Backpacking Europe The Right Way
Backpacking Europe is a rite of passage for thousands of young people from almost every nation in the world.
I remember being there and seeing hundreds of young people all summer long traveling the highways and byways of Germany, France and Italy. All were going toward the next great place to see and explore.
I believe the biggest benefit from backpacking is the fact that you are not in the artificial surrounding that a tour group and the tourist hotels give you.
You are with the people, right in the middle of the true European experience.
Backpacking Europe is not the same as backpacking the John Muir or Appalachian Trail. You will spend a lot of time in urban areas, travel by airplane, boat, rail, bus and probably a little on foot. But mostly you will be on well traveled highways and byways.
You might actually camp somewhere, but most of your night times will probably be spent in Hostels. There you will enjoy a clean facility, bed, a meal and also meet other backpackers from all over the world.
Another benefit is that it will cost much less compared to someone's over planned and well orchestrated tour group.
Unlike other tourists you are totally self contained with your backpack, are not on a commercial tour, have the freedom to go most anywhere, have your own schedule and use both public transportation and your feet to get around.
Not to mention the other fact that this is costing you a fraction of what the other guys are paying while staying much longer.
Today with the European Union in place it is a little easier getting around from country to country. The travel documentation is much easier now.
For countries outside the EU, the documentation is no worse than it ever was. However, there are many more restrictions in this day and age at airports and other key travel centers. We will discuss all of that and more.
Initial Planning:
This is the most important part of your trip.
If this is not done well your dream trip will turn into a big nightmare. It can also drive the cost far above your planned expenses.
If you are traveling on a strict budget, as most European backpackers do, poor planning can stretch your finances to the breaking point and force you to come home very quickly.
Good planning does not mean setting an inflexible route or schedule.
There will always be some changes as you go along. You might find a city, a village or some area you want to spend an extra day or two exploring.
You will have that freedom if you have all of the information you will need and a little time built in for relaxation.
You will, without question, meet up with other backpackers from various countries and might want to spend some time with them.
All sorts of variables can, and will, pop up that can alter your schedule a bit. The idea is to be prepared to adjust so you still get to see all that you came for.
Planning should begin six months ahead at minimum. Up to a full year is better. The very first thing you should do is decide who is all going. You are going to be very close to each other during the trip and compatibility will become important.
You will all need to input your thoughts and desires so everyone will be able to have their dream vacation.
Think about a circular route so you can depart from the same airport as you arrived. This can be less expensive when you buy your tickets. You can pay a penalty by arriving in Paris and departing from Dublin.
When To Go
The busiest time in Europe for all forms of tourism is May through September.
It is also the hottest in the southernmost countries like Italy and Greece.
The offseason offers many attractive reasons to go then, but if you are a student your options for travel times can be more limited.
During the summer all attractions tend to be more crowded, but don't let that be a deterrent.
You can still have a great time and there will be more people to meet along the way.
Once everybody is in agreement to go, in the time before you depart you must:
- Agree on a departure time and the length of your trip
- Develop a list of what you all want to see
- Map out the route for your agenda
- Refine the list to fit your time schedule
- Develop a budget
- Gather as much information as you can about your route
As soon as you have a committed time and route you should then
- Get your passports
- Travel documents
- Buy tickets into and out of the airports of your choice.
- Buy Rail passes
Passports are no longer quick turnarounds and buying tickets six months early will get you the lowest cost. There is much more detail about all of this in the information that follows.
Getting Travel Information:
So, your group has met, talked it all over and you have narrowed your list down to 27 cities and 114 places or events.
You should accomplish that in six to eight months on the road!
Sometimes it is difficult to get a group together on what it is they are going to see. There can be so many places on everyone's mind at first that it seems futile eliminating some places.
Unless you will be gone for an extended period you should limit your travel just a few countries. You can always go back and see the rest later, you know!
Having lived in Europe for two years I learned that there is plenty to see and do in any one country. All the major and famous tourist sites need to be taken in, naturally, but I spent a lot of time in the byways and have witnessed some of the most scenic places.
The internet is full of information sources. Today, I would buy books on each potential country I could be interested in plus a listing of Hostels in them. Get the type of book that is specific to backpacking, not general tourism.
Get maps too. That will give you a perspective of the routing and the distances involved. You can Google "Backpacking Europe" and select what interests you.
Making hops through countries to get to another one is not a big issue. A Eurail pass can be purchased for travel to, or through, twenty participating countries.They can be purchased for as few as any 5 days of travel within a 2 month period to as long as unlimited travel for 3 months.
They are not cheap, but the destinations are unlimited within the twenty countries and the time frame you bought them for. It is a great way to get around. Trains in Europe are clean, fast and you better be there on time because the train is!
Let's plan your trip
First select the countries you want to go to from the lists of books found on any of the various web sites or in book stores.
Find out what's most important for the group and lay it out on the map. If things cannot be fit into your time frame then begin to eliminate them from the itinerary.
Get down to a practical trip that fits into your time frame and also allow for a few days down time. You probably will need it and if not, there will always be something else to see you did not plan on.
Don't rush the planning process. Discuss every possible place and combination you can to narrow down to a practical trip. Remember, most of these sights have been there for centuries so they won't go away. You can always come back again.
Expenses:
Traveling this way is not without costs. It is considerably less than taking an organized tour, staying in five star hotels filled with other tourists and eating in tourist filled restaurants.
I will provide a potential range of most costs and identify the things you will need to buy now or plan for. Today, the costs of some of these things can change quickly, so determine the actual prices for your self.
Pre-departure items:
- Travel information books
- Passport ($97.00)
- Airline tickets (Dependant on your departure and arrival points)
- Eurail pass (Variable for your age and duration of use. See www.eurail.com for specific information and costs)
- Backpack ($100.00-$250.00 depending on size and comfort. Be sure it is big enough for the time you will be gone)
- Misc. clothing items you choose to buy for the trip
While you are there:
- Hostels ($20:00 - $40.00 a night depending on location. See the Hostel Guide Book or web page www.hostelworld.com)
- Hotels (Variable according to type and location, See www.priceline.com or www.hotels.com for help or talk to your travel agent)
- Food ($15:00 - $30.00 a day depending on where you are and what you eat)
- Local travel (Busses subways, etc. Plan on $10.00 a day to be safe See www.busabout.com for regional travel)
- Attractions (Again, variable. Museums and other major attractions $15.00 or so. See the guide books for current information.)
- Entertainment (All over the board. If you are into beer, being a tourist it can be expensive in the major cities. That is why I spent a lot of time in the smaller villages. The atmosphere is local, not touristy and the prices are much cheaper.)
A 30 day trip solely in Western Europe will run from as little $1,800 to over $2,000, depending on your choices, plus airfare to get there.
Eastern Europe is a little less expensive. The same time will be $1,300 to over $1,800. A combination of these countries will help take the edge off a little.
Compare this 30 day trip cost to a regular tour. Most will last from a week to ten days and see only specific sites. Compare and you will see the economies of it.
In addition, always figure a little emergency fund into your budget in case you find that perfect gift or thing to buy or another great place to go you did not plan for.
Don't carry a lot of cash on you. That can be foolish anywhere in the world today. What extra cash you do decide to carry, get a money belt for it.
Carry only a day's worth of cash in your wallet. US Dollars spend in many places Europe but you may not get a proper rate of exchange. You are better off using local currency. You can do this at the airport just as you arrive, or many other places in any major city.
In today's world you can withdraw local currency from most ATMs. They are not as plentiful as in the US or Canada, but look around, they are available. They eliminate taking a lot of cash with you and they will provide you local currency.
Talk to your own bank about that before you go. Make sure your ATM card will work there or go get one that will.
Don't plan on using your Visa or Master Card everywhere. The Europeans do not use credit card as widely as here in North America. Always ask if you can use one otherwise you might run up a tab somewhere and then find out they don't accept any cards.
In the EU, it is simpler to just convert your money into Euros as they are used in all of these countries.
Outside of the EU convert to the local currency. There are converters that will tell you how much you are spending if you have trouble with the math.
Travel Documents
Passports:
A passport is required wherever you go. Don't wait! Today, a US passport will cost $97.00 and can take up to 12 weeks to get back to you. Expediting one will cost another $60.00 to get it back in 2-3 weeks, so don’t wait. Do it now.
To obtain a US passport your local post office is a good place to begin. If it does not do passports then they can tell you where. You will need a current birth certificate issued by your local county hall of records as well as your photographs. Many places take passport photos that will work just fine.
Visa:
If your stay in Europe will be confined to the EU Nations, then a visa is not needed. Each country allows tourists up to 90 days with no additional paperwork. This is true for citizens of the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and any other EU nation.
You must, however, have your passport stamped at your port of entry. It will indicate the date you entered and start the clock ticking.
You can verify this information at www.embassyworld.com as well as locate any other embassy in the world. Contact the one in your own country to get visas for non EU nations.
Embassies:
A strong suggestion: When you arrive in a particular country and will be staying for a while, register at your own countries embassy or consular office. If they don’t know where you are, they can't contact you in any emergency. If any natural disaster occurs, it will also help them greatly if they know you are around.
Getting There:
The time to get your travel tickets is about six months before you go.
This will offer you the best prices.
I would work with a good travel agent rather than shop each airline.
The ticket cost won't be any higher. In fact, a good travel agent can save you a lot of money. They have access to all of the information from every airline and can see the best deals.
Be sure everyone in your party is committed to go on your trip. The best deals for tickets are usually non-refundable. Once you buy them, the most you will be able to do is exchange them for another flight and usually for an additional cost.
Packing:
OK, you have planned your trip, you know the countries you will be visiting, you found the average temperatures and weather conditions and your passport is on the table next to your plane reservations.
The absolute very next thing to do is to get a good backpack. This is very important. It must carry everything you need and remember, you will be caring it on your back as you travel.
Both size and comfort is what you need. www.great-family-camping.com is a great place to find a good variety of quality backpacks. For a 30 or more day trip you can be carrying about 25-30 pounds, so find out what that weight is like on your body before you depart.
Internal frame packs are best for this type of travel. With no frame parts protruding there are fewer things to get caught on. A lot of zipper pouches are good for holding smaller things and provide easy access to them.
Don't forget to get one with well padded shoulder straps and a waist strap to help take most of the load off of your shoulders.
What to Bring?
This is real decision making time. For an experienced backcountry backpacker they all know that if you think you might need something then you don't. Every item you bring takes space and adds weight so think carefully.
The following does not include the clothes you wear as you depart:
- Underwear/socks (Not more that a weeks worth. You can do laundry over there!)
- Outer garments - One pair of jeans, one or two pairs of shorts, several lighter shirts or blouses that you can layer if it gets cool.
- Jacket - One lightweight type for rain/wind (remember layering underneath if necessary)
- Sweatshirt - One. Sweat pants if you want for lounging.
- Shoes - One sturdy pair of shoes or boots for walking and one lightweight sandal.
- Swim suit - Optional
- Pajamas - something to sleep in
- Hat - Some parts of Europe are hot and sunny in summer and very cool in the off seasons
In cooler weather add the following:
- A second pair of pants
- A light waterproof jacket that can be worn over the other jacket.
- Gloves or mittens
- Warm socks
Other necessary things:
- Small digital camera. Fill up that storage disc so everyone at home can see the wonderful time you had!
- Address book, if you are going to send anyone a postcard or email them.
- Take your toiletries and hygiene supplies and pack them in zip lock bags.
- Spare zip lock bags
- If you are going to do your own laundry over there bring some type of drain stopper for the sink and a lashing cord for a drying line. Not everyplace has a washer. You can buy soap there.
- Some Hostels do not supply bedding linen. Bring one Queen Size sheet that you can fold over on a single bed.
- If you plan to actually camp, then a sleeping bag and pad and forget bringing the sheet.
- Bath towel
- Sun Glasses
- Band Aids and antiseptic in a zip lock bag
- A small AA size flashlight (Mag type)
Do not bring:
- Expensive jewelry
- Illicit drugs. More on this in a moment
- A bad attitude about foreigners. Remember you are now the foreigner.
Expendables such as shaving cream, lip balm, asprin and toothpaste can be bought or restocked over there.
Drugs:
If you have any prescription drugs keep them in the original bottles and pack them in plain sight. Even these can cause occasional problems with border guards today.
Don't even think about bringing in illicit drugs or buying them there to bring home. The drug laws in other countries can be very harsh and, yes, you will end up in jail.
Communicating home:
So, it's been three weeks and nobody at home has heard from you. That should throw a panic attack straight into your families.
Be kind and speak to them every few days. Mom and Dad will sleep much better and you won't be hearing about it for six months after you get back.
Don't try ordinary international calling, it can be expensive. Get some calling cards from either www.zaptel.com or www.callingcards.com before you go. It is much cheaper to use these than direct calling.
Cellular telephones can also be rented from www.cellularabroad.com if you don't mind carrying a few more ounces. This company allows free incoming calls so the nervous types back home, who will forget the eight or nine hour time difference, can wake you up in the middle of the night to insure you are OK. (You don't have to give them the number).
Communication with the people:
Try to learn some of the languages in the countries you will be visiting. A phrase book will help. They are used to handling tourists and English is spoken more than you can imagine, but any attempt on your part to communicate, even if it is only courtesies, will go a long way.
Hostels:
While they are relatively inexpensive, don't expect the finest in living accommodations. Most are clean and fairly comfortable, but they can be noisy and not offer a lot of privacy. Private rooms can be had at a higher cost.
They will be found all over Europe. Many are along the great travel routes, a lot are on the byways and some right alongside the great metropolitan cities.
The staff at any hostel is usually very helpful with information for getting around. They are "locals" and know the area. They are also constantly dealing with travelers just like you and know what it is that you need to get around. There will also be other backpackers you will meet and be able to share information with.
Some places will have a small bar attached, a kitchen you can use and also laundry facilities. Inquire in advance and pick the best spot to spend a few days at while you explore the area.
When traveling, always book space a few days in advance to insure space is available. This is especially true on the weekends and around major cities.
You always have the option of using "off the beaten path" hotels. These can also be found in guide books and possibly arraigned through a travel agent.
They will cost more than a hostel. I used to stay at one in Paris about two blocks from the Arc de Triomphe and close to the subway station. It was small, plain, clean and inexpensive. They can be found.
Good luck and have a great time!