1. If you plan to visit the large cities (as one should do the first time in Europe), DO NOT rent a car. It may be convenient to get from one city to the other, but in the cities, a car is a millstone around one's neck ╨ there is virtually no place to park in any of the European cities (with the possible exception of Salzburg, Austria). Inter- and Intra-city transportation in Europe is fast, on time, cheap, and convenient, and a Eurailpass (or one of the national RR passes) is a much wiser course.
2. If you do rent a car, make the necessary arrangements in the states to get the car by means of a voucher from the US branch of the company ╨ this will save about half the European cost, and avoid the VAT, which in some countries reaches 33% (but Switzerland has no VAT, which tells you where to rent a car if you have to).
3. Most rental companies will allow a free return to a different city than the pick-up city if it is returned in the same country.
4. The best time to travel in Europe is late spring or mid- to late fall before the full tourist season begins. In addition, the temperatures in southern Europe are very pleasant at those times of the year. Try not to go during August, when many companies and institutions traditionally have their summer holidays: some cities virtually shut down during August, and resort centers are jammed.
5. My wife and I have travelled in Europe (mostly in the spring or fall, Cf. #3) many, many times, almost always without reservations for our accommodations, and have only once been unable to find a suitable place to stay (and that was our fault for waiting too long to find a place ╨ we slept in the car). There are always reasonable accommodations at reasonable prices at these times of the year.
6. You will find your trip much more satisfying if you make an effort to speak the language of the country or region that you are visiting. An excellent way to do this, if you are not up for a full language course, is to use the Berlitz "(Language Name) for Travellers" series, which are pocket-sized paperbound books with everyday phrases in English, the language in question, and phonics, arranged by type of use (Dining Out, Telephoning, Shopping, The Car, etc.). They are comparatively inexpensive and are available in virtually any language that one can think of (or would want to travel to). They are convenient even if you have a grasp of a language ╨ idiomatic expressions (which are included) require a familiarity with a language that most people never acquire. I can 'get along' in six languages, but I still carry a Berlitz and a pocket dictionary for that very reason. This obviously is not about fluency, but about making a perceived effort to get along with local people.
7. By 'satisfying' (Cf. #6) I mean contact with local people on a social basis, not in connection with their rendering of a service of some sort (as in a hotel or restaurant).
This is one of the reasons for seeking accommodations is the small independent hotels, patronizing the restaurants used by local people, etc., where one can frequently strike up (sort of) a conversation.
8. One 'luxury' in which we usually indulge is breakfast in the hotel. This is somewhat more expensive than breakfast in the coffee shop around the corner, but at the same time is an opportunity to meet one's fellow-travellers, who, in the small hotels, are likely to be travellers from a neighboring town, city or country, rather than from overseas. This represents another opportunity for an exchange of at least pleasantries.
9. The above (#6) is more important the farther one gets from the large cities. In the small towns and the countryside, most people have only a rudimentary grasp (if any) of English. In the large cities and resort centers, someone will always have an operating knowledge of English basics, especially in connection with their jobs in the larger hotels and restaurants (which, as in the US, are not frequented by most of the local people).
10. The first thing we generally do when visiting an unfamiliar city is to take a city tour. There are usually several tours available, leaving from some central spot in the city as well as some of the hotels, at a choice of prices, degree of coverage, and length of trip. The guides usually are polylingual ╨ or the bus is equipped with running translations in sometimes eight or ten languages. This is a good way to get an overall view of the city's attractions and layout, and to alert oneself to places to be revisited on one's own time.
11. Generally, American Express Traveller's Checks are the most convenient means of carrying money. They can be cashed almost anywhere, in smallest village bank on up. Before leaving the US, we generally exchange $50 - $100 into the currency of the country that we are to arrive in. This avoids the rush to exchange money upon arrival to buy a bus or train ticket (or to pay for a cab) from the airport, or have a snack, or whatever. Then a reasonable amount (enough for a few days' living expenses) can be exchanged later at your convenience. The best exchange rate is available in banks rather then hotels, or airports either, for that matter). In small towns, the restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts, shops, and grocery stores don't usually jump for joy when one produces a Traveller's Check in dollars, so exchange enough to live on for a few days. Be sure to keep track of week-ends, when almost all banks are closed ╨ one can sometimes exchange dollars at the railroad station, along with dozens of other travellers who forgot about the weekend, which can be a frustrating waste of time.
Many large-city stores, restaurants, hotels and shops accept VISA cards, so this is another means of carrying money if one is spending large amounts of time in large cities. Again, this is not so common in the small cities and villages.
12. Many Europeans (especially southern Europeans) tend to have their main meal at mid-day, often followed by a 2- 4 hour siesta, when the shops and even some museums close for several hours. Having one's main meal at mid-day is awkward for travellers ╨ it tends to result in drowsiness about mid-afternoon, which can be embarrassing if one is driving. We usually stop in a local grocery story, buy few rolls, some cheese and perhaps some sausage, a few pieces of fruit, and some bottled or canned fruit juice and have a picnic at lunch time. (When you travel, always bring along a knife to cut your sausage and cheese.) Lunch in a pleasant spot along a road or in a city or wayside park makes a very nice interlude in a day of travelling or sightseeing. If you have a car, lunch in the car on a rainy day also is a pleasant, different experience.
