With around 300 million vaccines administered, people are starting to travel once again. The Memorial Day weekend even saw millions of Americans travelling, which made it the busiest day in air travel in the US ever since the pandemic started.
While most of these travellers were going to domestic destinations, the increasing number of fully vaccinated adults will likely increase international travel. People will likely travel to Europe since the vaccinations are also in full swing in the continent, with over 46 percent of adults receiving at least one dose. If you’re planning to visit Europe, here are the things you should remember.
Set a Budget
Since you’re travelling outside the country, you should make sure you have the funds for it. So, you should set a budget for your expenses, including your plane tickets, accommodations, food, and sightseeing trips. This is the most important aspect of travelling to Europe, so you should focus on it and make sure you do it right.
If you do not plan and set your budget, you might end up in a situation where you run out of money in the middle of the trip. In this situation, you will likely have to cancel or forego some things that you planned simply because you don’t have money for them. So, you should plan it properly to avoid burning a hole in your pocket while seeing the sights in Europe.
Plan Your Accommodations
Another important aspect of the trip is your accommodations. You should make sure that you plan ahead of time, especially if you have limited funds for your European escapade. The current trend in European tourism is offering high-end accommodations, which you may want to avoid. While this approach is mainly a response to the need of some tourists looking to avoid crowds, there are still several options for your accommodations when you travel around Europe.
One option you can consider is getting a reservation in a hostel if you want to stay in a place where you can meet other travellers without paying too much. Similarly, Airbnb accommodations are also available in areas where you cannot find affordable lodging facilities. You may even get discounts in some of these places, especially with the tourism industry still trying to attract tourists to recover from the pandemic.
Plan the Itinerary
Planning the itinerary for a European trip is also important since you have many places to visit and sights to see on the continent. While you have several options, you may want to limit them so you can enjoy the trip rather than rushing from one place to another.
You should plan where you’ll go and the places you want to see. It’s ideal if these places are close to each other. Even though the transportation facilities in Europe are notable, you would not want to spend a good amount of your time riding a car, bus, or train. So, you should be strategic when you plan to visit different places on the continent.
Research Your Destination
Travelling to another country requires a lot of research, especially if you go to a place where English is not their native language. Try to get a general idea about the location of different tourist sites in each country. Knowing a few of their customs will also allow you to avoid offending anyone.
You should also have an idea about the local transportation facilities so you will not have any issues when travelling to the sites. You should also know which bus or train to take when you travel around the country. It can be intimidating to travel to a foreign country. But if you have an idea about their transportation facilities, you will not have any problems.
Buy Tickets Early
Another way you can save money when you travel to Europe is to buy your plane tickets early. If possible, buy the tickets a month ahead since ticket prices will go up the closer it is to your travel date. Additionally, you can also take advantage of discounts that airlines may offer if you book your plane tickets ahead of time.
But make sure you already planned everything before you buy the tickets. This will allow you to avoid any unnecessary expenses and any confusion if something happens before the date of your trip comes.
Travelling was once easy for many Americans before the pandemic happened. But with the end of the health crisis close at hand, you will once again have the opportunity to visit Europe after over a year of lockdowns and quarantines in different parts of the world.