I Travel as light as possible, the best most underated tip!. Last fall on a trip to Barcelona A. C. lost my carry on ( yep ONLY a carry on, they insisted on a sky check.) So I shared what I could with my wife lol....two of her t shirts fit me. As for me 1 pair of jeans, shoes ,hat ,the shirt I flew with sweater nothing else. I bought 1dress shirt and a pair s shorts. Worked fine! I didn't need all those clothes I had brought. Denim jeans also get more comfortable the more you wear them and the less you wash them. And they do not show stains easily and do not stink! . If your thinking they will be full of germs think again. A guy wore a pair of jeans FOR A YEAR ,they lab tested them..not one pathogen . They knew what they were doing when they invented jeans.
#6 OMG yes. TALK TO THE PEOPLE THERE while you travel! Unless you're going to North Korea where you're explicitly forbidden from freely engaging in conversations with locals, TALK TO THEM! Most people I've met LOVE travelers who take the time to strike up conversations (as long as those travelers aren't patronizing of course). They're just as eager and curious to learn about you as you are about them!
@@braschigiovanniangelo5559 I think you may have misunderstood the commenter. He's pointing out more _mistakes_ tourists make, and that includes not talking to locals.
6. Well, even though I like traveling, I am an introvert. I don't easily make friends. I admire people who do, though. 7. Yes. 8. I always travel together with my wife, heh. Would be kind of hard to tell her to stay home while I am off visiting a different country. ;)
Biggest mistake I see travellers do is constantly taking pictures (probably to share on social media), of every single tiny detail and not enjoying the experience itself in real life. It is great that technology has advanced enough to let us all be able to capture things like this but don't overdo it or you will ruin it for yourself and other people.
It's part of the entertainment of a bay cruise (e.g. in San Francisco) to watch people trying to remain standing whilst taking photos on iPads when the boat is listing.
+Jay Saenz I photograph so many things too, I want to capture all of the things and places I've never seen so I can look back on it when I get home. It's definitely worth remembering to just stop, look around, and appreciate where you are in the moment though!
@peter grahame Sounds like you two need a better travel plan so it works for you both. Presumably she doesn't mind seeing less in order to make those memories, whereas you feel held up. A lot of couples travel and do every single thing together even when their style of travel is different. Taking turns on the pace can help, as can doing things separately (taking safety into consideration). Traveling with friends who have similarly split interests can help with splitting up, too. Then no one feels rushed or held back and everyone enjoys the trip to its fullest. If your wife didn't know Julius Caesar was a man before she went to Italy, she wasn't missing anything by not realizing it when there.
why would you said that? are you alienated and lacking identity from traveling? you in that boat? it all depends on how you are raised and you absorb all that culture and information. sure it might be difficult to blend in or get along with people once you settle down and not travel as much. ive said what i have said because i have lived and traveled growing up but not as crazy as them. i would rather be open minded and have experience traveling and seeing the world (if you are lucky to be able to do that) rather than be stuck in one country and not know anything about the world or have this misconception of how its like out there (again if you do not have the chance to travel not blaming anybody). but i do feel like a nomad,i do at times feel like an island, but you know what, im glad i know people all over the world. and thats the joy of meeting people or going to places. i just think of it like getting out of the house. explore your neighbors, go to the next city. see whats out there. dont just stop at your front yard and see the world through a binocular. if you have that opportunity to travel. go for it. and im sure mark and his wife are great parents. and thats their life, and thats how those kids are gonna grow up.
I get your point man. My family that is 2 generations distant in connection from me is living 3 years in Italy, then UK, NL, now they are in Australia and you see that they aren't quite turf bound and always want to go on, getting bored when the new thing is off of where they live.
I like to think of planning more as research. I want to where I am going (as in the lay out of the city), what to expect from public transport and how to use it, when my must see sites are open, basic cultural politeness, and a general itinerary so my friends know where I am (I travel alone), but I don't plan exact things for certain days. Especially for larger cities I tend to plan to visit certain areas and look to my site list for suggestions. I don't expect to go to every place I look up. I take a more natural approach to it and I never try to see more than 3 things in one day. When you're traveling for more than five days, it's very easy to get tired and you have to pace yourself. You also want to mix up the types of places you're going. I personally can get a bit burnt out of museums. I'm the type that likes the audio guides and to read all the information, so I want to be present and engaged for that.
Nearly gave a £1300 tip to a waiter due to currency conversion mishap. Thankfully bank rejected payment. Yes, I'm supposed to be an experienced traveller, we all make mistakes
ExploreList I once was tipped by mistake 100 us bucks (in local currency) for a burger, fries and a beer and although temptation was huge I warned the client and he tipped me 1 usd :( anyway I felt good about myself but very bad about the tipping LOL.
hey Mark, Something I used to do while I was traveling Europe and the Middle East while in the Navy, was never take an English language menu. I used to point and say give me that to a random item, don't tell me what it was until I finished my meal. I found that doing that got me to try a lot of meal I wouldn't try if I knew what it was initially
That would make sense in a lot of places. In my hometown, Indonesia, a middle range and above restaurants almost always have English menu. Sometimes they don't even have Indonesian on it. It's just trendy. So.. yeah fyi, in case you go to Indonesia and got an English menu.
When I traveled to Europe, I was on one of those group tours. I thought it was a great value for a first timer to Europe; however, I would recommend not selecting one that tries to jam everything into the package. The tour I was on offered plenty of guided tours but also had complete days of leisure where you could explore on your own. Also, I worked with the tour company to arrive a day before the tour started. This allowed me to explore London on my own. I walked from Bayswater to all the way to Parliament and taking time to see Kennsington Palace, St. James Palace, Buckingham Palace, #10 Downing and Westminster. It was awesome to do this.
I did much the same thing in London (minus the group tour - I was alone), except I did the bus-ride at the end. After a couple days of walking, on the 2nd evening I twisted my right knee and it was super sore. So the 3rd day I took the red double-decker bus out to see the Tower of London, and spent most of the day exploring all the exhibits inside. At the end of the day I caught the last bus back, and was the ONLY passenger on board! The tour guide and I chatted, and she told me some really funny stories about her job. Then she went down and told the bus driver I had a sore knee, and he was SO sweet.... instead of dropping me off at the Marble Arch, which was a fairly long walk from where I was staying, he actually deviated from his normal route and took me straight to my door!
On a completely spontaneous whim, I booked a 10 day trip to Rome in a few months... I immediately felt nervous and on he she of regret, but dude. You’ve made me so confident in how much I can experience and expand my perspective by doing this and seeing the world. It all these little tips that make you so invaluable. I can’t thank you enough, but I’m sure I’ll be even more thankful when I’ve just had my cappuccino and sitting in villa Borghese(:
We've discovered that we learn more about local culture when we rent an AirBnB apartment or house. Shopping for groceries or toilet paper always gives an interesting glance at 'how the locals do it'. For instance, in Germany, the grocery clerks do not make small talk and you've got to be quick packing your groceries together. In most European countries we've visited, eggs are not refrigerated, so you won't find them where you'd expect to find them. And in the rentals, we've learned a lot about how European kitchens and homes function. We love not staying in big chain hotels for this very reason.
AnnaDaisybird My point is no such think is a European home. For now Europe is a culturally diverse continent (but that could all change with the European project)
Google explanation why eggs do NOT need to be refrigerated in Europe BUT MUST be refrigerated in the USA, there IS a reason. Chickens lay eggs with a protective coating that is left on in Europe BUT washed off in the U.S. thus European eggs will NOT go bad at room temperature BUT U.S. eggs most definitely will go bad at room temperature!!
I can't stress #2 enough. Planning is everything! Case and point: when I went to Mexico City, I wanted to ride down the canals of Xochimilco and see the pyramids of Teotihuacan. The problem? Xochimilco's boats are expensive (at least 300 pesos per boat), and Teotihuacan gets _really_ crowded. Research ultimately paid off: on Sundays, Xochimilco has a public boat that only costs 30 pesos per person to ride, and Teotihuacan offers early morning tours with an archaeologist that, at the time, cost 40% less than a day tour. I wound up taking the metro down to Xochimilco Sunday morning, headed to the Museo Frida Khalo in the afternoon, and then got up bright and early to see Teotihuacan the next day with no crowds and a phenomenal guide.
With #4, there can be a problem when it comes to having food allergies. Sometimes it can be hard to find out whether a dish is okay or might put you in the ER, so a friendly staple like the golden arches or KFC might be a welcoming choice.
I made the over-packing mistake the first time. Once was enough! LOL. I highly suggest going to one area, STAYING in that area, and exploring every nook & cranny on foot if you can. I explored London that way, and loved every minute. I had no itinerary. Just got a little room within walking distance of Paddington Station, got a map of the city, packed a day pack with snacks & a water bottle, and wandered all over the city. Met lovely, helpful locals and really got the feel of the city. I did the same thing in Oslo and Bergen, too.
Also if you're traveling to older cities, basically not America, you'll find many places don't have elevators. You don't want to have to have an assist to get your luggage up six flights of stairs.
So true! When I first started travelling, I made the mistake of bringing one of those monster suitcases with. What a mistake! We arrived at Florence and first I had to drag it along the cobblestone up to the hotel...not fun! Then we get to the hotel and it has no elevator and we're on the 3rd floor with no air con. My husband helped me but he was none too happy either. Not anymore, I only bring luggage I can carry and lift myself.
So true, so true. I have been a travel agent for over 35 years, and I have given the same advice to my clients every time they travel. They have appreciated me for it!
I love your videos. I'm fluen in Spanish and English, and know very little French but I've been learning Italian since May when my husband told me we were going to France and Italy. I've learned so much Italian in two months. Thank you for your tips.
Great video. About packing: I first travelled with only hand luggage because of the luggage fee on the airline. Now I still do it because of the fees, but also because it is so practical. I don't have to check in luggage or wait for it at the airport. I have everything I need on my back. It makes me pack lighter and less clothes that I don't need (annoying for every unused clothes that I pack up when I get home). When traveling in cities, they probably have clothing stores if you are afraid of not having enough. I think it also saves me money because I think twice before I buy anything (souvenir or clothes) because of the reduced space. I started with 2 days, now I have travelled for 7 days with only a backpack.
I've been packing "carry-on" for years. When the luggage specs got smaller, I bought a smaller suitcase and packing cubes. Two weeks? No problem! Cosmetics: took a while but I've got it down to a science!
I like you slipped that overpacking one in. Last time I went to the states with 2 colleagues for 2 weeks I had a suitcase small to be used as carry on. The biggest one was 4 times the volume. And still, I survived without needing to buy anything in a local shop. Pack smart and enjoy the vacation instead of worying about your outfits.
Seriously, dude... you're hysterical! Every time I click on an information blog about travelling in Europe, up you pop! Thanks for all the info. Planning my first trip to Paris and I hope I'm well prepared for the pick-pockets and apartment living I'll need to deal with while I'm there! Love your videos!
As a friend's father said at a B & B while touring the Ring of Kerry in Ireland in the summer, "What do you mean you don't have any rooms? I have a voucher!"
great tips! I think the overpacking is the hardest one to do, but luckily I've been able to do just a carry on, and then find a cheap laundromat when I need it.
Bucky Barnes I sent my clothes out through a valet at a hotel and they came back fresh and clean the next day and it was very cheap. That was 20 years ago though so I don't know what the situation is now.
Fantastic video! Should be required viewing for all travelers. I've seen over planning probably more than all of the other mistakes. People come to town and want to see EVERYTHING in a day or two, which is completely impossible. I always wish they had planned to spend more time.
I took a bus tour in Italy several years ago. It was great. I did a lot of research prior to the trip. Arrived the day before we were to meet our group but that allowed time to explore the city a bit. We took public transit downtown and walked through some of the streets to find our way to the Piazza Navona, spent some time there then went to eat at one of the restaurants on one of the streets. The next day we had time to tour the forum. Quite an experience. We took our time, took a lot of photos etc. we met our group later on that day at the hotel. Loved Rome for the history, Venice was great for the sites and cityscapes (love the architecture). Florence was beautiful too. Overall, we really enjoyed our trip. The only thing that we didn't get to really enjoy was the Trevi Fountain in Rome as it was under repairs. Some day I will get back there.
I have to condense my trips due to limited holidays/funds and a dream to see different places. If it’s a smaller city I do one day/night (definitely worked in Scandinavia), if it’s a bigger city it’s a couple of nights, maybe three. It helps that I’m traveling from UK to Europe so I know I’ll be back in a lot of these places eventually and use my initial trips as first impressions. I still enjoy myself and I feel like I get to see things and have enough time to breathe, all whilst getting loads of pics. It also helps that I do all these trips alone. The only trips I wish I had an extra night for were my Rome and Paris visits (2 nights each). Granted doing that the first time was overwhelming and that trip I didn’t enjoy as much. A canal or bus tour here and there and I have enough time for a meal and a night out I do understand that many find it more relaxing to spend longer in each spot (and it allows to do a lot more activities other than looking at buildings) but just like reading a book we all have our own times with different things.
Thanks for the video. My wife and I went to Mexico in May and we're going to Paris in a week from now, and your videos have played a huge part in the research and planning of those trips. I think we will be well prepared. Keep up the great work.
Great video as always!! I learn so much from you and your family. I'm going to Germany, Austria, Switz, Benelux and maybe Prague, next September. Things we've learned and are going to apply have mostly come from you. I can't wait to train ride through Europe, pack lightly, shop for shoes while I'm there, stay in Airbnb, try local food..... Keep up the great content...😘
Even though you will find someone who can speak English, I think it’s worth the effort to attempt to speak the local language. So another mistake would be not attempting to speak the local language.
Many people forget that you can wash clothes when traveling. They have laundromats in Europe. Many hotels will get your clothes washed, and you can always use the bathroom sink or shower. You don’t need to bring 2 weeks of clothes for a 2 week trip.
I made 3 of these when I went to Europe. It was an exhausting trip as a result. When I went to Taiwan, I learned and I didn’t make any of these mistakes. Best trip ever as a result!
Several years ago, I went to Cabo with my girlfriend for a week. The place we stayed at, we weren't allowed to take a bath or shower until the mid-afternoon hours. I thought that was really strange. I've always been the type of person that would feel refreshed by taking a shower first thing in the morning but we couldn't do it until mid-afternoon (or in this case when he got back to our rooms in the evening).
I'm glad I've never made any of these mistakes. I like to go to have a plan but also have free time and I love to experience the culture and the food. And of course, since I like to be cost efficient public transport is a go-to.
This channel consistently has great travel advice. To anyone who wants to travel but is a novice, just follow the advice from Wolters World and you will be fine. The thing that bothers me is people who fall into the trap of taking pictures instead of living in and experiencing the moment. I remember watching 100 people watch the changing of the guard at Windsor Castle through the screen if their iPads and phones instead of using their eyes. That is a massive mistake. Never let the photos get in the way of the experience.
Two things: 1, it’s awesome to leave luggage space to shop for clothes! Then when you go home and someone compliments you on your skirt, you can say, “thanks! Got it in Rome” lol. 2, local mass transport is important to experience but sometimes a taxi or Uber can be, too, but for different reasons. My first time in London I was walking around, got lost and tired. So I took a cab back to my hotel and what a ride! Driver took me through Hyde Park and other areas I’d not have seen had I been underground on the tube -
Excellent advice re first and last nights - suggest planning a contingency as well in case of delays and things going wrong, like taking some food with you that will not perish or go bad during flight AND that is permitted by the country into which you're travelling. Travel safe 👍😎❤️
true. we bring snacks and such in our carry ons just in case the plane food sucks and if it doesn't then we have extra snacks for a late night nibble at the hotel :)
I always pack my small suitcase & then put it inside empty larger suitcase....YES I buy "set" of matching luggage because I was "raised" that way. So I can shop & buy food & clothes & knick knacks when I see something foreign that I MUST HAVE! Plus I have room for gifts for friends/family back home. Use smaller suitcase as carry on when returning to USA.....Let the airline put larger suitcase in baggage section. It's worked for me for the 40 yrs I've been traveling......
My #6 would be "don't limit yourself to (fancy/chain) hotels" try airbnb or the odd pub with shared showers :) Usually spotless and gives a different point of view.
I am a traveller who usually arrives with a big suitcase (and depending on the destination a backbag too). This is either because I am away for a longer time and just need stuff or I am travelling to favourite cities and plan to do a lot of shopping. A great example of this is London. I always bring my big suitcase half empty, but when I fly back I max out the space and weight restrictions. (Usually food is included! I am more the stationary and cosmetics person though. :D And books!)
I totally agree with your view on food. My tactic is to avoid the places where all the tourists go toeat and to search out a small bistro or inn and try their food. If you need local information ask your hotel breakfast waiter or receptionist, they are usually full of useful information. Another useful source is the staff at/on public transport. All over the world those people know their town/city like the back of their hand.
that is what we do. We ask for the map from the front desk then ask them to circle local spots only. It has worked out for us most of the time. thanks for the comment
Husband and I flying to Alaska in August. I do think I have some over planning issues. Concerning the food, my hubby said he was going to pass up the steak for FISH. Yay! I also would love to try caribou, whale and any other exotic dishes. Taking one day to fly to Kotzebue to soak up the culture. I cant wait!
Agree completely with using public transport, but I am often traveling with a family. Once one multiplies a Straßenbahn ticket by four or five people, a cab can be a better deal.
Not everywhere, but often, there are 'small group' tickets. E.g. in Berlin, there is a Kleingruppen-Tageskarte for around €20 for up to 5 persons. That is hard to beat with a taxi. Another example are the Ländertickets in Germanyfor one person, it's doable (about €25, could be a little more or a little less, depending on the Land in question), but for ever traveller extra up to 4, it's only a couple of euros extra, which make them a real bargain.
@@barvdw Definitely - most cities in Germany have a Tagesticket Plus, or equivalent. These are great value as you say. Also, most of the federal states (Bundeslaender) have special rail tickets where you can travel wherever you want for around Euro 25 per day. In Bavaria it's the Bayernticket.
Heading out on a Mediterranean cruise in a week. Wished we had more time to observe the culture but we need to see the sights. We ARE taking the trains and busses as much as possible and avoiding the overpriced and overcrowded ship excursions. I did go through an Analysis Paralysis while planning this trip. Way to much to see. What do we see. How can we get there. Now I've got it. Thanks for all your advice!!
Moon Shine Those excursions really are overpriced. Did 3 cruises and never did an excursion. It’s actually more fun finding out the place yourself. Get some guides and you can plan ahead the night before on the ship. Pro tip: eat where the locals eat. It’s a lot cheaper and super yummie.
I actually plan on following these rules when going to Europe in a few years since I want to make sure I know where I'm staying, check the transportation options and see if I need to prebuy anything.
Thanks for your tips. Last year i went to Europe 1 month. Just with a little suitcase and my backpack. Traveling with the essentials. And i saw a lot of People with really big suitcases. Maybe the social media is the problem...aahahah. People doesn't want repeat their outfits ahahaha.
I'm a "combination traveler" who 'over plans' yet 'flies by the seat of pants'. Example: if there are 4 things I "must" see or do in an area, like a museum or such, I allot at least 5 days to do them, with a daily '1/2 day to "do" the thing' and '1/2 day to allow Lady Serendipity to exhibit her charms', and that extra day is for whatever I have found that is of more interest.
never made any of those mistakes, I even got fluent in 12 languages, memorized the maps of destinations and made some friends on location before I went. And I always plan more than I can handle, so I don't run out of fun.
When my parents were planning a 3 week family trip to Europe they considered seeing a bunch or countries or just concentrate on one? We ended up staying just in the UK and I think that was the best decision for seeing places and not racing between one country after another.
A mistake I witnessed while on a trip with other students of art: While in Madrid, we had a free morning. I wanted to visit the Templo de Debod and when I discussed that with the other students they didn't know about it, even if one in particular had Egyptian things at heart. I knew because I always check sites like Tripadvisor and did not just rely on the trip that the teachers planned for us. Always do your research, people!
Let's see how many of those mistakes I have made: 1. Yep. First trip to Scotland was way overplanned. I made like a time table when we needed to be where and one day was so fully packed that we where just beat when we returned to our hostel. But the good thing is: You make those kind of mistake only once. Second trip (to Scotland again) was much more relaxed. Now, I just make a very rough plan on which city we need to be in at what day (with a one to two day cushion to be extra sure) and then we just travel around the country, deciding what places to visit on the spot, or only a few days in advance. 2. HA! No, this one hasn't happened to me. As I've mentioned, I make a rough plan on where we need to be at what day (like, if the plane is taking off on a specific day, then that's the day you want to be at the airport, right?). For our trip to Iceland for example I just calculated the whole travel distance (Ringvegúr is about 1,000km) and divided that by the number days we where there (10) and figured: We need to travel 100km each day to reach our goal. Only fixed dates where: Date of arrival. Hostel room booked in Reýkjavik for two days. Date of departure. Everything else was only very loosley planned. This gives you a lot of freedom on your travels. For example, when we arrived in Akureyri we went to a whale watching tour guide-thingy (what are those called... vendors?) late in the day, about maybe 8 or 9 in the evening. We originally planned to book a tour for the next day. But there was a bus already waiting and they where like "hey, the bus is about to leave you can hop on right now!" so we did it (it was amazing). So, the next day - originally planned for whale watching - we simply did something else. 3. That's why we mostly decide to not travel in groups but on our own. "Off the beaten path" as they say. It's not always possible, because if you are in Paris, and never been there before, of course you absolutely HAVE to see Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, etc. It would be like to travel to Las Vegas and not go into any casino, or skipping out on the Grand Canyon. 4. Well... yeah, kind of. We went to a very good indian restaurant in Reýkjavik two times in a row, lol. But Hákarl is not for everyone, lol. But I like to try out new food at the places we travel to. 5. When we started traveling we relied on public transport, because it's so much cheaper. However, it can be very challening. In Scotland there are like 3 or 4 different bus companies PER CITY, and it's not always really clear which company takes which route. Sometimes even the bus stops are not really marked and you have to kind of know they are there, heh. Last two trips we traveled by car because we did a tour through a whole country (Iceland and Norway).
Public transport in Lisbon is very nice. Just four/five lines on the metro and a ticket for a day costs just around 5 euros. A metro station is at the airport. I had much fun visiting Lisbon while wating for the next flight
My holiday packing philosophy is "travel out light, come back heavy". Pack a smaller suitcase inside a slightly larger one on the way out if you've already got lots of cases, it's easier to travel with, otherwise buy another case while you're away
I always try to see if there is a tourist type travel card available (eg RomaPass, IAmsterdam) they include public transport so no messing about buying individual journey tickets but they are primarily useful for access to museums etc. At the coliseum in Rome there is a special queue line for RomaPass holders, it saved me about 15 mins getting in, I just walked up the special line and straight to the entry turnstiles. They can also include extras like free guide books/audio guides.
Bongiorno! When I was in Europe in '84, as an add-on to a tour of Israel, I traveled across the continent via Eurail and Britrail. Granted, I did a major overview--23 countries in 32 days, but some countries I just added to my list, whereas in others, such as a 4-day layover in Iceland on the way home, I spent more time. However, I spent every night in a youth hostel, and though I didn't get into the culture of some countries, I got acquainted with fellow travelers from around the world. So it was a trade-off. I also got to meet the citizens of that country on the train, as many Europeans don't even own a car, and don't really need one with their amazing train system, plus the outrageous price of gas.
The car is the preferred mode of transport of most Europeans, today, but trains are still hugely popular, because as you say, you can get almost everywhere with them.
I always check out more than we're actually doing. If we're in a city for 3 days, I'll have 15 museums or sights lined up, knowing that 10 will be the maximum we do. But I travel often with my dad who's in a wheelchair, so I have to check them all out for accessibility anyway. And that way, when one turns out not to be accessible due to a broken elevator for instance, I have the details ready for another thing to do. And always be ready to throw your plans out of the window and see something unexpected. Last trip the US to visit civil war battlefields, some of the nicest things we've done was when some local mentioned 'oh, you should see this or that thing, it's very nice.' That way you sometimes find hidden gems that locals know about, but which doesn't have a big online presence and therefore you might not have seen it while researching.
We started traveling with our 3 young kids about 4 years ago( they were 1, 4 and 6). Most years it's twice out of country trips. Except 2020 of course. We actually do alot of what you mentioned. Completely agree about food. We usually order 5 different dishes and share between us so we're all trying different things. Packing- we have become extremely efficient at packing. Just 2 rolling luggage for all 5 of us. We always rent a car. To me, best way to experience places is to go and discover places where there is no public transportation. Plus, going through the Alps in a car is just amazing. We did make a mistake of trying to do too much on our first trip and we learned quickly. Now we've learned to add leisure days and learned to slow down. Much more enjoyable this way. Here's to hoping to traveling again in 2021...
Man I wish I could travel like u do!!! You've been every where!! LOL! I love ur videos and 1 day when I actually can travel I'll know a lot of do's and Don'ts of all these amazing places you've been!! Thanks for the videos!!
+1 on not trying to cram in too much and have down days. I think this one is psychologically difficult; odds are you're considering the cost per day of the trip and the likelihood of you returning, both of which encourage making the most of each day. Unfortunately, reality isn't psychologically soothing, and I've found that a down day for every 5 days away works pretty well for recharging both physically and mentally. We tend to walk whenever possible while abroad or in locations that permit it, which is a lot more than we get during an average workday. Adding fatigue to overworked muscles and joints is a recipe for misery...let your body rest! The mental aspect is similar; if you're constantly bombarding yourself with something new and awe-inspiring multiple times a day, eventually things that would impress you normally become no big deal because you just can't stay perpetually stimulated. Varying activities can go a long way...spending a day or part of a day in a park people watching can be very relaxing for both body and mind and will help keep your passion high when needed.
My first time to Europe I overpacked. I will never to do that again! My goal for next time is to pack with a carry-on only. Not sure if I’ll be able to, maybe my medium case. ;)
Just to emphasize the first point: The travel to another country can take hours and possibly the entire day. If you see 9 countries in 12 days you will spend at least half of your trip in the train or in the airplane.
I work in the Center of Rome and I meet daily tons of tourists: I'm white but i realize that coloured/blacks tourists from ZA are much more friendly and nice that whites there! :-)
when it comes to packing if I am going to be gone for 7 days in Europe, what do you consider overpacking. I am a 6'4" 300 lb guy. My clothes take up a lot of space. Plus my 13" shoes too. (I plan to take hiking boots (work boots) and tennis shoes) For that many days I want a variety of clothing options. I plan to take one large suitcase and one carry-on with a back pack. Is this too much in your opinion?
as another famous travel icon has said, in all the years he's been traveling and leading tours,.he never has heard anyone say, "Oh, I wish I'd packed more!"
When i was in rome there was a group americans a table next to us in the restaurant. He said he wanted a real Italian spaghetti and meatballs (like you said) but that is an american dish and was not on the map. But they kooked it anyway for him. Ps. I checked your malta video before going there last week and it was spot on 👍 Only the azure window is destroyed in a storm last month sadly.
Sort of a compromise for #4, go to McDonald's and get a local menu item. This is a tip a frequent traveler gave to me. I was in Kyoto, Japan, and I tried the teriyaki burger. It was smaller than back in the US (and so were the fries), but it was delicious.
Great video. I have a 14 night trip to Italy coming up in December. i have been planning for 12 months and Basing myself in Venice and exploring the rest of Italy on day trips by train. Looking forward to exploring italy :)
Venice is amazing! Its really nice to explore, especially when you reach the other side of the grand canal where you'll see less tourists and cool shops.
May I suggest one I did back in '86 when I did a whirlwind train trip across Europe? I was up in Munich--headed south through Innsbruck, Austria, on through the Brenner Pass into Italy--spectacular scenery the entire way. I'm sure it would be just as scenic doing it in reverse. and it only takes a few hours by train.
newmanscott60 You can do Venice is a couple of days. it is time consuming to take the Vaporetto ( water taxi ) to and from the train station. For me Milan was a much better base. Went to Lake Coming ; Cinque Terre ; Padua ; Verona and the Swiss Alps. I want to return to visit Genoa. I hear that there are alot of hidden gems there.
Underplanning is how we ended up eating a breakfast of coffee and grab-n-go cereal at the airport in Hawaii. It was Monday and we thought if we left the hotel three hours before the flight it would be fine. What we didn't account for was the commute traffic, since the airport was in the biggest city on the island.
Completely agree with everything said. One of the biggest mistakes I see in Ireland is Americans thinking that they can use US Dollars here and can't understand why we don't accept it. Understanding the local currency would be an obvious tip.
Going to local grocery stores is one of my FAVORITE ways to see locals, find local food, get a feel for the area. Loveee it.
I don't make any of these mistakes because I watch wolters world.
+Kevin Hinojosa ftw :)
Kevin Hinojosa, yep, you win for best comment!!!!
Kevin Hinojosa 169 likes
I only have an email...lol
I Travel as light as possible, the best most underated tip!. Last fall on a trip to Barcelona A. C. lost my carry on ( yep ONLY a carry on, they insisted on a sky check.) So I shared what I could with my wife lol....two of her t shirts fit me. As for me 1 pair of jeans, shoes ,hat ,the shirt I flew with sweater nothing else. I bought 1dress shirt and a pair s shorts. Worked fine! I didn't need all those clothes I had brought.
Denim jeans also get more comfortable the more you wear them and the less you wash them. And they do not show stains easily and do not stink! . If your thinking they will be full of germs think again. A guy wore a pair of jeans FOR A YEAR ,they lab tested them..not one pathogen . They knew what they were doing when they invented jeans.
I can't believe you found a spot in the middle of Rome to stand that long without getting a selfie stick waved in front of your face :)
Oh, wow, yes....last time in Rome, after a few days I was ready to strangle each one of them with the selfie sticks they were selling.
the magic of greenscreen...
@Shandra9000mailThey are Bangladeshi 😂
@@mancubwwa it's not a green screen lmao
@@MikuHatsune12 it is. Watch his left arm closely. The one in front of the fence/gate. You'd see the artifacts of chroma key
6. Not meeting or making friends with locals and/or fellow travelers.
7. Only staying in or visiting "touristy" areas.
8. Never traveling alone.
Yes, yes, yes!
#6 OMG yes. TALK TO THE PEOPLE THERE while you travel! Unless you're going to North Korea where you're explicitly forbidden from freely engaging in conversations with locals, TALK TO THEM! Most people I've met LOVE travelers who take the time to strike up conversations (as long as those travelers aren't patronizing of course). They're just as eager and curious to learn about you as you are about them!
@@braschigiovanniangelo5559 I think you may have misunderstood the commenter. He's pointing out more _mistakes_ tourists make, and that includes not talking to locals.
@@ZhangtheGreat Ok. I'm sorry.
6. Well, even though I like traveling, I am an introvert. I don't easily make friends. I admire people who do, though.
7. Yes.
8. I always travel together with my wife, heh. Would be kind of hard to tell her to stay home while I am off visiting a different country. ;)
Biggest mistake I see travellers do is constantly taking pictures (probably to share on social media), of every single tiny detail and not enjoying the experience itself in real life. It is great that technology has advanced enough to let us all be able to capture things like this but don't overdo it or you will ruin it for yourself and other people.
+Sira Mea so true.
It's part of the entertainment of a bay cruise (e.g. in San Francisco) to watch people trying to remain standing whilst taking photos on iPads when the boat is listing.
+Jay Saenz I photograph so many things too, I want to capture all of the things and places I've never seen so I can look back on it when I get home. It's definitely worth remembering to just stop, look around, and appreciate where you are in the moment though!
@peter grahame Sounds like you two need a better travel plan so it works for you both. Presumably she doesn't mind seeing less in order to make those memories, whereas you feel held up. A lot of couples travel and do every single thing together even when their style of travel is different. Taking turns on the pace can help, as can doing things separately (taking safety into consideration). Traveling with friends who have similarly split interests can help with splitting up, too. Then no one feels rushed or held back and everyone enjoys the trip to its fullest.
If your wife didn't know Julius Caesar was a man before she went to Italy, she wasn't missing anything by not realizing it when there.
Stewart Brodie I used to be that person but I’m a perfectionist and I have a bad memory
biggest mistake is instagramming every damn minute of your trip
Aswin A or Snapchating everything lol
Lol I only have an email...lol
haha i do that!
Can't stand those girls who post the same pic of their holiday from like 6 month ago with “take me back” 😣🤣
@@claire_stapley exactlyyy lmao
your kids are gonna be awesome when they grow up after all that traveling growing up.
jaysato or they will suffer from a lack of identity and always feel alienated
why would you said that? are you alienated and lacking identity from traveling? you in that boat? it all depends on how you are raised and you absorb all that culture and information. sure it might be difficult to blend in or get along with people once you settle down and not travel as much. ive said what i have said because i have lived and traveled growing up but not as crazy as them. i would rather be open minded and have experience traveling and seeing the world (if you are lucky to be able to do that) rather than be stuck in one country and not know anything about the world or have this misconception of how its like out there (again if you do not have the chance to travel not blaming anybody). but i do feel like a nomad,i do at times feel like an island, but you know what, im glad i know people all over the world. and thats the joy of meeting people or going to places. i just think of it like getting out of the house. explore your neighbors, go to the next city. see whats out there. dont just stop at your front yard and see the world through a binocular. if you have that opportunity to travel. go for it. and im sure mark and his wife are great parents. and thats their life, and thats how those kids are gonna grow up.
Wish my parents where like him.My parents just watch shitty soap opreas.
I get your point man. My family that is 2 generations distant in connection from me is living 3 years in Italy, then UK, NL, now they are in Australia and you see that they aren't quite turf bound and always want to go on, getting bored when the new thing is off of where they live.
El Bee you fuckin trippin
The overpacking is so true especially when people travel to their home countries and want to bring with them the hole country
Thank you for generalizing, but it's nonsense, it's only a certain type/kind of Dutch ppl that do that.
I like to think of planning more as research. I want to where I am going (as in the lay out of the city), what to expect from public transport and how to use it, when my must see sites are open, basic cultural politeness, and a general itinerary so my friends know where I am (I travel alone), but I don't plan exact things for certain days. Especially for larger cities I tend to plan to visit certain areas and look to my site list for suggestions. I don't expect to go to every place I look up. I take a more natural approach to it and I never try to see more than 3 things in one day.
When you're traveling for more than five days, it's very easy to get tired and you have to pace yourself. You also want to mix up the types of places you're going. I personally can get a bit burnt out of museums. I'm the type that likes the audio guides and to read all the information, so I want to be present and engaged for that.
Nearly gave a £1300 tip to a waiter due to currency conversion mishap. Thankfully bank rejected payment. Yes, I'm supposed to be an experienced traveller, we all make mistakes
Was the waiter prepared to "accept" your (obvious) mistake, or did he attempt to make it right? A German waiter would be honest.
The Linthicums interestingly the waiter didn't mention my mistake! The bank rejected the transaction.
ExploreList I once was tipped by mistake 100 us bucks (in local currency) for a burger, fries and a beer and although temptation was huge I warned the client and he tipped me 1 usd :( anyway I felt good about myself but very bad about the tipping LOL.
The karmas will reward you for that good deed. ;?=)
seba81uy That was pretty shitty of them to only give a dollar after you were nice enough to tell them of their mistake
hey Mark,
Something I used to do while I was traveling Europe and the Middle East while in the Navy, was never take an English language menu. I used to point and say give me that to a random item, don't tell me what it was until I finished my meal. I found that doing that got me to try a lot of meal I wouldn't try if I knew what it was initially
That would make sense in a lot of places. In my hometown, Indonesia, a middle range and above restaurants almost always have English menu. Sometimes they don't even have Indonesian on it. It's just trendy. So.. yeah fyi, in case you go to Indonesia and got an English menu.
When I traveled to Europe, I was on one of those group tours. I thought it was a great value for a first timer to Europe; however, I would recommend not selecting one that tries to jam everything into the package. The tour I was on offered plenty of guided tours but also had complete days of leisure where you could explore on your own. Also, I worked with the tour company to arrive a day before the tour started. This allowed me to explore London on my own. I walked from Bayswater to all the way to Parliament and taking time to see Kennsington Palace, St. James Palace, Buckingham Palace, #10 Downing and Westminster. It was awesome to do this.
I did much the same thing in London (minus the group tour - I was alone), except I did the bus-ride at the end. After a couple days of walking, on the 2nd evening I twisted my right knee and it was super sore. So the 3rd day I took the red double-decker bus out to see the Tower of London, and spent most of the day exploring all the exhibits inside. At the end of the day I caught the last bus back, and was the ONLY passenger on board! The tour guide and I chatted, and she told me some really funny stories about her job. Then she went down and told the bus driver I had a sore knee, and he was SO sweet.... instead of dropping me off at the Marble Arch, which was a fairly long walk from where I was staying, he actually deviated from his normal route and took me straight to my door!
On a completely spontaneous whim, I booked a 10 day trip to Rome in a few months... I immediately felt nervous and on he she of regret, but dude. You’ve made me so confident in how much I can experience and expand my perspective by doing this and seeing the world. It all these little tips that make you so invaluable.
I can’t thank you enough, but I’m sure I’ll be even more thankful when I’ve just had my cappuccino and sitting in villa Borghese(:
We've discovered that we learn more about local culture when we rent an AirBnB apartment or house. Shopping for groceries or toilet paper always gives an interesting glance at 'how the locals do it'. For instance, in Germany, the grocery clerks do not make small talk and you've got to be quick packing your groceries together. In most European countries we've visited, eggs are not refrigerated, so you won't find them where you'd expect to find them. And in the rentals, we've learned a lot about how European kitchens and homes function. We love not staying in big chain hotels for this very reason.
AnnaDaisybird "European homes" try again..
Chunk Ogre No I meant European grocery stores. Eggs are kept on shelves and not refrigerated, not where an American would expect to find them.
AnnaDaisybird My point is no such think is a European home. For now Europe is a culturally diverse continent (but that could all change with the European project)
AnnaDaisybird I totally agree! Airbnb is a great way to travel!
Google explanation why eggs do NOT need to be refrigerated in Europe BUT MUST be refrigerated in the USA, there IS a reason. Chickens lay eggs with a protective coating that is left on in Europe BUT washed off in the U.S. thus European eggs will NOT go bad at room temperature BUT U.S. eggs most definitely will go bad at room temperature!!
4:17 Wow that drawing is fantastic!
I can't stress #2 enough. Planning is everything! Case and point: when I went to Mexico City, I wanted to ride down the canals of Xochimilco and see the pyramids of Teotihuacan. The problem? Xochimilco's boats are expensive (at least 300 pesos per boat), and Teotihuacan gets _really_ crowded.
Research ultimately paid off: on Sundays, Xochimilco has a public boat that only costs 30 pesos per person to ride, and Teotihuacan offers early morning tours with an archaeologist that, at the time, cost 40% less than a day tour. I wound up taking the metro down to Xochimilco Sunday morning, headed to the Museo Frida Khalo in the afternoon, and then got up bright and early to see Teotihuacan the next day with no crowds and a phenomenal guide.
ZhangtheGreat that’s awesome thanks for the tip!!!
With #4, there can be a problem when it comes to having food allergies. Sometimes it can be hard to find out whether a dish is okay or might put you in the ER, so a friendly staple like the golden arches or KFC might be a welcoming choice.
I made the over-packing mistake the first time. Once was enough! LOL. I highly suggest going to one area, STAYING in that area, and exploring every nook & cranny on foot if you can. I explored London that way, and loved every minute. I had no itinerary. Just got a little room within walking distance of Paddington Station, got a map of the city, packed a day pack with snacks & a water bottle, and wandered all over the city. Met lovely, helpful locals and really got the feel of the city. I did the same thing in Oslo and Bergen, too.
Also if you're traveling to older cities, basically not America, you'll find many places don't have elevators. You don't want to have to have an assist to get your luggage up six flights of stairs.
So true! When I first started travelling, I made the mistake of bringing one of those monster suitcases with. What a mistake! We arrived at Florence and first I had to drag it along the cobblestone up to the hotel...not fun! Then we get to the hotel and it has no elevator and we're on the 3rd floor with no air con. My husband helped me but he was none too happy either. Not anymore, I only bring luggage I can carry and lift myself.
So true, so true. I have been a travel agent for over 35 years, and I have given the same advice to my clients every time they travel. They have appreciated me for it!
I like wolters vids because they make me feel like a good traveler 😉
+lauralanthalasa7 because you are a good traveler. Fellow traveler :)
I love your videos. I'm fluen in Spanish and English, and know very little French but I've been learning Italian since May when my husband told me we were going to France and Italy. I've learned so much Italian in two months. Thank you for your tips.
Great video.
About packing: I first travelled with only hand luggage because of the luggage fee on the airline. Now I still do it because of the fees, but also because it is so practical. I don't have to check in luggage or wait for it at the airport. I have everything I need on my back. It makes me pack lighter and less clothes that I don't need (annoying for every unused clothes that I pack up when I get home). When traveling in cities, they probably have clothing stores if you are afraid of not having enough.
I think it also saves me money because I think twice before I buy anything (souvenir or clothes) because of the reduced space.
I started with 2 days, now I have travelled for 7 days with only a backpack.
I'm going two weeks this September. Embracing the challenge of just a backpack lol damn baggage fees
I've been packing "carry-on" for years. When the luggage specs got smaller, I bought a smaller suitcase and packing cubes. Two weeks? No problem! Cosmetics: took a while but I've got it down to a science!
I do this as well but I bring a flyweight duffel inside the pack in case I want to buy clothes or things while I'm there
No lie, i planned so much and then watched this video. Thank god it helped me plan a more enjoyable experience for my family
I like you slipped that overpacking one in. Last time I went to the states with 2 colleagues for 2 weeks I had a suitcase small to be used as carry on. The biggest one was 4 times the volume. And still, I survived without needing to buy anything in a local shop. Pack smart and enjoy the vacation instead of worying about your outfits.
Seriously, dude... you're hysterical! Every time I click on an information blog about travelling in Europe, up you pop! Thanks for all the info. Planning my first trip to Paris and I hope I'm well prepared for the pick-pockets and apartment living I'll need to deal with while I'm there! Love your videos!
As a friend's father said at a B & B while touring the Ring of Kerry in Ireland in the summer, "What do you mean you don't have any rooms? I have a voucher!"
I love that you still travel while having kids
great tips! I think the overpacking is the hardest one to do, but luckily I've been able to do just a carry on, and then find a cheap laundromat when I need it.
+Bucky Barnes exactly. It's as simple as that and the problem is solved. Love you Bucky!
Bucky Barnes I sent my clothes out through a valet at a hotel and they came back fresh and clean the next day and it was very cheap. That was 20 years ago though so I don't know what the situation is now.
Fantastic video! Should be required viewing for all travelers. I've seen over planning probably more than all of the other mistakes. People come to town and want to see EVERYTHING in a day or two, which is completely impossible. I always wish they had planned to spend more time.
I took a bus tour in Italy several years ago. It was great. I did a lot of research prior to the trip. Arrived the day before we were to meet our group but that allowed time to explore the city a bit. We took public transit downtown and walked through some of the streets to find our way to the Piazza Navona, spent some time there then went to eat at one of the restaurants on one of the streets. The next day we had time to tour the forum. Quite an experience. We took our time, took a lot of photos etc. we met our group later on that day at the hotel. Loved Rome for the history, Venice was great for the sites and cityscapes (love the architecture). Florence was beautiful too. Overall, we really enjoyed our trip. The only thing that we didn't get to really enjoy was the Trevi Fountain in Rome as it was under repairs. Some day I will get back there.
Be in Rome in the coming weeks & have learned so much by watching your videos. It's made me more knowledgeable & excited about visiting! Thank you.
I have to condense my trips due to limited holidays/funds and a dream to see different places. If it’s a smaller city I do one day/night (definitely worked in Scandinavia), if it’s a bigger city it’s a couple of nights, maybe three. It helps that I’m traveling from UK to Europe so I know I’ll be back in a lot of these places eventually and use my initial trips as first impressions. I still enjoy myself and I feel like I get to see things and have enough time to breathe, all whilst getting loads of pics. It also helps that I do all these trips alone.
The only trips I wish I had an extra night for were my Rome and Paris visits (2 nights each).
Granted doing that the first time was overwhelming and that trip I didn’t enjoy as much. A canal or bus tour here and there and I have enough time for a meal and a night out
I do understand that many find it more relaxing to spend longer in each spot (and it allows to do a lot more activities other than looking at buildings) but just like reading a book we all have our own times with different things.
As an avid traveller I figured this out a long time ago. But great advice to newbies!
look at his wife trying to walk like a runway model at 1:46 showing off her outfit and shoes with one foot in front of the other! haha girl I see you.
Thanks for the video. My wife and I went to Mexico in May and we're going to Paris in a week from now, and your videos have played a huge part in the research and planning of those trips. I think we will be well prepared. Keep up the great work.
This should be required watching for anyone traveling abroad for the first time, especially Rome.
Great video as always!! I learn so much from you and your family. I'm going to Germany, Austria, Switz, Benelux and maybe Prague, next September. Things we've learned and are going to apply have mostly come from you. I can't wait to train ride through Europe, pack lightly, shop for shoes while I'm there, stay in Airbnb, try local food..... Keep up the great content...😘
Even though you will find someone who can speak English, I think it’s worth the effort to attempt to speak the local language. So another mistake would be not attempting to speak the local language.
Even if it is just hello, please, and thank you. Most people appreciate the attempt even if your pronunciation is awful.
Agree - I always try to at least say hello, thank you and goodbye...its amazing how that opens people up.
Many people forget that you can wash clothes when traveling. They have laundromats in Europe. Many hotels will get your clothes washed, and you can always use the bathroom sink or shower. You don’t need to bring 2 weeks of clothes for a 2 week trip.
Great advice. I will put it into practice when we spend 33 days in the UK this fall
+Samantha Gaudet thank you
Samantha Gaudet don't forget Scotland! :)
Oh we are going into Scotland as well. Can't wait.
I made 3 of these when I went to Europe. It was an exhausting trip as a result. When I went to Taiwan, I learned and I didn’t make any of these mistakes. Best trip ever as a result!
Several years ago, I went to Cabo with my girlfriend for a week. The place we stayed at, we weren't allowed to take a bath or shower until the mid-afternoon hours. I thought that was really strange. I've always been the type of person that would feel refreshed by taking a shower first thing in the morning but we couldn't do it until mid-afternoon (or in this case when he got back to our rooms in the evening).
I'm glad I've never made any of these mistakes. I like to go to have a plan but also have free time and I love to experience the culture and the food. And of course, since I like to be cost efficient public transport is a go-to.
This channel consistently has great travel advice. To anyone who wants to travel but is a novice, just follow the advice from Wolters World and you will be fine.
The thing that bothers me is people who fall into the trap of taking pictures instead of living in and experiencing the moment. I remember watching 100 people watch the changing of the guard at Windsor Castle through the screen if their iPads and phones instead of using their eyes. That is a massive mistake. Never let the photos get in the way of the experience.
Two things: 1, it’s awesome to leave luggage space to shop for clothes! Then when you go home and someone compliments you on your skirt, you can say, “thanks! Got it in Rome” lol. 2, local mass transport is important to experience but sometimes a taxi or Uber can be, too, but for different reasons. My first time in London I was walking around, got lost and tired. So I took a cab back to my hotel and what a ride! Driver took me through Hyde Park and other areas I’d not have seen had I been underground on the tube -
Excellent advice re first and last nights - suggest planning a contingency as well in case of delays and things going wrong, like taking some food with you that will not perish or go bad during flight AND that is permitted by the country into which you're travelling. Travel safe 👍😎❤️
true. we bring snacks and such in our carry ons just in case the plane food sucks and if it doesn't then we have extra snacks for a late night nibble at the hotel :)
Wolters World Nothing like a late night nibble :)
I always pack my small suitcase & then put it inside empty larger suitcase....YES I buy "set" of matching luggage because I was "raised" that way.
So I can shop & buy food & clothes & knick knacks when I see something foreign that I MUST HAVE! Plus I have room for gifts for friends/family back home.
Use smaller suitcase as carry on when returning to USA.....Let the airline put larger suitcase in baggage section.
It's worked for me for the 40 yrs I've been traveling......
Great video! Will bear these tips in mind in the future!
My #6 would be "don't limit yourself to (fancy/chain) hotels" try airbnb or the odd pub with shared showers :) Usually spotless and gives a different point of view.
I am a traveller who usually arrives with a big suitcase (and depending on the destination a backbag too). This is either because I am away for a longer time and just need stuff or I am travelling to favourite cities and plan to do a lot of shopping. A great example of this is London. I always bring my big suitcase half empty, but when I fly back I max out the space and weight restrictions.
(Usually food is included! I am more the stationary and cosmetics person though. :D And books!)
You are so right on all points, thanks for sharing.
I totally agree with your view on food. My tactic is to avoid the places where all the tourists go toeat and to search out a small bistro or inn and try their food. If you need local information ask your hotel breakfast waiter or receptionist, they are usually full of useful information. Another useful source is the staff at/on public transport. All over the world those people know their town/city like the back of their hand.
that is what we do. We ask for the map from the front desk then ask them to circle local spots only. It has worked out for us most of the time. thanks for the comment
Thank you for sharing all these wonderful tips!!
Husband and I flying to Alaska in August. I do think I have some over planning issues. Concerning the food, my hubby said he was going to pass up the steak for FISH. Yay! I also would love to try caribou, whale and any other exotic dishes. Taking one day to fly to Kotzebue to soak up the culture. I cant wait!
mskrislewis I'm so jealous. I'd love to go there some day. Hope you enjoy it
This might be my favorite WW video. So practical
Agree completely with using public transport, but I am often traveling with a family. Once one multiplies a Straßenbahn ticket by four or five people, a cab can be a better deal.
Not everywhere, but often, there are 'small group' tickets. E.g. in Berlin, there is a Kleingruppen-Tageskarte for around €20 for up to 5 persons. That is hard to beat with a taxi. Another example are the Ländertickets in Germanyfor one person, it's doable (about €25, could be a little more or a little less, depending on the Land in question), but for ever traveller extra up to 4, it's only a couple of euros extra, which make them a real bargain.
@@barvdw Definitely - most cities in Germany have a Tagesticket Plus, or equivalent. These are great value as you say. Also, most of the federal states (Bundeslaender) have special rail tickets where you can travel wherever you want for around Euro 25 per day. In Bavaria it's the Bayernticket.
Great advice, esp. about buying clothes when you get there to stand out less.
Heading out on a Mediterranean cruise in a week. Wished we had more time to observe the culture but we need to see the sights. We ARE taking the trains and busses as much as possible and avoiding the overpriced and overcrowded ship excursions. I did go through an Analysis Paralysis while planning this trip. Way to much to see. What do we see. How can we get there.
Now I've got it. Thanks for all your advice!!
Moon Shine Those excursions really are overpriced. Did 3 cruises and never did an excursion. It’s actually more fun finding out the place yourself. Get some guides and you can plan ahead the night before on the ship. Pro tip: eat where the locals eat. It’s a lot cheaper and super yummie.
I actually plan on following these rules when going to Europe in a few years since I want to make sure I know where I'm staying, check the transportation options and see if I need to prebuy anything.
I loved seeing the pictures of you when you were much younger! :)
Thanks for your tips. Last year i went to Europe 1 month. Just with a little suitcase and my backpack. Traveling with the essentials. And i saw a lot of People with really big suitcases. Maybe the social media is the problem...aahahah. People doesn't want repeat their outfits ahahaha.
Excellent advice.
Best travel videos! Always so helpful.
I'm a "combination traveler" who 'over plans' yet 'flies by the seat of pants'. Example: if there are 4 things I "must" see or do in an area, like a museum or such, I allot at least 5 days to do them, with a daily '1/2 day to "do" the thing' and '1/2 day to allow Lady Serendipity to exhibit her charms', and that extra day is for whatever I have found that is of more interest.
Mark, you are awesome. I am following you from a long long time, before you started making travel videos....
never made any of those mistakes, I even got fluent in 12 languages, memorized the maps of destinations and made some friends on location before I went. And I always plan more than I can handle, so I don't run out of fun.
Wow you're a badass
When my parents were planning a 3 week family trip to Europe they considered seeing a bunch or countries or just concentrate on one? We ended up staying just in the UK and I think that was the best decision for seeing places and not racing between one country after another.
It depends on what you want to see really. I mean if you're in London for a while, you could even plan a day trip to Paris on the Eurostar.
A mistake I witnessed while on a trip with other students of art: While in Madrid, we had a free morning. I wanted to visit the Templo de Debod and when I discussed that with the other students they didn't know about it, even if one in particular had Egyptian things at heart. I knew because I always check sites like Tripadvisor and did not just rely on the trip that the teachers planned for us. Always do your research, people!
Let's see how many of those mistakes I have made:
1. Yep. First trip to Scotland was way overplanned. I made like a time table when we needed to be where and one day was so fully packed that we where just beat when we returned to our hostel. But the good thing is: You make those kind of mistake only once. Second trip (to Scotland again) was much more relaxed. Now, I just make a very rough plan on which city we need to be in at what day (with a one to two day cushion to be extra sure) and then we just travel around the country, deciding what places to visit on the spot, or only a few days in advance.
2. HA! No, this one hasn't happened to me. As I've mentioned, I make a rough plan on where we need to be at what day (like, if the plane is taking off on a specific day, then that's the day you want to be at the airport, right?). For our trip to Iceland for example I just calculated the whole travel distance (Ringvegúr is about 1,000km) and divided that by the number days we where there (10) and figured: We need to travel 100km each day to reach our goal. Only fixed dates where: Date of arrival. Hostel room booked in Reýkjavik for two days. Date of departure. Everything else was only very loosley planned. This gives you a lot of freedom on your travels. For example, when we arrived in Akureyri we went to a whale watching tour guide-thingy (what are those called... vendors?) late in the day, about maybe 8 or 9 in the evening. We originally planned to book a tour for the next day. But there was a bus already waiting and they where like "hey, the bus is about to leave you can hop on right now!" so we did it (it was amazing). So, the next day - originally planned for whale watching - we simply did something else.
3. That's why we mostly decide to not travel in groups but on our own. "Off the beaten path" as they say. It's not always possible, because if you are in Paris, and never been there before, of course you absolutely HAVE to see Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, etc. It would be like to travel to Las Vegas and not go into any casino, or skipping out on the Grand Canyon.
4. Well... yeah, kind of. We went to a very good indian restaurant in Reýkjavik two times in a row, lol. But Hákarl is not for everyone, lol. But I like to try out new food at the places we travel to.
5. When we started traveling we relied on public transport, because it's so much cheaper. However, it can be very challening. In Scotland there are like 3 or 4 different bus companies PER CITY, and it's not always really clear which company takes which route. Sometimes even the bus stops are not really marked and you have to kind of know they are there, heh. Last two trips we traveled by car because we did a tour through a whole country (Iceland and Norway).
Public transport in Lisbon is very nice. Just four/five lines on the metro and a ticket for a day costs just around 5 euros. A metro station is at the airport. I had much fun visiting Lisbon while wating for the next flight
My holiday packing philosophy is "travel out light, come back heavy". Pack a smaller suitcase inside a slightly larger one on the way out if you've already got lots of cases, it's easier to travel with, otherwise buy another case while you're away
I always try to see if there is a tourist type travel card available (eg RomaPass, IAmsterdam) they include public transport so no messing about buying individual journey tickets but they are primarily useful for access to museums etc. At the coliseum in Rome there is a special queue line for RomaPass holders, it saved me about 15 mins getting in, I just walked up the special line and straight to the entry turnstiles. They can also include extras like free guide books/audio guides.
Bongiorno! When I was in Europe in '84, as an add-on to a tour of Israel, I traveled across the continent via Eurail and Britrail. Granted, I did a major overview--23 countries in 32 days, but some countries I just added to my list, whereas in others, such as a 4-day layover in Iceland on the way home, I spent more time. However, I spent every night in a youth hostel, and though I didn't get into the culture of some countries, I got acquainted with fellow travelers from around the world. So it was a trade-off. I also got to meet the citizens of that country on the train, as many Europeans don't even own a car, and don't really need one with their amazing train system, plus the outrageous price of gas.
The car is the preferred mode of transport of most Europeans, today, but trains are still hugely popular, because as you say, you can get almost everywhere with them.
Travelling? What on earth is there to see that is better than my Yorkshire home 😊😎
*Nervously watches the video to see if I have made any of these mistakes
Yay! I either avoided these mistakes or they didn't apply to me anyway!
Nice job with great tips !
I am always watching these videos for my future travels. God know when that will be though😆
Great Video. Thank you for posting.
I always check out more than we're actually doing. If we're in a city for 3 days, I'll have 15 museums or sights lined up, knowing that 10 will be the maximum we do. But I travel often with my dad who's in a wheelchair, so I have to check them all out for accessibility anyway. And that way, when one turns out not to be accessible due to a broken elevator for instance, I have the details ready for another thing to do.
And always be ready to throw your plans out of the window and see something unexpected. Last trip the US to visit civil war battlefields, some of the nicest things we've done was when some local mentioned 'oh, you should see this or that thing, it's very nice.' That way you sometimes find hidden gems that locals know about, but which doesn't have a big online presence and therefore you might not have seen it while researching.
We started traveling with our 3 young kids about 4 years ago( they were 1, 4 and 6). Most years it's twice out of country trips. Except 2020 of course. We actually do alot of what you mentioned.
Completely agree about food. We usually order 5 different dishes and share between us so we're all trying different things.
Packing- we have become extremely efficient at packing. Just 2 rolling luggage for all 5 of us.
We always rent a car. To me, best way to experience places is to go and discover places where there is no public transportation. Plus, going through the Alps in a car is just amazing.
We did make a mistake of trying to do too much on our first trip and we learned quickly. Now we've learned to add leisure days and learned to slow down. Much more enjoyable this way.
Here's to hoping to traveling again in 2021...
I travel like am a local.
Minimum packing, no bookings.
Me - "bye mum, am going to Italy, Rome for the weekend"
Mum - "ok"
Man I wish I could travel like u do!!! You've been every where!! LOL! I love ur videos and 1 day when I actually can travel I'll know a lot of do's and Don'ts of all these amazing places you've been!! Thanks for the videos!!
+1 on not trying to cram in too much and have down days. I think this one is psychologically difficult; odds are you're considering the cost per day of the trip and the likelihood of you returning, both of which encourage making the most of each day. Unfortunately, reality isn't psychologically soothing, and I've found that a down day for every 5 days away works pretty well for recharging both physically and mentally. We tend to walk whenever possible while abroad or in locations that permit it, which is a lot more than we get during an average workday. Adding fatigue to overworked muscles and joints is a recipe for misery...let your body rest! The mental aspect is similar; if you're constantly bombarding yourself with something new and awe-inspiring multiple times a day, eventually things that would impress you normally become no big deal because you just can't stay perpetually stimulated. Varying activities can go a long way...spending a day or part of a day in a park people watching can be very relaxing for both body and mind and will help keep your passion high when needed.
My first time to Europe I overpacked. I will never to do that again! My goal for next time is to pack with a carry-on only. Not sure if I’ll be able to, maybe my medium case. ;)
Hey Mark I love your videos thanks for posting them. I hope to run into you and have a beer someday. cheers buddy!
Just to emphasize the first point: The travel to another country can take hours and possibly the entire day. If you see 9 countries in 12 days you will spend at least half of your trip in the train or in the airplane.
Would you be traveling to South Africa anytime soon? Would love to check out South Africa from your lens!
I work in the Center of Rome and I meet daily tons of tourists: I'm white but i realize that coloured/blacks tourists from ZA are much more friendly and nice that whites there! :-)
@@braschigiovanniangelo5559 I'm pretty sure every person is coloured in one way or another
@@MikuHatsune12 ???
when it comes to packing if I am going to be gone for 7 days in Europe, what do you consider overpacking. I am a 6'4" 300 lb guy. My clothes take up a lot of space. Plus my 13" shoes too. (I plan to take hiking boots (work boots) and tennis shoes) For that many days I want a variety of clothing options. I plan to take one large suitcase and one carry-on with a back pack. Is this too much in your opinion?
as another famous travel icon has said, in all the years he's been traveling and leading tours,.he never has heard anyone say, "Oh, I wish I'd packed more!"
Thank u so much. Ur vlog is very informative..
Great video! Really informative.
i loved rome nice video mark
When i was in rome there was a group americans a table next to us in the restaurant. He said he wanted a real Italian spaghetti and meatballs (like you said) but that is an american dish and was not on the map. But they kooked it anyway for him.
Ps. I checked your malta video before going there last week and it was spot on 👍 Only the azure window is destroyed in a storm last month sadly.
Sort of a compromise for #4, go to McDonald's and get a local menu item. This is a tip a frequent traveler gave to me. I was in Kyoto, Japan, and I tried the teriyaki burger. It was smaller than back in the US (and so were the fries), but it was delicious.
Great video. I have a 14 night trip to Italy coming up in December. i have been planning for 12 months and Basing myself in Venice and exploring the rest of Italy on day trips by train. Looking forward to exploring italy :)
newmanscott60 just came from Venice. You'll love it!
Venice is amazing! Its really nice to explore, especially when you reach the other side of the grand canal where you'll see less tourists and cool shops.
newmanscott60 hope you will find time to visit.. napoli.. and other parts of campania region... :)
May I suggest one I did back in '86 when I did a whirlwind train trip across Europe? I was up in Munich--headed south through Innsbruck, Austria, on through the Brenner Pass into Italy--spectacular scenery the entire way. I'm sure it would be just as scenic doing it in reverse. and it only takes a few hours by train.
newmanscott60 You can do Venice is a couple of days. it is time consuming to take the Vaporetto ( water taxi ) to and from the train station. For me Milan was a much better base. Went to Lake Coming ; Cinque Terre ; Padua ; Verona and the Swiss Alps. I want to return to visit Genoa. I hear that there are alot of hidden gems there.
Loved those 90's photos
Underplanning is how we ended up eating a breakfast of coffee and grab-n-go cereal at the airport in Hawaii. It was Monday and we thought if we left the hotel three hours before the flight it would be fine. What we didn't account for was the commute traffic, since the airport was in the biggest city on the island.
Completely agree with everything said. One of the biggest mistakes I see in Ireland is Americans thinking that they can use US Dollars here and can't understand why we don't accept it. Understanding the local currency would be an obvious tip.