Travelling in Europe for Beginners, Part I

Before I begin with my travel tips, I wanted to write a little preamble about my travel experience in Europe to present a basis for my knowledge of the topic. As such I have included a list of places I've visited (not just passed through, but stayed for at least a few days) in Europe so far. Europeans often have the opportunity to travel extensively to other countries, so this isn't exactly an impressive list! But for someone from Canada, I feel so lucky to have gotten to visit all these places!

Canada as compared to Europe

Canada is so big that travelling from one side of the country to the other is akin to travelling from Ireland to Iraq. That being said, I have travelled and lived all around Canada from Vancouver to Toronto to Montreal to Halifax. Travelling within your own country is always easier because you already have more of a social safety net, you know the language, don't need to exchange currency, etc.

Countries I've visited so far! Updated: 08/27/2019

So, to establish my travel credentials as a foreigner in Europe (and maybe to brag a little), here's the list so far:

ANDORRA

Andorra la Vella

BELGIUM

Brussels

CATALONIA

Badalona
Barcelona
Casteldefels

CZECH REPUBLIC

Prague

ENGLAND

London
Southend-on-sea

FRANCE

Aurabelle
Azé
Lyon
Manosque 
Neuvy-Sautour 
Paris
Tour de Buis

ITALY

Capo di Lago
Capo di Ponte
Ceto
Lovere
Milan
Nadro
Rome

NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam
Rotterdam

SPAIN

Bolonia
Madrid
Malaga
Matalascañas
Pamplona
Puerto Real
Puerto Santa Maria
San Sebastián
Sevilla
Tarifa

It may seem daunting to travel around Europe, it may seem prohibitvely expensive, or even dangerous, but in my personal experience, it has been absolutely amazing and worth it! Teaching ESL doesn't pay as well as some professions, but I make enough to take some trips and have fun in my off time. With some planning, luck and tips from those who've been there, you can get the most for your money and have the time of your life!

My first piece of advice is to be FLEXIBLE!

Plan your itinerary while keeping in mind the places you'd most like to see, but also the cities and countries on your list that are near to one another, that are easily accessible by bus or that you find cheap flights to! My first time visiting Paris, I wanted to explore. After a glorious two weeks there, I found a cheap flight to Seville and without a second thought, I booked a hostel and got on the plane the next day. I had never been to the south of Spain, and in truth hadn't thought of going to Seville (Sevilla in Spanish) but the price was right! And in a city I hadn't been panning to visit at all, I had the BEST time in all my travels around Europe! I was absolutely enchanted by the Arabic-influenced architecture, the flamenco music, the food and the culture.

Matalascañas, near Seville, Spain

Try using Kayak Explore to search for flights near you while remaining flexible about the destination and dates. You can tailor your search to include nearby airports as well as selecting the +3/-3 days option to see flights that are even cheaper! If you want to travel, don't wait, take the chance on an adventure and see what happens. If you dreamt of going to Rome, but find a dirt-cheap flight to Athens instead, DO IT! You can also take the cheaper flight and then bus or train it to your next destination. It's always a great idea to check out alternatives.

Kayak Explore

Another fantastic idea is couchsurfing! Create a profile, just like on Facebook and search for hosts all around the world. You can meet great people, make new friends, see the city through the eyes of a local, get tips from your host about exciting events, great restaurnts and local attractions, all while saving money.

People always get confused about the fact that couchsurfing is free. They ask me, why would anyone want to host? Besides meeting awesome travellers from around the world and making friends, the other reason is that it's a community based upon reciprocity. That doesn't mean that if you stay at someone's house, that you have to let them stay with you some other time. What it means is that, if you like the host or hosts and get along with them, you could certainly host them in your home country, but you could also recommend a cheap hostel for them, hook them up with a friend who lives nearby, or do absolutely nothing. It's your choice, there is no expectation of "repayment" in the form of accommodations at a later date. They might not even want to visit your home country!

However, if you leave the host a good reference, that increases their chances of being accepted as a guest by another host! So, it sort works by social karma. You host people, they leave good reviews, you gain access to other hosts in various countries.

It's a social network, with one difference. It's Facebook, but for friends you haven't met yet!

Couchsurfing

My third tip for first-time travellers is to know your visa requirements! The Schengen area is the European Union passport-free zone, in which you may spend a total of 90 days in a 180-day period. Some countries are members of the EU but not in the Schengen. Some are Schengen but not part of the EU. Also, "passport-free" doesn't mean that you as a foreigner do not need a passport. It refers to the fact that EU citizens can pass freely between Schengen countries without a passport. Also, some countries require a Schengen visa to enter Europe, while others do not. Do your research regarding your own country just to be safe!

Schengen Visa Info

Those are my first three major tips for non-Europeans travelling in Europe! I hope they've been useful. I will be posting more travel tips soon, but don't forget to check out these previous posts as well for more advice!

Travel

Best Travel Snacks

Tips for Professional Travellers

Tips to Beat the Heat: Advice for Travelling in a Hot Country

Random Facts I Learned Travelling Around Europe

Happy travels!