How to Get More Out of Your Travels Across Europe
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The abundance of cheap flights to Europe has changed the game for UK travellers. Now, we don’t have to choose between a trip to London or Blackpool: we can get off and see all that Europe has to offer. But because the flights are so inexpensive, we sometimes take travelling for granted – and can miss something in the process. By being well-prepared and changing our travel habits slightly, we can recapture the magic of exploring one of the world’s great continents. Here’s how you can do it.
Read Novels Before You Go
Then it comes to preparing for a holiday to Europe, most people do little more than buying some new clothes, reading the top ten things to do in their chosen destination, and making sure they know how to get from the airport into the city centre.
But none of those things will give you an understanding of what that culture’s really like, and if you’re only visiting for a weekend, then you might never really get to the know the place. Give yourself a heads start by reading a novel or non-fiction book that takes place in the place you’re visiting – there’s an iconic book for most places in Europe, and especially the biggest countries and cities.
Learn a Language
You can travel to a country, see the sights, and have a good time. If you can speak the language, you’ll travel it twice.
You’ll have access to a level of understanding that non-speakers will never be able to access until they also learn the language.
Learning the language itself can be a good framework for your travels, too. There are Italian language schools in Italy that offer a one-week intensive course; you can spend the first week learning the language, and then the week after using what you’ve learned as you explore the country.
Expanding your vocabulary will never be a bad thing and many European languages (especially Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese) are similar too, so you can use what you’ve learned in other countries as well.
Whole cities can come to life when they’re a popular local festival taking place. You’ll learn so much about, say, Spain if you visit one of its cities during the week of Feria. It’s a way to see how people approach celebrations, which in itself is a big indicator of how the people are as a whole. Spoiler: if you do visit Spain during Feria, you’ll see just how fun-loving the Spanish people are.
Avoid the Tourist Traps
There’s nothing wrong with tourist places per se, but they’re not a true representation of the destination. They’re more a marketable version of the destination. Go to see them, but also make sure you’re spending most of your time in other areas of the city and country. You’ll learn so much more! Check out what’s available for off-the-beaten-path Europe tours for more ideas.
Get Involved
Finally, remember that you only get out of your travels what you put in. Get involved with the fun and activities – rather than just being a spectator – and you’ll have a much more enjoyable time.
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