a flight to...the US. It's a 19-year-old German's dream come true: Florian is flying to California for snowboarding, mountain biking...and American cars.<br /><br />With visions of Porsches and BMWs dancing in my head, I counter, "But I thought Germans had it good behind the wheel."<br /><br />"Yeah, I drive a BMW. But it is like a computer. No soul. My friend in Munich just bought a Chevy Caprice Classic with a big 5.6-liter V-8. He will pay very bad taxes for such an engine, and even more because it pollutes so much. But it is worth it."<br /><br />You can learn something about a country by how it taxes its cars. The practical Dutch are taxed by the weight of their cars. Money-minded Americans are taxed according to what their cars cost. The German government goes right for the thrill-seeking jugular vein, carefully calibrating vehicle taxes by horsepower.<br /><br />Which way is best? Who cares? Discovering a culture's unexpected everyday differences — and temporarily diving (or driving) into that world — is one of travel's great attractions. Tickets and reservations in hand, Florian and I go off to pursue our separate travel dreams...each of us feeling a little better connected to our world, and thrilled to be on the move.<br /><br />Even after 25 years of tromping through Europe's back streets, I always come home with a satchel full of new memories — surprising and playful — that happened along the way.<br /><br />No matter where you travel, you should carefully prepare...for spontaneity. A relaxed, confident attitude helps you sprinkle your trip with spice, allowing you to savor the "being there" pleasures found when you ventureGanzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-63741980271414941162010-05-12T21:48:00.001-07:002010-05-12T21:48:32.461-07:00Flying to EuropeBy Rick Steves<br /><br />Many of the same guidelines for flying to Europe apply, whether you buy your ticket online or from a travel agent (both explained below). The specific rules and regulations are confusing and always changing, but when you make the right choice, you get the right price. Plan on spending $700–1,200 for your basic round-trip ticket, plus another $300–500 in fuel surcharges, taxes, and other fees.<br /><br />Dollars saved = discomfort + restrictions + inflexibility. Assuming you know your options, you get what you pay for. There's no such thing as a free lunch in the airline industry. (In fact, these days, there's usually no lunch at all.) Full fare is very expensive. You get the ultimate in flexibility, but I've never met anyone spending his or her own money who flew that way.<br /><br />Rather than grab the cheapest ticket to Europe, go with the best combination of reliability, economy, and flexibility for your travel needs. Some completely refundable fares can be cheaper than the "full fare" version. Or it may make sense to buy a less-expensive ticket and pay the penalty if you need to change.<br /><br />Buy your tickets at the right time. Look for tickets as soon as you’re ready to firmly commit to flight dates and ports. As you delay, dates sell out and prices generally go up. Special fares are limited to a few seats to jump-start departures. It’s wise to look for tickets four to six months before you fly. Book your spring and summer travel in January, February, and March. In general, the sooner the better — but not all of the best fares are available in January, so keep an eye on the airfares (if booking on your own, check websites such as www.farecompare.com and use the "Farecast Technology" at www.bing.com/travel; if working with a travel agent, ask for advice on the best time to buy). Fall travel should probably be booked by May or June, because the trend for airfare prices and availability is known by then. If you're traveling in September — a very popular time to fly to Europe (particularly the first half of the month) — start looking even earlier. Travel during winter — November through March — can be purchased a month or so in advance (with the exception of winter breaks and holidays, which require earlier booking).<br /><br />Airfares vary by season and by day. Find out when "peak season" begins and ends. At certain crucial times, moving your flight by one day (out of peak and into shoulder season) could save you hundreds of dollars. Likewise, fares are generally a bit cheaper for travel Monday through Thursday than for weekends.<br /><br />Be aware of surcharges and taxes. Since fuel prices have experienced wide fluctuations in recent years, most airlines now levy a hefty "fuel surcharge," which varies depending on the airline and the price of fuel. Charges for checked bags are another headache. Combined with airport taxes (which vary by city), these fees can add hundreds of dollars to your total ticket price. A "cheap" $300 round-trip off-season flight to London can more than double in price when all the fees are included...not quite such a bargain after all. It's always smart to figure out the complete price before you commit.<br /><br />Consider flying "open jaw." I almost always fly "open jaw": into one city and out of another. In general, the fare is figured simply by taking half of the round-trip fare for each of those ports. I used to fly into Amsterdam, travel to Istanbul, and then (having rejected the "open jaw" plan because flying home from Istanbul costs $200 more than returning from Amsterdam) pay $200 to ride the train for two days back to Amsterdam to catch my "cheap" return flight. Now I see the real economy in spending more for "open jaw." "Open jaw" is cheapest when the same airline covers each segment of the round-trip journey.<br /><br />Look into consolidator fares. These fares — which can be sold by travel agents or online — are often cheaper than buying direct from the airline. Consolidators are wholesalers who negotiate with airlines to get deeply discounted fares on a number of tickets, which they then sell cheaply (but with a mark-up) to travelers. While consolidator tickets can be a great deal, they can be more restrictive than those bought from airlines: They're "nonendorsable" (meaning that no other airline is required to honor that ticket if your airline is unable to get you home — though in practice this is rarely a problem), and you may not get frequent-flyer miles. And if the airline drops its prices (which often happens), you are stuck with what was, but no longer is, a cheap fare. If buying a consolidator ticket, ask carefully about cancellation policies and other restrictions.<br /><br />Budget flights are restrictive. Most are nonchangeable and nonrefundable, but some offer changes on the return dates for a penalty of about $200. Even then, you typically need to make changes at least 24 hours before your departure to avoid losing the entire value of the ticket. If you need to change your return date in Europe, call your airline's European office. If that fails, I've found airlines become more lenient if you go to their office in person with a good reason for your need to change the return date. If you must get home early, go to the airport. If you're standing at the airport two days before your ticket says you can go home, and seats are available, regardless of the rules, they may let you fly home early (at no extra cost). They win a happy customer and gain two more days to try to sell an empty seat. Besides, at that point, it's the easiest way to get rid of you.<br /><br />Expect to get an electronic ticket. E-tickets are here to stay — most airlines no longer issue paper tickets. While travelers with an e-ticket can fly simply with a photo I.D., it's always smart to bring the printed receipt with you in case there are complications at the airport. Be sure the receipt has your e-ticket number, not just the airline’s reservation code.<br /><br />Reserve a specific seat for maximum comfort. Most airlines let you choose your seat when you book. To avoid being squeezed in the middle of a row, pick one as early as possible. For pointers, see Seat Guru.<br /><br />Review your ticket carefully when you book it. Double-check your dates, destinations, and exact spelling of your name. A simple second look as soon as you get your tickets can give you a chance to fix any mistakes...and save you enormous headaches later.<br /><br />Check in online before heading to the airport. Most carriers' websites allow you to check in and print your boarding pass from home (or from your European hotel) 24 hours before departure time. This is a good way to confirm your flight schedule and seat assignment, and can save you from waiting in check-in lines at the airport.Ganzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691853169875921640.post-68170820445617809972010-05-12T21:44:00.000-07:002010-05-12T21:45:37.274-07:00TestTesting whether it is displayed or notGanzorighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15121169545889132169noreply@blogger.com0