First Time Visiting Europe Travel Guide for Americans

For Americans, Europe is an appealing destination for the history we share and the stories we hear. Traveling this continent is an exciting opportunity and with the right planning it can be done with the best possible outcome. Let’s hope we can at least agree on that! 

In this article:

Deciding on a timeframe and destination.

Preparing for culture shock.

How to pack, what not to pack.

Deciding on a Timeframe and Destination.  

First let’s start by talking about timeframe because you are, after all, taking an 8-to-15-hour flight (without layovers). Many of us would love to pack our bags and take a never-ending holiday across Europe, but for now let’s focus on some of the usual time frames. 

10 days to 2 weeks: 

This is your shortest window recommended for traveling to Europe from America; and please with the east coasters who are spending weekends in Paris and London quite down in the back! In all seriousness, if it is your first time this is the minimum you should consider going. Depending on your budget, destination and preferred experiences you will be able to take on around two to three cities and a couple of day trips or overnight excursions. 

To make the most of such a short trip you should consider what country you’ve most wanted to visit and narrow down the map. Unfortunately in such a window of time you are likely going through the most important parts of any destination and glossing over everything else. Three to five days should be enough to get a good look at any city in Europe, don’t judge me for saying that. We got to make the most of this people! Do your research before and you’ll be surprised how much you can take in. Pre-adapting to your journey will help you distinguish between the crowds and the real ‘dolce vita’. Whatever. You can always come back. But for real friends, we don’t have time to waste and consider your plane ticket cost almost the same as your rent back home! 

If you are a true believer in your destination and want to take it all in, leaving no stone unturned, spend the whole two weeks there. You won’t regret it. Take a cooking class, go meet a local over pitxos y potes; Happy Hour in the Basque Country (aperitivo in Italy). Join a travel whatsapp or telegram group. Stay in hostels and meet people because this is the best way to make your trip come to life.

3 to 4 weeks: 

This is the more ideal timeframe. Sure, a lot of travel enthusiasts (corporate America) say the perfect vacation should last 2 weeks for peak satisfaction before it’s time to head back to the office but consider that you may not get the chance again to experience the vast continent of Europe. With three to four weeks, you have plenty of time to explore and hit numerous destinations, allowing time for transportation, rest and exploration without being overwhelmed. 

Although you have sliced yourself a big chunk of time, you will still need to narrow your focus and decide what’s important. Don’t start thinking you’re backpacking! You only got a couple of weeks and remember the first two days you’re going to lose sleep. For first time visitors to Europe, jet lag will be a rude awakening and likely unavoidable. Pros will tell you that you can just take an Ambien and sleep on the flight.. forget you ever heard that. Unless you’re not bothered by a little (a lot) less than normal sleep, you’re going to need to allow yourself some time to adjust. 

Now that you’ve had a nap let’s think about what is actually possible during this trip. For example, if you are in Dublin and want to bounce to Greece, remember that’s a four-hour flight! By the time you get into the city you have spent a half day or more travelling again. You need to keep this trip relatively simple, and no one is saying to chill out, but keep it simple!

In the example of starting in Dublin take a week to explore Southern Ireland on an amazing road trip, hitting the Ring of Kary, Cliffs of Moehr Galway, ect. Return to the massive hub that is Dublin’s airport but now keep a tighter watch on your traveling time for the rest of the trip. A common mistake I see people make is traveling to all the major cities because they were so accessible by flight, even though they put up with long travel times. They realize later they weren’t able to take in those countryside excursions or off the beaten path festivals they wish they would’ve seen. If you flew 20+ hours for the first time, stick around, it will be worth it, and you will learn so much more than if you jet set off to the next major capital to take a selfie in front of a monument. In our example, if you have spent a week or more in Southern Ireland, you could hit all the major points of interest. From Greece, I’d give myself five days to explore the metropolis of Athens, take a day excursion to Delphi or Mycenae, and spend a few days reading on the beaches of Hydra. All of these locations are close by and worth the time. You don’t need to be in a rush. Pick somewhere close so that you spend less time repacking, unpacking, calling cabs, boarding call, cross check, “ladies and gentlemen there is another plane waiting to clear the taxi way”.. you know I mean. 

4 weeks + 

Going longer than four weeks? God bless you and please consider wring a blog post for first time visiting! With so much time to spare we can only imagine you might not come back, haha! Some countries in Europe will let you stay 3-6 months on a tourist visa. However, keep in mind the European Union is generally allowing 90 days in 180 day period. Whomp whomp. In reality 90 days is a lot and you really can have a blast in that timeframe. With so much time to spare on your first time visiting you will need to do extensive planning, and like I said earlier, you should be telling us all about how you took on this journey! You will never hear someone say, “I wish I took more photos or videos” or “I wish I blogged a little more while I was gone for so long”. Everyone wants to live in the moment and c’est la vie, but the time passes quickly, and your memory won’t be as fresh later, so remember to document your adventure before you forget! 

That concludes the time frame part of the article. I hope that has given you some insight on what to expect as a first-time traveler to Europe. Next I want to talk about culture, because it doesn’t come up as often as it should! 

Preparing for Culture shock.

Doing the homework:

Europe is very different than the United States. When we travel we can expect many of the same things in every major city. Landmarks, arts districts, night life. In many European destinations it can be clear cut like this, but understanding the culture is key to what to expect. For instance, bars and pubs in Spain around 9PM will be filled will middle aged families and their kids. In contrast in any given major American city there is a pub crawl starting around the same time. No one is saying that you can’t be pregame in the local plaza, but observe that maybe the locals in your age group are going to a Discoteca tonight or Noche Blanca festival outside the city center. 

Doing more research is always better especially for smaller cities and towns. Knowing which culture and environments are best for you and your group is also going to help make your trip easier and more enjoyable. Say if you’re going to Italy and want to experience awesome nightlife, well a quieter city like Venice is going to let you down. Instead check out Rome, Catania or even Milan! A night out in any of these destinations will have their moments, but the aforementioned cities really take the cake for party experiences. For instance Piazza Monti in Rome is known for its university aged alternative scene, a great opportunity to meet locals. Meanwhile the resort town of Rimini and college-centric city of Bologna wouldn’t be a bad choice either! If you are in Poland it is highly recommended you take off to Krakow. As a hub for young professionals, its night life is worth the hype. Kazimierz or the Jewish quarter, is the place to go. Kazimierz has blossomed out of a crucial site in Jewish heritage and European history. Depicted in Hollywood by the famous movie Shindlers list, Krakow is know for the site of Shindler’s factory. Years later it’s important to recognize the transformation holocaust has had on this community. Yet from Its beleaguered past, kazimierz is now a place where all come to learn and enjoy Zapiekanka after a night out making it an ideal destination.  

Here’s another perspective on culture. Ask yourself: how welcoming is the host community? We get it! Everyone needs time to warm up. Especially in some tourist hot spots where they are warmed up, and frankly overheated. Take Barcelona for example where a push to deter more tourists from coming has gone mainstream, and probably for good reasons. On your first time in Europe understand that not everyone is looking to make the cross-cultural. Many are simply trying to live their lives, and your European exchange is unwelcome in their daily routine, and that’s okay. There are plenty of people and places looking to make this happen for you! You may find yourself amongst lively Erasmus students in Stuttgart or with a wise Air BNB host in Taormina. There are unique and interesting connections all over, but timing and context are everything.

Doing the cultural homework before hand is going to help out. Look up local news, check out the population demographics learn about where to go and not to go.  These are all helpful insights. I’m sure you’d like to know the average age in San Sebastián, Spain is 46 and the average in Amsterdam, Berlin is 38 and 40 respectively. Of course you are going to find night life in San Sebastián, but with this information it becomes clear there are some differences. Named the European cultural capital of 2016, San Sebastián boasts incredible sites, among them Eduardo Chilliada’s combs of the wind, or perhaps the San Sebastián film and cider festivals. The city is generally known for its Basque heritage and exquisite food scene, not underground raves. That said, nearby Bilbao is a revitalized and modern city. From an industrial past, Bilbao has transformed into a center of commerce, education and culture and is a hub for the younger generation. Parties like Mardi Gras in Plaza Nueva, Casco Viejo (old town) are something quite spectacular. 

Considering what crowd, you normally fit in with is essential for your first time visiting Europe, however, don’t make the mistake of exclusively choosing a location based on these factors. The numbers don’t tell the full story, and you can easily find your place no matter which destination you choose. Taking a look again at the Basque country, a quick comparison of Bilbao and San Sebastian would lead you to believe the best festivals and parties might be located in the bigger city of Bilbao. Making this assumption would cause you to miss one of the best Cider festivals in the world held in San Sebastian’s Constitution Plaza. There is a time and place for everything and knowing when that is, should be paramount for your first time visiting Europe. Having the inside scoop will allow you to come across with the etiquette of a local and bring your cultural exchange to life!

Generally speaking, larger cities are more prepared for the influx of internationals and host a wide variety of identities and events that express this. Major European cities, much like American cities, have undergone a transformation and are home to more than meets the eye. Take Bilbao for instance, once an industrial center in the heart of the Basque country, the city was not known for travel, but instead at the center of controversy in the Basque separatist movement. In recent decades Bilbao has transformed into a vibrant hub, now celebrating its heritage of attracting all walks of life, while also reviving its Basque cultural identity. The university of Deusto stands as one of the establishments leading the way in international education and taking on European projects addressing everything from urban modernization to migration. The Bilbao neighborhood of San Francisco has increasingly caught the attention for its presence of international folk and expression of popular culture. The photo below shows locals and non-locals alike in swing dancing to American blues on the streets of San Francisco, capturing how the enthusiasm for such music can be shared by everyone. The point is that if you are at first overwhelmed by culture shock, hang in there because we have more in common than you think! Although doing the homework is great and you should be aware of general population and cultural figures to give you a rough estimate of what to prepare for, don’t judge a book by its cover and let yourself explore!

Brushing up on Language:

Language is an important part of your preparations. Whether you don’t have any language skills or are fluent in the native language, you should be prepared to brush up on the region-specific language nuances. For instance, in Spain a Cojer refers to the word “take”. In Spain this is a regular verb, but in Latin America it is often expletive. You would want to know that before you think someone is swearing at you on the street near a taxi pick up.

There are many examples, but for most of us practicing the basics is where to start. Even if you are not going to manage learning a conversational level it is considered polite to at least make the effort to understand the pleasantries. For example, In the Basque country the language dates back before Latin. The language does not share any root with any common major language on the continent. For this reason, it is very uncommon to expect an outside to speak in Basque, although it is widely taught and used in the region. Spanish is the common tongue, while English is spoken by many too. That said, as a sign of respect, Basques greatly appreciate when a traveler shows their curiosity. Check out the kudos you receive after saying “Eskerrik Asko”, meaning “thank you“ after receiving your Pintxo or Pote.

You will be surprised to find out that many regions do not speak the national language in Europe. It is important to take this into planning. Modern European borders often fail to show gradient of the cultural lines. German speakers in Northern Italy, Hungarian speakers in Transylvania and Turkish speakers in Greece. So on and so forth! Skipping a language lesson because you are relying on finding English speakers will only get you so far.

I hope you have found this information so far helpful, and that you have learned a little about how to take on Europe. The fact that you have made it this far in this article shows you will put in the work and come up with destinations that suits your interests. I’m proud of you! In the next section let’s talk more about your preparation stateside.

How to pack, what not to pack.

By now you have probably heard that it is better to pack light. For your first time in Europe, do yourself a favor and don’t just take this as “advice”, but words to live by. Having extra baggage can weigh you down so leave a lot of those items you don’t need at home. Let’s use our imagination for a second. Picture this: you just got into Heathrow, Frankfurt, Madrid, Charles de Gaulle or whatever major airport that accommodates many flights from the US. Now you are sprinting between the massive gates because you only have a short time frame to catch your regional flight. Sweat beading on your forehead you can barely breathe because the camera strap and your laptop bag are tangling around each other to create a tight choke hold around your neck. You've finally made it to the gate and they have started boarding, you breathe a sigh of relief as you make your way to the counter, when the attendant stops you to ask for your passport (you haven't gone through customs yet). They look at you carry on and it's bursting at the seams. To your surprise, they ask you to weigh your bag and of course it is overweight. Not only that, but your laptop bag counts as the carry on and your backpack will need to be checked also. You don't know it yet, but you just cost yourself hundreds of dollars and a trip to the luggage carousel to wait in line at your final destination. Not only is this a headache and unbudgeted cost, but it was totally unnecessary! There are so many great backpacks and carry ons that are designed for international travel, providing the perfect amount of space and packing guides so that you spend less of your time fumbling through the logistics and more time preparing the more exciting adventures.

Here are some common things I would reconsider packing.

1. Large Digital Camera. - Everyone has a smartphone that can take nearly the same photos.

2. Any grooming appliance. - Staighter, irons, shaving kit? Not worth it! Will need an adapter. not accustomed to European outlet voltage (won't work). You look good regardless, and if you absolutely can't go another day without something, buying it when you are there is less of an expense than you think.

3. Fashion pieces. - You're not going to fashion week are you? If you are an influencer there are plenty of ways to make a statement without bringing a Birkin bag six thousand miles across the globe.

4. Extra Clothing you weren't sure you would wear. - You won't. End of story. Plus didn't you want to do a little shopping anyway? Save that room for the items you find along the way.

5. Power banks. - These devices work only half the time and there are so many ways and places to charge. Unless you are heading into the great outdoors I don't think you need one of these.

Here is my ideal packing set up. A single carry on size roller bag! I can already hear people shouting about the cobblestones. Yes, it's not easy rolling a bag over cobblestones, but better to be pulling it over the stones than to have the weight on your back. Most of your walking with your bag will be on flat surfaces anyway. If you want to take a backpack for day trips and roaming, pack it in your roller bag on the way there. Not only will you have more room on the way home, but also you are keeping it simple and on the part of your trip you need it the most.

In conclusion your packing will vary based primarily on the time you plan to spend abroad. For trips between 2 to 5 weeks, I think a single carry on size roller suitcase with a small collapsible backpack is ideal. This will allow you to avoid baggage claim while giving you enough space for all of the essentials.

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