This past summer my husband and I packed our things and hit the road. Actually, we took planes, trains, automobiles, trams, ferries and buses to nine cities in three countries in just over five weeks. We spent longer planning than traveling, but no matter how much research and preparation you do, everything will not go off "according to plan". It is not a surprise that during these action packed and fun filled weeks, we learned a number of tips to help others alleviate some of the pitfalls we stumbled upon when journeying. I jotted down a few of these "bumps in the road" and present them here, in no particular order.
1. No matter what the website says, confirm whether or not the inn has an elevator (especially in the small towns of Umbria and Tuscany). One of ours had a lift – for luggage only.
2. If you have a Eurail pass, make all your reservations as early as possible during your trip, particularly in the summer, unless you have a great deal of flexibility in your schedule. On one occasion we had to alter our itinerary; three days was not far enough in advance to secure a reservation. In addition to changing our dates of travel, we were obliged to pay full price in second class since there were no more seats available anywhere on the train, even on our new, later date of travel.
3. Bring a sarong, yoga pants and/or pashmina, when churches are on your agenda. Most indicate that no shorts are allowed for women and shoulders must be covered. Granted, many let this rule slide, but others would not even allow me to get two feet in the door. Thankfully, we had another day in Assisi; I came back the following day to see the Basilica of San Francesco.
4. Pack all liquids in Ziplock bags and bring extra. They might not be as fancy as designer containers, but they saved most of my belongings when my shampoo and conditioner leaked during our travels. They are also great for packing similar things together which minimizes time spent searching through various pieces of luggage.
5. Make your first stop the tourist information desk, marked with an italic "i". Get as many maps as possible, ask for bus schedules, check out festivals or special events. You never know what you might miss by not asking the people who know.
6. When traveling without a car, be sure to double check directly with the accommodation (don't rely on any websites) for directions from the train or bus station at which you will be arriving. A lot of cities have several train stations. Be sure you get the directions for the location of the station you need. Also, since Europe is experiencing a building boom, updated directions will save you time.
7. Ask locals (i.e. shopkeepers, bartenders, etc.) for their restaurant recommendations. With any luck, this will help you avoid tourist traps. Be wary of suggestions from your inn's front desk. Many times they get a kick-back from restaurants that might be less than stellar.
8. Bring extra over-the-counter medication; they're much pricier in Europe. You may not be able to purchase the brands you know. The nearest and only pharmacy might be closed, especially in the summer or on weekends. Due to unexpected and excessive blisters on my feet, I ended up spending a small fortune on Band-Aids, Compeed (the most common moleskin brand), gauze and pain relievers since I didn't bring enough.
9. In the summer (especially in August), be aware that a great many businesses will be closed. This is true throughout the week; worst on weekends. You may want to visit travel forums and ask locals which businesses are open during your travels.
10. When traveling from town to town, look into bus travel, especially for small towns and towns that are fairly close together. We used our train pass for most of our inter-city travel. For example, thanks to a kind and informative gentleman in Perugia, we learned that the bus from there to Assisi is quicker and cheaper than the train. The train station in Assisi is outside of town, requiring a five-to-ten minute ride to reach town. The bus, on the other hand, dropped us off a short five-minute walk to our accommodation and even cost a couple of Euros less.
11. Try and travel early in the day. Get where you are going, check into your accommodation, drop off your bags and scope out the new town. Get a feel of your bearings and set a general course for your time there. In the midst of those "must see" sights, you might stumble on the unexpected.
12. Budget for water. It can be a big expense in the summer. Save Euros and carry a water bottle, although there are no guarantees when and where you will be able to fill it up.
13. Don't believe any printed train schedules. ALWAYS double check online, or at the train station for the most recent schedule. We had to change part of our itinerary (adding Torino and nixing Lyon) because the train we were planning to take from Milano to Lyon was canceled. Thankfully, we found this out early enough to change our inn reservations.
14. Be sure your accommodation has air conditioning. You might be able to deal without it for temperature purposes, but it definitely helps for noise control. Ours in Assisi did not have air conditioning. The temperature, scorching during the day, was quite comfortable for sleeping at night as long as our windows were open. Unfortunately, our neighbors kept their windows open too, including the one in their bathroom.
15. In most three-star and below accommodations in Italy, the towels are like linen napkins. They are absorbent, but they do take some time getting used to. If you must have towels that are soft and plush, bring your own.
16. A cheap alternative to cell phones is a SKYPE account. You can call internationally, as well as locally with an internet connection, even from most internet cafes. Bring headphones with a microphone; not all internet cafes supply them.
17. Internet cafes in Italy are required by law to make a copy of your passport before letting you use their network. So don't freak out or look for a different cafe. They all have to do this in their country's efforts to thwart terrorism.
18. Make a paper list of all accommodations, phone numbers, directions and flight information for your entire itinerary. Make multiple copies. You don't want to have to rely on an internet connection to obtain this information once you are abroad.
19. Save money by grabbing lunch to go in both Italy and France. Delicious sandwiches, pizzas, kebabs, plus a drink usually costs from 2.50 to 5.50 euros. Several stores offer pre-made items while others are made to order. I still miss those prosciutto, cheese and mustard sandwiches on French bread. Yum!
20. Almost all of mainland Europe uses the same type of electrical outlets. The exceptions are Italy and Switzerland. If traveling to either of those countries, make sure to bring along the appropriate adapter. Your inn may lend you one, but I wouldn't count on it.
We learned a lot on this trip. And I am sure we will come across new ones next time we're journeying. I hope these help you.