Trifter

There is an abundance of information available on how to save money during your European vacation. We know the basic rules: learn how to order tap water to avoid the overpriced bottled water, avoid eating in the most touristic areas where tourists are ripped off for sport, consider hostels, home exchanges, or finding a local host, etc, etc. But, the question posed here is how to best ENJOY a vacation across the pond. Of course saving is important. However, even for the tightest of budgets, money matters can contribute only so much to your overall enjoyment. After much travel, discussion, and pondering, compiled here are 5 common mistakes travelers make which take away from their European experience.

1. Restricting yourself to touristy areas. Also a mistake from your bank account’s point of view, staying in tourist hot spots has even greater consequences. First, a question: which portion of a city’s population primarily comprises the square around the leaning tower of Pisa? You got it. People like yourselves. Tourists. Have an urge to snap a photo of that romantic French couple sitting along the Seine basking in the sunlight? Well, please resist, because that is just me and my Canadian boyfriend. There is undoubtedly less authentic culture to be found at major attractions. So go ahead, venture beyond St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna and explore the surrounding neighborhoods. And don’t fret over safety, European cities are far less dangerous than American ones.
2. Not learning how to say “hi” and “bye” in the local tongue. A common belief is that Europeans hate American travelers. Correction: it is not that Europeans hate Americans or hate that Americans are traveling their land without being able to speak German, Italian, or Swedish. It is that Americans tend to be oblivious towards the fact that if you say “how much” to the poor Danish shopkeeper, it is very possible that they will not understand you. Make contact with locals. Even if you learn only a simple “Gruezi” in Zurich, you will at least experience some interaction with local residents. Effort is what counts, and the “snooty” French may even turn out to be quite friendly.
3.   Not walking to your destination. Unless you physically are unable, it is pouring rain, or you simply do not have the time, walk from sight to sight. If you avoid walking, you will miss out on most of the city. It would count as a tragedy to miss the Parisian walk from the Bastille to the Jardin Des Plantes (how else are you going to see the most precious garden path, a pedestrian bridge and traffic light to avoid being squashed by houseboats, and an unique view of the Seine and Notre Dame?). Prefer having a tour guide? Select a walking tour. Not only are they less expensive, but they are more personal and far more interesting.
4. Eating out at every meal. A common recommendation from “how to save” experts, this suggestion may seem obvious. However, there is a key cultural experience you will miss out on if you are constantly dining out: the local grocery store. The best way into the heart of a local’s stomach is by shopping with them. Grocery stores in every European country are unique and showcase local taste. Plus, a delicious 3 euro bottle of Zibibbo with an oversized 18 cent chocolate pudding from Milan never hurt anyone, right?
5. Overplanning OR underplanning. There tend to be two different types of travelers when it comes to planning: those who plan every second of every day and those you don’t plan anything at all, hoping to run into something spectacular. Both parties need to borrow tips from each other, because it seems that either extreme lends itself to missing out on exciting adventures. Whereas overplanning causes you to not fully experience your travels or to miss out on unexpected events (ex: Well I saw that painting in The Hague, but I can’t recall the feeling of it), underplanning causes you to find yourself wishing you had experienced something after the fact (ex: Darn it, Marx was buried at HIghgate in London! I wish I would have known before). Be adventurous while traveling through Europe. Each country has such a rich, unique history and it would be a shame to miss out. Bon Voyage!