European Travel Skills: Part 2
See more travel skills tips excerpted from Rick's Europe Through the Back Door guidebook.
Hi. I'm Rick Steves — cruising the Grand Canal in Venice — and back for part two of our three part travel skills series. This time, we're going beyond the sights, bringing you more practical tips to help make enjoying Europe fun and hassle-free.
The skills we'll cover in this episode: planning, packing, safety and — perhaps the most rewarding skill of all — connecting with the locals.
Today more people than ever are enjoying Europe. And it's great fun snapping photos of the predictable biggies and enjoying those cultural icons.
But you can go deeper than traditions put on display for tourists. A more intimate Europe survives. You find it best by becoming a temporary locl. Make new friends where there are no postcards. Try the barnacles. Join the village parade...and do the Slovenian polka.
In this three-part travel skills special, we start in the Netherlands, venture through Germany, dip into Italy, sweep through Switzerland and France before finishing in England. In this second episode we travel through the highlights of Northern Italy: Venice, Siena, and my favorite part of the Italian Rivera.
For most people Venice is a must-see destination on their European trip, that's why it is so crowded. St. Marks Square: In the middle of the day it can seem like a zoo. It'll take an hour for these folks to get into the church. With so many people traveling these days, if you're not on the ball, you'll spend half your day in lines like this. Here's a tip: Arrive late and you can walk right in.
Europe's great cities are clever at keeping you in the touristy shopping zones. But even in Venice you can break free and enjoy a slice of work-a-day life. Get a haircut. That can be a cultural experience as memorable as visiting a museum...but with no crowds, and you'll meet someone who deals only with locals for his work. Even shy travelers can make friends with the barber.
Barber: Molti Capelli.
Rick: Grazie.
A question for many: Travel alone or with a partner? Traveling solo is the ultimate in freedom; you're more approachable, and more likely to connect with locals. But traveling with a partner is less expensive. You can share gondolas, hotel rooms, and even ice cream. And it comes with built in camaraderie. Take note; traveling together accelerates a relationship.
However you travel, tune into the culture to avoid silly mistakes: On forms, fill in the date European style: day...month...year.
Hotelier: On the second floor.
Rick: Second floor.
Hotelier: Second floor, thank you.
And over here the ground floor is...the ground floor. So their first floor is the American second...and the second floor is what we'd call the third. Cute little hotels often do not have elevators.
Weights and other measurements throughout Europe are always in the metric system. Give it a try.
Here's a kilo, that's a little more than 2 pounds.
Rick: Buon giorno, uno eto formaggio.
All over Europe produce is sold in 100-gram increments — about a quarter pound — enough for a hearty sandwich.
Rick: Grazie.
And when they write numbers, Europeans use commas and periods differently than we do. For instance, one and a half kilos looks like this...and there's one thousand grams in a kilo. And for temperatures they use Celsius rather than Fahrenheit — here's a memory aid: 28 C it's the same as 82 F...pretty warm.
During the Middle Ages, Venice was Europe's trading superpower, but today the big business is tourism. Like popular destinations all over Europe, Venice has tourist offices at the train station, freeway entry, and on the main square. While handy, they're here to help you spend money in their town. Many — funded by big hotels and tour companies — are more interested in selling tickets and services than just giving information.
Still, drop by to pick up a free city map, learn about special events and so on.
Rick: 7:05, that's great, grazie.
Attendant: Good bye.
Tourist office hotel-finding services can be helpful in a jam, but many only list places that pay their dues and give a kickback on business sent their way. Many of my favorite hotels and guesthouses opt out and don't even show up on Tourist Office listings. Finding and booking hotel rooms independently works best for me.
You can explore Europe on your own or with a tour. Either way can be the right choice. Many wish they could go on their own but are nervous about traveling independently.
Equipped with good information and a determination to travel smart, you can be your own tour guide. Guidebooks are $20 tools for $3,000 experiences. There are guidebooks for everyone: shoppers, opera buffs, seniors, campers...even vegetarians. Visit your local travel bookstore and get the book that fits your style.
Tour Guide: We're on the Rialto Bridge here. Our hotel is down this way; we're going to walk that way in a minute. We're here for two nights, tomorrow morning we're going to have a local guide show us the back doors of Venice. We're gonna have a great time.
Opting for a big bus tour can also be a good choice. They organize the top sights into a smooth and stress free package a tour can provide good comfortable hotels, door-to-door bus service — except in Venice of course, and an efficient sightseeing schedule at a great price. You'll probably see more per day on a tour than you would on your own.
And tours can connect you with top-notch local guides.
Local Guide, Elisabetta: This church has been built as a material church around the relic of St. Mark the Evangelist.
But understand how tours work. The retail price is often too good to be true — designed just to get you on board. Most of the profit actually comes in Europe. Guides are generally paid a token wage and make their real money through tips, selling optional sightseeing tours — one or two a day for around $50 each, and kickbacks on shopping.
Elisabetta: And now we are going to look at a glass blowing factory, I mean the demonstration, so please follow me.
Venetian glass is on every shopper's list and it comes with a great show.
Demonstrator: It is almost 1,000 years since we first start making glass in Venice.
Throughout Europe, tour groups are being wowed by local crafts people.
Demonstrator: He's the master, isn't that something? They make it look so easy. Can we say Bravo?
Group: Bravo.
It's fun and it's impressive. But keep in mind; your tour guide generally gets 15 percent back on whatever the group buys.
And touring the Continent with fifty Americans changes the Europe you'll experience.
With many tours, the culture comes canned and on stage. And all over Europe, tours that promise more sightseeing per day sell better. But the result is not more sightseeing, but more time on the bus.
Whether on a tour or on your own, Venice can be a highlight of your trip. You can cruise the canals...or comparison shop for a plastic gondola. Be careful your trip doesn't turn into just a shopping spree. Great sights are surrounded by shopping temptations.
If you do buy something big, breakable, or hard to pack, ask the merchant to mail it home.
Otherwise, when you get a shoe box worth of dead weight, send it home slow boat. Post offices generally sell handy boxes and many offer book rates which are less expensive.
Whatever the cost, if you want to pack light, it's money well spent.
Computer-literate travelers spend more time in cybercafes than in post offices. They're common throughout Europe. Here, for little more than the cost of an espresso, you can surf the web, check a train connection, book a museum entrance, or pick up and send some email.
With the internet, commission caps, and more airlines selling directly to consumers, travel agencies are struggling. While many prefer the web, I still rely on my travel agent to find me the best plane ticket and sort through my surface transportation options: railpass, car rental, or tour bus. But I don't need my travel agent's advice on foot-loose and fancy-free travel through Europe. That's what guidebooks are for.
Travel agencies in Europe are also helpful. Flights within Europe can be surprisingly affordable and local agents know of deals unheard of in the states. It can be cheaper to fly than take the train.
Rick: Buona sera. I need to go to Siena after tomorrow.
And they're also handy for making train reservations — saving a trip out to the station.
Travel Agent: The train leaves Venice at 4:28. Change in Florence, and then you have connections.
Rick: Grazie.
It's time to say goodbye to Venice and head into Tuscany, our next stop; Siena.
Siena is a pedestrian paradise — like Venice without the canals. Its main square, Il Campo, is one of the best. Five-hundred years ago, Italy was the center of humanism. Here, it's the city hall bell tower rather than the church spire that soars above the town.
I'm sleeping at Albergo Bernini. It's in the old center, family-run, and half the price of a big hotel. And it's a great place for reviewing some ideas on itinerary planning.
Start your travel experience early by enjoying the planning stage. Talk to other travelers, choose books and movies with your trip in mind, nurture your travel dreams. Then develop a thoughtful itinerary in steps:
Brainstorm a wish list of destinations, put them in a logical geographical order, then write down how many days you'd like to spend in each place and then tally it up. 32 days.
And now you've got to fit it with your vacation time. I've got 21 days off, that means I'm going to have to do some serious cutting here...minimize redundancy...can't do both the Italian Riviera and the French Riviera. Keep a balance between big cities and small towns. This is heavy on big cities. I think I'll have to cut Rome. Greece takes too much time to get to. It'll have to be on the next trip. Rather than spending an entire day on the train I can save a day in my itinerary by taking the overnight train, from Bavaria to Venice. I still have to cut one day. I'll have to tighten up on Paris, three days rather than four and I've got it — 21 days. It fits.
Now fine-tune your itinerary. Anticipate any closed days. For instance, in Paris most museums are closed on Tuesday. Also plan for any festivals that may happen on the route and build in a few slack days...two days on the beach midway through the trip; that'll be very nice. One-night stops are hectic. Try for at least two nights per stop. And remember...open jaws — that's flying into one city and out of another city — that's very efficient.
Finally, be realistic about how much you can cover. You'll always find places you can't get to. I really wanted to get to Greece, but squeezing it in would rush my entire trip. Assume you will return.
Factor in your comfort level with doing things on the fly. Some people have a great trip with nothing planned at all. Others have a great trip by nailing down every detail before they leave home. I booked Albergo Bernini in advance — sacrificing some itinerary flexibility in order to get the best value.
Also, plan thoughtfully to get the best weather and the least crowds. The most grueling thing about travel over here is the heat and crowds of summer — especially in Italy. Check the weather charts. My rough rule of thumb: north of the Alps is like Seattle; south of the Alps is like Southern California. In July this same square is packed with hot and sweaty tourists. But in shoulder season — that's spring or fall...we're here in September — it's ideal.
Winter travel comes with pros and cons: flights are cheaper, museums are empty, and the high culture — symphonies, opera and so on — is in full swing. But it rains more and gets dark early — especially in the north; and many activities and sights are closed, or run on shorter hours. While small towns, outdoor sights, and resorts can be dead in the winter; big cities like Paris, London and Rome are vibrant throughout the year.
While Europe has little violent crime; it comes with plenty of petty purse snatching and pickpocketing. European thieves target Americans — not because they're mean, but because they're smart. We're the ones with all the goodies in our day bags, wallets, purses, and fanny packs.
There are all kinds of scams. Sometimes thieves are mothers with babies in their arms and fast-fingered children at their sides. Thieves work to distract you. They'll spill something on you or shove a cardboard sign in your face, and so on. You're not likely to get mugged, just pick pocketed or purse snatched.
As you've heard me preach before, solve this problem simply by wearing a money belt. It's a nylon pouch you wear tight around your waist, tucked in like your shirt tail. Carry just the essentials so you can wear this thing comfortably all day long: passport, drivers' license, credit card, ATM card, big money, plane ticket home, railpass, a single sheet of paper with all of my important addresses and phone numbers. And to make replacing documents easier, I keep a photocopy of them here, and a second copy in my luggage.
Venice and Siena are great stops, but very famous. Throughout Europe, I make a point to venture beyond the famous cities. Find places that don't promote tourism.
I love the charm of the Cinque Terre — five remote and traffic-free villages wedged in the most rugged bit of the Italian Riviera, trying to hide out from today's modern world as they did from pirates centuries ago.
My favorite village is Vernazza.
Find your own back doors. Go down dead ends. Find places with no tour buses, no freeway access, and no hotels. Vernazza has no modern hotels, and that's good news. It keeps away that slice of the traveling public that demands all the four-star comforts.
You'll find humble pensions, families renting out spare rooms, and the classic small town Riviera experience.
Even remote villages like Vernazza are attracting crowds. But you can still connect. Teach the kids to thumb wrestle and you're the most popular tourist on the block. Learn to say beautiful child.
Rick: Bello bambino
And leave the crowded main street.
The language barrier was a big problem, but today's Europe is increasingly bilingual — and English is it's second language. These days it seems any place interested in your business speaks your language.
While it's nothing to brag about, I speak only English and manage fine from Rotterdam to the Riviera. A few tips help. It's rude to assume everybody speaks English. To be polite, I start conversations by asking, "Do you speak English? — Parlez-vous anglais? Sprechen Zie Englisch?" Whatever. If he says no, I do my best in his language. Generally after a couple of sentences he'll say, "Actually I do speak some English." Europeans are shy about their less-than-perfect English. Okay, your friend is speaking your language. Do him a favor by speaking slowly, clearly. Enunciate. Let each letter be heard. No slang, no contractions, internationally understood words. Instead of asking for the restroom, ask for the toilet. Instead of asking, "Can I take your picture?" point to your camera and ask "Photo?"
Make educated guesses and proceed confidently. This must be a pharmacy. This place sells pasta, foccacia and fresh fruit. And I can leave my bag here.
And have some fun with gestures. In Europe, each region has its own.
Rick: Mike, in Italy you can learn the words, but it's also good to learn the gestures, right? And what are some of the things you do?
Mike: Everybody talks by hands in Italy.
Rick: Okay.
Mike: So what you wanna know?
Rick: What's this one again?
Mike: Food is great.
- Watch out the enemy.
- You don't give a damn.
- Very good friend — buddy, buddy.
- What you think, I'm stupid?
- Ciao!
Packing light is essential for happy travel. Think about it: Have you ever met anyone who, after five trips, brags, "Every year I pack heavier"? Learn now or you'll learn later the importance of being mobile with your luggage. Pack light.
Large, unwieldy suitcases are bad for this kind of travel. Smaller, carry-on sized wheelie bags are popular and can work well.
If you don't mind slinging your suitcase over your shoulder, a bag like this works great. This is a soft-sided convertible suitcase/rucksack. It's designed to be as big as you can carry it onto the plane — 9-by-22-by-14 inches. Now, for maximum mobility, you plug in these hidden padded shoulder straps and then you can wear your suitcase as a backpack.
You'll be walking a lot with your bags — especially if traveling by train. Before your trip, try this test. Load everything up, and go downtown. Window shop for an hour with all your gear. If you can't do that, go home, spread everything out on the living room floor, and reconsider.
Pick up each item one at a time. Ask yourself, "Will I use this swimming mask enough to justify carrying it around?" Not "Will I use it?" This would be great here on the Riviera. But will I use it enough to feel good about packing it through the Swiss Alps? Frugal as I may be, I'd buy it here before I'd carry it through Europe.
Don't pack for the worst scenario. Pack for the best scenario and if you need something more, buy it over here.
Leave home with enough toiletries to get you started. Really look forward to running out of toothpaste in Italy. Then you've got a great excuse to go into a department store, shop around, and pick up something you think...might be toothpaste.
It's easy. You can get virtually everything in Europe. If you can't get one of your essentials here, perhaps you should ask yourself how 400-million Europeans can live without it.
Whether traveling for two weeks or three months, I pack exactly the same. Everything I need is in this bag. I only bring well-tested clothes. For the traveler, Europe is casual. Now for warmth, I layer it. You've got a light sweater and light jacket in summer. Of course, in winter you'll need to look at climate charts and bring more rain gear and a heavier coat and jacket. For pants I just love these khakis. They work great for me. Jeans in the hot, muggy Mediterranean are really bad news. I like a very light pair of long pants, something very breezy. These linen pants work great for me. A pair of shorts doubles as a swimsuit. For shirts, a T-shirt, two long-sleeved, two short-sleeved should be just fine. And the thing that determines when I have to do laundry is when I run out of socks and underwear, so think about how many socks and how many underwear you'd like to bring. As far as shoes go, this is very important. I bring one very well broken in pair of good, sturdy walking shoes. For me the sole is more important than the ankle support. If you're bringing a second pair of shoes make it a light one.
And travel information, very important, but not too much — a basic map, couple of guidebooks, and I rip out sections of guidebooks to keep the bulk down; Unless you're really a serious photographer, a little point and shoot camera works just fine; as far as toiletries kit goes, just the basics, a miscellaneous stuff bag full of odds and ends — extra glasses, sunglasses, first aid kit and medicine cabinet things, a pocket knife, and so on. I didn't pack an umbrella. But it rained and I bought one. They're cheap over here. And when I'm out and about, I have a day bag.
Now, let me talk about electricity. For electrical gear you have two concerns: converting the voltage from 110 American to 220 European and adapting the plug to actually fit into the wall. Most travel-friendly appliances come with a converter, either built-in or like this. If not, you have to buy one. As for the plugs, there are only two kinds of adaptors: In Britain you want to have the three rectangular prongs to fit into the wall. Anywhere on the continent the adaptor with the two little round plugs works just great.
Candy Anderson, an American on the road for a month, has some packing tips for women travelers. We asked her how women can pack both light and smart.
Candy: Well, you can pack lightly and still have a wonderful wardrobe. Nearly everything I have in here does double duty with at least two other items that I'm carrying. Wrinkles can really be a headache when you're traveling if you don't use fabrics that either hide the wrinkles or don't show the wrinkles at all. So this skirt, which is a broom skirt that can be wound up and packed very easily, does not show wrinkles or looks good wrinkled. This jumper is easy to wear and you can unbutton a few buttons and get into your moneybelt easily.
Rick: What if you want to dress up to go out to a nice restaurant?
Candy: If you want to dress up to go out to a nice dinner, a scarf that will mix and match with a lot of your wardrobe will be great. And it's good for covering up your shoulders in those cathedrals in Europe. Shoes are the most important things that you can pack and carry on your trip. Comfort over style is most important. I carry a lightweight pair of black sandals that will go for dress or for pants, and a sturdy pair of walking shoes.
For both men and women, exploring is part of good travel. Valerio — who dished up my pasta last night — is taking me on a short hike to his favorite viewpoint. Besides packing light, planning right and learning some communication skills, travel in a way that broadens your perspective. And for me that means connecting with friendly locals.
Whether you're high above Italy's Cinque Terre or in Bulgaria's Rila Monastery, take advantage of Europe's many opportunities to get more than just fun in the sun
I call this "traveling on purpose." Walk with pilgrims at Fatima or sing in a Gothic evening song service. Listen to tales of Scotland in the Highlands or celebrate a Slovenian wedding with people you just met. Wherever your travels take you, let Europe change your outlook on life.
And that's my kind of souvenir. Thanks for joining us. Next time we finish our three-part travel skills special with lots more practical tips...in the Swiss Alps, Paris, and London. I'm Rick Steves. Keep on travelin'. Ciao.
See more travel skills tips excerpted from Rick's Europe Through the Back Door guidebook.