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Whenever I start this conversation, people are typically astounded that I haven’t been to Europe before. “You haven’t been to Europe????” is how the conversation always seems to start, as though traveling to another continent is a thing that everyone can just wake up and do. No, I haven’t been to Europe before, but a few months ago, my girlfriend and I decided we would shoot our shot, request 7 days of PTO and embed ourselves in different cultures for a week and a half.
Okay, granted, there was more to it than just a spur of the moment decision. My best friend from high school has been studying in Barcelona to get his Master’s Degree and for months I told him I would come out to visit him, I just never found the time. I talked to my girlfriend about it and we picked a slew of dates and locations, trying to plan the perfect European adventure. After a few weeks, we landed on “beginning of summer” for the time frame and Barcelona, Paris, and Amsterdam as our destinations.
All of our flights are booked and we’re rocking out in Airbnb’s the whole time, and honestly, I couldn’t be more excited. But here’s the thing: between how busy I’ve gotten at work and family events on the weekends, neither one of us have had any time to put together an itinerary for the trip. We’re going in completely blind, which can be a good thing sometimes. However, I just want to make sure we’re not fucking up our first trip to Europe. So with that in mind, I have a few questions.
What are the rules there?
Something people keep bringing up about Paris is how nice it is that you can just get a bottle of wine, some bread, some cheese, and just sit out in a park and have a picnic. That sounds absolutely dope, and I’m all for it. But the only thing that keeps coming to mind is “Open Container Policy.” I’m not saying I’m going to be chugging whiskey out of the bottle while walking down the streets, but where’s the line? And on top of that, are there any other random laws we should know about before we step foot on foreign soil and cause an international incident?
How much should I worry about the language barrier?
So far, I’ve heard that the stereotype of the French being rude is only true if you simply assume they speak English. I totally get that, and I figured that if everything is going to be written in a foreign language anyway, I should learn that language.
Well, here we are in the final hours before our trip, and I’ve failed out of six days worth of Duo Lingo because I haven’t learned the difference between “see you later” and “see you tomorrow” yet. I still haven’t learned how to say, “Where’s the bathroom?” or “More wine, please,” and I have a sneaking suspicion that’s going to be an issue. Which brings me to my next point…
Am I about to go on a 10-day wine bender?
I was thinking about it over the weekend and I realized that Spain and France aren’t exactly known for their beers. Plus, all I’ve heard is that the Sangria in Spain is phenomenal. I have no doubt that it is, but going from Sangria in Spain to Cabernets in France tells me that I’m going to need to make sure I’m not treating this as a wine special at a tapas restaurant. If I do that, there’s no doubt I spend the entire trip in a perpetual hangover that would cause me to cast an undeserved negative light on Europe as a whole for at least a few years.
Are there ATMs there?
What I’m looking forward to the most about this trip is that we’re planning to live like locals. Yeah, we want to see the Eiffel Tower and yeah, we want to see the Sagrada Familia in Spain, but other than that we don’t really plan to do a bunch of touristy things. But if we’re living like locals, does that require cash? Are there card minimums if we want to stop for a cup of coffee? Will I have to pull out some Euros if we’re going to the market for a loaf of bread? If the answer is yes, then where do I go to get that cash?
How much am I allowed to talk about my trip to Amsterdam when this is over?
I’m at the point in my life where I know how to tailor my stories to match my audience. I can talk about the same spring break trip to different groups of people and they could have very, very different thoughts on the level of raunchiness the trip had. There’s no doubt in my mind that tons of people are going to ask about this trip as a whole, which is totally fine! I’m sure I’ll want to talk everyone’s ear off about it.
But when it comes to Amsterdam…literally none of our plans are work appropriate. We both have every intention in checking out a coffee shop (wink emoji) and heading to a sex show to watch people bang one out on stage. Not exactly a 9-5 conversation. Now, that’s not going to stop me from going because frankly, that sounds super weird and fun and awkward and awesome. But talking about it, well, that’s going to be a different story. .
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Charlie
Using sarcasm as a defense mechanism since 1993. At any given moment I'm either tired, drunk, or stressed out. Get at me at charliepgp@gmail.com or whatever.
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I feel like death today
We believe in you Tony
How dare you confuse me for Lars.
Eat truffles in Amsterdam.
Truffle bois
Prepare to be amazed at just how cheap wine can be.
Don’t be surprised if you start craving McDonalds or some other American cuisine after being over there a few days. Don’t give in to temptation, unless you are really drunk.
Don’t bring Euros to Europe. Withdraw at the ATM when you are in the country. Make sure, if given the option, to have your bank do the conversion rate. Basically, you can have the ATM either bill your bank in USD, or in the local currency. By having your bank billed in the local currency, it allows them to set the exchange rate (much more trustworthy) than the ATM telling your bank that you took out XXXUSD. It is just another way for them to make money. I typically only carry USD if I am in a country where bribery might be a cultural thing, but it doesn’t sound like you are going to any of those places.
Unless you are exchanging with some American at a hostel, don’t give up your euros before you leave. If you were responsible (or highly irresponsible), you shouldn’t ever have too many euros in your wallet when you leave. The money exchange is a huge ripoff, plus having that stack of euros in your safe at home will encourage you to return.
Don’t carry your passport with you, nor your wallet. I carry my drivers license, and 2 different credit cards in two different locations on my body. Pickpockets are a thing, especially if you look like a lost tourist.
Don’t be an America idiot. Don’t be afraid to buy a few local brands and wear them. Leave your American drinking tee shirts and your north face (might not be needed in the summer).
With that being said, don’t be afraid to play the dumb American. I got out of a few police encounters that way.
Try every bit of food, even if you think it is gross (like snails).
You cannot keep up with the Australians when it comes to drinking. Im not saying that you shouldn’t try, just be prepared.
Everyone worth talking to speaks English. The French don’t like to speak English, but they certainly learned it in school.
Finally, get out of the cities. The best experiences are in the countryside.
As you can see, Im being super productive at work after a long weekend.
For some reason, I feel like we have similar jobs.
Yeah, we all do.
Europe is just a slightly less awesome America, so it’s cool.
But yes, you’re going to drink so much wine. There are ATMs everywhere. No one is going to hate you for being a wine drunk America who can’t pronounce anything correctly, but they are going to spit in your food at dinner.
I was also just told that Amsterdam is actually overrated. Can anyone confirm this?
If you’re looking for a stoner city with a bunch of worthless hippies sitting around getting stoned, banging hookers, and being absolute degenerates, Amsterdam is overrated. If you’re looking for a city that has an eclectic, one of a kind mix of being a productive metropolis while also maintaining a laissez faire mentality towards human vices, all while encompasses in history, architecture and culture, it isn’t overrated at all.
As someone who has never been to Europe, would it be out of the question for PGPers who have to do a power ranking of best/need to visit European cities?
Paris: great, we did the touristy things and a day trip to Versailles. Go to notre Dame early to avoid crowds
Rome: not my favorite, but still cool. Get to the Vatican early to avoid lines. You can pay to go to the top of St. Peter’s. Great views. They call it the cupola. I now understand in the summer you can visit the Papal summer residence. Check the Vatican website.
Lisbon, Portugal: Great affordable city. Look at their airline they are now doing stopover programs. You could see it in 2 days. Loved the historical Belem area.
Madrid: my memories aren’t as clear from this place. Enjoyed the palace and tapas but wasn’t an absolute favorite.
Krakow, Poland: loved!! So most history and it was not bombed in WW2. We did a day trip to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines. Very moving at Auschwitz. The royal palace was cool. Also very affordable. It is smaller so there are less hotels in old town.
Warsaw, Poland: feels like a larger city, that was completely rebuilt. Not my favorite but still a lot of history.
Prague: LOVED! Prague was also not bombed so everything is original. Beer is cheaper than water ha. Old town is cool. If you’re catholic the Infant of Prague church was great in the mala strana. The Lobkowicz palace was a highlight. It is a noble family’s story.
London: a lot like the US but more history. I enjoy the royal stuff. I wish we would have had one more day to do Windsor and not just because of the royal wedding. Buckingham palace does tours in late summer when the queen is on holiday.
Brussels: cool, large city. Grand Place was gorgeous. There’s a chocolate outlet in the suburbs if you want to bring back a lot. It’s the Neuhaus Factory Store.
Bruges, Belgium: LOVED! It’s known as a northern Venice. So picturesque. Definitely a slower pace than the large cities.
Hope this helps!! My mom and I have done lots of trips!
Don’t know why this got a downvote unless it was out of pure jealousy, thank you!
I 100% agree with your takes on Prague and Bruges. They are my far the most underrated cities I’ve visited.
Good work, Mich. Adding on here…
Lisbon: One of my favorite cities. Hike to the top of the Sao Jorge castle and ride the trams – great way to see the city. People are friendly and speak English too.
Madrid: I lived here for 5 months. Great city to live in, but not a good tourist city as there just aren’t many super exciting things, but transportation, etc is great and there’s lots to do.
Barca: Like a smaller Madrid + beach. More touristy & better for a weekend.
Brussels: Awesome city. Beer and waffles are unreal.
Bruges: One of my favorites. Incredible architecture, and very walkable. 100% worth a day trip.
Amsterdam: Great town, but it’s not a blaze-fest like many Americans expect. Lots to do/see, overall very nice city.
Copenhagen: Tons of fun, but very expensive and potentially cold. Go to Tivoli.
South of Spain: Just go.
Everyone I know who has been to Prague (including myself) has loved it. 10/10 would recommend.
RT on Krakow. That and Budapest have been my favorite cities in Europe. Never really hear a lot about central/eastern Europe growing up and absolutely loved both.
Irish PGPer checking in…
Ireland – I understand if this isn’t high on some Americans’ lists of places to see in Europe as it might not have the romantic idealism of Paris or Rome, but in my unbiased opinion it’s fuckin unreal. Dublin, Galway and maybe Cork or Kilkenny are worth seeing.
England – can give this shithole miss 😉 I joke. London is a highly populated metropolis that I have a love/hate relationship. I used to work there so hate it from that POV, but my brother still lives there and it’s great for a weekend getaway to booze… and also plenty of stuff see. I would recommend Edinburgh in Scotland it is a beautiful little city and the Scots are fun people/
France – Paris is overrated. Very expensive (even compared to Dublin) but has some landmarks that you probably wanna tick off. I have seen all the beaches of the D-Day landings in Normandy which as a history nerd, was pretty special. I haven’t been to the South of France but it’s meant to be beautiful. Skiing in the French Alps is ridiculously good fun too.
Netherlands/Belgium – Haven’t been to Belgium myself but my cousin lives in Brussels and speaks very highly of it. Good beer and chocolate, what’s not to like I guess? Plus you can check out Brugge if you’re a fan of the movie. I’ve only been to Amsterdam in the Netherlands and have had a couple different experiences. It’s not a stoner city, nor is it a great party city on par of some of the other’s that I’ll talk about below. But if you adjust your expectations it is great fun. Very multicultural and if you can get in with someone who knows their way around they will show you a good time.
Germany – Berlin is the shit. Great city, great beer and great people. If you want a heavy few days on the booze, Berlin should be at or near the top of your list. Again, as a history nerd, there’s lot’s to see and do here. The Germans are very open about their past so don’t be shy to ask questions in a polite manner, just don’t be an asshole. Unfortunately it’s the only German city I’ve been to but friends have been to Hamburg, Dortmund, Munich and Koln and all reports have been amazing.
Poland – Krakow. This is probably my favourite city in Europe. It’s so beautiful that even as Hitler was basically reducing the rest of Poland to dust, he spared this magical city. It’s quite small and central which makes the nightlife incredible. A central town square with big church and loads of bars around the perimeter make for some of the best drinking in Europe. Auschwitz death camp is a couple of hours bus ride away… Not a fun experience but it’s important to see how badly things can go wrong even just 70/80 years ago.
Czech Republic – The Czechs are the only country in Europe that consume more alcohol than the Irish per capita (I maintain this has a lot to do with Prague being number 1 bachelor party destination and the influx of Irish and English louts every weekend). Prague is a beautiful old city with a heavy drinking and partying culture and a helluva of both, plus a lot of prostitutes… If that’s your thing. Legal btw, same as Germany and Amsterdam.
Hungary – Budapest is up there for me with Berlin and Krakow as my favourites. Another old, beautiful city with a shitload of history. The bath party on Saturday nights is a must do if you’re there! It’s basically a big pool party that starts early and goes on all night… Get’s pretty loose.
Italy – Rome, like Paris, in my opinion is overrated. Has the history and culture, but the people are fairly arrogant and can be rude (same as the Parisians). But it’s definitely worth seeing for the landmarks.
Spain – Going Madrid later this year so can’t comment on there yet. But I’ve been to Barcelona many times and the south coast of Spain on the Med. This is a very popular spot for a family holiday but not what you’re looking for. Barcelona is pretty cool though. Has a lot to offer and has an awesome beach which is quite rare for a major city.
Despite this being quite a long list I’ve left a lot off, but should be enough to pique your interest. All depends on how much time you have and what kind of holiday you’re looking for. I’ve done a couple of the above in different situations (family holiday as a kid, boozy weekend with the boys and slightly less boozy weekend with a lady)
My fiancee and I are going to Ireland for 10 days for our honeymoon and we are both absolutely stoked. I might have to hit you up on the PGP sub-reddit for some travel tips.
It depends what you want. If you are looking for booze/party cities, The further east you go, the cheaper everything is. North and west is expensive. Ukraine will be your cheapest. I was in a city where the number 1 buffet brunch place (included some vodka/champ) was like $4.15. On the other hand, go to Iceland and prepare to drop $10+ on a single beer.
If you want to actually experience culture, that is pretty much an entirely different list. If you tell me what you want to do, I can tell you where to go.
I would say culture first, touristy shit second. If I can get an authentic experience, I’m all for it. Not that I’m against going to the “attractions” but my first priority would definitely be the lesser known spots.
I am pushing my thirties and not saying I’m not interested in the European party scene, but it’s definitely not the reason I’d be going.
So Id highly recommend Sarajevo, Bosnia. The city is beautiful, and manageable. If you like history, it has a lot of it. One of the coolest parts is that you talk to anyone on the street your age and older, and they remember the war. I had a few different cab drivers tell me about the siege and where they were stationed in the army. Stay out of the woods, there are still some mines. The Turks founded the city, the Austrians ruled for a while, and then the communists took over. So you have a great combo of food, as well as architecture. If you are in that area, Id also head over to Split, Croatia, and also Dubrovnik. If you are feeling adventurous, there is white water rafting groups (for like $40) that go down the Tara River, which is a lot of fun.
I 100% support the previous mention of Krakow, Poland. A lesser visited but culturally impressive city is L’viv, Ukraine, which is an overnight bus away from Krakow.
If you are feeling pretty lazy, Southern Spain is very nice, and affordable. The city of Ronda has been one of my favorites. Oldest still active bull fighting ring in Europe, as well as some cool caves. Main feature of the city is a roman bridge spanning a chasm that divides the city. The best restaurant I have ever been to is there, called De Locos Tapas. We used to drive 2+ hours each way on the weekend just to grab food. I lived in Andalusia for 6 months. I cannot wait to return.
Unless you HAVE to go to Paris, I was wholly underwhelmed. Be sure to make reservations for any of the major attractions you want to see. Everything has a long line, even when you do have tickets. If you don’t, you are screwed. My best experience in France was staying at some random Chateau (manor house/castle) in central france. It was on the outskirts of this tiny town, and it was very relaxing.
AirBnB or Hostel wherever you go. Your entire trip experience can change (normally for the better) when you meet locals, or at least other tourists. You don’t get that exposure at a hotel.
I use services such as Scotts Cheap Flights to find my tickets. If you live in a major city (anywhere in the US), you should be able to find tickets to major cities in western Europe for around $400 round trip. It might take some flexibility on dates, but it normally isn’t a huge deal, and the savings are worth it.
Beer was cheaper than water in Budapest. Everywhere.
Καλό καλοκαίρι!!! Greece during the summer (only the summer) is the best place on earth to vacation if you like sun, fun, food, and history. Mykonos and Santorini are nice but there are many more authentic and overall better options. I would recommend looking into Athens, Nafplio, Corfu, Crete (chania), Hydra, Rhodes, Skiathos, Ios, and Naxos. I would be happy to make more detailed recommendations, just ask!
The legal counsel at my employer told me the same when I was deciding between there and Brussels. He’s widely travelled and Brussels was the bomb so I trust his word on this.
I enjoyed Amsterdam a lot, but still think it was somewhat overrated.
I don’t smoke and I absolutely loved Amsterdam, definitely wouldn’t say it’s overrated
Amsterdam is overrated as a bachelor/bachelorette destination. The clubs are way too packed during the summer and the Red Light district has nothing on Bourbon Street. However, if you treat it like any other European city and take advantage of its cultural offering (aka the museums, coffeeshops, and windmill tours) Amsterdam becomes a place of inebriated wonder. I accidentally stumbled through the Van Gough museum backward after chilling in a coffeeshop wayyyyyy too long and it’s still the best museum experience I’ve ever had.
See if your bank has a partner Europe bank to use their ATMs to cut down on fees. And make sure you use your CSP for the no foreign transaction fee
Going without an itinerary is the best way to go. Obviously, see the tourist sights while you’re there, but getting lost on the way to those sights just walking around, talking to locals in bars, cafes, etc. is the best part of traveling at least for me. Enjoy.
If you make a basic attempt to speak the language and ask if they speak English, people will be much friendlier. Most people speak some English there.
I spent some time in Paris & Barcelona last fall. Here’s what I learned:
– You can use your credit cards at most restaurants and tourist attractions. They’re actually ahead of the game with cards IMO since you pay right at the table in every restaurant and they can’t leave your table with your card.
– In Paris, wine is a better deal than water- and I live right by the Napa Valley. The wine is fantastic and water is expensive there. I spent most of my time in Barcelona drunk on the beach since the sangria is amazing and so readily available. I’m convinced that all of Europe just rides a buzz their entire life.
– Try to learn a few greetings in French/Spanish. When I was there, my friend and I would walk into places, greet the people working, and then immediately ask in French or Spanish if they spoke English at all. It gave away that we were American but people usually appreciate any sort of effort.
– I didn’t notice this until I was in Europe, but Americans speak really loud! You’ll be able to pick out any American in the crowd simply by the volume of their voice. If you want to blend in, speak softly.
Have fun on your trip!
On the card situation, make sure you bring either Visa or MasterCard. Found out the hard way, American Express is not a welcome card. Also be sure to try to have a card without a foreign transaction fee, otherwise that 3% can quickly add up.
Language barrier: try to cram as much French as possible in the short time you have. You can always find somebody to help you if you don’t know a lick, but you will get told to fuck off a few times first. Barcelona expects more people not to know Spanish, but having a basic knowledge still helped a lot. Everybody in Amsterdam speaks English, nobody expects you to learn Dutch.
Random rules: pocket knives are not cool in Europe. Growing up in GA, I never think twice about having one on me, but now I’ve had to explain to both Norwegian and Dutch police that I’m not a slasher, just a redneck. I’d advise against carrying one in general, but it kept me from being mugged in Barca, so I’m glad I had it.
Random advice. Keep your head on a swivel on La Rambla and down by the beach in Barca. Pickpockets are everywhere during the day and turn into muggers at night. Do a guided walking tour your first day to learn the layout of the city. Most hostels/Airbnb’s have I go on which waking tours are free. In Amsterdam, see a sex show at Casa Rosso. Hands down the weirdest thing I don’t regret doing. Also, outside of The Bulldog Cafe Mack is a 10 euro canal tour run by one of the high end hotels. It’s the only canal tour I found that serves alcohol and lets you smoke on board, if you’re into that.
Also, download the Citymapper app. It allows you to see where you are in the city, even if your phone is on airplane mode. Cool app
Amsterdam is an incredible city. Obviously the craziness is what it’s known for but I loved how clean the city was (cleanest city I’ve been to in Europe so far) and how friendly everyone was. As for your coffeeshop visits (different from a coffee shop that sells coffee, tea and pastries) they only take cash (euros) and you can have it openly in the streets. Dutch and English are very similar (Street v. Straat) so the language barrier was pretty nonexistent.
One thing I will harp on is watching your bags. Barcelona is especially known for it’s pickpocketing but it’s as easy as having your girlfriend hold her purse (versus letting it hang by it’s strap) and just being aware.
I’m not sure who your phone provider is, but I know Verizon allows you to use your phone as normal for $10 a day. It was a lifesaver using Google Maps to find things (such as ATMs)
I’m going to hop on this. Also booked my first trip to Europe this fall, seeing Rome, Naples/Amalfi, Venice, Paris. Any tips much appreciated!
Rome is dirtier than you imagine it to be. Check out the blue grotto in Amalfi. Get some grams off in Venice. Absolutely breathtaking.
I have a soft spot for Rome since my study abroad was there, but definitely dirty
Don’t get me wrong. Rome is awesome, especially if you like history.
Naples / Amalfi – take a day trip to Capri.
When in Italy, go to cinque terre.
Final tip: don’t eat at the restaurants near tourist attractions, or the ones with menus with pictures and in English. Go off the beaten path for meals. Some of my best meals were hole in the wall restaurants. One was a literal hole in the wall.
Also, tipping servers in Italy isn’t really a thing. It’s included in the bill. They will try to trick you sometimes. If you get great service then you can toss them a couple bucks
Rome is almost offensively touristy, but I have heard it’s better in the fall so I hope you experience better luck. If you ever get tired of the crowds, go for a walk and get lost in Trastevere or just wake up as early as you can and get out and see the city while it’s quiet. Also, eat gelato at every chance presented. Try Gelateria Giolotti. It won’t disappoint.
Naples has some great pizza, but it is also very dirty. Dont drink the tap water in either Rome or Naples. I love Italy, but it is kinda third world.
Naples is awful
If you are going to Barcelona you should check out Santa Maria de Montserrat. It’s a monastery about 15 minutes outside of the city up in the mountains and is absolutely beautiful. Other than The Sagrada Familia it was my favorite attraction in Barcelona.
There are also some great wineries up in Montserrat that I’d highly recommend, especially if you’re already making the trip up there